Antroshit

Centuries-old honoring of motherhood

By Abdurezak Mohammed

Ethiopian Peoples have their own distinct and unique cultural values which have the power to capture the attention of any observer. Antroshit, mothers’ day among the Guraghe people, is one of the festivals that honor mothers and motherhood.

Antroshit always falls after the outset of the major rainy season [June, July, and August]. There is no fixed date, however, to the celebration of the festival. It generally is marked after the conclusion of planting saplings of Enset, a false banana, which is a source of staple food in the southern parts of Ethiopia.

The mothers celebrate Antroshit festival by organizing massive meals with their friends and by preparing traditional foods and drinks.

The Antroshit lasts two to three days. When the skies clear up, family members come home to celebrate with a large feast. It is also an event of a family reunion.

Feleke Abate, Head of Guraghe Zone Government Communication Affairs Office, stated that Antroshit festival has been celebrated among Guraghe mothers for many, many years. He said that the festival is mainly to honor women (mothers) for their hard work in improving the lives of their families and that of their society’s.

“Kids use the opportunity to show their love for their mothers, and husbands as well affirm their respect to their wives,” he said, adding that men shower their wives with gifts.

To him, during the time of the festival, the women celebrate the festival with a meal and they dance and sing songs that praise their family. When the mothers come home after the end of group celebration, the family organizes special reception for mothers while children express their affection and dignity to their mothers by washing their mothers’ feet, he added.

Public Relations and Communication Head at Guraghe Culture Development Association Mengistu Hailemariam told The Ethiopian Herald that from September to February of every year Guraghe mothers are busy with work. These months are the time for harvesting and planting enset.

“After these enervating months of hard-work, the Guraghe mothers celebrate Antroshit festival with the help of their children and husbands,” he added. According to him, the task of serving traditional food is divided among the girls and the boys; the children (particularly the young women) prepare traditional dishes while the mothers relax and enjoy the feast.

 Denchiza Haile lives in Cheha Bete-Guraghe and she has been celebrating the Antroshit festival with her friends for several years. Local resident calls her Ajyet, the name given to generous women. She said that the festival always creates a special feeling among women- “We refresh ourselves,” she said, adding: “Boys slaughter a bull, and girls bring vegetables, butter, spices, and cheese.”

Visitors, who want to go to the southern part of Ethiopia, need to put the place in their itineraries to observe and enjoy the traditional thanksgiving prepared to mothers.

The Ethiopian Herald July 12/2019