Tikva Yosef / Teklo Solomon

Father's name: Simo Solomon

Mother's name: Wada Mekonan

Year of birth: 1939

Place of birth: Marbe, Gondar

Region in Ethiopia: Gondar

Main occupation in Ethiopia: Housewife

The language of the interview: Amharic

Tikva Yosef, Teklo Solomon, housewife, Marveh village, Dir-weh, academics, engagement, matchmaking, wedding, wedding meal, preparations for wedding, wedding ceremony, bride, escorts, kashra, wedding canopy, wedding meal, housework, cooking, grinding spices, bringing water from the river, gathering wood, cup for ritual handwashing, dress, making wool, making thread out of cotton, pregnancy, childbirth, natural birth, midwife, nidda, menstruation houses, agriculture, gathering, cook, Italians, soldiers, childhood games, hosting guests, first day of the month in Ethiopia, millstone, meat preservation, mud stool also used as a bed, spinning cotton threads, Yonah Bugala, Christian neighbors, studies in Ethiopia, pupil, Sabbath customs in Ethiopia.

Summary of the testimony:

Tikva was born in the village of Marbe. She had eight brothers and sisters. She describes the atmosphere and the relationship between the village children, and she describes the types of games she would play as a child.

Tikva married at the age of 13. She talks about how they came to ask for her hand, about the match, the engagement and the preparations for the wedding. She also describes the ceremonies during the wedding, as well as her experiences and feelings about the move from her parents’ home to her husband’s village.

As a housewife, she took care of her children and carried out various kinds of housework, including cooking, laundry and preparing spices, bringing water from the well, grinding food and more. In her spare time, she did creative work such as spinning cotton threads.

Tikva gave birth to her oldest son at the age of 18. She describes the experience of the birth in her parents’ home in great detail: her emotions, the setting she gave birth in, the role of the midwife and the village women during the birth, and the timing and duration of her move to the menstruation house.

Tikva talks about memories of daily life in the village. She emphasizes the importance of hosting guests. She talks about how Jews observed the dietary laws and Jewish festivals. She describes the Jews’ complicated relationship with neighboring Christians and the differences between them. She also describes, through her own personal experiences, how they would treat illnesses and in what cases they went to the hospital.

Tikva Yosef / Teklo Solomon