Idris Wed Amir: The melancholic flame of Tigrait poetry 

Idris Amir is an iconic Eritrean artist that has inspired generations of Eritreans with his poems, music, and songs, particularly those who speak Tigrait.  

A few writers, such as Abubakr Sayek and Osman Humed, have written about Idris Wed Amir in Arabic. Mohammed Hiyabu introduced him to English readers a long time ago. He was also featured in PenEritrea. Osman Humed wrote: “The great popular artist and poet Idris Amir, widely and affectionately known among the people as Idris Wad Amir, is one of the pillars of artistic and poetic creativity in the realm of classical lyrical poetry—immersed in themes of love, beauty, and journeys filled with melancholy, longing, affection, and sorrowful sighs.” 

Tigrait language enthusiast and researcher Beshir Ibrahim gave us an insight into his early life in the language. Wed Amir was born to his father, Ibrahim Idris Amir, and mother, Hawa Musa Fikak, in the village of Ailet (Aylet), near Gahtelay, about 40 kilometers from the port of Massawa, sometime between 1916 and 1920, during the early years of the Italian occupation of Eritrea—which partly shaped his life. Like most of his Muslim peers at the time, he attended a Koranic school in his village and later joined an Italian school in Massawa, which he left in the second grade to herd the family's goats, of which they had an abundance. Herding goats was an everyday activity among his peers at the time. He is believed to have loved singing since childhood. 

He was forcibly recruited into the Italian Navy in 1936 as a guard and stationed at Mesa Teklay, on the northern tip of the Eritrean coastline. It is said that he would lay his gun aside, put on his cap, and sneak away to join singing parties in the surrounding area. Some claim he was dismissed from the army for that reason; others say he left after the British defeated the Italians in 1941. He returned to civilian life in Massawa and worked at the Lester Yestimo workshop. In 1943, he married Saadia Osman from Ad Shuma, near his native village, but unfortunately, she died in childbirth. 

The year 1948 was fateful for him—one that would change his life forever. He fell deeply in love with a girl named Amna. That love was like a volcano for him, and he burst into poetry, music, and songs for her. 

Musical career in Tigrait  

Tigrait is a language full of poetic expressions. Omer Abdulgadir has compiled the poetic lyrics of Tigrait by various artists, including Wed Amir. Wed Amir significantly influenced the musical landscape of the Tigrait language. 

It is the third most widely spoken Semitic language, following Amharic and Tigrinya. Within the broader Semitic language family, it ranks fifth in terms of number of speakers, after Arabic, Modern Hebrew, Amharic, and Tigrinya. The language is spoken across a broad region encompassing the northern, western, and eastern lowlands of Eritrea, as well as parts of neighbouring Sudan—particularly in the Kassala and Red Sea provinces. It was the most studied of the Eritrean languages in the 1900s.

Enno Littmann devoted significant attention to the study of the Tigre language (Tigrait), one of the many areas he explored in depth, beginning with his doctoral thesis in 1897, followed by five volumes. 

Tigrait language scholar Mahmoud Saleh describes it as “expressive and immensely rich in describing life and nature. There are thousands of oral tales, songs, and poems that represent the love of livestock—particularly favourites such as cattle and camels—as well as a deep affection for the land. Tigrayet poems and traditional songs also give heroes and villains their dues.” 

His unfulfilled love was a personal tragedy, yet a cultural gift—offering Tigrait speakers songs that echoed their own feelings. In a society where marriages were arranged by families and singing was considered low status, many shared in his pain. He travelled extensively across Eritrea, sharing his music and connecting with diverse communities. He never mentioned her name in his songs, as was the tradition among lovers. But one day, while singing at a social gathering, he suddenly broke the hanging kerosene lantern that lit the place and shouted out her name. When the light went out, he sang: 

“Her saliva was sweet, and her chest was soft 

If you believe in God, she is my eyes and heart 

I have been scorned for passing by her house 

She says he is my brother  

And I say she is my sister 

I came here to sing  

And never intended to declare her name 

May the lantern be cursed that disclosed the name.”  

It was already known that he was singing about Amna. At the time, it was a tradition that if a lover sang to a girl, it brought shame upon her family, and they would marry her off at the earliest opportunity. She was engaged, and her family had arranged for her to marry a relative, who was a shepherd. When her family realised he was singing about her, they ambushed him on a road and broke his arm. When his lover was married, he sang: 

“Look, the stupid shepherd. 

Who has married a beautiful girl? 

Wish they would tell you he is dead  

So you could inherit his wife. 

He used his mournful about the girl of his dreams to supercharge his lyrics and that feeling of loss left a scar on his output:: 

“I am addicted to your lips.

Like addiction to cigarettes.

One night with you.

And the next night.

I'm ready for a bullet.”  

Those verses show that the Tigrait-speaking people were liberal and tolerant. Today, it would be considered immoral to sing such verses. In a moment of philosophical reckoning, he expressed these lines:   

“Who has measured love 

Or weighed it on a scale 

For those who have not experienced it, 

It means to be spoiled, 

but it makes you speak to the wind. 

It is not a piece of rope that can be cut by force 

It breaks the bones apart 

Its flames are hotter than fire.”  

Every one of his songs is a masterpiece in its own right. One of his most popular songs, Ana Sabr Hlieku (I Am Still Patient) celebrates his endurance and resilience in the face of heartbreak. In it, Wed Amir vows to remain steadfast “until patience gets tired of me,” reflecting the depth of his devotion. 

Ana Sabr Hlieku became one of his signature pieces, remembered for its plaintive melody and emotional lyrics of hope and pain. Some of its most powerful passages read: 

I will only rest if I die.

And my grave will veil me.

And if I live, I will sing for her.

And seeing her will be all I ask for

I am still patient

But that is indeed bitter.

And I am patient

(Translation: Omer Kekia)  

Musical collaboration: trip to Sudan and beyond  

In 1950, his journey took him to Sudan, where he collaborated with the notable poet and singer Omar Ganshara in Port Sudan and performed for the Eritrean communities. These public appearances in Sudan were very successful—Port Sudan proved to be a creatively fruitful environment for Wed Amir. He continued to write new material; for example, during a period when he fell ill, he was cared for by a young woman and ended up composing a series of love songs inspired by this compassionate caregiver. 

Abubaker Sayek, a well-known poet and singer among Eritreans himself, recalled his meeting with Ganshara in 2003, when Ganshara told him about his first encounter with Wed Amir: “I was sitting in one of the cafés in Dem Sawakin, in Port Sudan, when I suddenly saw the artist Wad Amir coming toward me.” He continued: “I was surprised when I saw him—I jumped from my seat, moved toward him, and we embraced for a long time. Because I had known him previously in Eritrea, I asked him about our friends, loved ones, and all our acquaintances. Then he came with me to my house, which was located on the outskirts of Dem at the time, in the Madina neighbourhood, where he stayed with me for several months. We used to hold parties and late-night gatherings in the neighbourhoods where Eritreans lived in Port Sudan.” 

Ganshara also mentioned that Wed Amir fell in love with a girl there, who used to bring him food and other necessities while he was sick with malaria. Wad Amir also sang for that girl. He later travelled to Saudi Arabia and, in 1964, to Kuwait, were passed away. 

It is reported that during his stay in Port Sudan, he composed many timeless songs honouring the neighbourhoods of Port Sudan: Deem al-Madina, Deem al-Noor, Hadal, Korea, Deem Sawakin, Hai Awli, Deem Julud, al-Mina, and others. 

Legacy and influence  

Wed Amir's legacy endures through his contributions to Tigre music and poetry. His compositions, marked by emotional depth and linguistic richness, continue to inspire both artists and audiences. Many contemporary musicians perform his songs, ensuring that his artistic spirit remains vibrant in Eritrean culture. According to Osman Humed, his contributions rival those of Imru' al-Qais, Antara ibn Shaddad, Zuhayr ibn Abi Sulma, and the great poets of the pre-Islamic era who helped keep Arabic strong and vibrant. 

Today, his stature is regarded as that of a national legend in Eritrea’s cultural history. Decades after his passing, Eritreans, particularly Tigrait speakers, continue to celebrate him as a pioneering folk artist and a poetic voice of the people. Eritrean commentators have paid tribute to Wed Amir in glowing terms; for example, he was described as “legendary, extraordinaire” for his role in shaping Tigre music. Wed Amir was praised as “an unparalleled folk legend who has left a searing impact on Tigrayet songwriting, whose presence has not faded through time.” 

His enduring presence is remarkable, given that Wed Amir left behind no recordings. Yet the spirit of his art lives on vividly in Eritrean memory. 

All his poems in Tigrait should be collected and translated into Arabic, Tigrinya, and other Eritrean languages, as well as into English, French, and Spanish, so that he receives the international attention and appreciation he deserves. His poetry and songs are a cultural treasure.