Hundreds of thousands of Eritrean Diasporas who have flocked to their home
land to celebrate the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of Eritrea’s Independence
have now departed. However, they have been replaced by those who come for
Sawa high school graduation, Eritrean festival and Diaspora families that
had been waiting school closing in their adopted homelands. Summer is
vacation time in America; families go to the beach come back with different
skin tan chocolate, brunette and auburn. In Eritrea summer has deferent
vibe and sensation. Its time when majority of Diaspora’s come home to
visits with their families; aging parents, sibling’s weddings, Sawa high
school graduation and Eritrean festival. Earning and warranting the name
“BELESE” a cactus fruit that is eatable only during the summer month. What
communality. Airline arrivals are limited to the garden city Asmara; city
where one finds broad boulevards lined up with palm and bordered with
colorful summer blooms a testament to Eritrea’s beauty; it’s glorious
climate, spectacular scenery and basking in a sunny Mediterranean climate.
Asmara is where the Diaspora “Belese” and the Prickly Pear Cactus fruit
Belese meet every summer.
Eritrean highlands are known for “Belese” the climate is moderate the rainy
seasons occurs in June, July and August with mild rains in March and April.
The land is blessed with tranquil and unspoiled climate, fertile plains,
hillsides and starkly beautiful mountains. It is an idyllic landscape for
cactus tree and Belese fruit with much of it unique to Eritrea. Southern
highlands are known to have the best testing Belese. Driving from Asmara
south-east towards Segenity via Wekerti known for its hill side Coptic
Church an edifice with four towers. Descending to Dekemhare winding climb
up the escarpment to reach Segenity sub-zone where Belese is abundant and
tantamount with the region. This year May and June the sun has been hard it
was inhalation of blaze. The grass had turned brown and the ground had
turned fire to the feet. Trees wore a dusty coat of brown, animals were
silenced by the heat and Asmara shudders by heat. Then July came the month
of thunder it was enraged and harsh unlike the rumbling of the rainy
season. Powerful wind arose and filled the air with dust trees swayed as
the wind combed their leaves. Finally the sanctified rain came; it was
intense long-drawn-out rain. Like their forefathers; young people run about
happily picking up the hell throwing them into their mouth to melt. The
rain kept falling more rigorously and in large drops people sought for
shelter happy. The earth quickly came to life green vegetation covered the
earth and the Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit Belese came to ripe and ready to
eat.
Belese fruit was introduced to Eritrea about 70 years ago by Italians.
Cactus tree is mainly Mexican and found in different part of the world;
Spain, Italy, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria are some of the countries
that Belese is found. These countries use cactus as food augmentation. For
instance in Mexico it’s used as a vegetable and alcoholic drink. Mesa
Grande Indians were the first group of people to eat cactus. The Spaniards
who invaded Latin America called it “the fig of the Indians”. Cactus tree
is capable of producing fruits for up to three years without rain which
makes it an abundance source of food and alleviate famine. Prickly Pear
Cactus Fruit Belese has many health benefits it helps regulate blood sugar
levels, decreasing risk of cancer, reducing bad cholesterol and it has
antiviral properties. Belese has an abundance of Pectin which is a remedy
for high cholesterol and high level of antioxidant that helps prevent
cancer by protecting cells from free radicals.
As a child I used to spend my summers Southern excursion in a small village
called Hebo near Segenity surrounded by beautiful rolling fields of cactus
tree; that is where I was first introduced to Belese. Young people would
get up early morning to gather Belese using a homemade instrument. One has
to be skilled in retrieving Belese from the top of the Cactus tree it has
thorn that are nuisance. As the sun rise the job of gathering will end and
it’s time to eat. Everyone in the family gathers around and nibbles the
Prickly Pear fruit Belese. After Eritrean Independence upon my return to
Eritrea things have turned much different. Belese is no more a small scale
enterprise it has elevated to a much higher standard business and sources
of income for many. Belese is transported from small villages with hundreds
of Camels and donkeys to the sub-zones where they are retrieved and
transported with trucks to major cities of Eritrea. Huge markets are
located in the center of the cities selling Belese which is available from
June until September months that the Eritrean Diaspora arrives in Eritrea
earning the name “Belese.”
Belese as stated above has many benefits it’s a source of good health,
protector of cancer and high cholesterol and source of food that lessen
famine due to resistance to draught. The Belese industry is low cost
venture and has created job opportunity for young people during summer
vacation. Adding up: the Diaspora “Belese” who arrives in hundreds of
thousands to Eritrea are good source of foreign exchange. For the
Diaspora’s summer is time to re-connect with family members. Eritrea
ancient land, modern nation shrouded in mystique, ancient history and
traditional hospitality is a destination for the Eritrean Diaspora also
known as “Belese”.
Received on Wed Aug 10 2016 - 09:32:32 EDT