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I had a lunch event to go to last weekend, and
decided on wearing a traditional Ethiopian dress.
The point was not the choice of outfit for the
occasion, but rather the reactions that I received
for wearing it out in public.
After the event had ended, I had a few errands to
run, and as it did not make sense for me to drive
out of my way just to change my clothes, I proceeded
with my duties, all done up in my traditional
Habesha Lebse. Being that we are living in a
city that does not offer ample parking for
businesses, there was more than one occasion where I
was forced to have to cross the street or go out of
my way on foot to get to the place where I was
headed. On a day that was not a holiday, and worn by
a person that is not the ideal age for wearing the
traditional version of the Lebse, it would be
fair to say that I received more than one second
look.
Being the egoist that I am, this catered to my
vanity perfectly, and I was practically floating on
clouds as the attention kept swarming in.
This all took place the day after the CUD leaders
were released from prison, and there was a general
mood of joy and relief wherever I went. People were
honking and hooting while commenting on how
Ethiopian I looked. 'Ethiopia's Daughter', 'Addis
Abeba', and 'Meskel Flower' were some of the names
that were shouted at me as I strolled past. Some
assumed that I was wearing the outfit to celebrate
the release of the prisoners, and many, particularly
cab drivers were shooting up the 'V' for victory
sign at me, the symbol that has become the most
ardent manifestation of the CUD.
Whatever the reasons that the dozens of people had
to comment on the dress that I was wearing, I have
never in my entire life been engulfed with such a
strong sense of pride in being an Abesha
woman. Everybody that made it a point to comment for
whatever reason, associated being Abesha or
being happy and free with the dress. Had I been
walking down the street in jeans and a tee-shirt I
guarantee I would not have received that much
attention; it was the choice of outfit that made
people see the person that was wearing it. It was as
though the Ethiopian dress added character.
Ethiopians, no matter what part of the country, have
their own sense of dressing style, whether casual or
formal. All my life, I have observed that many of
the females that I know, particularly when they
begin to get older, wear the traditional Ethiopian
dress to formal events, weddings, dinners and the
like. But what is most significant about their
choice of the traditional dress for these occasions
is the effect that it has on the entire aura of the
female. There is something very regal about the
traditional Ethiopian dress.
Although I have no objection to the newly found
modern manner of wearing the traditional Ethiopian
cloth, in fact there are plenty of designers in town
that make a mean modern Ethiopian dress, but they
come no where close to the original. The newly
developed Habesha Lebse style caters to the
vanity of the young or the need to stay current for
the older ladies that choose that particular style
of dress. But the traditional version, the original
that was worn in the royal courts and by the brides
of the countryside, has something that adds to the
essence of the person that is wearing them.
There is a festive mood that comes with wearing the
outfit itself. But as most things Abesha, it
is quickly becoming something that is not frequented
by the younger and upcoming generations. After the
surge of pride that I felt last weekend, I am
confident that this is something that should be
preserved at any cost. This is not for the purpose
of making the women happy or feeling pretty, but
rather because there is nothing that says Abesha
or Ethiopian more than a gorgeous Habesha
Lebse.
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