Chapter 27 - Guraba

Summary

THE BETÄ ƎSRAʾEL village of Guraba was the site of whatseems to have been the most important Betä Ǝsraʾelmonastic centre in Dämbəya and Säqqält in thelate nine-teenth and early twentieth centuries. The frequent mention of themonks of Guraba in early twentieth-century sources makes it possible totrace this centre's development over a few decades, as well as itsabandonment in favour of other monastic centres.

Guraba does not appear in any of the maps examined. However, a few accountsoffer a general indication of its location (map 27.1): Faitlovich (1910, 70)states that it is located “about two and a half hours west ofAmba-Gualit.” A schematic representation of Guraba appearing in themap published in Faitlovitch's book depicts it south of Gana andnorthwest of Amba G^walit. Nahoum (1908, 114), who also visitedGuraba in 1908, wrote that Guraba is four and a half hours fromFänǧa and three and a half hours from GanaYoḥannǝs. The London Society missionary Heintze (1929a, 54,74) states that the church of Gana Yoḥannǝs is twohours’ walk from where his expedition camped at Guraba, and theLondon Society missionary Michael Argawi (1902, 7) related that he and hisfellow missionaries travelled from Hog to Guraba in less than a day, andfrom there reached Anguaba near Č̣əlga in less than aday.

During our visit to Amba G^walit, we asked our informants, who werefamiliar with the location of Guraba, how one would travel there from ourpresent location. They answered that, first, one would travel to Ayimba, andfrom there to Sänbät Däbr. From there, one can walk toGuraba in an hour and a half. While Sänbät Däbr doesnot appear in the maps examined, a locality by the name of“Aimba” is indicated. Hence, it is plausible that Guraba isindeed located northwest of Amba G^walit and south of Gana, northof the Azäzo to Č̣əlga road.

Guraba from its Foundation to the First Decade of the TwentiethCentury

Qes Ḥadanä Təkuyä (2011, 16),who was born in the village of Guraba, and whose father received hisreligious education in the monastic centre there, reports that Guraba wasestablished by Betä Ǝsraʾel from Č̣aqoAbba Däbtära.