Erfo Mereba Ritual as Indigenous Psychotherapy for Pregnant Women in Raya Qobbo, Ethiopia

Abstract

Pregnancy is rarely a straightforward experience. Beyond the physical changes, it often brings emotional, social, and psychological challenges especially in communities where biomedical maternal mental health services are limited or absent. In such contexts, indigenous ritual practices frequently step in to fill therapeutic gaps, offering forms of care that are both culturally resonant and socially embedded. This study focuses on the Erfo Mereba ritual in Raya Qobbo, Ethiopia. It explores how Erfo Mereba functions as a culturally grounded form of psychotherapy for pregnant women. Drawing on perspectives from performance theory, functional and medical anthropology, as well as symbolic analysis , the article highlights how ritual enactment and symbolic language work together to ease prenatal distress. The study is based on qualitative fieldwork that combined observation, interviews, and documentation of ceremonies. Central to these rituals are oral poems performed by women known as Dubertis, whose recitations unfold across three distinct phases of pregnancy. The findings reveal that Erfo Mereba directly addresses psychosocial stressors such as marital insecurity, economic precarity, and health‑related fears through therapeutic practices that make sense within the community’s cultural framework. Hence, the study contributes to broader discussions on ritual healing, maternal well-being, and the integration of cultural practices into community-based mental health frameworks. The study recommends for the recognition of such indigenous rituals as vital cultural resources for the holistic wellbeing of pregnant women and the urgent need for documentation and preservation amid rapid sociocultural change.

Keywords: Erfo Mereba, indigenous psychotherapy, ritual performance, symbolic healing, pregnancy, oral poetry, Ethiopia