Akurdat is one of the rich Eritrean cities; its agricultural resources, palm and coconut trees makes it an important commercial as well as agricultural city. The vast banana farmland that is laid along the Barka river basins is the main banana supplier to the national markets.
Akurdat which is known for its hot climate consists of 15 administrative areas and 72 villages which make it one of the major cities of the Gash Barka region. The residents of the city make their living on farming, herding and trade activities. The vast fruit and vegetable gardens are the main source of income to most of its residents.
The city is also well known for its livestock and especially camels and its cattle which are known by ‘bgayt.’ The name Akurdat is also related to camels. Since there were so many camels in the area long time ago, there were a lot of camel tick known as ‘kurad’ in Tigre. So, the name came from the plural form ‘koradid.’ At the present, Akurdat has more than 45,000 residents in which the number is increasing from time to time due to the expanding agricultural projects.
The construction of the city since independence showed dramatic progress. In 1997, a vast land was distributed to residents for residential and business purposes. New hotels, restaurants, a commercial bank building and other service rendering institutions make the city simple to live in a housing complex is also under construction at the present.
In the 18th century Akurdat was a small village mainly with camel herding. During the Turkish colonial period, however, it became a small military base. Downtown the city there is an emblem with a Turkish word ‘bedrekan’ that is believed to have been written in 1802.
According to legend, Akurdat was a place of continuous tribal fighting among the ‘Barka lords.’ The native residents of the place were called Menae, Hashedre, Hafera, and Belew Kelew. However, due to the ethnic fighting, the Menae and Haferab were extinct and the leading tribes of the area till recent times were the Netab. The Mahdists from the Sudan came to the area and killed Deglel Humed. Then the Italians arrived from Keren to the area and in collaboration with the residents ousted the Mahdists. It was at that time the Italians were introduced to Akurdat. Since then the ambition of the Italian expansion increased and in 1918 they established a military base and then after they continued their infrastructural works by building railways, bridges and roads.
Although the Italians didn’t built a number of buildings like in the other major cities of Eritrea in Akurdat, there are some remains that symbolize their presence. A momentum of an Italian combatant, RE 11, is one of the major remains. There are buildings of the 1940s that still give beauty to the city. The building known as ‘rest house’ which is now serving as a trade office and the city’s administration office are good examples.
Before the Italians built the houses, Akurdet had only traditional houses built with mad and laka. Starting from the 1940s to mid 1970s the city showed encouraging progress and became a centre for modern farming system and trade activities. Hundreds of Lorries used to transport an export oriented banana to Massawa every week. A baton factory known as Shshita and Derosi; ‘Loy’ a coconut cutting factory; Anjeba factory that produced ‘eka’ were the major factories that provided employment to thousands. The city also had a 24 hours electricity and water supply.
In 1958, emperor Haileslasie built a major mosque and a surgery hospital which have remained to be the major buildings of the city. A girls’ school that was built in 1954; a railway station and a market place built by the Italians; the first school of the city built in 1934and the railway which was completed in 1934 are of historic importance. The residential house of the late national figure Abona Ibrahim Sultan is also another important historical place.
There are major mountains around the city. Mount Koken in the south; mount Entenaye in the north; and mount Komotch in the west. There are also a number of streams and rivers that pass by the surroundings of the city. The sub zone is also known for its vast grassland and wild life.
Akurdat saw its worst tragedy during the Haileslasie regime. It was on September 3, 1975 at 4:30 pm that Ethiopian soldiers started to destroy the city. That Sunday afternoon, 430 citizens were killed in a few hours and were buried in a whole together. Since then, the residents were terrorized and many of them fled the area. That moment is now known as ‘Black Sunday.’
The city was also a centre of organized nationals during the early years of the armed struggle. In 1977 Akurdat was liberated by the E.L.F. It again fall under the Mengustu regime following the strategic withdrawal of 1978; however, it was finally liberated by the EPLF in 1988 following the fall of the ‘Nadew Ez’
Translated by Amanuel Tesfay
