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32-638: In October 1964, Filtu was the scene for one of the perennial conflicts between the Boran and Guji Oromo and their traditional rivals the Somali. The two Oromo clans attacked the Somali north of the Ganale Dorya , stealing or killing much of their livestock and forcing half of them to flee across the river, along with their fellow Muslims the Rayitu , to seek sanctuary around Filtu. The local authorities confined these refugees to

64-633: A "protected hamlet" and ignored their pleas for help to return to their homes. As their plight worsened, the camp inhabitants started drifting south to Somalia for weapons and training. One group of 40 men, who left for Somalia three months after arriving at Filtu, led by Waqo Gutu , returned the next year to play an important role in the Bale revolt . During the Ogaden War , the Somali Army had penetrated into southern Sidamo as far as Filtu, which they captured by

96-511: A book positioning Gadaa as an African democracy that could inform constitutional thinkers. The late Donald Levine has said that Gadaa is "one of the most complex systems of social organization ever devised by the human imagination". For Jalata, Gadaa represents "the totality of Oromo civilization". Primarily, Gadaa system is an ancient philosophy of socio-political system that responsible for regulating Political stability, Economic growth, social services, Cultural commitments, Ethical contract of

128-714: A governance mechanism for the Oromia Regional National State. Sirna has analyzed the Gadaa system in relation to deliberative forms of political participation used in Western contexts. He concludes that the Gadaa systems' technique of 'consensus through dialogue' is unique but firmly rooted in Western democratic norms, and thus well suited to adoption within Ethiopia's federally structured democracy. A political party known as GSAP (Gadaa System Advancement Party) bases its ideology on

160-559: A supreme spiritual leader known as Fite Qalu. Besides being a supreme spirituality in charge of prayer in all Borana gatherings, including the Borana parliament, he is also in charge of administration, who appoints other Qalu, putting them in charge of smaller administration units, which can be equated to a present state president, a Qalu who in turn appoints other smaller administrators in his jurisdiction called Jalab (governor) who are respectively in charge of smaller administration, meaning one Qalu

192-468: A system of government where the overall leader is God himself and many unknown things are referred as 'Waqa Bekh', a sentence that can be equated to a Supreme Being knows. The second in command who is also the supreme leader of the whole Borana community is referred to as Abagadha. The Abagadha is the person in charge of all affairs of the Borana community and answerable to the Gumi Gayo (parliament). Abagadha

224-505: Is a historical location of habitat for the endangered African wild dog , Lycaon pictus , whose local survival is in question due to the ongoing encroachment on habitat by the expanding human population . Borana Oromo The Boorana (also known as Borana ) are one of the two major subgroups of the Oromo people . A Cushitic ethnic group , they primarily inhabit the Borena Zone of

256-449: Is after four years. And they meet a last time, again, at the end of their eight years making a ceremony of giving the roles and power of protection to other upcoming members of that age of Dori who were in Raba before. Their time cuts across two consecutive supreme leaders and they serve and take instructions from both. Gadaa Gadaa ( Oromo : Gadaa , lit.   'era' )

288-434: Is anointed at an early age of 1-8 years. The Abagadha and others of his age pass through an education system that will last for forty years after which he will take over the leadership as Abagadha. He and his team will vote from 17 sub-clans of Borana, one parliament member from each sub-clan. The parliament, called Gumi Gayo, functions just like a present day senate with the same roles. Economically, from time immemorial until

320-478: Is in charge of many Jalab under his state. Accordingly, the Jalab appoints Qae (village) in charge of villages under him. Qae is answerable to Jalab, Jalab is answerable to Qalu, and Qalu is answerable to Fite Qalu. Only Fite Qalu and Qalu have an authority to make a prayer in all gatherings, Jalab and Qae are deprived of that role. No Borana gatherings are recognized without the presence of either Fite Qalu or Qalu who opens

352-646: Is the indigenous system of governance used by the Oromos in Ethiopia and northern Kenya . It is also practiced by the Konso , Burji and Gedeo people of southern Ethiopia. The system regulates political, economic, social and religious activities of the community. Under Gadaa, every eight years, the Oromo would choose by consensus nine leaders known as Salgan ya’ii Borana (the nine Borana assemblies). A leader elected by

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384-627: The Ethiopian Empire to their north and Adal Sultanate to their east and south. The result was that Oromo absorbed of the Christian and Islam religions. The Boorana and Gujii Oromo groups near the Ethiopian-Kenyan border were able to practice Gadaa without interruption. In the state of Oromia under the Federal system of Ethiopia, the Gadaa system started a renaissance across Oromia. In 2015,

416-469: The Meda Welabu district of Oromia . Oromo people regarded the system as their common heritage and as a major part of their cultural identity. It is the system with which the Oromo people have been governing themselves in a democratic way for centuries. The Oromo governed themselves in accordance with the Gadaa system long before the 16th century, when major three party wars commenced between them and

448-602: The Oromia Region of Ethiopia and the former Eastern Province in northern Kenya , specifically Marsabit County . They speak a distinct dialect of the Oromo language by the same name, Boorana . The Boorana people are notable for practicing the Gadaa system without interruption. Through the Gadha system, the Boranas are believed to have conquered and protected their territories until

480-762: The African territories into colonial boundaries. Spiritually, Boranas believe that there is a supreme Being in charge of their worldly affairs and upper dominion, they believe that there is a creator called 'WAQ'. Many Borana people prefer to be Muslims rather than Christians since the religion of Islam concurs in many ways with their tradition. Years ago Boranas became Muslims, three time of three consecutive Abagadhas and goes back to fully to their tradition three consecutive Abagadhas after this. Since then their system remains full tradition. But still, there are Boranas who are Muslims and others who are Christians as well and they all value their system as an asset. Spiritually, Boranas have

512-502: The Borana water sources, traditionally called Tula Saglan. Presently, the Borana boundaries have been infiltrated by the three governments surrounding Borana territory; these include Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. Due to this, the Borana have lost much of their top grazing land, far from their central area where they used to take their animals during the drought. They are economically affected and politically caught between these colonial governments and many struggles between them. As of today,

544-689: The Gadaa Center at Odaa Bultum was inaugurated and in 2018, the Gadaa Center at Odaa Hullee reinstalled after two centuries of interruption. In 2019, Bule Hora University launched a master's degree program in Gadaa studies. The Gadaa society was structured into peer groups based on chronological age or genealogical generation called Luba . Each luba consists of all of the sons in another particular class. The entire grade progresses through eleven different grades, each based on an eight-year cycle, and each with its own set of rights and responsibilities . The grade passes from one stage of development to

576-753: The Negele Boran-Filtu road and north of the Dawa River , and 243 Wara Dubie and 289 Garre families who came from Dallo Mana. Another 250 Somali families also arrived most of whom came from the Negele Mana area, located on the Welmel River , about 100 kilometers north of Negele Boran. The Somali People's Democratic Party observed its eleventh anniversary of its founding in Filtu in July 2009, where numerous improvements to

608-753: The Zone by the Transitional Government of Ethiopia during the 1990s. Ethnic disputes in the years up to (and including) 2002 led to refugees settling around Filtu. Over 800 households came to settle themselves in three camps around this town: two of the camps include people from the Bale Zone in Oromia , and one housed people claiming to come from Liben woreda in Borena Zone in Oromia. These refugees include 300 Degodia households who reported they came from an area south of

640-563: The border regions of Ethiopia-Kenya and southwestern Somalia, one estimate places about 1,094,000 people as Boranas. Another estimate in 2019 suggests 874,000 Boranas in Ethiopia, 210,000 in Kenya and 10,000 in Somalia. The Borana have had their own form of government system for the last 568 years, recognized by UNESCO as a heritage that needs to be protected. The system covers political, social, economic and spiritual ways of life. Politically, it has

672-407: The competition would be among individuals within a party. The five Gadaa parties have different names among Boorana, Maccaa-Tuulama, Arsii, Gujii and Ituu-Humbannaa. A number of scholars have studied Gadaa. Legesse has written that Gadaa is "one of the most astonishing and instructive turns the evolution of human society has taken". In addition to his Harvard PhD dissertation, Legesse has published

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704-459: The crater of an extinct volcano called "Chew Bet" located in southern Ethiopia. After having extracted the salt in a very hard way, the salt is sold at a good price since it is a highly appreciated commodity in this region. Those in Kenya and Ethiopia speak the Borana language that is closely related to the Oromo , which is part of the Cushitic branch of the large Afro-Asiatic language family. In

736-446: The end of July 1977, but did not push any deeper. The Ethiopian Fourth Division recaptured Filtu 8 March 1978. Due to disagreements between local Somali and Oromo groups as well as within those ethnicities, no decision could be made about locating the administrative center for Liben Zone, as well as delaying the formation of a working zonal administration. Therefore, Filtu was appointed to function as an interim administrative center for

768-417: The gadaa system remains in power only for 8 years, with an election taking place at the end of those 8 years. Whenever an Abbaa Gadaa dies while exercising his functions, the bokkuu (the symbol of power) passes to his wife and she keeps the bokkuu and proclaims the laws. The Gada system has been inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2016. It is the brainchild of Oromo from

800-577: The gatherings with a prayer. The Boranas also have special warriors that defend the community from any enemies. They are in the last stage to the Gadaa stage and are in one part of stages of the Borana system. Only those between 32-40 years are allowed to be part of this special Borana Defense Forces. They are all in an immediate stage to the Gadaa stage called Dori. They serve their community for eight years and meet three times in those years. The first meeting takes place before they depart to different regions of Borana for community protection. The second meeting

832-641: The infrastructure of the Liben Zone were announced. Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia published in 2005, Filtu has an estimated total population of 11,738 of whom 3,496 are men and 8,242 women. The 1997 census reported this town had a total population of 5,518 of whom 3,135 were men and 2,383 women. The largest ethnic group reported in this town was the Degodi ana KaRanle isbishal Gidir anda Saxawle Somali clan (98.26%). Filtu

864-414: The next every eight years. Baallii is a process of transferring power from one Gadaa party to the next. There are five Gadaa parties known as shanan Gadaa Oromoo . These parties follow the five world views of the Oromo people. The five Gadaa parties orderly come to power. A party come to power once every forty years. Hence, there would not be direct competition among the five Gadaa parties, rather

896-654: The nine wells of Borana (Tulla Saglan), traditional settlements, and their traditional grazing land are scattered across these colonial boundaries, and others are inaccessible to the larger Boranas. Socially, Boranas was known to be very kind people, especially to the visitors, a weakness that all these three colonial governments used to strip off most of their ancestral heritages, not limited to land, water sources, natural resources, and top grazing areas. Boranas harmoniously lived with their neighbors by sharing and helping during hard times like prolonged drought seasons, till colonial powers set in and instigated colonial wars and redrew

928-499: The present, the Borana have passed laws in the Gumi Gayo covering Borana's traditional land and natural resources. Since Boranas were mixed farmers rearing cattle, camels, and goats, and planting food crops; farming land, grazing land, and water sources, their traditional boundaries were paramount to them, and in many cases, fights broke out between Borana and their neighbors, who took advantage of Borana kindness and forcefully reared their animals in Borana grazing land and took over some of

960-475: The religious order of the Oromo society and practice Gadaa Democracy that require equal participation of both male and female. Still academically debatable as Oromo women have no influences throughout the age of Gadaa decree or clan leadership structure but the wife of designated Abbaa Gadaa is equitably treated like the Abbaa Gadaa himself. Siinqee feminist represent women in the Gadaa system. Considering

992-518: The second world war when they were overpowered by colonial policies. Since they were semi-nomadic, their population growth did not match that of their neighbors both in Kenya and Ethiopia , which put them at risk of losing much of their territory. Today, they make up the majority of the population in Moyale and the surrounding region. For generations, Borana men have dedicated themselves to extracting salt from

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1024-493: The symbolic significance of Gadaa for the Oromo, as well as its structural innovations, researchers in law, indigenous studies, and pan-Africanism are exploring how the system could be utilized in the 21st century. For example, a thesis by Z. Sirna entitled "Ethiopia: When the Gadaa Democracy Rules in a Federal State" explores how the system could be integrated with the contemporary federal structure of Ethiopia, serving as

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