Critical Discourse Analysis on Religious Tolerance in South Wollo

Abstract

This study is about religious tolerance in South Wollo. The study were conducted in Kutaber, Alasha, Sulula, Haik, Dessie, and Kombolcha in South Wollo Zone. Data were collected from range of live and recorded discourses from elders, youngsters, females and children from different casual and non-casual speech events. The result of the study revealed that the Muslim-Christian community in this area have developed a harmonious, peaceful co-existence with high sense of belongingness among each other. There are different historical and contextual factors that are threatening the long lived culture of religious tolerance; however, the people have continued to live with tolerance fighting all the factors that work against. Presently, there are many rumors that emphasize on the negative trying to deny the peaceful co-existence of this society. Nevertheless, the people still hold to the fact that they have fought to live with tolerance. The level of tolerance exhibited by these people is so high that it incorporated one more entity. Tolerance is defined as recognition, respect, and appreciation. The level of tolerance in Wollo applies one more element, i.e. acceptance. The people have accepted the difference as a natural and normal behavior that they have gone to the stage of accepting each others’ difference as a different way of life. This makes the tolerance of the people as a complete culture which can protect itself from any possible violence.

Keywords: religious tolerance, peaceful co-existence, critical discourse analysis