Gish Abay
| Gish Abay | |
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 Gish Abay
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| Coordinates: 10°59′N 37°13′E / 10.983°N 37.217°E | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Region | Amhara Region |
| Zone | Mirab Gojjam Zone |
| Elevation | 2,744 m (9,003 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 3,385 |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) |
Gish Abay is a town in west-central Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab (West) Gojjam Zone of the Amhara Region, it is the administrative center of Sekela woreda. The town is named after the nearby Mount Gish and the Abay River (Blue Nile) whose source is in the foothills of the mountain. It is the administrative center of Sekela woreda.
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Gish Abay has an estimated total population of 3,385 of whom 1,615 are men and 1,770 are women. The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 1,959 of whom 850 were men and 1,109 were women.
Gish Abay is best known as the source of the Abay, or Blue Nile, also known as Felege Ghion in Ge'ez, the liturgical language of Ethiopia. Felege Ghion consists of three small springs found within a diameter of about 20 meters. These waters are believed to have a healing power and considered holy by the Ethiopian Church. The first European recorded as having visited the source of Blue Nile at Gish Abay is Pedro Páez, a Spanish missionary, who arrived at these springs 21 April 1618. In the 18th century, the culture and religion of the local people of Gish Abay was chronicled in detail by the 18th century explorer, James Bruce. The British Consul Robert Cheesman was one of the later discoverers who published a geographical description of the area. A more recent expedition is made by a group of American navigators who navigate the river from its source at Gish to the Mediterranean Sea, led by geologist Pasquale Scaturro, whose adventure was related in the film Mystery of the Nile.
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