I am really amazed every time I hear people worrying about an adulteration of Ethiopian culture. Be it music, manner or traditional clothing, which is the subject Society is discussing this Sunday, change and improvements can not be bad...or are they?
Ethiopian
traditional clothes are acquiring a modern look.
Do you think this could be
abandoning the culture?
“It is a good opportunity to introduce our traditional clothes internationally”
Yemisrach, reporter
“Some how, modern style has make it easy to wear it at any occasion”
Chuchu,
“It offered us an opportunity to wear our own product with style we want.”
Amaretch
“Now I can have my favorite traditional woven fabric with the soft sheet, plus style.”
Wesena,
“Style is the word. If our traditional clothing has to survive, it should look easy in the eye and modern look has made it stylish.”
Tamirat, Barber
“I do not care if it is modern or traditional as long as it fits me.”
Girmachew
“It is offending. I like it the old way.”
Simret
“Why are we so obsessed with modern look? What is wrong the old way?”
Demeke
“Let’s have some creativity with the traditional clothes, make them look more attractive.”
Daniale,
“Modern look is good idea.”
Gigi,model
“I start wearing traditional clothes for dinner. ”
Helen, hardware maintenance
Tradition against modernity...
First of all, how do you think the present day ‘culture’ was set? Culture is always evolving-otherwise it dies out-like many have done. 100 years ago, Ethiopian women would not dare be seen wearing the current so called ‘traditional’ dress. Many changes have occurred in all walks of life and this is true for clothing also. Our daughters on the other hand, will not want to wear a Habesha dress in their mom’s style. No way!!
Change is beautiful. Monotony fatal. The beauty of culture is that it is never static. Ethiopia is emerging as a nation which is testing the waters in its quest to be an economically viable state. This will happen only if we stop being so conservative so as to resist modernity.
Many young talented and enterprising designers are emerging. They have experimented with Ethiopian traditional styles and materials with great success. In fact, many have introduced Ethiopian fashion at prestigious fashion shows around the world. Ethiopian traditional clothing has been made more practical for everyday wear and formal use. This is because modern designers applied color instead of the usual white-the most common excuse our women give for preferring Western dress. Fine Ethiopian traditional hand spun clothing has enabled some design houses to establish export markets.
Finally, important cautionary notes to those who claim to be upset when traditions evolve: Let’s not be hypocrites. After all, Ethiopians- particularly city folk-do not wear traditional clothes-except for a smattering few at holidays. Very few own even one set of traditional clothes. Why are we so jealously guarding something we do not even practice? I think we should be more concerned of traditional clothes disappearing from lack of regular use instead of worrying whether modernization is good or bad.