For thousands of years, Eritrea has been the crossroads of great ancient civilizations and trading routes from Eurasia, Arabia, and Africa, as well as home to various ethnic groups.
The people of Eritrea are made up of nine ethnic groups, namely the Afar, Bilen, Bidhaawyeet and Saho belonging to the Cushitic racial stock; the Tigrinya, Tigre, Rashaida belonging to the Semitic racial stock; the Kunama and Nara belonging to the Nilotic racial stock.
Every ethnic group has its peculiar culture, language, lifestyle and tradition that is rich in artifacts, oral history, dances and music, including uniqueness in the construction of houses, hairstyle, and cuisine.
No matter how diverse Eritreans are, they partake in collective life at various levels - family, village, sub-region, region and country. One witnesses a remarkable spirit of solidarity that survived the onslaughts of time and colonizers, the quintessence of beauty, harmony and unity in diversity!