Mika'el Abiy

Mika’el Abiy
Mount Gumawta dominates the Mika’el Abiy skyline
Mount Gumawta dominates the Mika’el Abiy skyline
Mika’el Abiy is located in Ethiopia
Mika’el Abiy
Mika’el Abiy
Location within Ethiopia
Coordinates: 13°37′N 39°12′E / 13.617°N 39.200°E / 13.617; 39.200
CountryEthiopia
RegionTigray
ZoneDebub Misraqawi (Southeastern)
WoredaDogu’a Tembien
Area
 • Total
33.76 km2 (13.03 sq mi)
Elevation
2,320 m (7,610 ft)
Population
 (2007)
 • Total
5,698
 • Density169/km2 (440/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Mika’el Abiy is a tabia or municipality in the Dogu’a Tembien district of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. The tabia centre is in Megesta village, located approximately 7 km to the southeast of the woreda (town) Hagere Selam.

Geography

The tabia stretches down south of the main road towards Rubaksa, which is a wider area with several springs and traditional irrigation. The highest peak is Gumawta (2815 m a.s.l.) on the Tsatsen plateau and the lowest place Rubaksa (1920 m a.s.l.).

Geology and soils

Geological formations

Rubaksa tufa plug

From the higher to the lower locations, the following geological formations are present:[1]

Humi-Cumuliskeletic Regosol at Kuliheni (upper Harena)

Soilscape

The main geomorphic units, with corresponding soil types are:[3][4]

  • Hagere Selam Highlands, along the basalt and sandstone ridge
    • Associated soil types
    • Inclusions
      • Rock outcrops and very shallow soils (Lithic Leptosol)
      • Rock outcrops and very shallow soils on limestone (Calcaric Leptosol)
      • Deep dark cracking clays with very good natural fertility, waterlogged during the wet season (Chromic Vertisol, Pellic Vertisol)
      • Shallow stony dark loams on calcaric material (Calcaric Regosol, Calcaric Cambisol)
      • Brown loamy soils on basalt with good natural fertility (Luvisol)
Humi-Cumulicalcaric Regosol at May Addi Abagie in Harena
See also: Soil in Dogu'a Tembien

Springs

Selam Seret community hand pump

As there are no permanent rivers, the presence of springs is of utmost importance for the local people. The following are the main springs in the tabia:[5]

  • May Zahla in Dingilet
  • May Ayni in Rubaksa

Livelihood

The population lives essentially from crop farming, supplemented with off-season work in nearby towns. The land is dominated by farmlands which are clearly demarcated and are cropped every year. Hence the agricultural system is a permanent upland farming system, and the population are not nomads.[6]

Population

Rubaksa gardens
The village of Dingilet expands rapidly towards Hagere Selam (at the back)

The tabia centre Megesta holds a few administrative offices and some small shops. The villages close to Hagere Selam (Dingilet and Harena) have established a new settlement, at the margin of Hagere Selam, where the inhabitants benefit from the proximity of the town.[5] The main other populated places in the tabia are:[7]

  • Awulo
  • Rubaksa
  • T’eshi
  • Addi Kwanti
  • Gabla Imni
  • Haddush Addi
  • Dingilet
  • Harena

Religion and churches

Most inhabitants are Orthodox Christians.[citation needed]

Legends and myths

In the northern part of Harena, called Argak'a, there is a large rock of more than 50 m2 - a legend says that a certain Ilias transported it up to there.[8]

Roads and communication

The main road Mekelle – Hagere Selam – Abiy Addi runs at the north and west of the tabia.[citation needed]

Schools

Almost all children of the tabia attend school[9] and in some schools there is lack of classrooms, due to the large intake in primary schools.[10]

  • A farmer ploughing at Haddush Addi.
    A farmer ploughing at Haddush Addi.
  • View towards Dingilet from Mt Gumawta.
    View towards Dingilet from Mt Gumawta.
  • Waterfall in Dingilet.
    Waterfall in Dingilet.

References

  1. ^ Sembroni, A.; Molin, P.; Dramis, F. (2019). Regional geology of the Dogu'a Tembien massif. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  2. ^ Moeyersons, J. and colleagues (2006). "Age and backfill/overfill stratigraphy of two tufa dams, Tigray Highlands, Ethiopia: Evidence for Late Pleistocene and Holocene wet conditions". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 230 (1–2): 162–178. Bibcode:2006PPP...230..165M. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2005.07.013.
  3. ^ Nyssen, J.; Naudts, J.; De Geyndt, K.; Haile, Mitiku; Poesen, J.; Moeyersons, J.; Deckers, J. (2008). "Soils and land use in the Tigray highlands (Northern Ethiopia)". Land Degradation and Development. 19 (3): 257–274. doi:10.1002/ldr.840. S2CID 128492271.
  4. ^ Nyssen, Jan; Tielens, Sander; Gebreyohannes, Tesfamichael; Araya, Tigist; Teka, Kassa; Van De Wauw, Johan; Degeyndt, Karen; Descheemaeker, Katrien; Amare, Kassa; Haile, Mitiku; Zenebe, Amanuel; Munro, Neil; Walraevens, Kristine; Kindeya Gebrehiwot; Poesen, Jean; Frankl, Amaury; Tsegay, Alemtsehay; Deckers, Jozef (2019). "Understanding spatial patterns of soils for sustainable agriculture in northern Ethiopia's tropical mountains". PLOS ONE. 14 (10): e0224041. Bibcode:2019PLoSO..1424041N. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224041. PMC 6804989. PMID 31639144.
  5. ^ a b What do we hear from the farmers in Dogu'a Tembien? [in Tigrinya]. Hagere Selam, Ethiopia. 2016. p. 100.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ Nyssen, J.; Naudts, J.; De Geyndt, K.; Haile, Mitiku; Poesen, J.; Moeyersons, J.; Deckers, J. (2008). "Soils and land use in the Tigray highlands (Northern Ethiopia)". Land Degradation and Development. 19 (3): 257–274. doi:10.1002/ldr.840. S2CID 128492271.
  7. ^ Jacob, M. and colleagues (2019). Geo-trekking map of Dogu'a Tembien (1:50,000). In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  8. ^ Seifu Gebreselassie; Lanckriet, S. (2019). Local myths in relation to the natural environment of Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geo-Trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains, the Dogu'a Tembien District. SpringerNature. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6.
  9. ^ Socio-demographic profile, food insecurity and food-aid based response. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District. GeoGuide. SpringerNature. 2019. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3. ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6. S2CID 199294303.
  10. ^ Hartjen, Clayton A.; Priyadarsini, S. (2012), Hartjen, Clayton A.; Priyadarsini, S. (eds.), "Denial of Education", The Global Victimization of Children: Problems and Solutions, Boston, MA: Springer US, pp. 271–321, doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-2179-5_8, ISBN 978-1-4614-2179-5, retrieved 2023-10-12