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| By nature all peoples of the world has language, history, culture and many other unique identifications which distinguishes one ethnic society from the other. The oromo population was relatively highly trained in traditional skills, early until their conquest by Abyssinian colonizers from the north who banned the cultural practices from being practiced by the society and almost destroyed it for over a century. To start with one of the most sophisticated and complex oromo cultural institution which will cover almost more than half of the articles written in this particular page; the egalitarian Gada system which is characterized by advocating the belief that all people should have equal political, social and economic rights has influenced every aspect of oromo life. Many historians wrote a lot about Gada system including professor Asmarom Leggese who wrote briefly about the system in his book oromo democracy, according to his writings "The gada system is a system of generation classes that succeed each other every eight years in assuming political, military, economic, judicial, legislative and ritual responsibilities. Each one of the ten active generation class beyond the first three grades has its own internal leadership Adula Hayyus and its own assembly yaa'a but the leaders of the class become the leaders of the nation as a whole when their class comes to power in the middle of the life course a stage of life called ' Gada' among the Borana or 'LUBA' among the central oromo. The class in power is headed by an officer known as 'Abbaa Gada or Abbaa Bokku' in different parts of the oromo nation." Each gada class remains in power during the specific term which begins and ends with a formal transfer ceremony (Buta Qala). Before assuming a position of leadership the gada class is required to wage war against a community that none of their ancestors had raided. This particular war is known as the Butta war and is waged on schedule every eight years." The basic rule of the gada system is that the newly born infant boy always enters the system of grades exactly forty years behind the father regardless of the age of the father , father and son are five grades apart at all times. The moment of forty years was cyclical ,repeating itself after every eight years. The first five gada grades were the practical schools during which young men were trained militarily, politically and ritually to take over the leadership of the nation. These were;
Oromo democracy by Asmarom Legesse describes gada as follows with my minor additions "gada is an elaborate ,well constructed system for distributing power among all generational segments of the society. All generations enjoy different kinds of power at different stages of their life course." Every member of the oromo society passes through eight gada's until he became eighty years old assuming his own authority and responsibility. These are:
Generally the oromo's have five gada's which succeed each other every eight years with universal male suffrage even if the women's have their own roles. These are;
The names may differ in other oromo dialects (loqodaa nannoo birootti) but the gada's are five every where." For example, where I grew up it is known as follows..
Kanafii kaa GADAA OROMOO SHAN MAALE AADAA OROMOO SHAN MITI MEE KOOTA WOLI GALAA ODAA ROBAA JALATTI..jedhee wellisaan bekkamaan Oromo Sayyoo Dandanaa.
Seera gadaa oromoo keessaatti seeri tokkoo yoo Tumaamee, Muramee gara hojjitti hikuun duratti ni lalabamaa... haala kanan Oromooni nannoo Jirenaa isaani iddoo addaa addaatti akka seera kana Lalabataan himamaa.
Wonti tokko bakka tanatti ani dubbistootaa gafachuu barbaduu 'ODAA SHANAN OROMOO SEENA QABEEYII' kaa jedhamaan; jechuun Odaa roobaa, Odaa Bultum, Odaa Nabee, Odaa Madaa Wolaabuu fi Odaa Bisiil qofa...mee namni waa'ee isaa bektaan jabbaa nan jedha. The following are the Gadaa officials and their duties according to the Tuulama Gadaa practice: 1. Abbaa Bokku -
President The Abbaa Bokkus are the chief officials. (Bokku is a wooden or metal sceptre, a sign of authority kept by the Abbaa Bokku, the president). The Abbaa Bokkus have counsellors and assistants called Hayyus who are delegated from the lower assemblies. Thus, the entire presidium consists of nine members, called "Salgan Yaa'ii Borana" (nine of the Borana assembly) and "Torbban Barentummaa" (seven of the Barentuma sons). Saglan Yaa'ii Borana 6.1.Arse(haadha)+Ambatoo(Abbaa)...Sikkoo fi Mandoo...bakka tanatti ani kanin beeku lamaan tana taa'ulee yeroo baay'ee "Arsii-sadiin,Eebada Arsii-Sadiin" jedhanii yoo dhadataani dhagayee jira. 6.1.1. Sikkoo...Bullalla,Wocaale, Jaawwii, Waajii fi Ilaanii...Shanan Sikkoo. 6.1.2.Mandoo... Utaa, Waayyu, Raayya,
Kajawa, Hawaxa, Harawaa fi Biiltuu...Torban Mandoo IRREECHA ,IRREE KOO The oromo gada system has two branches, the administrative system and oromo religion. when a person passes from one gada age to the other, their is a celebration to give thanks to Waqaa. During this celebration the one doesn't stop in the dry place or doesn't hold any thing dry in his hands. Thus; stops and pray at a wet place around a river bank or under a green tree with green leaves holding green grass [sardoo, irreessa] in his hands or else on a top of a mountain with natural forests. The oromos believe in supreme being Waqaa who is some where in the above in a supreme place. They believe he is clear and clean in a green and clean place, that is why they choose to pray in a green, natural environment and on Tulu's to get nearer to Waaqa despite the discourse that the oromos believe in trees, Malkaa's ,Tulu's or what ever. The Silatii's [the animal they kill on that particular day] is also for Waaqa as an excuse not for any thing else as those who call us Kafiraa's (mushirikaa) or Xonqayii thinks or says. The Irreecha ceremony is held when the winter (the dark days of rain and cloud) is over and summer ( the bright days of sun ) comes. When neighbors went for irreecha they contribute the expenses to share among them selves, so when the contribution is given to an assigned person it is accompanied with a green grass which is known as Irreessa. Or at the time of celebration all the pilgrims carry green grass in their hands and put at the same place near Malkaa or where ever they are celebrating & the green grass hoarded at one place altogether called Irreessa. Irreecha can not only be celebrated at Malka's, it can be celebrated at any place in a house or else where under a tree or on mount tops carrying green grasses on hands but when it is celebrated in ones' house the grass will not be thrown away rather kept under the top edge of the bed (boroo keessaa siree mata gara). If it is celebrated some where out side in the garden or whatever the irreessa will be kept right by the bed room from the out side. While on a journey or traveling some where when they came to a mountain which shows the north-south, east-west directions they will face to the sun rise and pray and give thanks to Waaqa for his giving ness carrying Irreessa and put it by the main road, thus since every body who goes on that route will do the same most of the time their is an amassing of grass in one places on the main roads. Finally this special festival celebrated holding green grasses as discussed above is known as AYYANAA IRREECHA ,BAARRUULEE WAAQEFFANNAA JID.III LKB.1 FULBANAA 29,2002 WITH TRANSLATION FROM AMHARIC AND MINOR ADDITIONS OF MY OWN. Literally speaking the gada system has guided the religious ,social ,political and economic life of oromo for many years and also their philosophy ,art ,history and method of time keeping. The other most important point I want to mention here is the oromo calendar which characterizes how the oromos were mentally developed at ancient times regardless of the story of Abyssinian dabtaras which says oromoni be andi century wode hala yezen newu yeminigu'azaw which means uncivilized. oromo calendar Oromia has had a numerous civilization constitutes ,various forms of disciplines, among other things includes philosophy, arts ,laws ,good governance ,spiritual affairs and the like. Whenever one speaks about the Abba Gada nation ,at glance what is appeared in his mind in Gada system which was an outstanding and superior democratic system of its contemporary. As it is an indigenous ideological principle.
Gada system can be more suitable and conform to govern conduct of native if upgraded and improved to fit current contingents that society confronted with. Whereas adoption of foreign democracy to obtain aids and political support can be supported least as it is important for society. It was initially developed for the western. Oromo calendar is another forgotten essential invention of oromo philosophers. Oromo gives great attention for time factor. Every aspects of walks of life-economic ,social ,political and spiritual-is performed according to given time table.
Time is a very important concept in the gada and therefore in oromo life. An oromo calendar is based on astronomical observations of the moon in conjunction with 7 or 8 stars or star groups called Urji Dhaha (guiding stars) and is used for weather forecasting and divination purposes(Legesse,1973 and Bassi,1998). According to this calendar system, there are approximately 30 days in a month and 12 months in a year. The first day of a month is the day the new moon appears. A day (24 hours) stars and ends at sunrise.
In the oromo calendar each day of the month and each month of the year has a name. Instead of the expected 29 or 30 names for days of the month ,there are only 27 names which permutated through the twelve months, in such a way that the beginning of each month moves forward by 2 or 3 days. The names of the months are; 1.Hinika 2.Sonsa 3.Algajima 4.Arba 5.Hulfa ykn Walla 6.Basa Duraa 7.Basa Ballo 8.charwa ykn charra 9.Duretti 10.Dulatti 11.Bidirsa 12.Salbandeti 13.Kara-Biticca 14.Gardaduma 15.Sorsa 16.Rurruma 17.Lumassaa 18.Gidadaa 19.Ruda 20.Areri Durra 21.Areri Ballo 22.Adula Ballo 23.Adula Ballo 24.Garba Qara 25.Garba Deti 26.Garba nanna 27.Bita The loss per month is then the difference between the 27 day month and the 30 day month (Legesse,1973).
Each of the 27 days of the month have special meaning and connotation to the oromo time keeping experts, called Ayyantus. As he is well experienced in the natural cycle observation and astronomical system he can tell us day, month ,year and time of the gada by aiding the direction and relative position of the moon and 8 groups of stars. Oromo nationalism and the Ethiopian discourse by Asefa Jalata states that "oromoness manifests itself in oromo cultural practices. The oromo cultural movement attempts to restore all positive symbols ,values ,rituals and democratic principles so that oromo leaders, fighters, activists avoid innuendoes, gossip and rumors that undermine oromoness and the unity of oromo. oromos expect their political ,cultural ,intellectual and military leaders to be examples and models ,hence these leaders need to re assess their cultural values and discard those values that are against oromoness and the oromo unity. The famous oromo oath,'KAKU OROMOO' was enacted by the founding fathers of the Gada system to prevent the killing of an oromo by another oromo." Besides these; the marriage custom, oromo religion, Buna qalaa, cultural & bravery songs (Sirba Aadda fi Gerarsaa), clothing, hairstyle, traditional foods and many many other staffs had a great value in the society. The last but not the least, of the cultural practices in oromo society "Eebba oromoo" is one of the most distinguishable quotes I want to put it here to end the page and give the blessing to all you guys who visited this page. "Hayyee,Hayyee! Hayyee, Hayyee! Waaqa Uumaa Waaqa Uumamaa Waaqa Burqaa Haroo Wolaabuu, Waaqa Sagaltama garbaa, Waaqa Salgan Booranaa, Waaqa Torban Baarentummaa, Waaqa Bokkuu Gurraachaa, Waaqa Ciicoo Gurraattii, Waaqa Caffee Tumaa, Waaqa shanan Gadaa oromoo, Nagayaan nu olchitee nagayaan nu bulchii, Nagayaan nu bulchite nagayaan nu olchii, Kaa fantii lafaan lolte kaa sammuun waqaan lolte,nuraa qabi, Irraa-gora nu olchii, Dogoggora nu olchi, Hamma nura qabi Tolaa nuti qabi, Xiqqaa nu Guddisi Gudda nu Muldhisii Waan Qabnuun nu Bulchi Rooba nagayaa Roobi Baraa nagayaan nu basii Gadaan roobaa nagayaa Barri quufaa gabbina." jedhetuu oromoon waaqa kadhataa. |
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