Singers From Eritrea

"That's very good. And let me add one more thing, that in all my musical releases, I write, compose and arrange my own music, I just get the lyrics from someone else."

"I started to play music at a very young age during the time I joined the liberation movement. The very first instrument I ever touched was a "Krar" (a hand-made traditional guitar), I guess it was in 1980. After that, in 1981 I had the opportunity to learn and play the "SHambqo" (traditional flute). And then in 1983, I was also exposed to learning some Fine Arts, and did some hand drawings and paintings."

"Since I had a lot of love for music and a box guitar by my side -- a hand-made guitar used to belong to a martyr known as "Oromo," I continued to develop and focus on my musical skills with "sne-Tbeb" until 1987.Since at that time I was very young, I had very easy time to master the "Krar" and also the box guitar. And also since I kind of felt a very strong love for music in general, learning the instruments was very simple for me."

"It was very difficult for them; even wearing trousers was strange and they were shocked when they had to share a blanket or bed with the men."

"By the end of the war in 1991, the lives of Eritrean women had changed so much they were determined not to go back to their traditional old roles."