Student Name: Hend Abdulla Mohammed

ID: H00150982
Section: AM7
Prepared for: Susan Bainbridge
Course Name and Code: Cultural Diversity - LSSS-N205
Name of the Assessment: Project One Ethiopian Culture (Amhara)
Due Date: 31 10-2013





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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3
Amhara People ........................................................................................................................... 3
Amharic Language ..................................................................................................................... 3
Amhara Beliefs .......................................................................................................................... 3
Way of life ................................................................................................................................. 4
Family life .............................................................................................................................. 4
Education ................................................................................................................................ 4
Amhara Hospitality ................................................................................................................ 4
Amhara Weeding.................................................................................................................... 5
Food ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Behavior ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Amhara Clothing .................................................................................................................... 6
Music Dance ........................................................................................................................... 6
Ethiopian Festival ...................................................................................................................... 6
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 7
References .................................................................................................................................. 8
Appendix .................................................................................................................................... 9


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Introduction
Culture is the deposit of ideas, behaviors, attitudes, and traditions, habits and beliefs
that subsist within a group of people who live in the same area. All of these are exceed from
generation to the next and naturally resistant to change over time. Cultures are varying from
country to other which brought diversity in the ways of life of the people inhabiting several
parts of the world. One of these cultures is Ethiopia which is actually the race of African
American. However, they are slightly darker in color than African Americans. Ethiopia is
located in the horn of Africa. In this report, I will discuss one of the unique cultures which in
Ethiopia and I will talk about one of the most popular ethnic which is Amhara.
Amhara People
Amhara is Christian people how live in Ethiopia and it is making up about 24 percent
of Ethiopias population. Amhara language name is Amharic which is the official language of
the federal government. Moreover, most of the Amhara are members of the Ethiopian
Orthodox Church. They located in the highlands north of Addis Ababa. Amhara is
polychromic time culture and the time is not the most important factor because they focus on
building relationship.
Amharic Language
Amharic language previously known as Lesane Negest, that means "Language of
Kings."The Amharic alphabet has thirty-three characters and each character has seven
different possible pronunciations.
Amhara Beliefs
Amhara is the ethnic that have their particular beliefs and traditions and they are very
overconfident of their culture, religion and they are ethnocentrism because of its isolation.
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For instance, Amhara boys are christened on the fortieth day after birth, and girls on the
eightieth. Furthermore, fasting is a source of pride for the church, distinguishing it from other
churches and religions. Such us, the faithful in the church will fast about 250 days however,
there are 180 days obligatory for all good Christians.
Way of life
Family life
Amhara people who are Ethiopian are very male-dominated. In rural family, men do
all the heavy labor such us, planting, weeding and harvesting the crops. Moreover, Amhara in
rural usually live in one house and they are extended family. The women in Amhara are in
high context level because she does a multi task at the same time. For instance, they help with
some of the farming, cook for their family, and maintain the house and raise children who
should do work around the house. Nevertheless, in the cities the traditional family roles are
changing because women habitually work outside the home and children have more
opportunities for education.
Education
Rural education is closely tied to either Christian or Islamic traditions. Traditions
culture has occasionally interfered with modern educational reform in Ethiopia. Ethiopian
parents who are contend with a male-dominated household are opposed to sending their
daughters to school because they may need their children to stay at home and work in order
for family survive.
Amhara Hospitality
Hospitality is one of the most important points in Amhara culture. The hostess of the
house spread a colorful rug or mats on the floor. They prepare the coffee which is the most
important thing in the hospitality with fresh bread. While roasting the coffee beans, the
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hostess invites guests to waft some of the fragrant smoke toward themselves to savor the
aroma. The roasted beans are crushed with a mortar and pestle and added, with boiling water,
to a serving pot. The youngest child in the house is then summoned to serve the guests,
starting with the eldest in the room.
Amhara Weeding
Amhara marriages are usually arranged by the parents of the bride and groom with a
great deal of negotiation. One of their most important culture traditions is that the bride must
be virgin when the marriage to be in a highly valued. Rural women are marrying at a very
childish age than their husbands. Traditionally the groom's parents search for a bride for their
son and making sure that the families are not related by blood. After the both side reach an
agreement the wedding ceremony starts and the bride's parents should give the groom a
dowry, in most case money and cattle. The significant point is that during the honeymoon, the
bride is not allowed to go out during the day; she is only allowed to go out after sunset.

Food
Coffee is the most important cash crop in Ethiopian and Amhara ethnic, it is
accounting for over 60 percent of the countrys export. They appreciate coffee not just as a
cash crop but a cultural tradition. Amhara and Ethiopian use a coffee as a traditional way of
welcoming a guest. Furthermore, Injera is the staple food for many Amhara and Ethiopian. It
is served with most meals, where it is accompanied by meat, vegetables and sometimes a
spicy sauce. Injera is usually made of flour from the Ethiopian grain teff. Ethiopian women
luckily, do not have to wash any dishes or silverware because they eat by their fingers and
Injera used as a plate, there is nothing left to clean at the end of an Ethiopian meal.
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Behavior
Amhara is prescribed behaviors of deference to individuals of higher social status and
they are very care of their socialization. It has a rich stock of parable and proverbs teaches
proper attitude for public behavior such as, children with parents and older relatives; women
with their husbands; and men with older or more powerful men.
Amhara Clothing
Amhara live in high altitudes at cold weather, and their clothing is designed to
conserve body heat. The Amhara of the city today commonly wear Western-type clothing
made in China, Singapore, and the Philippines. However, many of them still prefer the native
dress, which consists of jodhpurs trousers and a long shirt, covered by a soft, sheet-sized
cotton wrap called a gabi and it is fit both man and women and the strange behavior are that
the Amhara do not wear shoes.

Music Dance
Song and dance are important aspects of Ethiopian religious worship and social
customs. Minstrels or azmari have traditionally ranged Ethiopian countryside singing folk
songs at festivals or village gathering. Amhara often celebrates wedding, childbirth and
harvests with traditional dance.
Ethiopian Festival
Amhara have the most popular festival which is at the end of the dry season,
Ethiopian Christians celebrate Timkat, their most important religious holiday of the year.
Timkat is the Ethiopian name for Epiphany, which Christians celebrate after twelve days of
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Christians. Timkat annually on 19
th
of January and the Ethiopians remember the Magis
discovery of the baby Jesus and his baptism in the Jordan River.
Conclusion
Eventually, Ethiopia has a lot of different ethnic and race, the most popular one is
Amhara. Amhara is an Orthodox and their language name is Amharic which consists of thirty
three characters. In addition, Amhara are ethnocentrism because they are very confidence of
their culture. They believe that the faithful in church have to fast 250 days. On the other hand,
Amhare life has some strange habits such us; women have to stay at home for cooking for
their family and raise children without education. However, Amhara main drink is coffee and
food is Injera, these two can use for hospitality .Timket is the most popular festival in
Ethiopia especially in Amhara ethnic. They celebrate after twelve days of Christians because
they remember the Magis discovery of the baby Jesus and his baptism in the Jordan River.









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References
Jeffrey,Z (2005). Visual Geography Series, ETHIOPIA IN PICTURES
Publication. Learner Publications Company, United State of America (USA).

Elizabeth, B (2000). Countries of the World, ETHIOPIA
Publication. Gareth Stevens Publishing, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United State of America
(USA).

Sally, C. (2012, Feb 14). Ethiopia Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. Retrieved
from
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/ethiopia.html

Dr. Orville, B, J. (2006, Nov 6). Amhara-Tigrinya Clothing. Retrieved from
http://orvillejenkins.com/peoples/amharaclothing.html




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Appendix


















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