Diminishing Identity

As a proud Ethiopian, I understand that the pride of being an Ethiopian isn't economic might or financial richness, or being big in size or population. I believe it's because of the nation's natural and cultural heritage, the people's kindness and hospitable nature, the harmony and mutual respect between different religions, and more.

If we pause for a moment and think about what Ethiopia has offered to the world, the word that we can come up with to say it all will be "enormous." Keeping this treasure, however, has become equally enormous these days.

It's been a saddening fact that those rich and magnificent cultural heritages are diminishing more and more by the day. Not only the culture, the local languages are being treated as "unnecessary" and "worthless" by some, and favoring English as the most valuable means of communication.

I miss 'Hoya Hoye'  and 'Abebayehosh', the traditional chants by children for Buhe and Enkutatash,  respectively. It's such a pity that we're losing this culture and start living in memories.

It might not become a surprise since we are ignorant of almost everything around us, but losing our identity and culture, that's quite sickening.

On New Year's Eve, I saw a couple of young girls chanting 'Abebayehosh' at the gate of a building. Only two girls! Usually, it takes at least four or five girls to form a group when the spring time girls' play time starts. Seeing those two poor girls broke my heart. Is this where we are going? Are we on the verge of a grave "identity crash?"

The Buhe tradition has already lost its charm for quite a while. The kids these days have traded the traditional reward for their 'Hoya Hoye'  chant, the mulmul, or freshly baked traditional piece of bread, for cash. This is awkwardly disappointing!

The westerners have maintained the customary Halloween tradition that has taken its root in 16th century Scotland. Children dressed in various Halloween costumes go door-to-door and receive candy fro their neighborhood on the night of October 31. I believe it's high time that we should start learning from them and preserving our own. There's no one to do this job for us.

I'm afraid, though, that we're running out of time to play our role in this area, since we're losing those responsible citizens who strived to maintain this harmoneous heritage. Parents, teachers, schools, cultural institutions are burdoned with this responsibility. And we, the people, are obliged to assist in whatever means that we have in our disposal. Getting back a lost heritage is a long shot, so let's start the race against time to nurture the effort to preserve true Ethiopian culture.