TUUTA ANNUAL THANKS GIVING RITUAL SIGNIFICANCE AND ITS VALUE AMONG KONSO PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Taut has widely been celebrated by konso people for a long period of time. It plays a major role in the social life of the knoso people. It is a ritual in which Konso people worship and give thanks to their creator Waaqawhich means God. Moreover, it enables konso people to be unitied (strength unity), mark conciliation among conflicting groups and promote their culture. The main objective of this research work is to understand, describe the component of the Tuuta ritual; the socio cultural and environmental adapaition to analyse the processes of Tuuta celebration.Tuuta has great contribution for social value because before the time of tuuta ritual purification of the enviroment due the reguest good hunting, victory in battle, good crops, honey, health, and strength, that sons may be born to the women, and that social haramony may prevail.According to the analyses and findings of this study, the ritual is celebrated annually in Harita (June) at beginning of the summer season at the end of the month on the eve of the Sunday between 25-30 in Moora Gugna and until to the September in other villages. In order to meet the stated objectives of this research work was to understand, describe and document the components of Tuuta ritual; to analyze the processes of the tuuta celebration.A qualitative research approach was adopted for the information gathering .This includes the use of interview, participant observation; key informants and focus group discussion were used. The study reveals the annual thanksgiving singinficance and its values in the konso of the study area. It has promoted and enhanced understanding and unity among the konso. It has helped to build their common values and shared visions, and consolidated peace, tolerance and resilience as the socio cultural contribution of the ritual and also many people where participation the festival takes place at the study area. Thus, a researcher provides a possible recommendation that helps to apply some anthropological theories to show thesocio cultural and enviroment meaning significance and its value of Tuuta ritual. The study shows that the spread of Christianity and modernization challenged the Taut ritual ceremony.The Indigenous social organization are not function and influenced government meeting in different with out giving attention to rituals and culture of the community.