Alaba in Ethiopia

People Name:	Alaba
Country:	Ethiopia
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	419,000
World Population:	419,000
Primary Language:	Alaba-K'abeena
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	2.60 %
Evangelicals:	1.40 %
Scripture:	New Testament
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Omotic
Affinity Bloc:	Horn of Africa Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Alaba people of Ethiopia live on the central highlands of Ethiopia, some 250-300 km southwest of Addis Ababa to which it is connected by the asphalt Shashemane-Soddo Road. The land is flat and dry with savannah type vegetation. Maize, teff and red pepper are their main crops. The Bilate River borders the Alaba country on the west side towards the Kambaata people. The languages of both these people groups are closely related to Highland East Cushitic languages. The Alaba has been administrated under the Kambaata for years although at the moment Alaba is a special administrative area by itself.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The lifestyle of the Alabas is very modest. Practically all the houses in the rural area are round-shaped, thatch roofed houses, made of wood and mud. They are without ceilings and have mud floors. Livestock spend the night in them together with people. Most of the people get their drinking water from rivers and ponds by carrying it long distances. More than half of the urban houses are without electricity. Firewood and tree leaves are used for cooking. The Alaba administrators express their biggest needs to be schools and clinics for more villages, and wells for villages that are without drinking water. Their very self-confident nature causes them to reject outside influences, and in the rural areas they are only now starting to allow their children to attend schools.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Allabas are nearly all Muslim, although there has been a great endeavor to plant churches among them in recent years. There are some Christian Believers among them now, but the majority are Sunni Muslim.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Alaba people to depend on God Almighty for their physical and spiritual needs. Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers to the Alabas in Ethiopia. Pray for a movement to Christ among the Alaba people this decade.