From the countries of the Horn of Africa; Ethiopia which is officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is home to the oldest human inhabitation in the lovely planet. This African country has numerous ethnic communities and has a diverse multilingual, multiethnic and multiculturalsociety. There is also diversity in the geography of Ethiopia as the country has fertile agricultural lands, barren and driest zones and mountainous topographies as well.
The predominant climate type is tropical monsoon, with wide topographic-induced variation. The present capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa, which is situated on the foothills of Mount Entoto. Religion has significant role in the lives of Ethiopians as half of the population belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and from the rest; a wide majority of population is Muslim.
When it comes to the Ethiopian culture, Ethiopia is a brilliant land with extraordinary antiquities and heritage. Although, it is bit mysterious, but it is very interesting to explore the Ethiopian cultural ethics. Most people in Ethiopia speak Afro-Asiatic languages, mainly of the Cushitic and Semitic branches. Overall, Ethiopians feel proud on their culture and they love to exhibit their traditional values, social customs and clothing. The people of Ethiopia have a tremendous variety of traditional clothing. Permanent features of traditional dress of Ethiopia which symbolizes the colors of Ethiopian culture include antique jewelry, particular hair styles and exclusive style of embroidery on the dresses.
The Ethiopian traditional costume is generally made of woven cotton and both men and women wear a typical Ethiopian costume which is called gabbi orNetella. These shawl type garments are worn in a different style for different occasions. Women often wear dresses like Habesha Kemis and netella with borders of colored embroidered woven crosses, but other designs are also used. In some central and northern areas, women’s traditional clothes are often made from cloth called shemma. It is basically cotton cloth, about 90 cm wide, woven in long strips which are then sewn together. The Eithiopian women normally cover their heads with shashes, a cloth that is tied at the neck. Shama and kuta, gauze-like white fabrics, are also often used.
Women in Ethiopia belonging to almost every ethnic group love to wear jewelry. Sometimes the ornaments are worn in silver and gold by both Muslims and Christians, and in the countryside, Ethiopian women are often seen with amber or glass beads incorporated ivory bracelets and anklets with other items.
The fashion industry of Ethiopia is now experimenting to make fusion of their elegant and unique traditional clothes with western and modern clothing pattern in their new dress designs. The exclusivity of the traditional dress being made with cotton or silk mix hand woven fabrics in various patterns and colors along with the individual embroidery is still popular in the modern clothes. Once the luxury clothes, that were considered only to wear on certain events are nowadays prepared to suit in every condition and made wearable in the day to day life.
Our story is yet not finished. Clothing of different ethnic groups and tribes in the south and west of Ethiopia is embellished with distinctive features that reflect their own traditions. Still there are some naked bodied tribes living in Ethiopia, while some of them although cover their bodies with animal skins but still, they are known to decorate their faces and bodies with wonderful images.
The Hamar or Hamer people in Ethiopia belong to the Omotic community who mostly live in southwestern parts of the country. They mostly depend upon the cattle herding and agriculture. Their elaborated costumes are mostly made withgoatskins which are usually longer in the back as compare to the front. Women wear goatskin aprons or frocks which cover their chests and the dresses are usually decorate with glass beads. Women adorn themselves with beaded necklaces, shell earrings and magnificent headbands. Both the Hamar men and Hamar women have unique hairstyle.
The Afar people also form a major ethnic community in Ethiopia. They are also known as the Danakil and they mainly live in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. This is one of the earth’s hottest and driest spots, but also with some of the lowest temperatures on earth. Afar people are actually nomadic who usually move from highland to lowlands with the seasons and rise and fall of the flood waters of the rivers. The married Afar women traditionally wear a black headscarf called a shash or musha. For men and women, the main article of clothing is the sanafil, a waistcloth. Women wear a waist cloth up to their knees and wear a necklace. Some Afar women are still found bare-breasted in the remote Afar territories.
The Oromo people are the largest ethnic group inhabiting Ethiopia, about 95% of whom are settled agriculturalists and nomadic pastoralists, practicing archaic farming methods and living at subsistence level. A few live in the urban centre. Some Oromo men wear woya (toga-like robes), and some women wear wandabiti (skirts). Garments made with sheepskin robes are also common among the Oromo people. Some Oromo women also wear qollo and sadetta (women’s cloth made of cotton). People living in the cities prefer modern Western-style clothes.
The Konso or Konzo people of Ethiopia are basically a Cushitic-speaking ethnic group primarily inhabiting south-central parts of the country. Konso typically live in large towns, each governed by a council of elders. Konso is the first place in Ethiopia to be recognized as a ‘cultural landscape,’ a nod to its importance as a repository for biocultural diversity evolved over many centuries. The strong tradition of cloth weaving is evident in the vibrant and colorful clothing worn by womenfolk, though most young men are dressed in modern jeans clothes.
The Majangir or Majang people are considered as a scattered community who mostly live in the forests of Southwestern Ethiopia. The Majangir meet their needs through slash and burn farming, hunting, fishing, and bee keeping. The Majangir have over 70 clans, with clan identity passed down through the male line. Their traditional costumes are bright, colorful and having the similar nature like other indigenous tribes of Ethiopia.
The Gumuz are animistic, which means they worship the “spirits” of certain rocks, trees, and animals for good health, good crops, good luck, and protection. The Gumuz people hunt with bows and arrows. Most breed cattle or farm for a living. They farm their lands together as a clan. Gumuz are actually a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting the Benishangul-Gumuz Region in the western Ethiopia. The Gumuz also hunt wild animals, such as duikers and warthogs, and gather honey, wild fruits, roots and seeds.
Surprisingly, we have three other ethnic communities who have female domination culture in their society. They are Suri, Mursi and Me’en people of Ethiopia who have almost same characteristics in their customs and living styles. They principally reside in the Debub Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region, close to the border with South Sudan. What is noteworthy about them; they have strange habits of body modification and piercing. They have sharpened teeth, extending ear, lip plates, giraffe neck and patched Bracelet Nose as a symbol of beautification.
Mostly, this body modification is executed upon women. When they reach the age of puberty, their bottom teeth are removed in order to get their lower lip pierced. Once the lip is pierced, it is then stretched and a lip plate is then placed in the hole of the piercing. Having a lip plate is a sign of beauty and the bigger the plate, the more cattle the woman is worth. Some of the women of the Mursi tribe from Ethiopia are also required to wear ear gauging plates as well. The ear plates made with clay or wood are smaller as compared to the huge plates worn on the lip. This term literally means that the girl has reached into womanhoodand has a more respectable stature within the tribe.
The Argobba are an ethnic group in Ethiopia who are Muslims in majority. They are spread out through isolated village networks and towns in the northeastern and eastern parts of the country. Their livelihood is mainly dependent upon agriculture and they are primarily Semitic speakers. They are generally considered hardworking, self-reliant and apart from cultivation and cattle-farming, they are also involved in the trade business. They also move from place to place for trading and establish their towns along their trade routes.
The Daasanach are traditionally pastoral people who usually grow sorghum, maize, pumpkins and beans when the Omo river and its delta floods. Women are circumcised by removing the clitoris. Women who are not circumcised are called animals or boys and cannot get married or wear clothes. Women wear a pleated cow skin skirt and necklaces and bracelets, they are usually are married off at 17 while men are at 20. Boys are circumcised.
There are also many other ethnic groups in Ethiopia who may be having small population but still, they owe rare and unique lifestyle. Their cultural norms are though very fascinating and mesmerizing in their nature, but those are being vanished rapidly. This elimination is occurring due to the transformation of the lifestyle of these ethnic groups into modern ways of living. Traditional dress of Ethiopia is also a glorious aspect from the colors of Ethiopian culture which is also threatened to extinction due to modernization.
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Source: http://www.thelovelyplanet.net/traditional-dress-of-ethiopia-colors-of-ethiopian-culture/
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