COMMENSALITY, PROCESS AND THE MORAL ORDER - AN EXAMPLE FROM SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

The ritual sharing of food by elders is shown to serve as a metaphor f or the cultural code of the Sadama of Ethiopia. It is a means of demon strating that just as socio-political events change so does the ritual surrounding food consumption, and that the latter must be continuousl y discussed and debated to reach a consensus about commensal correctne ss. This elaborate means of ritual procedure constitutes a comparison for the way in which elders must consensually make policy and settle d isputes. It is shown that there are definite limits to this system, an d to the values of the cultural code, beyond the boundaries of Sidamot and. This serves to bring into focus the current dilemma of state and ethnic relations in Africa.