ADDIS ABABA- Fitche Chembelella Sidama people New Year celebration will be celebrated next Friday at Hawassa Town with the spirit of forgiveness, love and generosity, said Sidama Zone Culture, Tourism and Sport Office.
Jegu Agegnewu Head of the Office said that to enhance love between and among the peoples and promote national unity, the festival will be celebrated by inviting different ethnic groups from different zones and states.
As Fitche Chembelella festival by itself is a symbol of love and peace, before celebrating the festival if there are conflicting individuals or groups they would be arbitrated by community leaders and celebrate the New Year warmly by giving and receiving apologize.
Even an individual, who killed the person, gets apology by paying a compensation called Guma.
He noted that Sidama people celebrate it irrespective of their gender, religion, age and social status and the festival is inclusive.
As to him at national level, the Festival is the second intangible heritage next to the True Cross and it has both cultural and social value. It is also the emblem of the unity.
The festival, aside from human beings gives especial attention for plants, cattle and wild animals adding that at the celebration day cutting
plants and hunting wild life is strictly forbidden, he further elaborated.
He underscored that after the main celebration undertaken at Hawassa at national level, the celebration will be continued at all districts of the Sidama Zone.
Alemu Adame one of the Community leaders of the Sidama people on his part said that Sidama people have their own calendar and each year Ayantu (traditional astrologers) determines the correct date for the festival by observing moon and stars.
He noted that at the eve of the festival, each of the participants of the event pass through soggy wood which called Huluka, that gives the symbol of passing from old year to the new one with success.
He underscored that as to the principle of the festival, on the day of the event eating and drinking alone is forbidden. So, the festival is helpful to enhance social bonds.
The Ethiopian Herald, May 29/2019
BY TAMERU REGASA
