Gifty of the Oromoo Tribe

Coffee Ceremony

12/8/09


The only time I’ve heard of fresh milk was when the 93-year-old Bishop told me the ritual to become of the Oromoo tribe. The only milk I can find here is powdered milk. This is most likely because there are no fridgerators or adequate electricity.

There is a tribe here called the Oromoo tribe.

The 93 year old bishop likes to joke saying how everyone is Oromoo in one way or another. So, the 93-year-old-biship told me today I am Oromoo

He says I have to change my name though.

Since my name in Amharic literally means "my wife"

He says, "oh that won’t do"

When you go through the Oromoo Ritual you suck the milk from the female tribe leader's tit and then she gives you a new name. So, first he wanted to change my name from misty to Whiskey then he laughed and changed it to Gifty.

Gifty means "queen" in Amharic
Lucky I didn’t have to drink from anyone's tit...
It's really funny to see the look on people’s faces when I introduce myself. The reply is, "Who wife??
But now I can say, "I am Gifty of the Oromoo tribe"

Misrak invited me to dinner tonight. I met three of her good friends. After dinner we went on a walk and stopped at a café to have some tea.


12/9/09

I’ve been somewhat nervous as to how I would respond if I were asked my religion. Normally this doesn’t bother me, but since I’m staying at a Catholic convent in a foreign country I had no way of knowing what to expect. Today at lunch the topic inevitably presented itself.

As you know the 93-year-old Bishop (Abba Petros) LOVES to joke about being Oromoo and whatnot. Today at lunch he asked me if I was Catholic. I replied, “No.” His hands shot up to his face and started to wail! I stopped him and said, “…I am Oromoo.” And suddenly he was laughing so hard I though he might keel over that moment.

Then he said in English, “You know Oromoo had their own religion (during Pagan times) Our god ‘Weg’ sits on the top of a special tree that grows here in Ethiopia (like a bird) The people pray under these trees. When they pray for rain, it rains immediately. Now we pray to the Catholic god and why don’t we get an answer? Why because he is so far away (in heaven) how can he hear us? Can I use you cell phone?!”

We all die in laughter. Then Abba Petros says, “You got me this time Gifty, so now for the consequence you must take me to America so I can visit my nephew.” Confused, we asked him who is nephew is? “Obama.” He says with a flash of his white teeth and belly laugh “heh heh heh heh”

I’m off to bed now. I have to wake up at 5AM. Worku, Misrak, and I are going to Jijiga (South east of Dire Dawa.) We will have breakfast with the Abbas there visit the compound and present our first completed gift (the audio tape of the 4th grade ‘English For Ethiopia Workbook) to the local schools.

By the time you read all the adventure that (at the moment) are yet to take place I will already be back and posting this for you to read. So until then lovelies….


Misty AKA Sullen AKA Gifty