Inventorying Intangible Cultural Heritages of the Ethiopian Somali People & Assessing their Values

Abstract

Intangible Heritages are non- material cultural heritages that includes oral traditions; performing arts like music, dances; social practices, rituals and festive events; and knowledge and skills of people. Undoubtedly, nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia are very in intangible cultural heritages. In addition to their cultural values, intangible heritages have great economic cultural and academic significances. Albeit there importance, most parts of intangible cultural heritages in Ethiopia remains unstudied. Similarly the intangible cultural heritages of the Ethiopian Somali are not well studied. Therefore, this study was mainly conducted to inventorying the intangible cultural heritages of the Ethiopian Somali with particular focus on two selected woredas of the Ethiopian Somali Regional State. In this study, interview, observation and FGD (Focus Group Discussion) were utilized as data gathering instruments. Then the heritages are identified and documented using UNESCO format of inventorying intangible heritages. Accordingly, samples of intangible cultural heritages have been taken and documented based on the 2003 Convention of UNESCO which divided intangible heritages into four domains. The study result shows that Ethiopian Somalis are rich in intangible cultural heritages namely oral traditions, performed arts, social practice, global and natural knowledge and art knowledge. The heritages found in the study area are generally associated with historical, religious and cultural life of the society. Moreover, the study also reveals that the heritages have potentially great social, economic, cultural and economic values. However, the heritages are not well utilized and preserved in order to ensure their transmission to the future generation. 

Keywords

• heritage,inventory,culture,Somali

References

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