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Oromo Indigenous Religion: Waaqeffannaa

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Oromo Indigenous Religion: Waaqeffannaa Volume III, Issue IV, April 2016 IJRSI ISSN 2321 – 2705 Oromo Indigenous Religion: Waaqeffannaa Bedassa Gebissa Aga* *Lecturer of Human Rights at Civics and Ethical Studies Program, Department of Governance, College of Social Science, of Wollega University, Ethiopia Abstract: This paper discusses the African Traditional religion on earth. The Mande people of Sierra-Leone call him as with a particular reference to the Oromo Indigenous religion, Ngewo which means the eternal one who rules from above.3 Waaqeffannaa in Ethiopia. It aimed to explore status of Waaqeffannaa religion in interreligious interaction. It also Similar to these African nations, the Oromo believe in and intends to introduce the reader with Waaqeffannaa’s mythology, worship a supreme being called Waaqaa - the Creator of the ritual activities, and how it interrelates and shares with other universe. From Waaqaa, the Oromo indigenous concept of the African Traditional religions. Additionally it explains some Supreme Being Waaqeffanna evolved as a religion of the unique character of Waaqeffannaa and examines the impacts of entire Oromo nation before the introduction of the Abrahamic the ethnic based colonization and its blatant action to Oromo religions among the Oromo and a good number of them touched values in general and Waaqeffannaa in a particular. For converted mainly to Christianity and Islam.4 further it assess the impacts of ethnic based discrimination under different regimes of Ethiopia and the impact of Abrahamic Waaqeffannaa is the religion of the Oromo people. Given the religion has been discussed. hypothesis that Oromo culture is a part of the ancient Cushitic Key Words: Indigenous religion, Waaqa, Waaqeffannaa, and cultures that extended from what is today called Ethiopia Oromo through ancient Egypt over the past three thousand years, it can be posited that Waaqeffannaa predates the Abrahamic I. INTRODUCTION religion in its origin.5It is a monotheistic religion that emanates from and based on belief in the Supreme Being of ntil the 1970s and 1980s Western scholars had Waaqaa. To believe in Waaqaa, means to be loyal to his laws, U maintained erroneous views about African indigenous acknowledge his wisdom as the creator and source of all lives. religions, including the local concept of the Supreme Being According to Oromo mythology, Waaqeffannaa, the Oromo (God, divinities and sprit). Judging African indigenous God created all human beings. He cares for all creatures as he religions by their Western religious ontology, i.e. Christianity, brought them into life and earth for the sustenance of life. He Western scholars invariably describe followers of Africans does not discriminate among human races too.6 In indigenous religions as animist. Africans who they thought Waaqeffannaa, therefore, there is no need for intermediaries did not worship the Christian Supreme Being, but rather than between the believer and Waaqaa. The religion actively worshiped idols, lakes, moons, hills and/or fabricated beings, promotes peace (nagaa), reconciliation (araara), love were grouped in this religious category.1 (jaalala) and harmony (walta’iinsa, waliin jireenya).7Waaqeffannaa –an indigenous faith system of the Africa is a large continent with diverse nations and complex Oromo people, is therefore, one version of the monotheistic cultures, languages and dialects. In spite of all these differences, there are many essential resemblances in their religious concepts and rituals. For instance, while different nations use different names to refer to the concept of God, 3Emeke C. Ekeke and A. Ekeopara, “God, Divinities and Spirits in African nearly all of them conceive him as a supreme being across the Traditional Religious ontology”American Journal of Social and Management 2 continent. In Nigeria, the Yoruba refer to this being as Sciences 209-218, (2010):.211-212 „Olorun‟, meaning „the owner of heaven‟ or „the Lord of 4Gumii Waaqeffattota Addunyaa (GWA) , “Waaqeffannaa,” Gumii heaven‟, showing God as the author of all things visible and invisible. The Igbo call him Chukwu, meaning the „source of Waaqeffeffattoota Addunyaa, http://waaqeffannaa.org/duudhaa-amantii- being - the great one from whom all beings originate‟. In waaqeffannaa/ (accessed on December 10, 2013) Ghana, the Akan and Ga people use the term Odamankoma- 5Charles Verharen, “Comparing Oromo and Ancient Egyptian Philosophy,” He who in His grace has completed everything in heaven and Journal of Oromo Studies, 15: 2 (2008): 3. 6DirribiDamisieBokkuu, Oromo wisdom in Black Civilization, (Finfinnee: 1Emeka C. Ekeke, “African Traditional Religion: a Conceptual and Finfinnee Printing and Publishing S.C, 2011), 29 Philosophical Analysis” LUMINA, Vol. 22, No.2, (nd):211-212 7Gumii Waaqeffattota Addunyaa (GWA) , “Waaqeffannaa,” Gumii 2J. O. Awolalu, “What is African Traditional Religion?,”Studies in Waaqeffeffattoota Addunyaa, http://waaqeffannaa.org/duudhaa-amantii- Comparative Religion; Vol. 10, No.2. (1976): 1-2 waaqeffannaa/ (accessed on December 10, 2013) www.rsisinternational.org Page 1 Volume III, Issue IV, April 2016 IJRSI ISSN 2321 – 2705 African Traditional Religion, where the followers of this faith of the Oromo concept of Waaqaa. According to Oromo system do believe in only one Supreme Being. mythology, their early ancestors were inspired by Waaqaa and guided by the Seera Waaqaa (the laws of Waaqaa), which 14 II. BELIEF AND PRACTICE OF WAAQEFFANNAA Waaqaa granted to them. RELIGION The concept of Waaqaa is conceived in Oromo as a divinity One of the difficulties of studying indigenous religions is the whose character can be manifested in multiple ways. He, the lack of written scriptures to fully understand the beliefs, Waaqaa, is the source of all life and every power; supplier of rituals, liturgies and institutions. In the absence of written every character to nature subsuming man; guardian of truth 15 scriptures on indigenous religions in African continent, and justice. For the Waaqeffataa Oromo, it is only Waaqaa Western scholars approached the study of African religious who can give life, send rain and create human beings. Hence, from their own analytical categories of religion. Seeing only the moment of conception is perceived as a creative act of the 16 little similarity between their own world views and those of Oromo divinity. their subjects of study, they presented African indigenous Waaqeffannaa is therefore, a system of faith believing in religions as pagan and superstitious, often describing them as 8 Waaqa Tokkichaa (One God) by considering him as a source inferior, static and things of the past. In a rebuttal, however, of life. It is the faith of Cushitic people including the Oromo African scholars of religion have posited that religious texts in who decided to lead their life according to the law and Africa are “written not on paper but in people‟s hearts, minds, will of Waaqaa. They are mostly characterized by the love oral history, rituals and religious personages like the priests, and respect they have for a human being; by their abhorring of rainmakers, officiating elders and even kings. Everybody is a 9 all evil things including hatred towards persons and peoples as religious carrier.” On the basis of these sources, scholars well as by their attempt to refrain from committing such sins have shown that African religions are dynamic, ever-changing as stealing, lying and murder. They believe that keeping the and ever-adapting to social changes even after some converted 10 values, the culture, the assets, the virtues and the wisdom of to other faiths. Waaqeffannaa is their obligation.17 As Lambert Bartels described, Waaqeffataa believe that Waaqaa lives in the sky Even though the literature on indigenous Oromo religion, and the words for sky and God are the same. When man sins otherwise known as Waaqeffannaa, is scanty, there is a against Waaqaa, he goes away, but the earth remains. This has consensus among academic researchers and local popular its own implication for Oromo religion. The earth is described writers that Waaqeffannaa is one of the ancient indigenous 11 as being a Mother. She is always with us. Waaqaa is like a African monotheistic religions. Some prominent Oromo father who could go away.18 scholars and expatriate researchers have carried out research on this religion at different period of time. European According to Waaqeffannaa, Waaqaa is the source and missionaries, anthropologists have created a view of Oromo guardians of all creatures. All creatures are ordered by his religion that is complex, elaborate and fascinating.12 Recently, law, Seera Waaqaa(the laws of Waaqaa). Committing sins is some Oromo religious leaders and local scholars have considered as an attempt to disrupt Seeraa Waaqaa(the laws produced studies on Waaqeffannaa often with the general of Waaqaa) and the social order. Waaqaa is omnipresent. His reader in mind.13 presence on earth is revealed through rain, fog, and water.19Oromo believe in Waaqaa and his religion is The Oromo people long ago recognised Waaqaa as the only Waaqeffannaa. To Waaqeffannaa religion, the universe: earth, Supreme Being, the Creator of everything. Hence, humans, water, sun, dusts, stars and etc as well as living and Waaqeffannaa as a religion of the Oromo people sprung out non living things are created by Waaqaa. Waaqaa is 8 John S. Mbiti, Introduction to African Religion, 2nded. (Oxford: Heinemann, 1991), 17-20. 14GetachewChamadaaNadhabaasaa, “Waaqeffannaa: Testimony of an 9John S Mbiti, African Religions and Philosophy,
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