The Western Zone () is a zone in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. It is subdivided into three woredas (districts); from north to south they are Kafta Humera, Welkait and Tsegede. The largest town is Humera. The Western Zone is bordered on the east by the North Western Zone, the south by the Amhara Region, the west by Sudan and on the north by Eritrea. Starting from the late 17th C., internal boundaries are clearly shown, with 37 maps (between 1683 and 1941) displaying a boundary that is located well south of the Tekeze River, or even south of the Simien mountains. Welkait is explicitly included within a larger Tigray confederation (periods 1707-1794; 1831-1886; and 1939-1941); it is briefly mapped as part of Amhara in 1891-1894 and part of Gondar from 1944-1990. At other periods it appears independent or part of a larger Mezaga (“dark earth”) lowland region.
Since November 2020, as part of the Tigray War, the administration of the Western Zone was taken over by officials from the Amhara Region.
History
Edward Ullendorff in his book "The Ethiopians : an introduction to country and people by Ullendorff, Edward at page 36 and 37 states "Tigrigna - as the name implies- is a language of the Tigrai province. It is spoken throughout the Eritrean plateau and extends as far as lake Ashangai and the Wejerat districts, it then crosses the Takkaze westwards to the Tsellemti and Welkayt regions. And the people who speak this language at the authentic carriers of the historical and cultural traditions of the ancient Abyssinia". Therefore, the claim that historically, the areas situated west of the Tekeze river were separate from Tigray doesn't hold water. Welkait, Tsegede, Kafta Humera (now called Western Tigray) and Tselemti in the North Western Zone have been part of Tigray. Welkait, Tsegede, Kafta Humera (now called Western Tigray) and Tselemti in the North Western Zone are part of the Tigray polity. Starting from the late 17th C., internal boundaries are clearly shown, with 37 maps (between 1683 and 1941) displaying a boundary that is located well south of the Tekeze River, or even south of the Simien mountains. Welkait is explicitly included within a larger Tigray confederation (periods 1707-1794; 1831-1886; and 1939-1941);The areas were under the Gonder Province administration from 1944 to 1990. At times the areas were autonomous provinces ruled by Amhara nobles and other times fell under the administration of Begemder.[3][4]
Pre Axumite and Axumite kingdom
Geographical and anthropological evidence show that Western Tigray has been part of Tigray since Pre-Axumite times also in the middle ages as is clearly stated in 1833 book by Michael Russell ''NUBIA and ABYSSINIA: Comprehending Their Civil History, Antiquities, Arts, Religion, Literature, and Natural history’’ at page 79 explicitly states that Semien, WElQait, Waldba, and Lasta were part of Tigray province.
The mention of Säb’a Welkait (ሰብኣ-ወልቃይት) is analogous to and parallel with Säb’a Enterta or Enderta (Enderta or Enterta People), Säb’a Agame (Agame People), Säb’a Azebo (Azebo People), Säb’a Womberta (Womberta People), and Säb’a Segli (Segli People), Säb’a Wejjerat (Wejjerat people) and the like we see in historical sources. It is an exact reference defining people (Säb’a) in a certain domain (Welkait) under the polity (Aksumite identity). source Fattovich and Bard, 2001:4 and Hatsani Daniel mentions a toponym WYLQ Welkait from Western Tigray. This fact is clearly stated in Michael Russell's 1833 book "NUBIA and ABYSSINIA: Comprehending Their Civil History, Antiquities, Arts, Religion, Literature, and Natural History" on page 79. According to the book, Semien, WelQait, Waldba, and Lasta were all part of the Tigray province.
Middle ages (1607-1944)