eritrean youth identities in the era of globalization
DESCRIPTION
Western living standards and lifestyles are fixed so deeply in their mindsYoung Asmarian identities are expressed through modern western outfits their familiarity with the modern electronic gadgetsTRANSCRIPT
Eritrean Youth Identities in the Era of Globalization
Mannar Indira Srinivasan.
[email protected] & Compiled by [email protected]
Objectives& Methodology
• Lifestyles of Eritrean youth • Music habits of Eritrean youth • Ethnography, participant observation and in-
depth interviews among Eritrean youth in the age group of 18-25 years.
• Data collected from three residential colonies of Asmara namely Tiravolu, Space 2000, and The German Colony, where the majority houses are connected to satellite TV.
Diversified Society
9 ethnic groups and lan-guages
2 major religions
Tigrinya speaking Highland Christians
Other ethnic language speaking lowland Mus-limsNature worshipping, matri-
lineal - Kunama ethnic group
Tigrinya, Arabic and English are major languages used for public communica-tion
Mass Media in EritreaState controlled media
No freedom of speech and ex-pression as the constitution was not implemented.
Single party, authoritarian government
Only country in the entire continent without a pri-vate media today
Many journalists have been jailed are with-out trail
Satellite TV started by 1996
Favorite channels
•
MBC -2 FilmsMBC-4TalkshowsMTV & the other music channelsFTV, Citraz and the other fashion TVBBC and CNNAljazeera and the other similar Arabic news channels
Life-stylesImitation of modern costumes dis-
played in the film
Young women Not wearing ‘ Zuria’
Emergence of women as a major workforce
The Tigrinya women either plait or braid their hair.
Modern women are attending beauty salons
straightening or coloring their hair
Young Asmarian identities are ex-pressed through modern western outfits & their familiarity
with the modern electronic gad-gets.
Music Preferences. • Afro American singers
like Bob Marley, 50 scent, P Diddy, & Snoop Doggs are favorite singers
• Hip-hop and Reggae music are popular.
• Singers are known for their distinct style exhibited in the form of their hair style, body language, dressing and fast beat in their songs and dances.
Music Prefer-ences
• The Back Street Boys’- I want it that way’, ‘As long as you love me’ are favorite songs
• peculiar dressing style of wearing heavy metallic/leather tops tore jeans
• wearing a hanging/stud in one of their ears feminine way of hair dressing with long hair either tied with a band or loosely braided.
• Young boys are adopting these styles imitating their
favorite singers .
• We like Reggae and hip-hop not because it is very stylish and attractive. It talks about people like us.”
• It is a carrier of our aspirations, projecting their political and social commentaries.
wrtempltes.com
Native Music .
• Tigrinya music traditionally relies on solo songs using traditional instrument ‘Krar’
• Today, they are using western musical instruments like ‘Key boards’, that are capable of mixing various musical instruments .
• Earlier they sang for attaining statehood
• Today they are releasing albums imitating western singers
• Frequently visiting US and Europe for concerts
• Eritrean Diaspora’s influence.
Music Preferences.
• Abraham Afwaerki Michal Fehira, Tesfay Mengisha, Yohanese Tikabo and female artists like Elsa kidane and Helen Meles are household figures of Asmara.
• They are part of the youth lifestyles exhibited via their walkman, slim and sleek I-pods and MP3 as well as the dress codes and the body language of these singers.
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Music Preferences.
• American jargons and usages like ‘wonn’a be’, and gonn’a be in day toady practice..
• Writing mobile language b/c(Because) • Ur (Your) etc• Change in their greeting style-”Waazaa
up?” instead of traditional greetings.
wrtempltes.com
Music Preferences.
• ‘ Back street girls’ and ‘Destiny’s Child’ are popular among girls.
• . Beyoncé Knowles is their favorite singer
• ‘Independent women ‘,“Survivor" and "Bootylicious are favorite albums.
• Hip-hop influence among young girls is seen through blonded hair,
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Music Preferences.
• ‘Singer, songwriter, actress and record produce, Mary J. Blige is an Afro-American, soul, R&B and Hip-hop performer
• No more Drama’, ‘we are certain that you too” are her albums popular among girls
• Girls wear the ‘China moon rag’ a scarf &wrist bands the singer wear.
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Conclusion.
• Majority youth of highland Asmara are highly attracted to the western lifestyles
• expressed their willingness to migrate to other countries
• Western living standards and lifestyles are fixed so deeply in their minds
• Popular western music genres like Hip-hop, Reggae, Rock and jazz music are part of their daily life.
• Western music is consumed displaying their thin and sleek mobiles, Mp3s and walkman CDs
Conclusion..• 50-Cent; P Diddy, Snoop Doggs and Bob Marley are
iconic figures, personified through the youth of As-mara.
• Main streets of Asmara are littered with video and DVD rental shops that circulate Hollywood movies and popular music DVDs like Hip-hop, Pop, Reggae and Rhythms and Blue.
• Young girls try to walk and talk like Julia Robert or Anjaleena Jolee, bleaching their hair to attain Euro-pean appearance
• piercing their Belly button like singers from the mu-sic bands like ‘Destiny’s child or ‘Back Street girls’ and decorating it with a studded stone hanging gracefully
Thanks.