Harrari

Harrari. 1. The natives of the district of Harrar, east frontier of Shoa, South Abyssinia, till lately ruled by an independent emir, but now subject to the Abyssinian emperor. They appear to have been originally Himyaritic Semites akin to the Abyssinians, and, like them, Christians of the Monophysite sect. But although they still speak a dialect of the Geez or Old Himyaritic language, they have long been fanatical Mohammedans of the Shiah sect. Nevertheless, they have preserved many Christian traditions, are nearly all monogamists, and treat their women with great respect, allowing them to go unveiled and relieving them from most of the hard work. They are distinguished by their love of letters, and have developed a certain literature, using the Arabic characters, which, however, are written in vertical lines from top to bottom instead of from right to left. A characteristic local industry is book-binding, and the Harrar earthenware and woven goods are also much prized.

2. A large Arabo-Berber nation, province of Oran, Algeria, where they occupy the elevated platev.u watered by the head streams of the Shelif. There are two divisions, the Sheraga (" Eastern")

and Gharabi ("Western") Harrari, the former with fifteen, the latter with five sub-tribes; collective population, 18,000.