9th Seattle By Abraha Zerai

9th Keren High School Reunion

Seattle 2025

Speech

By Chairman Abraha Zerai

Hello Honoured DEKI KEREN XAADA,

Joke - Allow me to start with a joke and I will tell it in Tigringa …

I am so privileged to stand in front of Deki Keren Xaada who are always respectful, nice and love one another. They enjoy laughter and jokes because they believe that happiness is the panacea to all illnesses.

Dear guests, thank you for coming to celebrate Keren and Kerenites here in Seattle, also known as the Rain City, located in the Evergreen State, WA. Amongst us are people who came from far away. They came from Australia, Germany, Canada, New York, DC, Wisconsin, Colorado, Missouri, North Carolina, Arizona, Portland, California, Illinois, Minnesota, and other places. Welcome to Seattle.

Allow me to introduce Board Members who worked diligently to organize this reunion. They are Hassen Fereg, Bahlibi Tecle, Tesfagabir Misgina, Zeinab Warah, Michael E, Woldeslassie Tesfai, Kibra Gebre, Dr. Woldemariam Gebreslassi, Dr. Fickak Habtes, Dr. Mulugeta Abraha, Yemane Desta, Habtemichael Woldesus, Mehari Memhir Estifanos, Mohamed Birhan Wedi Nuru, Meron Mohamed Naka, Michael Negusse, Jowet Habtu, and myself, Abraha Zerai. Members who can’t make it to this reunion, but part of this board are Yacob Idris, Semira Osman, Mohamed Ali Mahmud, Semret Araya, Lydia Zerzgi, Surafeal Abrehe, Hussein Warah, and Teklit Estifanos.

2. Joke – Our beloved Keren High School principal, Kanoni (RIP) made a joke about how short I am. I am going to respond to that joke in Tigringa that I am happy to be short as it is a blessing in disguise for me…

Dear guests,

Deki Keren XAADA who reside in Seattle are so honored and excited to be your host this year. We have Kerenites who contributed $2,000, $600, $500, $300, $250, $200 the rest paid $100. We raised over fourteen thousand dollars to make this reunion successful. We have other volunteers who are ready to entertain us for free. They are Yemane (DJ), Sammy, Rezene, Robel and his wife, Kirbit, Alazar and. Every Kerenite in Seattle contributed money and energy to make this get together memorable. The youth organized themselves to help in many ways. We will do everything and anything to make your stay fulfilling and worthy. We were waiting for this day for so long. We have a strong and united Keren Community. In behalf of this united Kerenites Seattle community, I wish you pleasant time, connecting with childhood friends and making new ones.

We have a three-days program. I would like to mention that Saturday afternoon is all reserved for the youth. Our children, born back home or in the diaspora have to love and cherish Keren as we do. We want them to say, “I am WEDI Keren XAADA or GUAL Keren XAADA.” We have to make them believe that Keren is a special place on this planet earth. We want them to take the lead in this Keren XAADA venture.

Why do we use the term KEREN XAADA? (a) Kerenites are LIBOM XAADA, meaning they are honest, friendly, and are not mean-spirited. (b) The are tolerant and respect other beliefs, (c) The weather is moderate and comfortable, (d) It has diverse community – it is inhabited by almost all the 9 Eritrean BIHERAT, and Ethiopians, Sudanese, Nigerians (Tequarir), Somalians, Italians, Greeks and so on. All these people live in peace, and harmony. (e) Keren’s people are inclusive. When you come to Keren, the first day you are a guest, but the next day you are a Kerenite. (f) Most of all they are respectful and love one another.

What does Keren mean? I heard some say the word is taken from Bilen language that says ‘KIRGHA’ which means stone. Others say it is derived from Tigrina; keren means mountain. Yes, Keren is surrounded by 4 mountains named ETAABIR, ZIBAN, SENKIL AND LALIMBA. There are only 3 gates to Keren XAADA; one takes to Asmara, another one takes to Agordat, and the last one takes to Nakfa. Keren is guarded and protected by its mountains.

This is our 9th reunion. Since its first inception, we saw many successes. It brought back the childhood Keren memories. It doesn’t mean it was all smooth. But as the saying goes “The people will board and exit the train BUT the train moves forward with a purpose and a determined goal.” We will have more and more reunions come; every 2 years we will converge at a place to refresh our Keren memories.

I am WLAD Keren; I am a proud Kerenite; I love Keren XAADA, I believe in Friendship, Respect, Tolerance, Inclusiveness, and Unity.

Long Live Deki Keren XAADA

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