Mereja.Forum

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That is the biggest holiday in Gurage. It begins a week ahead with wedding of the youth. All basic things such as wood for fire, decorating the house including painting wall begins may be a month or so earlier. Typically, in rural environment, most houses used to have their own beef big, medium or small to slaughter. For those with not much money, group buying an ox for slaughtering and dividing the meat used to be acceptable. For sure economic changes might impact this now. First day is typical raw meet eating at a family gathering. Beef stew may happen. Minced meat such as Dulet may happen. I believe it is the next day the Kitfo comes in. Ladies prepare for this occasion by saving [deleted], special Kotcho and making traditional mats as well as the flat mat for eating. The third day is the SHAGNA day where near relatives including in laws and sometimes neighbors gather to eat it. The eating could be rotational with other nearby relatives or extended families or friends.
Then the rest of the meat from day 4 may be prepared for KUANTA. The holiday continues. The youth go to the newlywed couple house for dancing and playing. That continues for almost 1-2 weeks. Meskal used to be almost a month-long celebration. It is the time when the rainy season abates leading to spring. The youth enjoy the dancing in markets as well as designated flat land locations for a week or two after the initiation of the ceremony. It is a peak time of eating, dancing, youth marrying and lots merriment.

Of the dishes my favorite: GOMEN KITFO and AYIB kitfo

Bellow, typical Gurage middle to higher class Meskal family time (the procedure is the same in rural typical Gurage house though the extent may differ among the haves and have-nots.)

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