As a result, whenever the Ethiopian soldiers went through the Gash Barka region, they would burn down the villages belonging to the Tigre and Nara but leave the Kunama villages alone. In the 1980s, the EPLF sought to gain Kunama support through village self organization programs, social services and education. By the end of the decade some Kunama had begun participating in the EPLF. The Ethiopian-Eritrean War (1998–2000) forced some 4,000 Kunama to flee their homes to Ethiopia as the most intense parts of the conflict took place in their own homeland. Demographics The Kunama speak the Kunama language. It is conventionally classified as part of the Nilo-Saharan family, which also includes the nearby Nara language although they are not closely related. Although some Kunama still practice traditional beliefs, majority of the Kunama have adopted Islam. The fertile plains of the Gash-Setit, also known as the Gash-Barka region, where the Kunama live are sometimes referred to as the "breadbasket of Eritrea". Formerly nomadic, today they are farmers and pastoralists. Historically, the Kunama have been dominated by other ethnic groups and they are often forced from their traditional lands. The official policy of the Government of Eritrea is that all land is state property and the Government encourages large commercial farms. The Kunamas are settled agriculturalists and pastoralists living mainly from cattle. They are matriarchal with a prominent role played by women. According to their social system, a child is a member of Kunama society only if his or her mother is Kunama, and relatives are only recognized on the mother's side. The Kunamas are both linguistically and culturally closely related to the Nara people of Eritrea. Culture Many of the Kunama were traditionally hunters and gatherers. They also engaged in hoe-farming. However, some Kunama took up pastoralism as agricultural land became scarce. Contemporary Kunama are mainly sedentary agriculturists and pastoralists who raise cattle. The Kunama are a matrilineal clan-based society, where some of the most notable clans include the Alaka, Lakka, Serma, Kara, and Nataka. The majority of the Kunama are adherents of Islam or Roman Catholicism, while a few still practice their traditional religion. The Kunama converted to Christianity and Islam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Media The award-winning documentary film Home Across Lands follows a group of Kunama refugees resettled in the United States and their attempts to adapt to life in their new home.