Describe the preparations.
My preparations for this interview was good as well. I did similar things from the first interview for preparing this interview. I also had the same questions for my interviewee. I went to the library and rented the recorder that I was using for my first interview to do my second interview. I rented a room ahead of time in the library, so I could do my interview. It was in the third floor.
How did you approach people?
I approached people by going to the multi-culture place. I met Lia Dege by my first interviewee, Fasika. Fasika was the person that introduced me to Lia Dege. After the short introduction between Lia and I, I asked Lia nicely if she would like to help me with the interview and she was so nice and said, yes.
When, where, and how did you conduct and record the interview?
I conducted the interview in Miller Center on a weekday when she and I were free. I rented the study room in third floor three days before I had to do my interview. I made sure the place was quiet, so the recorder can record us well. She came in couple minutes late because she was still at work, but she called me ahead of time to tell me.
Whom did you interview?
I interview Lia Dege. She is a Social Work major and is graduating next year in the fall of 2011. She’s 24 years old. She wants to travel the world and experience how the world is like. She misses her mom and brothers in Adiss Abeba, Ethiopia. She wants a big wedding and loves going to weddings. Also, she has many relatives all over the United States.
2. Describe the interview. What did surprise you?
The interview went a lot better this time. I was very relaxed compare to the first interview. Lia was a very nice and a educated woman. She knew a lot about her culture and is very specific. I was very comfortable with her because I got to introduced myself to her before we started recording. We talked for a while about school and her family before I even interview her. There were many things that surprised me about Lia and her culture. She's really outspoken. Her New Year starts on September 11.
3. Report on country/region and culture.
4. Transcribe the interview.
“Ethiopia is the tenth largest country in Africa, with approximately 61 million people, covering 439,580 square miles” (Countries and Their Cultures, 2010). There are over eighty ethnic groups in Ethiopia. However, the Amhara, Tigreans, and Oromo have the largest population. They consist over 75 percent of the population. The Sidamo, Somali, Welamo, Beja, Awi, Gurage, and Afar are the smaller ethnic groups in Ethiopia (Countries and Their Cultures, 2010).
“Ethiopia has been a country with religious freedom for centuries” (Countries and Their Cultures, 2010). Therefore, there are many religions that the Ethiopian practices. The most dominant religion in Ethiopia is the Orthodox Christianity. Other major religions are the Judaism, Islam, and Polytheistic religion. The Orthodox Christianity and Islam religion have about 85 to 90 percent of the population (Countries and Their Cultures, 2010).
There is a huge gap between the status of men and women in Ethiopia. The men are consider to be the head of the household. They are free to socialize with anyone outside of the home. However, women are restricted and are responsible for the household (Countries and Their Cultures, 2010). It is not the norm for men to practice cooking and child rearing because they may become a social outcast by other men (Countries and Their Cultures, 2010).
References:
Countries and Their Cultures, Initials. (2010). Ethiopia. Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/Cr-Ga/Ethiopia.html
Me: Hi, my name is Pa Kou Lee. I’m in an English 191 class and I will like to know about your culture, so are you willing to answer the questions, if yes, can you please introduce yourself.
Lia: Sure. My name is Lia Dege. I am willing to help you.
Me: Okay, can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your home?
Lia: Okay, I’m from Ethiopia and it’s in East Africa and my home town is Ethiopia, Adiss Abeba. I’m from a city girl.
Me: Okay, what are some religious or culture customs in your country?
Lia: Umm. In my country, religion is Greek Orthodox. More than half people are Orthodox Christian, but there are different religion like Protestant, Catholic, and Muslim, so Orthodox is the first or the top religion in our country. Our culture is very different than anywhere, we have around 82 different tribes and 82 different languages. The 82 different regions practice their own culture, so even though we are from Ethiopia, we all have different languages in the culture.
Me: So, are you saying that the 82 different languages have different beliefs?
Lia: Well, we don’t have different beliefs, we have similar beliefs, but those beliefs are from different culture. I mean the way we celebrate holiday is different even though the holiday is the same. Let’s say if we have Christmas Day and back Africa is December 29, in our culture calendar. Ethiopia calendar, we have different calendar, so on that day central Africa celebrate it different way than like West, North, everywhere. So, everyone celebrate it different in different culture.
Me: Oh, I get it.
Lia: Traditionally, on that day, we have to wear our traditional clothes. Like this culture have different dress on. Our culture is different, but we celebrate one religion.
Me: Okay, I get it now.
Lia: Alright.
Me: Do you have different rules of eye contact and body language in your country?
Lia: Definitely, we do. I mean, in our culture, we are not allowed to have eye contact to our parents, especially, anyone or anywhere. I mean if we say something seeing eye contact with one person, even our teacher, parents, or older siblings, it’s not allowed.
Me: Okay
Lia: Seeing someone that’s older like seeing and saying something is rude, so we don’t have eye contact or even we don’t have body language in anywhere whether we are happy. Sometime you happy and you show how excited you are, but you have to limit it.
Me: Oh
Lia: For example, like in America, I mean like to say something, you have to see a person eye to eye like to show them that you are innocent or you’re doing this, you’re doing this. In our culture, it’s very difficult, seeing someone like staring some is like make that person uncomfortable and it make you are rude like tearing somebody. Here you can show any kind of body language. There you can’t. Bad eye contact and bad body language is restricted.
Me: Oh, okay, especially with elders?
Lia: Yes
Me: Okay, how are elders treated?
Lia: Very well, in my country, we treat elders very good. I mean, we respect them and their words are God’s word. Whenever they say do this, whether we like it or not, we have to do it.
Me: Okay.
Lia: We do things for them, we help them. Ummm.. lets say, for example, if I see a older woman carrying something, I mean I am responsibility to carry her stuff or help her. If we go by bus and we sit and she’s standing, I have to leave my seat for her. So, elders in our culture is very, very, very respected.
Me: Okay, I see.
Lia: And for example, here, I mean, most American put their parents in nursing home. In our culture, first of all, we don’t have nursing home because we don’t believe in putting elderly in nursing home. We believe do things for our parents. They are, they took responsibility raising us and when it’s cold, they do anything, but when they get older, it’s our responsibility helping them or until they die, so I don’t know, we respect elderly very much, a lot. Even though I live here now, trust me, I’m not going to put my parents in nursing home.
Me: Yeah, okay.
Lia: Yes.
Me: What are weddings like, like traditions of weddings?
Lia: Different, I mean, wedding is very different. Wedding in Ethiopia is very big event. Like… umm… I could tell you the process if you want to?
Me: Yeah.
Lia: Well, like long time back in the 50 or 60 years ago, it was only arrange marriage. Two parents decide to give her home. For example, if it was me, somebody just come and send someone to ask for me. My dad can’t say no unless there is something between those two people. Unless those people come to ask me, my dad and my uncle has to find out the background of the person, who asking me to marry me. They have to ask, what kind of tribe, what kind of religion, what do they have or different kind of thing. After my parents say, okay, the ceremony will start.
Me: Okay.
Lia: But now, things has change. I mean the country had develop, so we have a chance and right to have our own boyfriend. Now, if I have a boyfriend and I want to marry him, and when we’re both ready. He has to send somebody to my dad. They have to ask him to marry me. Then, you know my mom, dad, sister, brother, and my uncles will talk about it. Why and how is that person interested to me and how long are we seeing each other and we loving each other and do we have, like are we loving and supporting each other. So, based on that, my parents will decide if my boyfriend will marry me or not. After they say okay, my parents and his parents will throw different party.
Me: Oh.
Lia: Like the wedding starts three days before the wedding. And, like I say, every culture is different. For example, if my wedding is this Saturday. On Thursday, me and my boyfriend should go to the city hall to sign the marriage paper. We will have a big engagement party. I’m not going to go with him, I’m going to go back to my parent’s home and there are going to be ceremony. They will sing different songs during the wedding process. Some songs are about my dad is lucky, he got to give me away. My godmother, she going to give me gift that she is happy she is with me. She’s happy she get to see me. That day, they’re going to be a big pack. They are going to give alcohol. The next day, on Friday, my husband should send me something, like, by his groom.
Me: Oh.
Lia: That day, he’s going to send different kind of jewelry, clothing’s, da, da, da, like different things, that shows that he can take care of me.
Me: Okay.
Lia: Then on the actual wedding day, I’m not going anywhere. He’s going to pick me up from my parent’s house. So, on that day, I’ll be very dress. I mean before, we use to wear our traditional clothes, but know things are change. I could wear a traditional white gown.
Me: Okay.
Lia: Then, when my husband come, my part of the family are going to block the door, saying you’re not going to take our daughter, that kind of thing. His groom man, his friends, try to push and break the God and take me.
Me: Oh.
Lia: It’s really funny, so on that day, they have to come with a red rose.
Me: Oh, really?
Lia: Yes, so he has to block me with a vale, so he should get on his knee, give me the flower and kiss me hear, right on the forehead.
Me: Oh.
Lia: (laughing) Then, he’ll take me. Then elders should say something, wishing us luck. Then, they will give us whisky. When the time to go, we have to kiss my parents knee.
Me: The knee?
Lia: Yes.
Me: Does it matter what knee? Both knees?
Lia: No, they just sit like putting their knee together, so kissing their knee shows that we respect them and thank them. So, after he take me, we are going to church, promise that I’ll be with him, I’ll take him for better or for worse. Then we go picnic after that. Then we are going to come have lunch at my parent’s house.
Me: Okay.
Lia: When we come, it’s just going to be me, him, and his grooms. His parents don’t have to show.
Me: Oh, okay.
Lia: After lunch, we are going to drink different cocktail. Then, we are going to the reception, then his part of the family, like I’m going to go with my bridesmaid. My mom will bake traditional bread. In the American, they don’t have the bread. I’ll show you the picture if you want to? I’m pretty sure you guys don’t have it. They will cut the bread in a circle to put things in it. Then my husband’s dad will have to cut the bread and they will give me a different name.
Me: Oh, so you’re going to have a different name?
Lia: Let’s say I’m Lia, I’m not going to change my name. Like his parents are going to give me a different name, it shows that they will accept me, they love me like, you are our gold, you are our daughter, things like that. So the bread will distribute, like his best men will open it. To get the bread, you have to know my new name.
Me: Okay.
Lia: The name his parents give me. Giving me a new name just show that his parents accepted me, to get the bread you have to know my new name. The next morning, his dad is going to put some money in the bread, either one hundred dollars or a thousand, anything.
Me: Yes.
Lia: So, his best men’s and my bridesmaids will have to send the bread to my parent’s house. That day people are going to sing songs and it shows that I’m accepted. The bread is very big, so whoever wants to peak have to give something to us, like a car, or something as a gift.
Me: Okay.
Lia: So, after they do that, my mom will make a big pot luck thing of food.
Me: Oh.
Lia: And, my gift and everything, they are going to bring to my husband’s house or my new house. Then, the next day, my dad will send a letter to invite people, like 200 or 400 people. My bridesmaid and groomsman will bring the pot luck, the pot luck is our lunch for later, for his parents. We have to wear our traditional clothes. The colors are black, gold, or silver. We will have dinner. After two days, everybody will come, his parents will come. That day, it’ll show the family that we’ll become one. That’s a big part of the wedding. We celebrate it for 5 days, it’s kind of too much, but I love it the way it is. I know it’s too much, but like that’s not just my responsibility, it’s my uncles, my dad, aunts to throw me a big wedding party. We believe that wedding is just once in our life and we get to experience a big wedding. Luckily, my dad is going to throw me a big wedding.
Me: Okay. Thank you! In your country, what are the traditions for funerals?
Lia: Well, as wedding, funeral is big too. I mean if somebody dies, everyone has responsibility to come and go and greet that person. For example, when I was a little girl, 15 or 16 years ago, my grandma died by my dad’s side.
Me: Okay.
Lia: I loved her, so I remember how it is.
Me: Okay.
Lia: When she died, we were there, and she was put in a casket thing. Everybody cry, really, really cry. Then they have to take her to church. They sing about heaven and take her to heaven. In our country, we take them to church, not a funeral thing. Everybody will crying, people will hit their chess, people shave their head, and boys grow their beard. People wear black clothes for the whole year. We don’t allow people to watch T.V. or listen to any kinds of music. You know, we become like so depress because we are so attach to somebody, even though it’s not our family member, around our neighborhood. Africa is very attach, even though if that person is rich or poor, we are attach with one each other, like we all feel bad for that person. So, we think we don’t have to be happy when somebody die when we bury it. So, it’s really hard, so like I said, people wear dark clothes and shave their hair, well, I don’t. When the ceremony, they say, please God, give them a good life and take care of that person.
Me: Okay.
Lia: So they are going to through a party thing to feed homeless or people that cannot assist them self. So, after 80 days, the priest will give us a name.
Me: Okay. What kind of sports are played in your country?
Lia: Really, soccer.
Me: Oh, okay.
Lia: It’s big.
Me: Okay, how does your culture celebrate New Year? If so, can you explain what the tradition is like? Do you have a New Year?
Lia: Yes, we do! We celebrate it different way. Like New Year is like big, so we put on a fire and say it’s a new year and burn the bad away. We clean our house and sometime buy new things for the New Year. We say good things are coming for this coming year.
Me: Okay, how is the education in your home country compared to the United States?
Lia: It’s different.
Me: Very different?
Lia: Very different, like we have similar things like first grade to twelve and college, but the way is so different.
Me: Okay, any difference in how a man and a woman may contact each other? Anything that is not considered, proper?
Lia: Like, well, men is always on top.
Me: Always.
Lia: Yes, they are the dominant. So, but you know, we see it as bad or is a bad thing. I mean, yes, there are different kinds of personality. The men can use his dominancy to hurt somebody, but it’s not for everybody. Yes, men is on top, yes men is dominant. Yes, he has the right to say or do what he wants. In our culture, 95% of income comes from the men like mostly women is housewife, so the men has to work and bring the money.
Me: Okay.
Lia: So, I don’t see. I don’t know. When I grew up, I grew up in a big family. Yes, they both work, but you know, I didn’t see any differences. But I don’t know, maybe there is different. Yes, men is dominant and is the top, but I don’t know, I don’t see anything.
Me: Okay, does it matter whom you date or marry?
Lia: Yes.
Me: If so, why?
Lia: Well, as a new generation, if we make it, we don’t care kind of thing.
Me: Okay.
Lia: But, it still matter to marry someone in different religion. I am Orthodox Christian. If my boyfriend is Muslim, I don’t allow to marry him.
Me: No matter what?
Lia: No matter what I love him or he is perfect match for me, no.
Me: Oh okay.
Lia: But earlier, yes it does matter. But the generation change, people don’t care how much money other people have or where he works. If he’s a business man, how much money does he have. What is his capacity for income. This time. they don’t care, but religion, yes. They will say, you will have a baby and very soon. Who do you be with, Muslim or Christian? So, religion.
Me: Okay.
Lia: The old religion, everything does matter.
Me: Okay, what do you have for your diet, like breakfast, lunch, dinner?
Lia: Well, we don’t really eat American traditional food. We all have our traditional food. As for breakfast is different, different lunch, different dinner.
Me: Oh, okay.
Lia: Like if I eat. Well, it’s kind of tortilla, it’s not tortilla. Like we make it to small piece, toast it or smash it for paprika. Sometime we eat bread with jelly for breakfast. Sometime we made different thing. For lunch and dinner, we make injera. So we eat it with meat. Dinner, we make it with veggie.
Me: Oh, okay.
Lia: But we eat mostly injera.
Me: Sounds good.
Lia: But we don’t eat injera for breakfast.
Me: Not for breakfast.
Lia: No.
Me: Okay, do you have any questions for me?
Lia: No
Me: Okay, Thank you for your time Lia. Thank you.
Lia: No problem.
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