Market Day in Rural Ethiopia
The road that travels through many parts of Africa, the trans-African highway as it is called, connects all people of Africa in both rural and urban regions. This road signifies unity and accessibility, allowing Africans to connect with each other as they move from place to place. It was amazing to see this movement of people, to see men and women, young and old alike, walking along the road and some even on the road as they made their way to the neighbouring villages for Market Day. In this part of the world, Ethiopia, Market Day is usually on Saturdays; all across the country, markets are filled with consumers and sellers. People from the countryside carry their commodities to the nearest village to sell their goods in the markets; it is their way of making a livinghere in rural Africa. As I made my way down the road, into a market in a small village in the green highlands of Ethiopia, I was amazed with the strength that surrounded me. The strong women next to me, dressed in traditional Ethiopian clothing, barefoot, were carrying all kinds of commodities on their backs. Some are carrying their children into the market, along with their products. Footsteps away I saw young boys and men, also dressed in traditional clothing, herding their cattle with their sticks, while having fun at the same time, especially the younger ones. While some were taking their livestock into the market, others continued with their journey down the road.
Turning into the market street, I could hear and smell the market from a distance. The chatter of the people and smell of spices and livestock overwhelmed me as I approached this large, well-organized market, which is divided in different sections. If you want to buy corn, you go to a specific section of the market and the same applies to all kinds of things, from chicken, cotton, spices and so much more. Thousands of people were moving around, going from section to section. Squeezing my way in between consumers, sellers and the occasional livestock, I observed the kinds of things this market accommodated. It had everything, especially household supplies, from pots and pans to soaps and plastic plates, along with all kinds of food and livestock, especially chicken. The sellers usually set up their shops on the floor, putting a mat or cloth on the floor before arranging their products. Many of the stands have at least one or two sellers.
I was quite surprised to find such a busy market in a small village but since this market caters to the people from the countryside as well as the villagers, it makes sense. I thought about all the women and men that I saw selling their commodities and how Market Day provides their main income. This is the reality of rural Africa, which comprise mainly of agrarian so societies, where people usually depend on farming and livestock. The story of rural Africa is a story of richness, strength and survival; the richness in the traditions and cultures that is firmly rooted these communities, the strength of the people who are working hard to make ends meet and the survival of these kinds of communities, which have been in existence for centuries. This is what I saw as I looked at the people in the market; Market Day is an important day in their lives.
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- MarketDay1: A seller holding his chicken
- MarketDay2: A seller with his household commodities
- MarketDay3: The section selling household commodities
- MarketDay4: Women selling cotton in the market