Legendary Eritrean Singer Bereket Mengisteab Laid to Rest

Funeral services for Bereket Mengisteab – one of Eritrea’s legendary and greatest artists – were held at noon today at Asmara’s Patriots Cemetery. Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, senior government and PFDJ officials, religious leaders, and his family attended.

Bereket Mengisteab passed away on 12 November at the age of 84. He was born in 1938 in Hazega, Eritrea. He was was largely self-taught on the krar, a traditional string instrument. He began his artistic career in 1961 by joining the then Emperor Haile Selassie Theater in Addis Ababa. In 1973, he and his Eritrean colleagues formed the music group “Mekaleh Guaila.”

In his 60 year long career, he worked as composer, musician, vocalist and poet. He produced several classic songs. In some of his songs, he motivated Eritrean youths to join armed struggle for the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia.

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