Observations about Traditional Community Feasts and their Free Use of Space: a Symbolism of Community
Observations about Traditional Community Feasts and their Free Use of Space: a Symbolism of Community
Wolbert Smidt
Modern times are both marked by a great belief in change, progression, and improvements in technology and economy – while often moving away from established traditions, including age-old feasts. At the same time, modernization is marked by repeated rediscoveries of traditional feasts, sometimes reviving them in a new setting or organizational framework. Usually, these modern “traditional feasts” are perceived as “cultural” in the sense that they represent an ancient local culture and cultural heritage. When we look into different forms of such feasts, we, however, may discover elements that get overlooked when they are re-invigorated. This paper suggests a specific view on numerous traditional feasts through their use of space and participation by very different groups of society in a semi-organized, sometimes almost anarchic, spontaneous way – with the typical result of a lot of movement of people through public space, who interact spontaneously and in any moment. This paper presents observations based on observations of feasts over about ten years. Feasts are usually characterized by many forms of expression by participants, creating their own view of what is going on, and using space by numerous movements of groups of friends, households, peer groups, families, etc. This includes the recitation of poems or songs, moving in groups, dancing in circles, and in small and big groups. The hypothesis suggested here is that this specific very dynamic use of space is a core element of the traditional feasts of Tigray, which in this way help to create bonds between individuals, and groups, and create an identification with society, much more than the modern stage- and public event-based organizers of modernized feasts seem to realize. Such modern feasts are increasingly characterized by loudspeakers, event masters on a stage, and invited prominent personalities, all on a specific stage, which is not moving and assembles an audience in front of them. While this is an important element in the rediscovery of a tradition and its recognition, this paper suggests that strong community experiences are more based on the free movement of people creating their feasts in any space they move through.