The Migrant Hero: Culture of Migration and its Implication on Mate Selection among Hadiya Society, Southern Ethiopia
The phenomenon of migration has been indispensable aspect of human histories, cultures and civilizations. In Ethiopia, the post-1991 period witnessed the beginning of new migration to the republic of South Africa in search of greater economic opportunity particularly for unskilled labor. This paper is meant to disclose the developments of the culture of migration and its social and cultural implication, particularly how the culture of migration influence the long standing traditional practice of mate selection among the Hadiya society. A cross sectional study design was employed. In-depth interview, telephone interview, key informant interview and FGDs were data collection tools. The findings of the study revealed that youth migration to the republic of South Africa is bringing a significant and far reaching consequence on the social fabric of Hadiya society specifically on the traditional system of mate selection. In the tradition of Hadiya society, the primary considerations during mate selection were social acceptance on the basis of one’s ascribed qualities like lineage membership and higher position in the stratification. On top of this one’s achieved status such as, hardworking in farming and possession of large land and domestic animals was also credited. These criteria in the mate selection process are currently altered in favor of migrants to South Africa. Most parents, now a day’s prefer mate for their daughter from a migrant in South Africa even without any prior connection. The motive behind the preference of giving ones daughter to a man migrated to South Africa is the anticipated economic changes in the form of bride price and remittance.. Hence, the revival of abduction is one consequence adopted by non migrants as a desperate mechanism of getting mate. Marital instability and family disorganization are also among the worth mentioning negative outcomes of the emerging mate selection system.
