The concept of Dhibaayyuu-Libation

Waaqeffannaa spiritual society ritual of Libation

Dhibaayyuu is ancient form of prayer among the waaqeffannaa spiritual society. In the sacred libation ritual, petition is made while pouring drinkable fluids known as mijuu to the Creator, and to the passed over ancestors, for their assistance with our human affairs. Thus, libation is symbolic of invoking these energies, it is at this point where the prayer is stated plus giving thanks and appreciation for the guidance and blessings received. Substances that have been used for dhibaayyuu includes any drinkable fluid known as Mijuu or any edible solid food. It is a drink offering or food offering known as mijuu to honor and please the sacred ancestors, Waaqaa Gurraacha-Tokkicha-Haqaa, and mother dachee as a thank for the blessing of the harvest, progeny, multiplicity, inter alia.

The concept dhibaayyuu is a ritual of pouring a liquid as an offering or returning back to Waaqaa, the Great Provider of the Liquid (, or sacred Offering). Dhibaayyuu is a ritual of pouring of a liquid as an offering to Waaqaa or holy ayyaanaa or in memory of those who have demised. It is an act of providing thanks to Waaqaa, the Great Provider of Mijuu or Guutuu. It is an act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice to Waaqaa. Dhibaayyuu (, or libation) is part of ancient waaqeffannaa spiritual society where it was a drink offering to honor and appease Waaqaa Gurraacha-Tokkichaa-Haqaa, sacred ancestors as well as mother Dachee. And so dhibaayyuu is part of the sacrificial offering.

And thus the ritual of pouring libation is an act of essential ceremonial ritual and a way of giving homage to the ancestors. In waaqeffannaa spiritual society, pouring an offering of a drink before consuming symbolizes thanksgiving for the Prime Giver of that Drink and part of an ancient Waaqeffannaa spiritual society ritual where it is a drink offering to honor and appease Waaqaa, the Great Provider. The ritual is generally performed by an elder, or the head such as head of the ritual institution, head of the family, and head of the clan or senior of the family. A prayer is offered before pouring libation and thus libation is poured onto the ground, calling Waaqaa to attend and bless the drink and makes safer for them.

In the sacred ritual of dhibaayyuu, the waaqeffannaa spiritual society use to pour any drink including biqilaa (alcoholic beverage), aanan (milk), bulbulaa (honey, honey drink), and other drinks known as Mijuu. This sacred libation is poured anytime Mijuu is to be drunk or served and generally accompanied prayer. Thus the ritual of pouring dhibaayyuu is a way of giving homage to the giver of mijuu or guutuu, the Supreme Being Waaqaa and Ancestral Spirit.

Libation is always poured before tasting the drink following a prayer or praise ritual. The waaqeffannaa spiritual society makes dhibaayyuu of a drink as an act of offering to Waaqaa before they taste the serving or drink after a prayer or praise ritual. And then they pour dhibaayyuu into the source or ground. The libation could be poured onto something of spiritual significance such as utubaa dhibaayyuu (, or the Altar of Libation) or into the earth. The Waaqeffannaa Spiritual Society usually sat when they pray with their arms uplifted saying Hooqubaa.
In the waaqeffannaa spiritual society, pouring an offering of buqurii, and bixxillee or micciirraa into a running stream or bank of a running stream symbolize the symbolic reconnection of the living with Booranticha- the symbolic figure of primordial ancestors and the passed over ancestors.

When the waaqeffannaa spiritual society do make dhibaayyuu or pour drinks to thank Waaqaa for His gift, they usually do it after uttering:

O Waaqaa!
(Yaa Waaq)
You have given us these drinks
(Dhugaatii kana nuuf laattee),
And we also got what we drink from earth;
(Akkasumas waan dhugamu kanas dhacheerraa argannee)
So we pour a very little of the drinks to the ground as a gesture of thanks;
(Kanaaf galata keetiif kunoo waan xiqqoo irraa dhibeeffannaa)
We pour it even before we taste it
(Galata keef otoo mijuu hin dhandhammiin dhibeeffanaa)!
The concept of Daddarbaa- throwing a fist of offering

Daddarbaa is another form of dhibaayyuu whereby solid food offering is offered as a form of appeasing the giver of the food and provide thanks for the blessing of the harvest. The concept dadarbaa is derived from the term darbaa (dadarbaa-intensive) which is derived from a verb darbuu. The verb darbuu literally refers to the verb throw. It is the act of propelling through air. And thus the intensive form of darbaa, dadarbaa, the act of throwing repeatedly in the form of sprinkling thje things at hands. In the waaqeffannaa spiritual society, dadarbaa is the act of sprinkling a food in recoginition of Waaqaa’s amplitude. Daddarbaa is an act of throwing away a small portion or a fist of food in recognition of Waaqaa’s bountifulness, and a sign of giving very little of His gifts back to the Supreme Waaqaa Gurraacha-Tokkicha and Mother Dachee, which He allowed to be cultivable by man. Daddarbaa is meant to give back to Waaqa a small portion of what He has offered man to eat. Before tasting the food (dhandhamuun dura) the waaqeffannaa spiritual society utter as;

O Waaqa,
(Yaa Waaqi)!
You have given this food;
(Nyaata kana nuuf laattee)
O Earth!
(Yaa Dachee)
You grew the crops, Out of which this food is made,
(Midhaan nyaatni kun irraa hojjetame magarsitee)
May praise be upon You!
(Galannii kan kee haa taHu)!
May Waaqa bless the dish for us!
(Waaqni nyaata kana nuuf eebbisi)
O Waaqa,
(Yaa Waaqi),
You have given us the food in excess,
(Nyaata gahaa nuuf laattee)
We honor you and offer this piece to praise you!
(Ulfina keetiif dhabaayyuu kana siif laanaa),
Receive our offering
(Nurraa fudhadhu)!

The waaqeffannaa spiritual society also prays as follows before testing the meal:
The nourishment that I receive today in peace;
(Soorata ati har’a naaf laatte)
May I receive it tomorrow again!
(Borus at naaf laadhu)
The rations for each day,
(Soorata guyyaa guyyaa)
O Waaqa,
(Yaa Waaqi),
Give it to me without end.
(Kan kee isa dhuma hin qabne naaf laadhu)!
My Waaqaa
(Waaqayyoo),
Who have created the universe and the earth;
(Ruudaa fi dhachee uumtee)
And have given me all the benefits which are in it,
(Akkasumas ati badhaadhina achi keessa jiran hunda naaf laattee)
Have it,
(Fudhadhu),
There is your portion.
(Kunnoo kuni qooda keetii)

Then throw a portion of what they eat and pour some drops of what they drink in the act of thanks.