ISSN: 2226-7522(Print) and 2305-3327 (Online) Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal April-June 2012, 1(2):101-107 www.starjournal.org Copyright©2012 STAR. All Rights Reserved Original Research The Luba Basa Institution: The Challenge on Shinasha Identity Abebe Ano Alula Department of History and Heritage Management, College of Social Sciences, Wollega University, Post Box No: 44, Gimbi, Ethiopia Abstract Article Information Article History: Received : 16-02-2012 The Article deals, among other things with the traditions of origin, Revised : 21-05-2012 early patterns of expansion and settlements of Shinasha. It also Accepted : 10-06-2012 explores the history and culture of the Shinasha and Oromo Keywords: communities in the region of Metekel and their assimilation and Shinasha-Oromo inco-operation of the former by later. The paper aims to contribute Cultural assimilation to the understanding of the impact of Luba Basa institution on Luba basa Metekel people and culture of the Shinasha society. *Corresponding Author: Abebe Ano Alula E-mail: [email protected] INTRODUCTION different animal species (Debela, 2000). Peoples of different ethnic affiliations with their own Metekel is a vast territory north of the Abbey distinct languages, cultural practices and socio- River on the Ethio-Sudanese border. It is economic formations inhabit the district. The bounded by Gondar in the north, Wollega and Gumz, the Shinasha, the Oromo, the Agaw and Asossa in the south, Gojjam in the east and the Amhara are main inhabitants of the area. Sudan in the west. It forms one of the provinces These people have had intensive social, cultural in Gojjam comprising the districts of Mandura, and economic interactions (Ibid). Treating cultural Debate, Dangur, Gwangwa, Guba, and and socio-economic interactions of all these Wombera. Currently, Metekel is one of the three people is beyond the scope of this paper. What zones of the national regional state of the the paper attempted here is to take a single Benishangul-Gumz. It maintained its former aspect of earlier interactions between the territories with the exception of Gwangwa and Shinasha and the Oromo by closely looking at its part of Debati, which became part of the Amhara effects on the identity of the Shinasha. To do so, National Regional state as a result of the it is important to highlight the history of both the administrative reform of 1991 (Tsega,2002). peoples. Wombera is one of and the largest district in Metekel administrative zone. It is bounded by the MATERIALS AND METHODS districts of Guba and Dangur in the north, Mandura and Dibati in the east, and Wollega in Sources: The study is based on primary and the south and west. The rivers of Beles, Sharp secondary sources. The primary sources have and Abbay form demarcation line between been obtained from informants and personal Wombera and the adjacent districts respectively. observations. As to its climatic condition, Dega (highland) accounts for 10%, Woyna Dega (temperate) Methodology of the Study: The data for this 50%, while Qolla (low land) 40%. Most of its parts study were collected at Bullen, Dibate, Dangur especially the temperate zone are covered by and Wombera Districts in Metekel. The data to dense forest and thus it is common to find this study were collected by qualitative data 101 Abebe Ano Alula Sci. Technol. Arts Res. J., April-June 2012, 1(2):101-107 collecting methods. The primary data were arrows and shield, and thus offered the people to collected through interviews with elders of study protect themselves. Meanwhile they entered areas. Although it difficult to confidently to accept Ethiopia through the north-west moved and oral information as perfect, I carefully checked settled in Shewa. But due to over population and counter-checked with secondary sources there, they came to Gojjam and occupied places available different libraries of Addis Ababa like Damot, Bureshindy, Shashina, Gumez, University especially in the Institute of Ethiopian Azena, Gumyesu, Zigem and the surroundings studies. (Ali et al.,1991). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In spite of this tradition, available sources do not support the Canaanite origin of the Shinasha. The Shinasha People Fleming indicates that large and powerful The Shinasha have been known by different kingdom called Gonga existed in earlier times names. Among these Shinasha, Boro, Dangabo prior to the 16th century and this kingdom and Sinicho can be mentioned. The most widely stretched from southern Gojjam to nearly the used term to denote the people is the Shinasha. southern limits of western highlands. It was The term seems to be a non-derogative Amharic weakened and disintegrated in the 16th century designation, derived from shi ena shi which mean as the result of the Oromo expansion in to the thousands and thousands indicating the southwestern Ethiopia. Consequently, the Gonga multitudes of the people who fled to and settled in kingdom was divided and hence, the southern the north of the Abbey River (Ali, 1991). Sinicho Gonga cut off from the northern Gonga to which is an Oromo appellation for the same people. the Shinasha belong (Fleming, 1976). Moreover, According to the tradition collected by Tesema the Jesuit missionaries who traveled from Gojjam Ta’a in western Wollega, these people strongly across the Abbay to Ennarya in 1613-1614, resisted the Oromo expansion into the area. It mentioned Shinasha as Gongas and clearly was most probably due to their stiff resistance described their presence on both sides of the that the Oromo associate the people with a very Abbay (Beckingham and Hunting Ford, 1954). hot pepper ‘Sinicho’ in Oromo language and Shinasha’s presence to the Abbay further called them Sinicho (Tessema, 1980). confirmed by Tesema, who described them as one of the early inhabitants of Wollega prior to Dangabo is also an Oromo appellation for the the occupation of the area by the Oromo Shinasha people living in the locality of Metekel. (Tesema, 1980). In the same way, Oljira notes The term might have been derived from the name that the Shinasha were among the early of the locality itself without pejorative meaning inhabitants of Horro Guduru. He describes their where as Boro is the people’s self name widely in stiff resistance against the Oromo and states that use since 1991. According to oral tradition and they were able to put such a bitter and strong my informants, Boro is believed to be one of their resistance presumably because they possessed original ancestral fathers and they would like to a fairly developed form of social organization be called after him (Erike and Starube, 1979). headed by chieftaincies. They also seem to have They claim their founding father to be one Shao, been relatively populous. In Horro Guduru the who begot Ashinao, Assibo, Boro and Gongo. Shinasha found in large numbers in Amuru and These descendants of Shao are said to have Jidda districts; in certain localities like Luquma, divided Gojjam among themselves with Ashinao Wa’al and Jawaja of Amuru and Harro of Jidda. taking Shashino, Assibo taking Assi, Boro Oral tradition collected by the same person also occupying Bure and Gongo settling in Gwangwa. indicates that some Shinasha moved from Limmu Local Shinasha traditions trace their origin to the and Jidda districts, crossed the Abbay and settled land of Canaan from where they were migrated to in Danagab area of Metekel (Olijira, 1976). Egypt because of the lack of pastureland. The same reason combined with starvation and Gonga is also described as a language spoken conflict with the local peoples drove the Shinasha on both sides of the Abbay as far as kafa to the out of Egypt in search of fertile and conducive South. It includes Anfillo, Dawaro, Kafa, Mao, place of settlement. Consequently, following the Shinasha, Bosha, Yam and Walayita. It may be courses of the Nile River, they migrated to divided into three groups Southern Gonga, Ethiopia. In the course of their migration, as Central Gonga and Northern Gonga. Southern claimed by their tradition they were led by Nesi Gonga comprises Kafa, Sheka and Bosha and Abuguri. The former was said to have had spoken in the Southwestern regions in the vicinity the knowledge of traditional medicine with which of the Gojeb River. Central Gonga represents he showed directions to the people while the Anfillo spoken in western Wollega where as latter was rich in skill; made Javelins, spears, 102 Abebe Ano Alula Sci. Technol. Arts Res. J., April-June 2012, 1(2):101-107 Northern Gonga comprises the Shinasha Major political and demographic developments (Fleming, 1976). of the 16thcentury coupled with early Christian raids into the Gumz country (Metekel) There is striking similarity between the Kafa and presumably dispersed the Shinasha to their Shinasha languages (Table 1) as my interview of present localities. Christian raids to the area with individuals at study area reveals. Here are some an intention to exploit the Gold; for which the words. region is known historically; and ensure suzerainty over the people could be date back to Table 1: Similarity between Kafa and Shinasha the reign of king Yeshaq (1413-1430). Yeshaq languages. was said to have headed campaign in to Gojjam and Metekel in particular (Ali Suleiman, 1991). Moreover, the campaigns to these areas became Kafa Shinasha Meaning more intensive with the gradual shift of centre of the Ethiopian state in the region of Lake Tana Ekka Ekka One and Gondar in the seventeenth century. The expansions of the Christian kingdom into the area Guta Gita Two were to have brought variety of natural resources and slaves under its direct control. These Keja Keza Three campaigns had affected the Shinasha and other peoples in the region (Tadesse, 1982). Auda Auda Four Theses raids, of course, escalated frequency Ucha Wussa Five became the regular affairs of kings since the times of Sarse Dingil (1563-1597).