Fichee-Chambalaalla, New Year festival of the Sidama people (Ethiopia)
Nomination: Representative List 2015
EN: After the actual date for the Fichee celebration is reckoned and identified by ayyanto, clan leaders and competent elder (chimeesa) attend a meeting called songo summoned to make decision on the proclamation of the date to the people.
EN: Making peace with other party with whom one has had disagrements before Fichee holiday by resolving any sort of conflicts they had with their relatives or neighbours, a culture of personal purification and promotion to a new year.
ES: Antes de celebrar Fichee-Chambalaalla, los miembros de la etnia sidama hacen las paces con los familiares o vecinos con quienes han tenido desacuerdos y solucionan cualquier conflicto existente. Se trata de una práctica de purificación individual ante la llegada de un nuevo año.
EN: Announcing the date on which the Fichee holiday falls to the wider community by hanging skin of sheep on stick, known as lalawa, by clan leaders in their respective areas at gudumaale where large number of people gather for marketing purposes.
EN: Undertaking thorough observation of the moora, white fattish layer of small intestine of the slaughteered goat.The specialists with the skill of reading moora announce the result to the public whether the year to come is 'blessed and promising' or not
EN: Passing through a door like shape or arc made using wet bamboo tree in gudumaale, symbolizing the entrance to a new year, renouncing all the bad things of the old year and accepting the new one with good wishes.
EN: In the evening of the Fichee holiday, a cultural dish, known as buursame, is served on a clay pot, known as shafeta, and feasted on communally. The feast kicks off in a house of a man who has higher social status
EN: The event of feeding the cattle a salty soil, known as bole, by scattering it in a grazing area or kalo which is a reserved pasture for the animals by heads of households on the day of Chambalaalla (New Year).
EN: Hore is a traditional singing performed by unmarried girls in which they beautify themselves and go to play with their peers and praise one another, and finally join the boys they want to play with and sing and dance faaro
EN: Faaro is a traditional singing and dancing performed by unmarried boys and girls interested in each other, facing in rows in opposite direction, moving back and forth and bending down their neck during Fichee festival at Gudumaale, public gathering places
EN: Ketala is a traditional singing and dancing performed by adult male community members, wearing a traditional cloth, known as gonfa, with red, white and black strip colors and buluko (home-spun cotton cloth) and holding spear and shield.
