Eritrea’s Chosen Trauma and the Legacy of the Martyrs: The Impact of Postmemory on Political Identity Formation of Second-Generation Diaspora Eritreans

Abstract

In the collective memory of Eritreans, the liberation struggle against Ethiopia symbolises the heroic fight of their fallen martyrs against oppression. After independence, the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front created an autocratic regime, which is adored by many second-generation diaspora Eritreans living in democracies. I engage with bodies of literature exploring the political importance of collective trauma in post-conflict societies and apply two theoretical notions, “postmemory” and “chosen trauma,” to explain how the government’s narrative of Eritrean history produced a culture of nationalism through the glorification of the martyrs. This narrative and the trauma experienced by their parents created experiences of postmemory among the second-generation diaspora that have influenced their worldview. I demonstrate how Eritrean pro-government activists utilise US-born artists who recently discovered their Eritreanness, such as Tiffany Haddish, to instil long-distance nationalism. The article is based on a social media analysis, long-term observation of Eritrean diaspora communities, and recent fieldwork.

Transnational lived citizenship turns local: Covid‐19 and Eritrean and Ethiopian diaspora in Nairobi

“…‘J’ here refers to some of the founding narratives of Eritrea as an independent state that centres on community and sacrifice, narratives that have ultimately resulted in the repressive politics in Eritrea from which the migrants in Nairobi have actually fled. In this interesting referral back to this ‘heroic’ past, these narratives are now re‐invigorated as a means to get through the difficult life of a migrant during the time of crisis (for a wider discussion of the role of memory in migratory lives, see Hirt, 2021). One could almost say that turning to important national narratives supports locally lived citizenship in a transnational migrant setting.…”

Much More Than Just Money: Investigating Remittances Across Time and Place in the Eritrean Context

“…Th e case of Semhar also shows how the same people can change their attitudes over time, thus suggesting the need to take a longitudinal approach when examining remittance practices. Indeed, generational transmission plays a pivotal role in the view of remittances as an integral part of belonging to the Eritrean diaspora (Hirt 2021). Th is can follow two main paths: fi rst, within families, from parents to children; second, by the meetings regularly organised by the overseas branches of the ruling PFDJ (Graf 2018).…”

Engaging the next generation: authoritarian regimes and their young diaspora

“…As true patriots, the generation growing up abroad is urged to support the “homeland” economically through a 2% diaspora tax and to help defend Eritrea’s reputation, as the country is internationally criticized for its poor human rights records (see e.g. Hirt 2021 ).…”