The Socio-Cultural Integration: The Case of Kuti Resettlement Site in Kaffa Zone, South-West Ethiopia

Abstract

This study investigates the socio-cultural integration of resettler and host communities in Kuti resettlement site in Gimbo woreda one of the resettlement sites selected for the 1985/86 resettlement program. The study was conducted with 20 participants selected from the resettled and host communities. The premise for the selection of the mentioned study site is the absence of prior research in the site and to add some additional knowledge on few researches done in socio-cultural integration aspect of resettlers in general. The research follows the procedures of an exploratory case study design in examining the experiences of socio-cultural integration between the host and resettler communities. Unstructured interview guide and two FGD sessions were used as the data collection instruments. Content analysis technique was applied in this study. This technique used to analyze their socio-cultural experiences and the perceptions towards each other. Three key findings are emerged from this study. The first is that both the resettler and host communities generally have positive regard towards each other. The second finding showed that different strategies of socio-cultural integration are used by the communities such as: intermarriage, sharecropping and adoption of cultural practices. The third major finding showed that the two greatest challenges to integration are lack of equal political participation and stereotyping by both communities. In conclusion, the study findings showed that there are aspects of socio-cultural integration which were manifested socially and culturally. The social manifestations included: intermarriage, God parenting, friendship, sharecropping, borrowing and lending. The cultural manifestation pertained to the adoption of different cultural practices by both communities. The challenges of integration were also perceived by the participants as resolvable in the long run and not severe to threaten future prospects for further integration.