Graduation miniskirts: Civilization or....?

Written BY LEULSEGED WORKU

The other day, I was reading one of the articles written by a fried of mine. The story centred on the bad habit of copying all the Western movie styles without caring the local value systems. In his Article, the writer has tried to show the reader how Hollywood movies are contaminating African film industry and its culture.

According to the writer, most African movies are obsessed by the West. Despite the fact that movies are means to nurture one's culture, African film makers are modelling the technique as well as the culture (both bad and good culture that does not represent African people) of the West in their movies. For these amateur film makers, it is money and fame rather than preserving an age-old African culture which matters the most.

This story has reminded me to reflect my view on miniskirt obsessed graduate girl students from different universities in Ethiopia. It is obvious that graduation is an important part of life that transfer us into a new chapter. That is why it is given a special place in different section of the society.

When we come to Ethiopia, education and graduation are two sides of a coin. In most families, not only is graduation seen as an academic transition but is also considered as a sign of pride to that particular family. No matter where or how a student graduated, they are the pride of the family. That is why, parents do dare spend hundreds and thousands of birr for graduation ceremony.

With some rare exceptions there is no single parent/family that will hesitate to spend thousands of birr to their child graduated. This extravagant graduation ceremony is not only limited to those students who graduated from higher learning institutions, colleges, universities, it is also becoming a culture to celebrate the graduation ceremony of the kids that graduated at KG level.

Parents of the graduates are always happy to spend money for their beloved son or daughter. They do not only spend money from their own pocket. They are also ready to borrow money from others or, sell their cattle so as to celebrate the graduation.

Graduation ceremony that is backed by unnecessary financial expenditure has a devastating impact for that family. This problem will be exacerbated if there is a problem to get job within the shortest time possible.

The problem associated with celebrating graduation ceremonies with miniskirt is the other problem that I personally noticed; many could be by my side I hope. I don't know when and how graduation and miniskirts have become complimentary. As far as I know, there is no any University or higher learning institute that obliged its graduates to wear miniskirts during their graduation ceremony. However, it has become a norm.

Very recently, I had the chance to attend a graduation ceremony at Dibre Bierehan University. This university is located in the North Shoa Zone of Amhara State. It is one of the coldest place in Ethiopia. For that reason I was expecting almost all the girls will be attained the graduation ceremony with their traditional Ethiopian skirt (Yehabesha Kemis). However, to my surprise most of the graduate girls are with their miniskirts. Perplexed by this, I have tried to ask some of them.

Jitu Tilahun is from Wolliso—a town in the South-western Zone of Oromia State. I ran into her in Debre Berehan University while congratulating her relatives. She was wearing a traditional hand woven Ethiopian skirt. It is made fashionably and decorated colourfully to reflect her culture. She looks so beautiful with her traditional garment as she was dressed to kill.

Jitu believes that most graduate girls wear miniskirts for no reason. According to her, most of them are doing because of peer pressure. Recalling her experience as a graduate student from Jimma University, Jitu said that she and her friends were decorated themselves from head to foot with traditional cloths. However, now the trend seems to have reversed for unknown reason, in fact.

Jitu accepts as true that occasions like this one have a great place to reflect the diverse culture of Ethiopia. It is one of the best event for graduates to reflect their culture to their friends and relatives and to the entire society at large. They must be proud of what they have.

When I left Jitu, I came across a beautiful graduate with her traditional Ethiopian skirt. She was accompanied by her mom who also wore the same. When I asked her the reason behind wearing miniskirt, she has seconded what Jitu said. For her, graduation ceremony is the best time to reflect ones culture through dressing. “That is why I and my ten friends have decided to wear Bahlawi Kemis.”

Mesfin Yelma is an instructor at Debre Berehan Technical and Vocational School. He was one of the guests of honour during the Debre Berhan University graduation ceremony. Unlike other guests who attended the event with suit and tie, Mesfin attended the programme with a traditional cloak/robe . According to him, like other civilizations cloak is a traditional noble cloth in Ethiopia. It is common in traditional Ethiopia to wear robe in times of different ceremonies, wedding programmes and other spectacular events.

As to Mesfin, Ethiopia is rich in culture. This culture can be reflected in different forms. The dressing style of different nations, nationalities and peoples of the country is the reflection of this rich culture. However, these days, this culture is threatened by the so called civilization---imported west culture. Miniskirts are the implication of this cultural diffusion and contamination.