07/01/2021
Christmas celebrations among the Shinasha,in state of Benishangul Gumuz, northweatern Ethiopia.
The Shinasha people are one of the ethinic groups among the people of the state of Benishangul Gumuz region, who have their own distinct holy day celebrations and its practices.
In Shinasha, it is difficult to trace the origin of their festivals but from their songs and stories, it believed that the festivals of the Shinasha, like Christmas, Uninidira, and Easter, gadáwa, Epiphany, timket and New Year, gaaro are common among the Shinasha.
Christmas, uninidira(in Shinasha language): -
uninidira is a unique and common festival that celebrates among the Shinasha society. It always celebrated in December after the arrival of harvesting crops and the beginning of winter seasons in the area. The festival observed mostly for the children, youth, men and women. This festival also believed to be marked as the beginning of a new harvest and success in the cultivation of different cropping items. The “uninidira” ceremony reveals that Shinasha is an agriculturalist society.
At the ceremony elders of the community performs the ceremony. They enter the individual house and then bless the festival and the whole members of the community bring into being enjoying the ceremony. However, most of the practice of the “uninidira” festival is unlike from the practice of Christmas festivals but the date of the Christmas festival has coincided with the “uninidira” festival. In Christmas, the festival is having fun for the incarceration of Jesus Christ.
In Shinasha localities, one of the most important among modern festivals is Christ-mass. The local people celebrate the Christmas singing of Christ-mass songs and moving from one house to another house sharing the Christmas spirit since the introduction of Christianity into the region.
Christmas is Celebrate in different ceremonial activities in Shinasha areas, for instance, food and local drinks, as bori-dawtsa is well prepared and provided to the participants of the festival. Even chicken, goat, sheep and bull slaughtered and provided for the festival ceremony in each member of the community houses.
Festival of “uninidira” is now a big event and waited eagerly the whole year by the young, the old and Children of the Shinasha community.
Every year, the last week of December is keeping aside for preparation festival. However, January seven is the main festival celebration and day of feasting.
The rural areas of Shinasha, the festival of uninidira, preparation begin two weeks before the actual day of feasting. In most cases, parents bought clothes from the market for families and prepared arrived edibles (new crop products). Before and on the eve of the festival day, Elders bless the new crop products to fit with the interest of the families and create healthy conditions for the consumers of the products.
In Shinasha, the youthful have a propensity for a social event at a companion's home or chosen place around evening time just before "uninidira" and hang tight for 12 PM. The waiting time filled with dancing, singing and eating. It is habitual, almost customary to share a roasted chicken, local drink, food, and other items.
Therefore, in each year, Christmas or “Uninidira” celebrates among the Shinasha community.
Wishing all Shinasha society and Ethiopians, a Merry Christmas! May this holiday bring peace and happiness in your life!!!!
Happy Christmas!
Abebe Ano Alula, Ph.D research scholar.
ሠለም ለኪ እልሻለሁ ሁሌም ጠዋት ማታ ባለመታከት የአምላክ እ?
