Awramba Community: The Unique Cultural Practices as a Center of Cultural Tourism

Abstract

In the paper, it has been tried to explore the aspects of unique cultural practices of Awramba Community, attitudes of the surrounding society and to show what the community experienced and the challenge that community faces to survive and thrive. In order to achieve the objective, the research has used qualitative research method. Primary and secondary sources have been collected through key informant interview, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) observation and document analysis. Extensive oral tradition and oral information were also substantiated in the study.Awramba is a community guided by its own unique principles, namely, respecting women’s rights to equality, respecting children’s rights; helping people who are unable to work due to physical limitations; avoiding negative speeches and deeds while promoting cooperation, peace, good deeds and accepting all human beings as brothers and sisters. The community has unique characteristics that make them different from the surrounding society. This society’s social fabric promotes strict work ethics, gender equality, division of labor, marriage and divorce based on free will, old age protection, social solidarity, less ceremonial funeral, and managed internal conflicts and others. There are two types of membership in Awramba community. These are the member of the association or union known in Amharic as Yemaheber Abal and full honorary membership, in Amharic Yemahberesebu Abal. Their culture is practice-oriented. It has been described by some members of the community as a movement which aims not mainly to convince, but to act, and build a new society. So, this study is to be sought in the considerations of the filling of the gaps and earnestly aimed to benefit readers and researchers about the indigenous cultural practices of the community. Keywords: Awramba, Community, Cultural Practices and Cultural Tourism DOI: 10.7176/JTHS/53-03 Publication date: January 31 st 2021