The Other Side of Eritrea

Eritrawi
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The Other Side of Eritrea is a podcast dedicated to showcasing the rich history, vibrant culture, and inspiring achievements of Eritrea and its global diaspora. We move beyond stereotypes to highlight stories of resilience, innovation, and pride from ancient civilizations and the fight for independence to modern-day successes in art, science, and community leadership. Join us as we explore the beauty, strength, and untold stories of Eritrea that the world needs to hear.

  1. The Eritrean Who Outsmarted Empire, Pearls, Aviation & Erasure

    4D AGO

    The Eritrean Who Outsmarted Empire, Pearls, Aviation & Erasure

    Before oil. Before global tech supply chains. There was pearls — a commodity that shaped empires, trade networks, and individual destinies. In this episode, we uncover the story of Al Nahari, an Eritrean pearl merchant from Massawa who wasn’t just successful, he was a global strategist long before “globalization” had a name. Traveling to Paris in 1924, investing in early aviation like Air Orient (a precursor to Air France), navigating colonial taxation, and moving capital through Aden to evade predatory levies, Al Nahari operated with agency and vision. But his success collided with world events: the Great Depression crushed luxury markets, the advent of cultured pearls from Japan obliterated natural pearl prices (from £2,000,000 to £62,000), and WWII forced European governments to seize and absorb private assets. As if that weren’t enough, later colonial-era fiction recast him as a stereotype in Secrets of the Red Sea, erasing his brilliance from the narrative. This episode is about globalization from below, how local actors shaped global markets, and why Eritreans must tell their own stories as history continues to be told by others. Eritrean history, Red Sea, pearl trade, Al Nahari, colonial history, globalization, pearl economy, Air Orient, Air France precursor, cultured pearls, Great Depression, UAE pearling industry, narrative reclamation, hidden history, African global actors Sources & Further Reading The Pearl of the Red Sea — Red Sea Beacon https://redseabeacon.com/the-pearl-of-the-red-sea/ Aqil K., Pearl Industry in the UAE Region (1869–1938): Its Construction, Reproduction and Decline — Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/37377642/Aqil_K_2018_PEARL_INDUSTRY_IN_THE_UAE_REGION_IN_1869_1938_ITS_CONSTRUCTION_REPRODUCTION_AND_DECLINE Secrets of the Red Sea — Archive.org (fictionalized portrayal) https://archive.org/details/secretsofredsea0000henr/page/4/mode/2up

    17 min
  2. Eritrea’s Red Sea Coast and the Real Story of Human Dispersal

    FEB 8

    Eritrea’s Red Sea Coast and the Real Story of Human Dispersal

    How did we truly conquer the Earth? 🌍 For decades, the "Out of Africa" story seemed simple: a single group of early humans left East Africa and populated the globe. But new evidence is shattering that timeline. From mysterious stone tools in the Arabian desert to 100,000-year-old teeth found in Chinese caves, the real story of our ancestors is far more complex—and far more cinematic—than we ever imagined. In this episode, we dive deep into the Upper Pleistocene to explore the "lost" migrations of Homo sapiens. We break down the fierce debate between the Northern Route through the Sinai Peninsula and the Southern Route across the Red Sea. In this episode, we’re uncovering: The "African Eve" Mystery: Did we descend from a single population or multiple "lost" groups? The Ghost Migrations: Why some scientists believe we reached Australia and Asia much earlier than the history books claim. The Asfet Evidence: How a surface assemblage on the Eritrean coast provides the "smoking gun" for coastal migration. The Gulf Oasis: How a lush, hidden paradise in the Persian Gulf may have been the secret "launchpad" for the colonization of Eurasia. Are we the descendants of one rapid "coastal sprint," or are we the product of multiple waves of explorers who braved changing climates and rising seas? Join us as we redraw the map of human history. Featured Research & Sources This episode is based on the groundbreaking work of Professor Amanuel Beyin. Primary Source: “A surface Middle Stone Age assemblage from the Red Sea coast of Eritrea: Implications for Upper Pleistocene human dispersals out of Africa” by Amanuel Beyin (Quaternary International, 2013). Significance: Professor Beyin’s research into the Asfet site on the Eritrean Red Sea coast offers critical archaeological evidence of early human adaptation to coastal environments, supporting the theory of a "Southern Route" dispersal via the Bab al Mandab strait. #HumanEvolution #Archaeology #AmanuelBeyin #HistoryPodcast #OutOfAfrica #AncientHumans #Eritrea #RedSeaHistory #FYP

    15 min
  3. Redefining the Roots of Northern Horn of Africa Civilization

    FEB 1

    Redefining the Roots of Northern Horn of Africa Civilization

    For decades, the civilization of the Northern Horn of Africa has been explained through an external lens, attributed to South Arabian immigrants rather than to indigenous African societies. This interpretation did not emerge from evidence alone, but from long-standing Euro-centric assumptions that struggled to recognize African authorship and innovation. This episode challenges that narrative using linguistic and epigraphic evidence. Ancient inscriptions from the Northern Horn show clear, independent developments, such as vocalization systems, structural grammatical changes, and long-form administrative and legal writing that are absent in South Arabian counterparts. These features point to local innovation rather than cultural borrowing. The episode also revisits the Queen of Sheba tradition, questioning why her kingdom is reflexively placed in Arabia when African geography, archaeology, and material culture fit the evidence equally, if not more convincingly. Rather than a one-way story of diffusion, the Red Sea emerges as a shared cultural space in which influence may have flowed eastward from Africa to Arabia. By foregrounding material evidence over inherited assumptions, this episode reclaims the indigenous roots of Northern Horn of Africa history and restores creative ownership to the people who built its civilizations. References to some work belowREFLECTIONS ON THE ORIGINS OF THE ETHIOPIAN CIVILIZATION by Ephraim Isaac

    13 min
  4. The Sabean Man’s Burden

    JAN 25

    The Sabean Man’s Burden

    The Sabean Man’s Burden, for centuries, Eritrea’s ancient history was explained through an outsider’s lens attributed to South Arabian or Sabean immigrants rather than to indigenous African societies. This narrative, rooted in colonial era Orientalist thinking, portrayed local populations as passive recipients of foreign civilization and was later reused to serve modern political and nationalist agendas. This episode challenges that framework using archaeological evidence. Drawing on recent research from the Greater Asmara region and the Kes-ke-se Valley, we examine material evidence of advanced, indigenous urban societies dating back to at least 800 BCE, associated with the Ona culture long before the rise of the Aksumite Empire. Ceramics, lithic industries, settlement patterns, and architectural remains point to locally developed complexity, not imported civilization. By confronting long-standing assumptions with stratigraphic data and material culture, this episode shows how archaeology can dismantle colonial myths and restore an African centered understanding of Eritrea’s deep past one grounded in evidence, not ideology. Source: Daniel Habiemichael: The Sabean Man's Burden:"Questioninug Historical Paradigm with New Archaeological Findings at Keskese Valley

    16 min
  5. Adulis, Conclusion, Chapter 7

    12/03/2025

    Adulis, Conclusion, Chapter 7

    Adulis, Conclusion, Chapter 7. The political economy of the ancient port city of Adulis in the Northern Horn of Africa during the Classical Age (1000 BCE–700 CE). The author argues against the prevailing Aksumite model, which asserts that Aksum dominated the regional world economy, instead proposing the Adulis model, which positions Adulis as an autonomous center within a network of power dynamics. The research supports this new model by analyzing extensive material data, including the hierarchical built forms at Adulis, the concentration of ancient coins suggesting Adulis was a tribute collector, and its strategic role in war elephant production and the aromatics trade. Furthermore, the work aligns with Du Bois’s observations, seeking to correct colonial distortions in scholarship and introduce new methodologies, such as integrating GIS, 3D modeling, and oral traditions to reinterpret the region's history. The dissertation ultimately provides significant new data and theoretical contributions toward understanding this critical region. Referenceshttps://www.adulites.com/https://scholarworks.umass.edu/entities/publication/6c43531e-c4e4-49d3-9a9b-ed7063f13765 #ForYou #Ad #Eritrea #AfricanHistory #AncientAfrica #EsatAfrica #hornofafrica

    12 min
  6. Aromatic Trade At Adulis Chapter 6

    12/02/2025

    Aromatic Trade At Adulis Chapter 6

    Aromatic Trade At Adulis Chapter 6 Adulis, the ancient Red Sea trade in aromatics, focusing specifically on the highly valued resins frankincense and myrrh, which were considered necessities for religious and medicinal practices in antiquity. The chapter concentrates on the pivotal role of Adulis and its connection to the ancient trade partner of Egypt, the legendary land of Punt. Utilizing a combination of archaeological, botanical, and textual evidence, the analysis refutes earlier suggestions and argues that Punt was most likely located along the East Sudan and Eritrean coast. The author also addresses the historical debate regarding the route of this exchange, providing strong textual evidence and nautical analysis to support the use of the Red Sea route over the Nile. Furthermore, the source incorporates modern ecological data and historical Eritrean export figures to demonstrate the significant anthropogenic decline of the Boswellia papyrifera species over the last century. Referenceshttps://www.adulites.com/https://scholarworks.umass.edu/entities/publication/6c43531e-c4e4-49d3-9a9b-ed7063f13765 #ForYou #Ad #Eritrea #AfricanHistory #AncientAfrica #EsatAfrica #hornofafrica

    15 min
  7. Production Of War Elephants at Adulis Chapter 5

    12/01/2025

    Production Of War Elephants at Adulis Chapter 5

    Production Of War Elephants at Adulis Chapter 5: Adulis was the primary center for the production of African war elephants (Laxodonata cyclotis) used by major polities during the classical era. The analysis first details how these highly intelligent, non-domesticated animals required a resource-intensive, cooperative process involving specialized mahouts, making capture and training more practical than breeding. Supporting this central assertion, the text examines newly developed taxonomic analysis identifying the specific forest elephant species utilized in combat, which was once abundant in the Adulis region. Further archaeological and material evidence—including ivory artifacts, elephant-skin-wrapped mummies, and protective graduated masonry architecture—is presented to confirm the physical presence and extensive use of these animals at the site. This perspective is reinforced by textual sources, such as the Monumentum Adulitanum, which document the Ptolemies’ reliance on Adulis for their military elephant supply and logistics. Finally, the source places this production within the broader context of the regional political economy, exploring the elephant’s heroic symbolic importance in local origin myths and its strategic role in historical battles like Raphia. Referenceshttps://www.adulites.com/https://scholarworks.umass.edu/entities/publication/6c43531e-c4e4-49d3-9a9b-ed7063f13765#ForYou #Ad #Eritrea #AfricanHistory #AncientAfrica #EsatAfrica #hornofafrica

    16 min
  8. Assessing Critical Artifacts at Adulis Chapter 4

    11/30/2025

    Assessing Critical Artifacts at Adulis Chapter 4

    Assessing Critical Artifacts at Adulis Chapter 4 examines critical archaeological artifacts from the site of Adulis to challenge the assumption that the city was merely a port dominated by Aksum, arguing instead that Adulis was a central power in the ancient world economy. The analysis focuses on three key data sets that support this thesis, beginning with the circulation patterns of coinage, where the discovery of roughly 70% of all known Northern Horn of Africa (NHA) currency at Adulis suggests the city was the region's primary economic engine. Furthermore, the Throne of Adulis (MA-II) is discussed as a unique and technologically sophisticated symbol of political authority, which historical accounts confirm was the central location for executing regional criminals, indicating broad judicial control. Finally, the presence of high-ranking Christian officials, including Bishop Moses of Adulis, who reportedly characterized the Aksumite king as a minor ruler, reinforces the conclusion that Adulis functioned as the dominant political and economic center in the NHA. Referenceshttps://www.adulites.com/https://scholarworks.umass.edu/entities/publication/6c43531e-c4e4-49d3-9a9b-ed7063f13765#ForYou #Ad #Eritrea #AfricanHistory #AncientAfrica #EsatAfrica #hornofafrica

    11 min
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5
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4 Ratings

About

The Other Side of Eritrea is a podcast dedicated to showcasing the rich history, vibrant culture, and inspiring achievements of Eritrea and its global diaspora. We move beyond stereotypes to highlight stories of resilience, innovation, and pride from ancient civilizations and the fight for independence to modern-day successes in art, science, and community leadership. Join us as we explore the beauty, strength, and untold stories of Eritrea that the world needs to hear.

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