119 ETHNOLOGIA ACTUALIS Vol. 20, No. 1/2020 Yohannes TESFAYE GETACHEW A History of Koshe Town in South-Central Ethiopia from 1941 to 1991 A History of Koshe Town in South-Central Ethiopia from 1941 to 1991 YOHANNES TESFAYE GETACHEW Koshe General Secondary and Preparatory School, Koshe Town, Ethiopia [email protected] ABSTRACT Koshe town is the administrative and commercial center of Mareko woreda.1 It is found in Gurage Zone Southern Nation Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. According to the tradition the origin of the name “Koshe” is originated from the plant which called by the name Koshe which abundantly grow in the area. The establishment of Koshe town is directly associated with the five years Italian occupation. Due to the expansion of patriotic movement in the area Italian officials of the area forced to establish additional camp in the area in a particular place Koshe. This paper explores the role of Fascist Italy for the establishment of Koshe town. The former weekly market shifted its location and established around the Italian camp. Following the evacuation of Fascist Italy the Ethiopian governments control the area. During the government of Emperor Haile Selassie Koshe town got some important developmental programs. The most important development was the opening of the first school by the effort of the Swedes.2 The Military regime (Derg)3 also provided important inputs for the 1 It is an administrative unit in Ethiopia, literally means district. 2 Between 1924 and 1952 the Swedes particularly SEM (the Swedish Evangelical Mission) was active in Ethiopia to assist the country in many sects particularly they opened clinics and schools in all twelve provinces (VIVECA 1977:186). 3 The term “Derg” is a Ge’ez language means “committee” or “council.” The Military government that ruled Ethiopia from 1966-1991 popularly known by the name Derg and even both names used interchangeably through the academic writing of Ethiopia. DOI: 10.2478/eas-2021-0006 © University of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. All rights reserved. 120 ETHNOLOGIA ACTUALIS Vol. 20, No. 1/2020 Yohannes TESFAYE GETACHEW A History of Koshe Town in South-Central Ethiopia from 1941 to 1991 urbanization of Koshe town. This research paper observes the development works that flourish in Koshe during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie and the Military regime, and also asses the role of different organizations for the urbanization of Koshe town. KEY WORDS: Italian occupation, Koshe, Mareko people, multiculturalism, urbanization Introduction As the term civilization refers “living in cities” (STANDAGE 2005:25) the establishment of cities and towns play a vital role on the development of over all aspects of human life. The world’s earliest towns and cities were places where human beings for the first time modified to some extent, or completely changed their mode of life. Most of the populations of these cities were farmers, who lived within the city walls and walked out to lean on their fields each morning (STANDAGE 2005:24). However, some members of the urban centers completely changed their way of life both working and living in these centers. Among these members “Administrators and craftsmen who did not work in the field were the earliest humans to live entirely urban lives” (STANDAGE 2005:24). Most of the ancient African urban centers were primarily the result of internal growth (YONAS – ZÁHOŘÍK 2017:46). However the coming of Europeans played its part on the later period of urbanization of Africa. It was part of the undeniable legacies of colonial Europe in which European colonial government had flourished some new urban centers. As part of the continent, the history of towns in Ethiopia divided into three making the short live Italian occupation as frame of reference (HORVATH 1968:44). Most of northern towns are categorized under “pre Italian” period. The towns around the capital, Addis Ababa like Budie, Alem Gena, Sebeta, and Tafkie, Sululta, and Sendafa were all founded during the “Italian Period”. Concerning this Horvath marked “the Italians also left their mark on the urban scene by founding towns and stimulating the growth of existing urban centers” (HORVATH 1968:45). The establishment of Koshe town has a direct relation with the short occupation of Italy in Ethiopia. Based on the classification of Ethiopian towns, Koshe town is categorized under the “Italian period”. To control the Ethiopian patriotic movement against colonial Italy in the area particularly at the heartland of Mareko land, the Fascist Italian Officers designed and build their military camp at the center of the present Koshe town. Through evolution this camp became the present Koshe town (YOHANNES 2017:82; DERGU 2014:15). DOI: 10.2478/eas-2021-0006 © University of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. All rights reserved. 121 ETHNOLOGIA ACTUALIS Vol. 20, No. 1/2020 Yohannes TESFAYE GETACHEW A History of Koshe Town in South-Central Ethiopia from 1941 to 1991 A history of Koshe town is among the other ignored part of people’s history in south-central Ethiopia. This research work will unearth the etymology, origin, and urbanization of Koshe town for the academic world. It also explores the establishment and development of Koshe town into the broader prospect of social, economic, and cultural development. This study covers the history of Koshe town from the year 1941 (its establishment) to 1991 (the downfall of Military regime) due to two reasons, firstly the separation of the former Meskan and Mareko district in 2002 into two separate districts distorted several archival material which has valuable information concerning Koshe town. Secondly, the present ethnic conflict between Mareko and the neighboring Meskan-Gurage hinder the researcher to get some valuable sources from Butajira the former administrative center of the compound district of Meskan and Mareko. This study covers the years from 1941 up to 1991 because the purpose of the researcher is to unearth the establishment of Koshe town and also to explore the role of Italian occupation for its establishment as particular and their role for the expansion of urbanization in Ethiopia as general. In addition to its establishment Koshe town attest its important developmental achievements just within the period 1941-1991. Mareko and Meskan-Gurage are two different ethno-linguistic people. They ruled under different administrative divisions since their incorporation by emperor Menilik into Modern Ethiopian Empire. Just their incorporation both ethno linguistic groups were under Mareko awraja (sub-province) its administrative center was at Butajira. Then during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie the name of the district changed and took “Meskan and Mareko district” which stayed until their separation. Due to their geographical affinity they were under one single administration called “Meskan and Mareko district” the center of the district was at Butajira town. However in 2002 Mareko people separated from the former administration and formed a new district that only composed Mareko ethno linguistic group called Mareko district. The study is based on a number of primary sources as well as existing research by either Ethiopian or European researches both published and unpublished. A Brief Overview of Koshe Town Koshe town is found in Southern Nation Nationalities and Peoples Region, Gurage Zone in Mareko woreda. The astronomical location of the town is between 7°55’-8°04’N and 38°26’- 38°33’E. The town is from 160 km to Addis Ababa, 115 km from regional city of Hawassa and 316 km from Zone capital Welkite (DANIEL 2016:68). The town surrounded in the direction of northern by Semen Koshe rural area, in the southern direction by Washe-Faka DOI: 10.2478/eas-2021-0006 © University of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. All rights reserved. 122 ETHNOLOGIA ACTUALIS Vol. 20, No. 1/2020 Yohannes TESFAYE GETACHEW A History of Koshe Town in South-Central Ethiopia from 1941 to 1991 rural kebele4, in the eastern direction by Koshe-Akababi and in the western direction by Woja-Jardemka. Koshe is characterized by flat plain with black and clay soils. The town has seven ketena5 (cluster) and one kebele in the town, municipality rule began in 2003 (DERGU 2014:15). The Koshe town is situated between altitudinal ranges of 1850-2000 m above sea level. This altitude is within the range of woina-dega6, the amount of rainfall 500-1656 mm, temperature of the area 16°-18°C. But in spite of its altitudinal location the climate is extremely hot and reflects the character of kolla7 climate. The type of grass, crops, fruits and vegetable such as mango, papaya and onion are indication of the town warm temperature nature of the climate, the rainfall from June to September (DERGU 2014:15). According to climate classification of Ethiopia the climate of Koshe has the character of tropical rainy climate type, which has dry months in the winter with average temperature of the coldest month greater than 18°C and rainfall amount ranges from 680 mm-2000 mm (DERGU 2014:15). According to the 2007 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia statistical report for Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, the total population of Koshe town was 6880. Based on sex composition the total population was 3674 male, and 3206 female (POPULATION CENSUS COMMISSION 2007:1129). Koshe town has been populated by migrants from different rural areas, woredas, zones and regions, and different ethnic groups live in the town. Although, the town is dominated by Mareko people the ethnic groups are diverse. For instance Amhara, Gurage, Oromo, Silte, Hadya and Kembata are the inhabitants’ of among the diverse ethnic groups in the town (DANIEL 2016:69; informant: inspector Edamo Kamilo). Establishment of Koshe Town According to tradition origin of the name Koshe was driven from the name of the tree locally known as koshe8 which abundantly grew in the present Koshe town and its surrounding.