Exploring Traditional Wedding Ceremony of Majangir

Abstract

This study attempts to explore the traditional wedding ceremonies of Majangir. It tries to give a description and analysis of the traditional wedding ceremony of the Majangir people, called “wawan” by the people themselves. The study attempted to explore and identify the most important cultural elements of the traditional wedding ceremony of the Majangir community and show how it is performed. Moreover, it intends to show the value system of the people in relation to marriage practices. The data was collected through direct observation including photographing and video recording. Key man informant interview and focused grouped discussion also employed for detailed information. All of the data was analyzed qualitatively based on their types. The collected data by observation, questioner and focused group discussion was analyzed and tried to triangulate for validity. In the Majangir wedding tradition, the consent between the would-be husband and wife (i.e. the girl and the boy) is the common practice. Early marriage is not exercised in this community. Sex before marriage is also prohibited in the Majangir culture. The preparation for the wedding ceremony and the bride’s wealth requirements are simple and easily affordable. Now, all of these traditions have completely changed due to the influence of the surrounding cultures and the Christian missionaries. The youth do not know what was happening in the past. In addition, they consider the traditional practices as backward and outdated. Instead, they opt to copy life styles and habits of the nearby Ethiopian nationalities and the Western Societies. As a result, the Majangir traditional practices, including marriage ceremony, are giving way for new intrusions. This intern results the alienation between the elders and the younkers. It thus appears crucial to record and archive the cultural practices and knowledge system of the Majangir community, with good description, for the existing and the coming generations.

Keywords: Majangir, traditional, wedding, wawaan

Cite this Article

Getachew Anteneh, Habitamu Engidaw, Abudurahman Fantahun. Exploring Traditional Wedding Ceremony of Majangir. Omniscience: A Multi-disciplinary Journal. 2016; 6(2):       16–29p.