Freweyni Explained

Official Name:Freweyni
Other Name:Sinkata, Sink'at'a, Sinqata, Sincata, Senkata, Frewini[1]
Pushpin Map:Ethiopia
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Ethiopia
Coordinates:14.05°N 73°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Ethiopia
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Type2:Zone
Subdivision Type3:Woreda
Subdivision Name2:Misraqawi Zone
Subdivision Name3:Saesi Tsaedaemba
Timezone:EAT
Utc Offset:+3

Freweyni (also known as Sinkata or ferawun) is a town in northern Ethiopia. Located 80 kilometers north of Mekele in the Misraqawi Zone of the Tigray Region (or kilil) of Ethiopia, this town has a latitude and longitude of 14.05°N 73°W with an elevation of 2480 meters above sea level and is located along Ethiopian Highway 2.

Naming

During the Italo-Abyssinian War, a large group of Ethiopian soldiers, marching to the north to fight the Italians, arrived almost starving at the town of Freweyni. In honour of this march, the town was renamed to Sinkata.

In 1991, after the EPRDF seized power, new administrative divisions came into place. South of the town, a suburban tabia was created. To distinguish the town tabia from the surrounding tabia, the name of the town was changed again to Freweyni. The surrounding area kept the Sinkata name. Nowadays, both Freweyni and as well as Sinkata are still commonly used to refer to the town.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Local history of Ethiopia (Shoan Terara - Snoch, 2005). Nordic Africa Institute.