The three indigenous ethnic groups living in Gamo zone have their have their own living way, clothing, dancing, housing, wedding, funeral and festival celebration cultures. Despite this Masqala celebration is mostly similar among the three ethnic group. But they call the festival in different names. Gamo people call it Yoo-masqqala, in Zayese it is called Balla kadabe, and the Gidicho people named it Yoo Baalaa.
Masqqala is outshining festival in the zone. It is a New Year celebration starting from the first week of September up to the end of the month in different cultural events in most areas. It is celebrated by dancing, feasting and lighting massive bonfire which is traditionally known as Daamara or Xoompe.
In Gamo highlands Yoo-Maskala celebration is led by local elders. The local elders sanctify cultural food prepared for the festival and publicize the beginning of celebration. They also congratulate and bless the
participants. Then the celebration takes place over all the locality. Specially slaughter of fatten stocks, local drink, cultural dancing and song is performed on nearby market place till the bonfire at night.
Dorze is the best place to see this events. See Dorze market.
The festival is not only for community, but also cattle are left to be free and taken to reserved grazing place called Kallo.
The celebration goes with different events for seven days starting from Thursday to Wednesday. Each day has its own unique event. These events are Kalo (opening resereved grazing for cattles), Sofee (beauty show of
new married women in the year, Sidata (beauty competition of Girls to look for fiancé), Xonfe(bonfire), Hirtsa( Horse riding) competition and Gaze (ending the sorrow for those who lost their kin).
(Gezetho is the best place to see this events. See Arshe Chossha market)
After all, what makes it special is that people believe that the celebration renews them and it was the end point for whatever happened to them (happiness, sadness, conflict, war, etc) in the social life and it is used as cultural calendar to take the New Year.
Soofe is a unique ceremony in Yoo
Masqqala Celebration. See more
Choye masqqala is also part of Yoo-Masqqala which is considered as the farewell of maskala. See more
The final step of yoo-Masqqala is the same as its beginning in that local elders close the festivity. Although blessing is common during slaughtering, feasting, lighting bonfire and cultural dancing, it is highly intensified at the end of festival. Elders call for prosperity, unity, strength, health, love and peace among their society in New Year. They finalize Masqqala by their usual expression: Masqqala, you who have greeted us through peace, could leave us by peace and come back again by peace.
