User talk:Semere beyene

Field observation
Observation Report on Mourning practice in Eastern Badewacho ,Shone Adminstrative Town Prepared by: Semere Beyene Submitted to :Elias Alemu(PhD) I observed the mourning practice for three days from December 5/2017 -7/2017 in shone Administrative town in our neighbors. Shone is one of the reform town in Hadiya zone found   323 Km far away from Addis Abeba on the main road that across to Wolayita Sodo. December 5/2017 at 4:34 AM I heard a bad news from my friends about my close friends Massamo’s father Legesse Lolisos death and as soon as I was traveled there and I participated in the mourning of legess. My friend lost his father incidentally in unknown case. What I wandered to write in my observation is not about legesses death rather the watching how the mourning way and practice during my observation are a big affair. The mourning practice follow strict religious customs .in the death of Legesse deceased family and community those heard the bad news gathered at the deceased home to comfort the grieving family. another event observed news of the death is informed with great sensitivity to other close family members who live in other place and not know the death. The  process done  by agroup of elderly and respected community members. I saw difference in grief expression between close families and other even close relatives. Families are expressed their grief openly.They cry,wail loudly, call out the name as well as nick name of /kulimicha Sim” in Amharic legge,Abba deceased. And also deceased’s sisters beat their forehead and chest and scratch their face and even attempts to harm them selves as manifestation of intense grief  but others are just cry and move their heads and express their grief. The other event that attract me during my observation is the way Men which are Close relative to legesse are express their grieving through chant songs, praise and tell the stories about legesse. In my observation I saw the youngest group of Men especially Masamos (son of legesse)friends are helping with setting up rooms, and others are preparing materials according guides of Idir. Because the family does not have a large house, the youngest men have set up a white tent out side the street to people. I my self helped the grieving family by organizing materials required for the event such as chair, cookware, blankets and etc. because these voluntarily action are considered as a social responsibility and give a sense of pride. In night time I observed another event in the mourning the church leaders and pastors comes to the mourning home because Legesse and his family was follower of Christianity /protestant/. Then one of the church pastor Demeke  was prayed for the soul of deceased and he share word of God to grieving family and gathered peoples. In his conversation he tells strict rules based on biblical verses in order to attend and follow protestant ethics its some what ritual to me. Me and Masamos friends with many  relatives stayed over night to ensure that the family is not alone. The mourning continued in the next day December 6/2017  and what I observed in the morning is neighbors bring food and drinks (coffee and tea) to feed  the grieving families and guests. I observed the community responsible to hosting people who comes to pay their respects. Also I observed in these day the wife of deceased and female family members are wearied a black scarves “netela” avoided  decorative cloths and jewelry. I also amusingly, saw some relatives collect money willingly to support grieving family financially in bereavement process .This is informal way of assisting during the mourning  from formal local association of  “serra’’ (‘‘Idir” in Amharic) a certain amount of money will be given to the bereaving family to cover funeral expense. In last day of my observation the mourning is continued and early morning church leaders are comes and tell to family members and for gathered community the time of burial (just 6:00 am) the ritual program time. Then large number of community gathered even its possible to me to say whole community attended in burial program. one of church pastor pen the program by praying for soul of the deceased as well as for the comfort of family and also  another pastor share word of God/scripture/ from bible  and church choir sings in the last  the  body of deceased  take away burial site. During these time people showed the greatest amount of sadness and loudly cryed. Generally in my observation of legesses mourning I saw the diverse life of our society with out barrier of religion difference, ethnic difference especially I am pleased in society that other religious follower attended the burial program lead by protestant church they attend until the end of program with out any movement with great respect. Semere beyene (talk) 14:38, 31 December 2017 (UTC)