Berta people
The Berta or Bertha are currently about 200,000 people a comprehensive ethnic group living along the border between Sudan and Ethiopia. They speak Berta, a Nilo-Saharan African language which is not nearer the equally Nilo-Saharan languages Komuz their neighboring peoples - is related - the Gumuz and Uduk. In Ethiopia 2007 183.259 people were registered as Berta in the census.
History
The origins of Berta are to the east of Sudan in the territory of the Sultanate of Sennar ( 1521-1804 ). During the 16th or 17th century, the Berta migrated to Ethiopia in the west area of today's Benishangul Gumuz. Benishangul is a Arabized form of the original Bela Shangul, which means " rock of Shangul ." This refers to a sacred rock in a mountain in the Woreda amount, one of the places where the Berta originally settled after their arrival in Ethiopia.
Their arrival in Ethiopia was accompanied by a major area of conflict between individual Berta groups. For this reason, and to protect against slave hunters from the territory of Sudan, the Berta decided to build their settlements in the geschützeren inherently locations such as hill and mountain land surrounded by towering cliffs. Due to this topography buildings were built over crevices. The German traveler Ernst Marno described this Berta architecture and settlements in his travels in the areas of the Blue and White Nile (Vienna 1874). The Berta of Benishangul were incorporated in 1896 in Ethiopia.
After conflicts and revolts during the 20th century, the Berta moved into those valleys that inhabit it today. During the 19th century Benishangul was in different emirates split ( Fadasi, Komosha, Gizen, Asosa ). The most powerful was dominated towards the end of the century by Sheikh Khoyele.
Customs
After several centuries of Arab- Sudanese influence the Berta speak fluent Arabic, most are Muslim, some are Christian. The descendants of mixed marriages with Arab traders called Watawit, after the local name of bats, so the mixture of different groups is meant. Nevertheless, they continue to maintain traditional customs that are similar to those of their Nilo-Saharan neighbors, for example, the Neri ritual to evoke the healing and prophetic powers. There are rituals that are conjured up in which evil spirits ( Shuman ), and Rainmaker ceremonies.
Your wedding music is played by men with large calabashes Trumpets ( waza ). The bride comes to the wedding on a donkey, a throwing stick ( bang ) in the hand supporting. After the wedding, the groom has to build a hut and at least one year to live in the village of the bride, and to till the land of the father. Distinctions are accepted. The Berta decorate their faces with scarifications, usually there are three vertical lines on each cheek, which they regard as symbols of God ( each line is interpreted as Alif, the first letter of Allah).
The Berta operate slash and burn. Their main food is millet, from which they cook porridge in ceramic vessels and also brew beer. The millet beer (see Merisa ) is brewed in large ceramic containers called awar and is'u. Labor companies play an important role in their society. Build someone a house or an ordered field, so help him its neighbors and receive food and beer.