Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE ETHIOPIAN WAY OF LIFE
Other than religion, which undoubtedly plays a huge role in almost all Ethiopians' daily
life, it's agriculture and pastoralism that fill the days of well over 80% of the country's pop-
ulation. Everyone is involved, right down to stick-and-stone-wielding four-year-old chil-
dren who are handed the incredible responsibility of tending and herding the family's live-
stock.
With almost everyone toiling out in the fields,
it's not surprising that only 42.7% (CIA figures;
note that other sources give lower, or higher,
figures) of the population is literate. Since
young children are needed to help with the fam-
ily plots and animals, only 82% (Unicef figures)
of children attend primary school. Older chil-
dren are in even more demand in the workforce; between 2005 and 2010 only 30% of boys
and 23% of girls attended secondary education (Unicef 2012 figures). If all children under
16 were forced to attend school, Ethiopia's workforce would be ravaged and almost half of
the country's entire population would be attending classes.
Ethiopian families are incredibly close and most people live with their parents until mar-
riage. After marriage, the couple usually joins the household of the husband's family. After
a couple of years, they will request a plot of land from the village, on which to build their
own house.
Divorce is relatively easy in Ethiopia and marriage can be dissolved at the request of
either party (adultery is usually given as justification). In theory, each partner retains the
property he or she brought into the marriage, though sometimes allowances are made for
the 'wronged' partner.
The 1984 evacuation of Ethiopian Jews to Israel
was captured in an Israeli-French film,
Live and
Become
(2005).
THE ETHIOPIAN 'HANDSHAKE'
Greeting one another in Ethiopia can be a complicated business. Do you just say hello? Do you offer a hand? Do
you kiss the other person on the cheek? Or do you go for the 'fighters salute'? Commonly, as Ethiopians shake
hands they also gently knock their shoulders together. This is known as the 'fighters salute' and traditionally was
used as a greeting between those who fought the Derg. Today, it's used by almost everyone - male and female - but
only in informal situations between friends. You would not use this form of 'handshake' at a business meeting!
