MATERIAL ENTANGLEMENTS: GENDER, RITUAL, AND POLITICS AMONG THE BORADA OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Women's status, knowledge, and artisan technologies among the Borada of southern Ethiopia have transformed significantly in the last 100 years. In their indigenous religion, many Borada artisans and farmers mediated change through rites of passage to achieve different statuses in society. Subsequently, an individual's (artisan and farmer) action fields and boundaries in the community and household were dependent on their status, including gender. Furthermore, many Borada believed that as they produced material culture such as iron works, ceramics, stone tools, houses, and food, that these objects also transitioned through rites of passage stages. Like a Borada human being, the stage/status of material culture was indicated by its location in the region, community, and household. This paper will review Borada indigenous perspectives concerning gender and material culture production and how their world view transformed with the introduction of global religions and with the impact of national politics through examining women's life histories.