VU Research Portal Ethnicity and Local Identity in de Folklore of the South-western Oromo of Ethiopia: a Comparative Study Alemu Fanta, A. 2015 document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in VU Research Portal citation for published version (APA) Alemu Fanta, A. (2015). Ethnicity and Local Identity in de Folklore of the South-western Oromo of Ethiopia: a Comparative Study. VU University Amsterdam. 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Sep. 2021 Faculty of Social Sciences Ethnicity and Local Identity in the Folklore of the South- western Oromo of Ethiopia: a Comparative Study by Abreham Alemu Fanta VU University Amsterdam Cover Photo: A Gera Oromo elder narrating Gera history, October 2006 (Photo by the author) VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT Ethnicity and Local Identity in the Folklore of the South-western Oromo of Ethiopia: a Comparative Study ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. F.A. van der Duijn Schouten, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen op dinsdag 16 juni 2015 om 13.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door Abreham Alemu Fanta geboren te Shambu, Ethiopië promotor: prof.dr. G.J. Abbink Overige leden van de Promotiecommissie: Prof. Dr. G. Furniss, SOAS, University of London Dr. D. Merolla, Universiteit Leiden Dr. G. Gelaye, Universität Hamburg Dr. M. Doortmont, Universiteit Groningen Dr. F. Krijtenburg, Vrije Universiteit This study was made possible with the generous support of WOTRO, The Hague (PhD dissertation grant WR 52-1088), which is acknowledged with gratitude To My late teacher, mentor and colleague: Dr. Yonas Admassu My untimely departed friends: Berhanu Gebeyehu Belaineh Gemechu Gelalcha Dinagde Wondimagegn Sulito Erbeto Acknowledgements I owe the completion of the long journey of this PhD study to many institutions and individuals. First of all, I would like to extend my gratitude to NWO/WOTRO for awarding me the scholarship grant and the opportunity to pursue my PhD study. The African Studies Centre at Leiden and Free University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, deserve special thanks for giving me fellowship and all the necessary institutional support during my study in Holland. I also appreciate Addis Ababa University for providing me with study leave. I am indebted to my promoter and supervisor, Professor Jon Abbink, for his invaluable professional support. Had it not been for his relentless encouragement and effective guidance, this study would never have been proposed, leave alone come to completion, with my sluggishness and divided loyalties. Jon was always available for me, painstakingly reading, commenting and editing every page of my messy writing. With all earnestness, I would like to say THANK YOU, Jon. This study would have not come to completion without the institutional and financial support of Scholars at Risk (SAR), Institute of International Education Scholars at Risk Fund (IIE-SRF), and my host universities, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), and PEN Emergency Fund Amsterdam during my exile in the US. I am also grateful to my pro bono council from Weil, Gotshal and Manges, specifically, to Jill Baisinger, Alexis Brown-Reilly, and Stephen Shahida, and to Françoise Lionnet, Reem Hanna-Harwell, and Wendy Belcher, for their kindness and effective professional support at the most stressful time of my life. I am alos indebted to Professor Jamal R. Nassar, Professor Peter Robertshaw, and Patricia Massei of CSUSB for their unreserved and generous support. My AAU colleagues Professor Habtamu Wondimu and Dr. Fekade Azeze assisted me in so many ways. I am thankful to them. My heartfelt gratitude also goes to Dr. Azeb Amha, Michael and Helen Abbink, for the familial love and heartwarming smiles and care they gave me during my stay in Leiden. My informants from the south-western Oromia, and my friend and research assistant Obbo Tayib Abba Foggi, Mitiku Dibessa, Yirgu Dibessa, Daniel Yirgu, and Adugna Berkessa all deserve my gratitude. My heartfelt appreciation also goes to my friends and sisters and brothers in America, for their generous material and moral support at the time of my relocation in the US: Dubale and Mekdes Afework, Dr. Asefa Jejaw and his family, Teferi Jejaw, Merga Feyissa and Sosina Bogale, Mintiwab Abera, Azeb Abera and Alemshet Tsegaye, Zelalem Tsegaye and his family, Aynalem Abera and Addisu, Shimelis Kabteneh and his family, Samuel Mekbib and Seblewongel Mekbib, and Mesfin Salilew. My old i friend, Zeleke Terefe, and his wife, Mekdes Abraham, deserve special appreciation for their unreserved support and gentle proding to finalize my study. Biruk Abate and Hilina Asnake; Dr. Asefa Negash, Teshome Ayalew, Abas Miftah, Aregawi Berhe and many other friends in Leiden deserve so many thanks for their warm hospitality during my stay in Leiden. Among many of my friends and colleagues at Addis Ababa University and elsewhere in Ethiopia, the following deserve special appreciation for their encouragement and support: Gezahegn Getachew and his family in Canada, Abebe Dissasa, Fasika Melesse, Bayleyegn Tasew, Asnake Kefale and his family (Asnake read and gave me constructive comments on my thesis), Elizabeth Ayalew and Paulos Chanie, Getachew Sahilemariyam, Bedilu Wakjira and Tigist Bekele, Selamawit Mecca, Tewodros Gebre, Meseret Abeje, Aboneh Ashagrie, Abate Mekuriya (Gashe), Belayneh Abune (Wosagnu), Nebiyu Baye, Tesfaye Eshetu, Daniel Sileshi (Wotatu), Tadesse Sibamo, and Ayneabeba Teshome. I owe much to my loving family in Kera, Tadesse Tesfa’s family: Alemtsehay Legesse (Chehaye), Samson, Geremew and Kidist, Tesfa and Saba, Binyam, Enguday, Beminet, Yigerem and her family, Yidenek and Tiliye, and Addishiywot Tadesse. Thanks to my sisters and brothers for their unreserved love and support: Beliyu Abera (Emahoy), Muluwork Alemu and Obbo Negeri Kelbessa, Tenaw Alemu, Abeba Alemu and Meklit, Alehegn Alemu, Dagnachew Alemu and Yeshi, Habtaminesh Alemu and Wondwossen Nigussie, Gedaminesh Alemu and Yohanis. Last but not least, my deepest gratitude and love go to my wife Rahel Tadesse and my beloved kids: Isaac (Abat), Betelhem (Batalam Abam) and Yabsira (Bitsaye). You have always been my source of inspiration, courage and hope. Thank you! ii Contents Table of Contents Maps and figures Acronyms Glossary A note on transliteration Table of Contents iii Chapter 1. Introduction: theme, aim, scope 1 Theme and theoretical orientation 1 The place of the Oromo in Ethiopia 11 Rationale of the study 17 The writer’s memory as a motivation: a personal note 20 Research questions 25 Scope of the study 26 Significance of the study 28 Chapter 2. Ethnicity and local identity in folklore: historical overview and theoretical orientation 32 Introduction 32 Ethnicity 33 Ethnic group 33 A brief recap on theoretical approaches to ethnicity and ethnic identity 42 Situating folklore 44 Identity and folklore 45 Ethnic folklore 46 Methodological approach 47 Fieldwork and methods 50 Chapter 3. The Oromo of Ethiopia: a socio-historical overview 52 Introduction 52 Origins and dispersal 53 Differentiation and the idea of unity 55 The major Oromo groups 61 Chapter 4. The Oromo expansion in history and Macha oral traditions 87 Introduction 87 On causes and factors of Oromo expansion 87 iii The regional and historical context 95 Demographic pressure and internal conflicts 97 The role of the gada system 107 Oromo traditions of adoption (Oromization) 115 Concluding remarks 119 Chapter 5. Theorizing narration: an approach to local identity narrative 121 Introduction 121 The socio-political context 124 Toward a definition of local identity narrative 127 The cultural conception and performance of identity narrative 130 The communicative context and contextualization strategies 132 ‘Telling right’, collaborative telling and narrative credibility 139 Thematic elements and function 151 Establishing ethical and moral superiority 154 Toward a classification of identity narrative 156 Concluding remarks 160 Chapter 6. Differentiation and Similarity: identity narratives of the Jimma and Gera Oromo 162 Introduction 162 The Jimma Oromo 163 Jimma 165 Gera 168 Narrative 6.1. “We are different from others”: contemporary identity narrative of the Jimma 170 Narrative 6.2. “Our forefathers are the first to settle in this area” 179 Narrative 6.3. “We are generous and peace-loving people” 183 Stereotyping others 192 Narrative 6.4. “The adventures of Yanfo Sephine” 194 Narrative 6.5. “We are like a handful pepper”: identity narrative of the Gera 198 Narrative 6.6. “The leopard and Abba Jifar” 203 Narrative 6.7. “The reward of bravery” 204 Narrative 6.8. “Gera is the land of abundance” 207 Concluding remarks 210 Chapter 7. “We are like a handful of sand”: narrative construction of local identity in Eastern Wollega 212 Introduction 212 iv The Eastern Wollega Oromo 213 The Leqa Neqemte 216 The Sibu Sire 223 Identity narratives of the Leqa Neqemte and the Sibu Sire 225 Contemporary identity narratives of the Leqa Neqemte 230 Narrative 7.1. “How our forefathers settled in this Wollega area” 231 Narrative 7.2. “We are like a handful of sand” 241 Narrative 7.3.