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Inda Sillasie

(Redirected fromCh'elaqo)

Inda Sillasieis atabiaor municipality in theDogu'a Tembiendistrict of theTigray RegionofEthiopia.Thetabiacentre is in Migichi village, located approximately 13 km to the south-southeast of theworedatownHagere Selam.

Inda Sillasie
Municipality
Inda Abba Hadera holy water
Inda Abba Hadera holy water
Inda Sillasie is located in Ethiopia
Inda Sillasie
Inda Sillasie
Location within Ethiopia
Coordinates:13°33′N39°12′E/ 13.550°N 39.200°E/13.550; 39.200
CountryEthiopia
RegionTigray
ZoneDebub Misraqawi (Southeastern)
WoredaDogu'a Tembien
Area
• Total
51.26 km2(19.79 sq mi)
Elevation
2,130 m (6,990 ft)
Time zoneUTC+3(EAT)

Geography

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Thetabiastretches down from the foot of the Tsatsen ridge to Giba River, over a long ledge between the Inda Sillasie and Gra Agiam/Bitchoqo rivers. The highest peak is a hill at May Ch’elaqo (2330 m a.s.l.) and the lowest place is the confluence between Giba and Bitchoqo rivers (1440 m a.s.l.).

Geology

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

Geomorphology and soils

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The maingeomorphicunit, with corresponding soil types is the gently rollingAntalo Limestoneplateau, holding cliffs and valley bottoms.[3]

See also:Soil in Dogu'a Tembien

Climate and hydrology

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Climate and meteorology

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The rainfall pattern shows a very high seasonality with 70 to 80% of the annual rain falling in July and August. Mean temperature in Migichi is 21 °C, oscillating between average daily minimum of 11.9 °C and maximum of 29.6 °C. The contrasts between day and night air temperatures are much larger than seasonal contrasts.[4]

Rivers

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The Giba River is the most important river in the surroundings of thetabia.It flows towardsTekezze Riverand further on to theNile.This river and its affluents have incised deep gorges which characterise the landscape.[5] Thedrainage networkof thetabiais organised as follows:[6]

Whereas they are (nearly) dry during most of the year, during the main rainy season, these rivers carry high runoff discharges, sometimes in the form offlash floods.Especially at the beginning of the rainy season the water is brown-coloured, evidencing high soilerosionrates. For instance, in the rainy season the Inda Sillasie river, near its outlet, has an average discharge of 9 m3per second, which amounts to 220 m3per second during heavy storms.[7]Annually, some 60,000 tonnes of sediment are exported from the 121 km2large catchment.

Springs

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As there are no permanent rivers in the uplands, the presence of springs is of utmost importance for the local people. The main springs in thetabiaare:[8]

  • Very strong springs at Dabba Hadera monastery
  • May Chelaqot in Akuwaw
  • Indasillasie Gedam in the gorge, downslope from Indaslassie village

Water harvesting

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In this area with rains that last only for a couple of months per year, reservoirs of different sizes allow harvesting runoff from the rainy season for further use in the dry season.

  • Traditional surface water harvesting ponds, particularly in places without permanent springs, calledrahaya
  • Horoyo,household ponds, recently constructed through campaigns[9]

Vegetation and exclosures

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Thetabiaholds severalexclosures,areas that are set aside for regreening.[10]Wood harvesting and livestock range are not allowed there. Besides effects onbiodiversity,[11][12][13]water infiltration,protection from flooding,sedimentdeposition,[14]carbon sequestration,[15]people commonly have economic benefits from these exclosures through grass harvesting, beekeeping and othernon-timber forest products.[16]The local inhabitants also consider it as “land set aside for future generations”.[17]In thistabia,some exclosures are managed by theEthioTreesproject. They have as an additional benefit that the villagers receivecarbon creditsfor thesequesteredCO2,[18]as part of acarbon offsetprogramme.[19]The revenues are then reinvested in the villages, according to the priorities of the communities;[20]it may be for an additional class in the village school, a water pond, conservation in the exclosures, or a store forincense.[21]The following exclosures are managed by the Ethiotrees project in Inda Sillasie municipality:[22]

  • Addi Meles,near the village of Migichi (64.84 ha)
  • Ch'elaqo,near the homonymous village (49.99 ha)

Settlements

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Thetabiacentre Migichi holds a few administrative offices, a health post, a primary school, and some small shops.[8]There are a few more primary schools across thetabia.The main other populated places are:[6]

  • Akuwaw
  • Debre Genet
  • Ch’elaqo
  • Daboy Tsarba
  • Dabba Hadera
  • Inda Sillasie

Agriculture and livelihood

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The population lives essentially from crop farming, supplemented with off-season work in nearby towns. The land is dominated byfarmlandswhich are clearly demarcated and are cropped every year. Hence theagricultural systemis a permanent uplandfarming system.[23]The farmers have adapted theircropping systemsto the spatio-temporal variability in rainfall.[24] Especially the youngsters will go to the deep gorge of Giba river to harvestincensefromBoswellia papyriferatrees.[25]

History and culture

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History

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The history of thetabiais strongly confounded with thehistory of Tembien.

Religion and churches

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Inda Sillasie monastery

Most inhabitants areOrthodox Christians.The following churches are located in thetabia:

  • Sillasie monastery
  • Dabba Hadera monastery and well known destination ofpilgrims
  • Kidane Mihret, in the forest, South of Dabba Hadera
  • Migichi Mika’el on top of a small mountain

Inda Siwa,the local beer houses

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In the main villages, there are traditional beer houses (Inda Siwa), often in unique settings, where people socialise. Well known in thetabiacentre are Kidan Gebretekle and Fetli Gebregziabher.[8]

Roads and communication

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The main roadMekelle–Hagere Selam–Abiy Addiruns 10 to 15 km northwest of thetabia.A rural access road links most villages to the main asphalt road atDongolo.

Tourism

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Its mountainous nature makes thetabiafit for tourism.[26]As compared to many other mountain areas inEthiopiathe villages are quite accessible, and during walks visitors may be invited for coffee, lunch or even for an overnight stay in a rural homestead.[27] Dabba Hadera has grown into a pilgrimage centre where people stay for shorter or longer terms.

Touristic attractions

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  • Sillasie monastery
  • Dabba Hadera monastery

Geotouristic sites

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The high variability of geological formations and the rugged topography invite for geological and geographic tourism or "geotourism".[28]Geosites in thetabiainclude:

  • Viewpoint from Migichi Mika’el church to the wider surroundings
  • Limestone landscapes
  • Deeply incised gorges
  • Anthropogenic incense landscape on the slopes of Giba gorge
  • Views on theAddi Lihtsilarge rockfall

Trekking routes

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Trekking route10between Abba Hadera and Kidane Mihret monasteries

Trekking routes have been established in thistabia.[29]The tracks are not marked on the ground but can be followed using downloaded. GPX files.[30]

  • Trek8V,fromInda Maryam Qorarto Dabba Hadera monastery, a pilgrims’ way across thetabia
  • Trek9,fromInda Maryam Qorarto Sillasie monastery, a (less frequented) pilgrims’ way across thetabia
  • Trek10,from Giba Gorge, along the Inda Sillassie gorge to Rubaksa; this trek also passes near Dabba Hadera, Kidane Mihret and Sillasie monasteries

See also

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References

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  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.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.
  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, 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; Gebrehiwot, Kindeya; 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.PMC6804989.PMID31639144.
  4. ^Jacob, M. and colleagues (2019). "Dogu'a Tembien's Tropical Mountain Climate".Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains.GeoGuide. SpringerNature. pp. 45–61.doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_3.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.S2CID199105560.
  5. ^Amanuel Zenebe, and colleagues (2019). "The Giba, Tanqwa and Tsaliet Rivers in the Headwaters of the Tekezze Basin".Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains.GeoGuide. SpringerNature. pp. 215–230.doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_14.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.S2CID199099067.
  6. ^abJacob, 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.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.
  7. ^Vanmaercke, M. and colleagues (2010)."J Soils Sediments".Geology.10:611–627.doi:10.1007/s11368-010-0203-9.hdl:1854/LU-854315.S2CID53365853.
  8. ^abcWhat 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)
  9. ^"Developers and farmers intertwining interventions: the case of rainwater harvesting and food-for-work in Degua Temben, Tigray, Ethiopia: International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability: Vol 6, No 3".doi:10.3763/ijas.2008.0366.S2CID154026513.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  10. ^Aerts, R; Nyssen, J; Mitiku Haile (2009)."On the difference between" exclosures "and" enclosures "in ecology and the environment".Journal of Arid Environments.73(8): 762–763.Bibcode:2009JArEn..73..762A.doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2009.01.006.
  11. ^Aerts, R.; Lerouge, F.; November, E. (2019).Birds of forests and open woodlands in the highlands of Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District.SpringerNature.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.
  12. ^Mastewal Yami, and colleagues (2007). "Impact of Area Enclosures on Density and Diversity of Large Wild Mammals: The Case of May Ba'ati, Douga Tembien Woreda, Central Tigray, Ethiopia".East African Journal of Sciences.1:1–14.
  13. ^Aerts, R; Lerouge, F; November, E; Lens, L; Hermy, M; Muys, B (2008)."Land rehabilitation and the conservation of birds in a degraded Afromontane landscape in northern Ethiopia".Biodiversity and Conservation.17:53–69.doi:10.1007/s10531-007-9230-2.S2CID37489450.
  14. ^Descheemaeker, K. and colleagues (2006). "Sediment deposition and pedogenesis in exclosures in the Tigray Highlands, Ethiopia".Geoderma.132(3–4): 291–314.Bibcode:2006Geode.132..291D.doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2005.04.027.
  15. ^Wolde Mekuria, and colleagues (2011). "Restoration of Ecosystem Carbon Stocks Following Exclosure Establishment in Communal Grazing Lands in Tigray, Ethiopia".Soil Science Society of America Journal.75(1): 246–256.Bibcode:2011SSASJ..75..246M.doi:10.2136/sssaj2010.0176.
  16. ^Bedru Babulo, and colleagues (2006). "Economic valuation methods of forest rehabilitation in exclosures".Journal of the Drylands.1:165–170.
  17. ^Jacob, M. and colleagues (2019).Exclosures as Primary Option for Reforestation in Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District.SpringerNature.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.
  18. ^Reubens, B. and colleagues (2019).Research-based development projects in Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains - The Dogu'a Tembien District.SpringerNature.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.
  19. ^EthioTrees on Plan Vivo website
  20. ^EthioTrees on Davines website
  21. ^Moens, T; Lanckriet, S; Jacob, M (2019). "Boswellia Incense in the Giba River Gorge".Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains.GeoGuide. Springer Nature. pp. 293–300.doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_19.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.S2CID199113310.
  22. ^De Deyn, Jonathan (2019).Benefits of reforestation on Carbon storage and water infiltration in the context of climate mitigation in North Ethiopia. Master thesis, Ghent University, Belgium.
  23. ^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.S2CID128492271.
  24. ^Frankl, A. and colleagues (2013)."The effect of rainfall on spatio‐temporal variability in cropping systems and duration of crop cover in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands".Soil Use and Management.29(3): 374–383.doi:10.1111/sum.12041.hdl:1854/LU-3123393.S2CID95207289.
  25. ^Moens, T. and colleagues (2019). "Boswellia Incense in the Giba River Gorge".Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains.GeoGuide. SpringerNature. pp. 293–300.doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_19.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.S2CID199113310.
  26. ^Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains – The Dogu'a Tembien District.GeoGuide. SpringerNature. 2019.doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.S2CID199294303.
  27. ^Nyssen, Jan (2019). "Logistics for the Trekker in a Rural Mountain District of Northern Ethiopia".Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains.GeoGuide. Springer-Nature. pp. 537–556.doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_37.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.S2CID199198251.
  28. ^Miruts Hagos and colleagues (2019). "Geosites, Geoheritage, Human-Environment Interactions, and Sustainable Geotourism in Dogu'a Tembien".Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains.GeoGuide. SpringerNature. pp. 3–27.doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_1.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.S2CID199095921.
  29. ^Nyssen, Jan (2019). "Description of Trekking Routes in Dogu'a Tembien".Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains.GeoGuide. Springer-Nature. pp. 557–675.doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_38.ISBN978-3-030-04954-6.S2CID199271514.
  30. ^"Public GPS traces tagged with nyssen-jacob-frankl".OpenStreetMap.Retrieved2019-10-11.
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