CULTURE

Ethiopia has a diverse mix of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. It is a country with more
than 80 different ethnic groups each with its own language, culture, custom and tradition. One of
the most significant areas of Ethiopian culture is its literature, which is represented predominantly
by translations from ancient Greek and Hebrew religious texts into the ancient language Ge'ez,
which is one of the most ancient languages in the world that is still used today by the Ethiopian
Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

GENDER
In Ethiopia, men and women have clearly defined roles. Traditionally men are responsible
for providing for the family and for dealing with family contact outside the home whereas women
are responsible for domestic work and looking after the children.
Parents are stricter with their daughters than their sons. The education of boys is stressed
more than that of girls, who are supposed to help with household work. Often parents give more
freedom to males than females. Girls are restricted from leaving the home and engaging in social
activities with friends much more than boys are. The traditional view was men neither cook nor do
shopping because housework tends to be women's job. This view continues to be held in many
areas of the country.
Although many people continue to follow these traditional roles, life is constantly evolving
including the role of men and women. This can be seen particularly true in urban areas where
women are beginning to take a major role in all areas of employment and men are beginning to
take a greater role in domestic life.

COSTUME
The Ethiopian traditional costume is made of woven cotton. Ethiopian men and women
wear this traditional costume called gabbi or Netella.
Other ethnic groups and tribes in the south and west of the country wear different costumes
that reflect their own traditions. Some tribes partially cover their body with leather but others do not
wear any clothes at all, merely decorating their faces and bodies with distinctive images.

FOOD
The Ethiopian national dish is called wat. It is a hot spicy stew accompanied
by injera (traditional large spongy pancake made of teff flour and water). Teff is unique to the
country. The food is eaten with fingers by tearing off a piece of injera and dipping it in the wat.
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Christians do not eat meat and diary products (i.e. egg,
butter, milk, and cheese) on Wednesdays and Fridays. According to the Ethiopian Orthodox
Tewahedo Church belief, the faithful must abstain from eating meat and diary products to attain
forgiveness of sins committed during the year, and undergo a rigorous schedule of prayers and
atonement.

DRINK
The favourite drink of many Ethiopians is bunna (coffee). Bunna is drunk in Ethiopia in a
unique and traditional way known as a "coffee ceremony". First the coffee is roasted, then ground
and placed in a Jebena (coffee pot) with boiling water. When is ready it is then served to people in
little cups, up to three times per ceremony.
MARRIAGE
Arranged marriages are the norm, although this practice is becoming much less common,
especially in urban areas. The presentation of a dowry from the male's family to the female's
family is common. The amount is not fixed and varies with the wealth of the families. The dowry
may include livestock, money, or other socially valued items.
The proposal usually involves elders, who travel from the groom's house to the parents of
the bride to ask for the marriage. The elders are traditionally the individuals who decide when and
where the ceremony takes place. Both the bride's and groom's families prepare food and drink for
the ceremony by brewing wine and beer and cooking food. A great deal of food is prepared for the
occasion, especially meat dishes.

DOMESTIC UNIT
The basic family structure is much larger than the typical Western nuclear unit. The oldest
male is usually the head of the household and is in charge of decision making. Men, usually
having the primary income, control the family economically and distribute money. Women are in
charge of domestic life and have significantly more contact with the children. The father is seen as
an authority figure.
Children are socially required to care for their parents, and so there are often three to four
generations in a household. With the advent of urban living, however, this pattern is changing, and
children often live far from their families and have a much harder time supporting them. Urbanites
have a responsibility to send money to their their families in rural areas and often try their best to
relocate their families to the cities.

INHERITANCE
Inheritance laws follow a fairly regular pattern. Before an elder passes away he or she
orally states his or her wishes for the disposal of possessions. Children and living spouses are
typically the inheritors, but if an individual dies without a will, property is allotted by the court
system to the closest living relatives and friends. Men are more privileged then females and
usually receive the most prized properties and equipment, while women tend to inherit items
associated with the domestic sphere.

KIN GROUPS
Descent is traced through both the mother's and father's families, but the male line is more
valued than the female. It is customary for a child to take the father's first name as his or her last
name. In rural areas, villages are often composed of kin groups that offer support during difficult
times. The kin group in which one participates tends to be in the male line. Elders are respected,
especially men, and are regarded as the source of a lineage. In general, an elder or groups of
elders are responsible for settling disputes within a kin group or clan.

ETIQUETTE
Greeting takes the form of multiple kisses on both cheeks and then, a lot of pleasantries.
Age is a factor in social behavior, and the elderly are treated with the utmost respect. When an
elderly person or guest enters a room, it is customary to stand until that person is seated.
It is customary for the guest to initiate eating. During a meal, it is proper form to
pull injera only from the space directly in front of oneself. During meals, participation in
conversation is considered polite; complete attention to the meal is thought to be impolite.
CHRISTMAS
Ethiopia still use the old Julian calendar, so they celebrate Christmas on January 7 th, not
December 25th. The Christmas celebration in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is called Ganna.
Most people go to Church on Christmas day.
Many people eat nothing on Christmas Eve (January 6 th). At dawn on the morning of
Ganna, people get dressed in white. Most people wear a traditional garment called a shamma. It's
a thin white cotton piece of cloth with brightly colored stripes across the ends. It's worn like a toga.
The choir sings from the outer circle. Everyone who goes to church for the Ganna
celebrations is given a candle. The people walk around the church three times in a solemn
procession, holding the candles. Then, they go to the second circle to stand during the service.
The men and boys are separated from the women and girls. The center circle is the most
important and holy place in the church and is where the priest serves the Holy Communion or
mass.
People do not give and receive present during Ganna and Timkat. It is more a time for
going to church, eating lots and playing games. Sometimes, children might be given a small gift of
some clothes from their family members.
In Ethiopia, in the Amharic language, Father Christmas or Santa Claus is called 'Ygena
Abt' which means 'Christmas Father'.