BY LEULSEGED WORKU
August 19th (Nehase 13, in the Ethiopian calendar) is one of the most awaiting days among children of Ethiopian, particularly followers of Orthodox Tewahdo Church.
Children, of course boys, start their preparation three or four days before the actual day of the feast. They create groups, prepare objects and sticks they can knock the floor so as to accompany their chanting and create rhythmical sound. They also select a lead singer while performing songs- Buhe Belu- from door to door in neighborhoods.
Buhe, the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor (Debre Tabor) is a feast observed by Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church in the month of August. The day is marked among Ethiopians to commemorate the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor.
The celebration of Buhe in rural and urban areas has different colors. While children in urban area mark the day with modern styles, the rural society celebrate it in a manner it has kept its religious and traditional values.
In the countryside, students at traditional church school usually prepare a big feast and invite the congregation and the locals to join the festivity.
Buhe, apart from its religious significance and symbolism, has special cultural and societal values for Ethiopians. The “Hoya Hoye” song which is performed in groups and praises adults and elders is the most cherished event by young boys. Many Ethiopian children, not only the followers of the religion; but also followers of other religions enjoy it. In some areas, even non-followers join in the Hoya-Hoye song owing to its distinctive rhymes, unique praise verses and melodies.
As it was indicated by Timket Tefera, in her paper entitled “Joyful Boys Singing Hoya Hoye: Biblical, Social, Cultural connotations and Symbolism of the Buhe Celebration in Ethiopia” the word Buhe is believed to originate from the term Buha, Hebrew or Boha (Amharic) meaning bald head, barren land or something exposed, a light and something bright. According to her, Hoya Hoye comprises several song parts. Each part consists of distinct melodic-rhythmic course and lyrical messages. It is wholly arranged in call-response style. Thus, one of the boys serves as a lead singer and the rest of the group as accompanying chorus.
Another source indicated that Buhe festival is one of the best known and widely celebrated religious festivals in the Orthodox Tewahdo Church. Buhe festival is alternately called Debre Tabor festival. It is celebrated annually on August 19 (Nehase 13). The story of the transfiguration of Jesus is told in the New Testament when Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory upon a mountain. Debre Tabor is not only a unique Ethiopian Orthodox Church holiday. It is also an identity of all Ethiopians that tells the whole world how unique Ethiopians are and they preserve their age old culture till this day.
In its religious sense, Debre Tabor signifies the preparation of the apostle’s act to leave their families behind and follow Jesus. As it was indicated by Dagnachew Nega who wrote his paper about Debre Tabor, Debre Tabor is a reminder for little children to follow the steps of the apostles. It is a time where they will leave their parents.
“Most of students have already left their family homes, in search of education. They travel far away from their villages, finding shelter in and around monasteries, to gain a church education and serve their church in the meantime. Like the Apostles’ leap of faith, they decide to rely on God to look after them, without worrying about what they will eat, or where they will sleep. The locals usually support these students, so they can continue their studies. There are lots of traditional church school students who celebrate Buhe festival yearly.”
During Debre tabor celebration it is common to see boys dressing with traditional Ethiopian costumes, holding stick, swinging their whip and singing special Hoya Hoye song that is uniquely prepared for that special day. Buhe is also a day where people of the neighborhood tie a bundle of sticks together to make a “chibo” and set it on fire while singing songs. Whip cracking is the other feature of Hoya Hoye.
Tree barks or vegetable fibers are used to prepare whip- Jiraf. As one of the customs of Buhe, it is common to hear cracking of whips a few days before Buhe. This is to herald the end of the dark season and the approaching of the holiday that signal the Ethiopian New Year.
Singing Hoya Hoye has a unique style where one singer leads while the others follow in a rhythmic way. By going to each home, children will praise the house owners for their deeds, fortunes and the like matters; and extend their heartfelt best wishes to them.
Hoya hoye is always accompanied by a reward from elders. After young boys sing songs that praise the owners of the house and their family member, the house owner (Mother or Father) will reward those boys with homemade fresh bread- which is called Mulmul Dabo.
Here in Addis Ababa the mark of Buhe holiday is different from that of the rural practices. Boys in Addis Ababa form a small group and get together so as to sing Hoya Hoye. Unlike the rural boys, here in Addis it is common to see boys going to stores and other market places in search of money, not Mulmul bread.
The other magnificent feature of Buhe is a campfire event which takes place in the evening. The chibo, which is lit on the evening in the presence of neighbors and the song and the dance around the chibo, coupled with the loudest sound of whips, make the day especial and unforgettable.
The Buhe festival has significant benefits for social and cultural values. Beside its religious significance, Buhe has a key role in creating an opportunity to sing together and create a sense of belongingness among boys of same neighbors. The strong attachment among the children in a given neighborhood will remain strong for the rest of the year protecting each other with a sense of solidarity. What is more, respect and love among the boys with other villagers is the other side of Buhe. As it was indicated by an anonymous elder, Buhe is both a religious and cultural holiday for all Ethiopians. Beside its cultural values, it is also a time where fraternity and strong attachment among boys of a given village is further retrieving and flourishing.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 19 AUGUST 2022
