BY MESRET BEHAILU
As Ethiopia is home to 80 plus different Nations, Nationalities and Peoples as well as numerous languages and ethnic groups, it is no surprise the culture of one community differs from another.
Yet, Ethiopians leave harmoniously. In this regard, the Raya community, as depicted in the picture above, has own traditions of helping each other out as well as a system of jointly fighting enemies.
The first picture depicts a thirsty girl gurgling down milk. She is seen closing her eyes, because the milk proves delicious and satisfying. Her partner proffers the calabash tilting it well to let her drink more.
Offering the calabash with both hands signifies generosity and compassion. That is why the other girl eyes the one drinking with such a mood. The Calabash is not only utilized for holding and drinking of milk. Rather it is significant for preparing butter without aroma change.
Similarly, in most parts of the country women use the calabash for baking Enjera. Rotating the calabash that pours the fermented dough in continuous concentric circles it is possible to make Enjera.
The calabash plant is perhaps similar with pumpkin but they serve different purposes. Pumpkin is used for making food but not the calabash.
The two girls in the picture are seen dressed costumes that is peculiar from the common cultural cloths in the country, as it is very strong and thick. The dress has own name. It is called ‘’Bofie’’ in the local community. It is also known as ‘’Reyan Tibeb’’
Also, they have a unique hair dressing style, which is helpful to tell whether
a girl is single, have a fiancé, married or divorced. It is also the symbol of traditional cosmetics and beautification. Rayan girls’ click one another not only as a matter of choice but also as a means of sharing interest and love. For example, dressing each other’s hair, exchanging traditional cosmetics, enjoying together, and buttering one another’s head are the means of sharing love.
Like the women the men have been using traditional cosmetics like tooth brush prepared from twigs, combs, costumes as well as unique shoes. Besides, to protect themselves from enemies they use rods, sticks or daggers. In Rayan community, as a matter of the responsibility, holding stick is the duty of young men whereas holding weapon is that of adults and elders. It means that elders and adults are expected to be trustworthy and responsible when it comes to handling weapons.
Furthermore, the stick, weapon, and dagger have been used for different purposes. For example, the stick is utilized for killing snakes, the gun for hunting and defending from the enemies whereas the dagger is used for slaughtering the hunted animals.
In the long historical culture of the community, men put belt around their waist. It is called Yewondoch Mekanet, which is used for protecting oneself from attacks when someone attempts to assault one by a dagger. Similarly, arranging the bullets on the waist is a common practice for attacking the enemies. Men’s traditional cloth is also called the Bofie and the upper part of the cloth is referred Netela or single cotton.
Meanwhile, the Raya Community are marked for unique dressing style, interest of sharing, cordiality, the art of leading war, cultural dancing and mediation, among others.
The Ethiopian Herald January 24/2021
