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122-598: The Harla people , an extinct Afroasiatic-speaking people native to Hararghe , are considered by most scholars to be the precursors to the Harari people. The ancestors of the Hararis moved across the Bab-el-Mandeb , settling in the shores of Somalia and later expanding into the interior producing a Semitic-speaking population among Cushitic and non-Afroasiatic-speaking peoples in what would become Harar. These early Semitic settlers in

244-560: A Gadaa office. Every eight years, the Oromo would choose by consensus nine leaders for the office. A leader elected by the Gadaa system remains in power only for eight years, with an election taking place at the end of those eight years. There are three Gadaa organs of governance: Gadaa Council, Gadaa General Assembly ( gumi gayo ), and the Qallu Assembly. The Gadaa Council is considered

366-710: A Semitic variation which he labels "Harala-Harari" later developed in the Islamic period. Harala-Harari speakers were evidently disrupted by the Oromo migrations , leading to isolated related Semitic languages of Harari surviving in the walled city of Harar , Zay language on the island of Lake Zway and Wolane language such as Siltʼe language . Nicholas Tait proposes Harla language was indistinguishable with Argobba and Harari linguistic classifications. Ewald Wagner believes Harla were Semitic speakers related to Harari and Silte languages. Field research by Enrico Cerulli identified

488-589: A Semitic-speaking people akin to the Harari may have inhabited a stretch of land between the Karkaar Mountains, the middle Awash and Jijiga . Oromo migrations have effectively split this putative ethnolinguistic block to the Lake Zway islands, Gurage territory, and Harar. Following the decline of the Adal Sultanate 's ascendancy in the area, a large number of the Harari were in turn reportedly absorbed into

610-741: A dialect of Afaan Oromo, the Oromo language. Barentu/Barentoo or (older) Baraytuma is the other moiety of the Oromo people. The Barentu Oromo inhabit the eastern parts of the Oromia Region in the Zones of West Hararghe , Arsi Zone , Bale Zone , Dire Dawa city, the Jijiga Zone of the Somali Region , Administrative Zone 3 of the Afar Region , Oromia Zone of the Amhara Region , and are also found in

732-716: A language that is related to Harla. The Hadiya people , associated with the Hadiya Sultanate , have been connected with the Harla people in some sources, but this remains unsubstantiated. Many Somali clans mention they are of Harla descent. Most particularly the Issa subclan of the Dir . Within the Issa , the Harla are found within 2 clan divisions. The first being the Horroone clan division, where they are called Harla, and they are also found within

854-616: A major part of slaves sold in Gondar and Gallabat slave markets at Ethiopia-Sudan border, as well as the Massawa and Tajura markets on the Red Sea . There was also a large slave market at al Hudaydah on the coast of Yemen. The Oromo people are engaged in many occupations. The southern Oromo (specifically the Borana Oromo ) are largely pastoralists who raise goats and cattle. Other Oromo groups have

976-557: A major role in the Weyane revolt, challenging Emperor Haile Selassie I 's rule in the 1940s. Simultaneously, both federalist and secessionist political forces developed inside the Oromo community. At present a number of ethnic-based political organizations have been formed to promote the interests of the Oromo. The first was the Mecha and Tulama Self-Help Association was founded in January 1963, but

1098-498: A modern group called the "Harla" living amongst the Somali in the region between the cities of Harar and Jijiga . Encyclopaedia Aethiopica suggests that this population "may be a remnant group of the old [Harla], that integrated into the Somali genealogical system, but kept a partially separate identity by developing a language of their own." Cerulli published some data on this Harla community's language, called af Harlaad , which resembled

1220-679: A more diverse economy which includes agriculture and work in urban centers. Some Oromo also sell many products and food items like coffee beans (coffee being a favorite beverage among the Oromo) at local markets. In December 2009, a 96-page report titled "Human Rights in Ethiopia: Through the Eyes of the Oromo Diaspora", compiled by the Advocates for Human Rights, documented human rights violations against

1342-534: A number of members of other ethnicities who are in contact with the Oromo speak it as a second language, such as the Omotic -speaking Bambassi and the Nilo-Saharan -speaking Kwama in western Ethiopia. The Oromo followed their traditional religion, Waaqeffanna , and were resistant to religious conversion before assimilation in sultanates and Christian kingdoms. The influential 30-year war from 1529 to 1559 between

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1464-512: A people, the Harla, until death destroyed them and they scattered, fleeing from disease and famine. According to thirteenth century Arab geographer Ibn Sa'id al-Maghribi , the country of Harla was east of the Ethiopian Empire and north of Zanj . Harla clans descendant from Sa'ad ad-Din II participated in the sixteenth century Ethiopian–Adal War . Ibn Said further states the Harla territory passed

1586-528: A period even change the official language of the empire from Amharic to Oromiffa during the rule of the half-Oromo emperor Iyoas I . They would establish dynasties such as the Yejju dynasty that would be de facto rulers of Ethiopian Empire from 1784 to 1853 during the Zemene Mesafint , they would particularly have control over the provinces of Begemder and Gojjam . Another Oromo dynasty that would rise in

1708-515: A political and military vacuum that allowed the Oromo to move relatively unhindered into both the Ethiopian Empire and the Adal Sultanate . Further, they acquired horses and their gada system helped coordinate Oromo cavalry warriors which enabled them to fight very effectively. Bahrey argues the success of the Oromos in battle was because all Oromo men were trained as warriors, while in Ethiopia only

1830-453: A small section of the population were warriors, the rest uninvolved in the defense of their country. The military discipline of the Oromos was noted by the Portuguese chronicler Joao Bermudes, who observed that during the invasion of Dawaro , the Oromos "did not come on without order like barbarians, but advanced collected in bodies, like squadrons." The early 16th and 17th century witnessed

1952-639: A term for a river and a forest, as well as for the pastoral people established in the highlands of southern Ethiopia. This historical information, according to Mohammed Hassen , is consistent with the written and oral traditions of the Somalis . Others, such as the International African Institute , suggests that it is an Oromo word (adopted by neighbors), for there is a word, gala , meaning 'wandering' or 'to go home' in their language. Canadian philosophical professor, Claude Sumner , stated that

2074-640: A year after its relocation Adal would collapse. Harari imams continued to have a presence in the southern Afar Region in the Imamate of Aussa until they were overthrown in the eighteenth century by the Mudaito dynasty , who later established the Sultanate of Aussa . Among the assimilated peoples were Arab Muslims that arrived during the start of the Islamic period, as well as Argobba and other migrants that were drawn to Harar's well-developed culture. Statistics prove that

2196-673: Is a considerable Harari population in Djibouti , Saudi Arabia , Somalia and Yemen . The Harari people have also spread throughout North America, mainly to Washington D.C. , Atlanta , Toronto , Dallas , Los Angeles , and Memphis . Furthermore, a minority of the Harari people live in Europe in countries such as Germany , Switzerland , Austria , Sweden and the United Kingdom , and also outside of Europe in Australia . The Hararis are known to be

2318-470: Is a sweeping repression in the Oromo region of Ethiopia. On 12 December 2015, the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported violent protests in the Oromo region of Ethiopia in which more than 20 students were killed. According to the report, the students were protesting against the government's re-zoning plan named 'Addis Ababa Master Plan'. On 2 October 2016, between 55 and 300 festival-goers were massacred at

2440-471: Is also the most widely spoken Cushitic language and the fourth-most widely spoken language of Africa , after Arabic , Hausa and Swahili . Oromo is spoken as a first language by more than 40 million Oromo people in Ethiopia and by an additional half-million in parts of northern and eastern Kenya. It is also spoken by smaller numbers of emigrants in other African countries, such as South Africa , Libya , Egypt and Sudan . Besides first language speakers,

2562-489: Is more common in southern Oromo populations and Christianity more common in and near the urban centers, while Islam is more common near the Somali border and in the north. The Oromos ' cuisine consists of various vegetable and meat side dishes and entrées. Pork is typically not in Oromo cuisine, as it is considered taboo for Orthodox Oromos and Muslim Oromos who make up over 90% of the population combined, unlike with Catholics among others. Oromo people are believed to be one of

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2684-416: Is no relationship. The new year of the Oromo people, according to this calendar, falls in the month of October. The calendar has no weeks but a name for each day of the month. It is a lunar-stellar calendar system. Some modern authors such as Gemetchu Megerssa have proposed the concept of Oromumma , or 'Oromoness' as a cultural common between Oromo people. The word is derived by combining Oromo with

2806-562: Is the most beautiful in Africa; it is not originally from Abyssinia ; she came there by invasion , as we will see below in the history that I will give of the Kingdom of Choa ( Shewa ). The Gallas are, in general, well built, they have a tall figure, a broad and raised forehead, an aquiline nose , a well-cut mouth, a copper complexion rather than black; their hair is braided into small braids which float around their heads, and mix something graceful with

2928-627: The Gabbaro (some 17th- to 19th-century Ethiopian texts refer them as the dhalatta ). Below these two upper castes were the despised castes of artisans, and at the lowest level were the slaves. In the Islamic Kingdom of Jimma , the Oromo society's caste strata predominantly consisted of endogamous, inherited artisanal occupations. Each caste group has specialized in a particular occupation such as iron working, carpentry, weapon making, pottery, weaving, leather-working and hunting. Each caste in

3050-598: The Afroasiatic language family . They are one of the largest ethnic groups in Ethiopia . According to the last Ethiopian census of 2007, the Oromo numbered 25,488,344 people or 34.5% of the Ethiopian population. Recent estimates have the Oromo comprising 45,000,000 people, or 35.8% of the total Ethiopian population estimated at 116,000,000. The Oromo were originally nomadic, semi-pastoralist people who later would conquer large swaths of land during their expansions . After

3172-559: The Amhara and Oromo peoples. Under the Meles Zenawi administration, Hararis had been favored tremendously. They acquired control of their Harari Region again, and have been given special rights not offered to other groups in the region. According to academic Sarah Vaughan, the Harari People's National Regional State was created to overturn the historically bad relationship between Harar and

3294-722: The Arabic script and in characters known as "Harari secret script" of unknown origin. More recently in the 1990s, it has been transcribed with the Ge'ez script . Harari is also commonly written in Latin outside of Ethiopia. The 1994 Ethiopian census indicates that there were 21,757 Harari speakers. About 20,000 of these individuals were concentrated outside Harar, in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa . Most Harari people are bilingual in Amharic and Oromo , both of which are also Afro-Asiatic languages. According to

3416-979: The Bible Churchmen's Missionary Society , the Seventh-Day Adventists , the United Presbyterian Mission of the US, the Church Mission to the Jews , Evangeliska Fosterlands-Stiftelsen , Bibeltrogna Vänner , and the Hermannsburg Mission . In the mid and late 19th century, the Ethiopian emperors were faced with widespread rifts and disputes in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and crippling ethnic and religious divisions that plagued

3538-598: The Blue Nile , north east and ended near the shores, the Harla made a living in the gold and silver mines. According to Ethiopian accounts, in the 14th century, the Harla led by their Imam Salih allied with the Ifat Sultanate and battled the forces of emperor Amda Seyon I in what is now northern Somalia . In the 15th century, Emperor Zara Yaqob of Ethiopia sold several Abba Estifanos of Gwendagwende supporters to Harla slave traders of Adal as punishment for joining

3660-524: The Derg communist regime made minor differences for the Harari; they describe it as "little more than a transition from the frying pan into the fire" . The 1975 rural act disenfranchised Hararis from their farm land, forcing many to emigrate. The surviving Harari relatives of Kulub movement members would join the Somali Armed Forces ; and some, having been promoted as high-ranking military officers, fought in

3782-701: The Hadiya . Hadiya clans claim their forefathers were Harari however they later became influenced by Sidama . Moreover, the Habar Habusheed, a major branch of the Somali Isaaq clan family consisting of the Habr Je'lo , Sanbur , Ibran and Tol Je'lo clans in Somaliland and Ethiopia, hold the tradition that they originate from an intermarriage between a Harari woman and their forefather Sheikh Ishaaq . The Harari people speak

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3904-454: The Harari chronicle, Abadir led prayer as Imam and inquired about the states grim condition. After the prayer nobody stayed in the mosque except for the crowd mentioned (from Mecca). They asked each other: 'What is it about us? We see neither their emir nor their vizir. Rather, they are all of one rank. Then a man of them said: 'I also heard from them (the natives) that 25 years prior, they were

4026-657: The Harari language , an Ethiosemitic language referred to as Gey Sinan or Gēy Ritma ("Language of the City"). It is closely related to the eastern Gurage languages and similar to Zay and Silt'e , all of whom are linked to the Harla language. Old Harari already had many Arabic loanwords, proven by the ancient texts. Northern Somali dialects use Harari loanwords. The Zeila songs of thirteenth century origin, popular in Somaliland are considered to be using Old Harari. Historians states

4148-473: The Horn of Africa , where they erected various tumuli . According to historian Richard Wilding, tales indicate Harla lived in the interior of Ogaden and by the seashores prior to Somali and Oromo movements into these regions. The Harla Kingdom existed as early as the sixth century; it would later be influenced by Islam sometime in the eighth century. In the ninth century, the earliest known Muslim kingdom in

4270-615: The Lower Jubba eventually incorporating Harla territory. The Harla would move the Adal capital to the oasis of Aussa in 1577, and later establish the Imamate of Aussa before being overthrown by the Afar dynasty of Mudaito in the eighteenth century. In 1893 British led expeditions, came across an ancient town in Nugaal Valley , Somalia , the local Dhulbahante clan alleged the Harla had lived in

4392-553: The Malassay . The Ethiopian–Adal War was in response to the death of Harla leader of Adal, Imam Mahfuz , killed in single combat, by the warrior-monk Gebre Andrias in the early reign of Emperor Dawit II . In the wars against Emperor Sarsa Dengel , the Harla were led by the Sultan Muhammad ibn Nasir . The late sixteenth century saw the Oromo people penetrate portions of Ethiopia and Somalia , expansively invading upward from

4514-577: The Ogaden War to free Harari and Somali territory from Ethiopian rule. Hararis were also involved in the WSLF . After Ethiopians won the war in Ogaden, Derg soldiers began massacring civilians in Harari areas of Addis Ababa for collaborating with Somalis . The aftermath of the Ogaden war resulted in 200,000 Hararis being held at southern Somalia's refuge camps in 1979. Today Hararis are outnumbered in their own state by

4636-752: The Oromia Bank (formerly Oromia National Bank) established in 2008. Radio broadcasts began in the Oromo language in Somalia in 1960 on Radio Mogadishu . Within Kenya there has been radio broadcasting in Oromo (in the Borana dialect) on the Voice of Kenya since at least the 1980s. Broadcasting in Oromo began in Ethiopia during the 1974 revolution, in which Radio Harar began broadcasting. The first private Afaan Oromoo newspaper in Ethiopia, Jimma Times , also known as Oromo : Yeroo ,

4758-577: The Oromia Region in central Ethiopia, the largest region in the country by both population and area. They speak Afaan Oromoo, the official language of Oromia. Oromos constitute the third most populous ethnic group among Africans as a whole and the most populous among Horners specifically. Oromo also have a notable presence in northern Kenya in the Marsabit County , Isiolo County and Tana River County totaling to about 656,636: 276,236 Borana , 141,200 Gabra , 158,000 Orma , 45,200 Sakuye , 20,000 Waata , and 16,000 Munyo Yaya . There are also Oromo in

4880-604: The Oromo community. In the Emirate of Harar period, Hararis sent missionaries to convert Oromo to Islam . The loss of the crucial Battle of Chelenqo marked the end of Harar's independence in 1887. Hararis supported the designated but uncrowned Emperor of Ethiopia Lij Iyasu , and his presumed efforts to make Harar the capital of an African Islamic empire. Iyasu was however overthrown in 1916, and many of his Harari followers were jailed. Chafing under imperial Ethiopian rule, Hararis made several attempts to cut ties with Ethiopia and unify Hararghe with Somalia , among them launching

5002-436: The Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO), is one of the four parties that form the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition. The ONC, for example, was part of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces coalition that challenged the EPRDF in the Ethiopian general elections of 2005 . Several of these groups seek to create an independent Oromo nation, some using armed force. Meanwhile,

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5124-417: The Oromo migrations , the remaining Harla retreated behind the walls of Harar and were able to survive culturally. Local folklore from the Harla village near Dire Dawa, however, claim the Harla were farmers from the Ogaden and went extinct because of their arrogance, refusing to fast in Ramadan , and attempts to have the Quran written in Harla, hence were cursed by God. According to the Gadabuursi clan,

5246-469: The Raya Azebo Aanaas in the Tigray Region . Oromo is written with Latin characters known as Qubee . The Sapalo script was invented by the Oromo scholar Sheikh Bakri Sapalo (also known by his birth name, Abubaker Usman Odaa) during the 1950s. Oromo serves as one of the official languages of Ethiopia and is also the working language of several of the states within the Ethiopian federal system including Oromia, Harari and Dire Dawa regional states and of

5368-454: The Rift Valley respectively. The Barento moved in an eastern direction, eventually settling in today's Arsi , Bale , Hararghe and Wollo regions. Whereas the Boorana trekked northwest, settling in the regions of Shewa , Illubabor and Welega . According to Richard Pankhurst , a British-born Ethiopian historian, this expansion is linked to the attempted conquest of the Ethiopian Empire by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim , which created

5490-402: The Second World War by Japanese traders). The ground floor is dedicated to the kitchen and living room. The main room has large steps covered with carpets and pillows, called "Nedeba", where family members and guests take their seats according to their rank. The floors are devoted to bedrooms. In the wealthiest families, 4 black clay pots, called "Aflala", are placed on a stone shelf, carved into

5612-406: The Somali languages spoken by the Yibir and Madhiban low-caste groups. Oromo people The Oromo people ( pron. / ˈ ɒr əm oʊ / ORR -əm-oh Oromo : Oromoo ) are a Cushitic ethnic group native to the Oromia region of Ethiopia and parts of Northern Kenya. They speak the Oromo language (also called Afaan Oromoo ), which is part of the Cushitic branch of

5734-638: The Tulama Oromo were among those who violently clashed with the Ethiopian expansion in the region in the 19th century and the empire's attempts at enforcing unity through the propagation of Orthodox Christianity, as the majority of these groups were not Christian but Muslims. In the 2007 Ethiopian census for Oromia region, which included Oromo and some non-Oromo residents, there was a total of 13,107,963 followers of Christianity (8,204,908 Orthodox, 4,780,917 Protestant, 122,138 Catholic), 12,835,410 followers of Islam , 887,773 followers of traditional religions , and 162,787 followers of other religions. Accordingly,

5856-461: The 12th century, all aspects of Oromo life was governed by the Gadaa system, a political and ritual system based on an egalitarian ethos, age grade social organization and highly structured institutions. 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 the gadaa system remains in power only for 8 years, with an election taking place at

5978-402: The 1994 Ethiopian census, about 2,351 are monolingual, speaking only Harari. Virtually all Harari are Sunni Muslim . The earliest kabir or Islamic teacher in the community was Aw Sofi Yahya , a Harari scholar who was contemporary of the patron saint of Harar called Shaykh Abadir and it was from him that the first Qur'anic school was built around 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the south of

6100-524: The Arabic term ummah (community). However, according to Terje Østebø and other scholars, this term is a neologism from the late 1990s and its link Oromo ethno-nationalism and Salafi Islamic discourse has been questioned, in their disagreement with Christian Amhara and other ethnic groups. The Oromo people, depending on their geographical location and historical events, have variously converted to Islam, to Christianity, or remained with their traditional religion (Waaqeffanna) . According to Gemetchu Megerssa,

6222-428: The Chinese, the Hindus and the Mayans. It was tied to the traditional religion of the Oromos, and used to schedule the Gadaa system of elections and power transfer. The Borana Oromo calendar system was once thought to be based upon an earlier Cushitic calendar developed around 300 BC found at Namoratunga . Reconsideration of the Namoratunga site led astronomer and archaeologist Clive Ruggles to conclude that there

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6344-481: The Eeleye clan division as Bah Harla and Harla Muse. The Issa traditions regarding the induction of the Harla groups revolve around saint Aw Barkhadle . Sihab ad-Din Ahmad bin Abd al-Qader's Futūh al-Habaša describes a distinct ethnic origin to the Harla however modern oral traditions connect Harla to Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti and Darod , forefathers of the Ogaden clan . This does not provide enough evidence to suggest that Harla are of Somali descent In

6466-430: The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company. . The earliest recorded mention of the Oromos comes from the Italian ( Venetian ) cartographer Fra Mauro , who notes a Galla River south of the Awash River , in his famous Mappomondo , or map of the world, completed in 1460. This reference indicates that the Oromos inhabited this area of southern Ethiopia for at least a century and a half before their expansion north. As early as

6588-431: The Ethiopian craft market and among crafts collectors from all over the world. They are a remarkable example of traditional Ethiopian craftsmanship and demonstrate the cultural richness of the Harar region. Harari houses are known to be richly decorated with beautiful handcrafted wall baskets with very intricate designs (made by Harari women), as well as enameled plates with floral patterns (plates imported to Ethiopia after

6710-412: The Ethiopian government. Some Hararis as well as the Somali Sheekhal and Hadiya Halaba clans assert descent from Abadir Umar ar-Rida , also known as Fiqi Umar , who traced his lineage to the first caliph , Abu Bakr . According to the explorer Richard Francis Burton , "Fiqi Umar" crossed over from the Arabian Peninsula to the Horn of Africa ten generations prior to 1854, with his six sons: Umar

6832-432: The French explorer and Ethiopian traveler, Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie , claimed that the term had derived from an Oromo war cry whilst the Oromos were fighting on battlefields. The word Oromo is derived from Ilm Orma meaning '[The] Children of Orma', or 'Sons of Men', . According to an alternative interpretation provided by Hugh Chisholm , 'Ilm Orma' translates to "son of a stranger." Both interpretations are noted in

6954-424: The Greater, Umar the Lesser, the two Abdillahs, Ahmad and Siddiq. According to Hararis, they also consist of seven Harla subclans: Abogn, Adish, Awari, Gidaya , Gatur , Hargaya , and Wargar . The Harari were previously known as "Adere" , although this term is now considered derogatory. Arsi Oromo state an intermarriage took place between their ancestors and the previous inhabitants Adere (Harari) whom they call

7076-408: The Haile Selassie regime. The Oromo have played a major role in the internal dynamics of Ethiopia. Accordingly, Oromos played major roles in all three main political movements in Ethiopia (centralist, federalist and secessionist) during the 19th and 20th century. In addition to holding high powers during the centralist government and the monarchy, the Raya Oromos in the Tigray regional state played

7198-463: The Hararis were among the administrators of the Ifat Sultanate . In the fourteenth century raids on the Harari town of Get (Gey) by Abyssinian Emperor Amda Seyon I , Hararis are referred to as Harlas. Ifat state under Haqq ad-Din II relocated their base to the Harari plateau ( Adal ) in the fourteenth century. An alliance kingdom ensued between Argobba and Harari people designated the Adal Sultanate which later included Afar and Somali people . In

7320-420: The Harla committed major sins through excessive pride. Enrico Cerulli and others state Harla were a distinct group originating from the Harari region ; however, due to the collapse of Adal, they were assimilated by Somalis as well as Afars. The Harari people are considered to be the closest remaining link to the Harla people, as the Hararis were founded by seven Harla clans. Harar and its inhabitants are

7442-403: The Harla. According to some, the Karrayyu and Ittu clans are considered to be Oromos with Harla descent. Ittu had occupied the Chercher region from the Harari people and perhaps also Harla. It is believed the extinct Harla were incorporated into Karrayyu and Ittu in eastern Shewa as well as west Hararghe . The Afar also have tribes linked to Harla descent called Kabirtu. In

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7564-433: The Horn of Africa, the Maḥzūmī dynasty sprang up in Harla country. The Maḥzūmī capital of Walale was in Northern Hararghe . Harla state leaders were commonly known as Garad and their religious elite carried the honorific title Kabir . According to folklore, the Harla reportedly had a queen named Arawelo , who ruled much of the eastern parts of the Horn of Africa. In Zeila , a clan called Harla claims to be related to

7686-412: The OLF as a political force in Ethiopia. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights , the Oromia Support Group (OSG) recorded 594 extrajudicial killings of Oromos by Ethiopian government security forces and 43 disappearances in custody between 2005 and August 2008. Starting in November 2015, during a wave of mass protests, mainly by Oromos, over the expansion of

7808-399: The Oromia Zone in the Amhara Region. It is a language of primary education in Oromia, Harari, Dire Dawa, Benishangul-Gumuz and of the Oromia Zone in the Amhara Region. It is used as an internet language for federal websites along with Tigrinya . More than 35% of Ethiopia's population are Oromo mother-tongue speakers, which makes it the most widely spoken primary language in Ethiopia. It

7930-438: The Oromia region is approximately 40% to 45% Christian (8,204,908 or 30.4% Orthodox, 4,780,917 or 17.7% Protestant, 122,138 Catholic), 55% to 60% Muslim and 3.3% followers of traditional religions. According to a 2016 estimate by James Minahan, about half of the Oromo people are Sunni Muslim, a third are Ethiopian Orthodox, and the rest are mostly Protestants or follow their traditional religious beliefs. The traditional religion

8052-425: The Oromia region, following the assassination of musician Hachalu Hundessa on 29 June 2020, leading to the deaths of at least 200 people. On 30 June 2020, a statue of former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie in London was destroyed by Oromo protestors in response to the killing of popular singer Hachalu Hundessa and grievances of the Oromo language being banned from education, and the use in administration under

8174-422: The Oromo in Ethiopia under three successive regimes: the Ethiopian Empire under Haile Selassie , Marxist Derg and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), dominated by members of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and which was accused to have arrested approximately 20,000 suspected OLF members, to have driven most OLF leadership into exile, and to have effectively neutralized

8296-549: The Oromo people were already established in the southern highlands in or before the 15th century and that at least some Oromo people were interacting with other Ethiopian ethnic groups. According to Alessandro Triulzi, the interactions and encounters between Oromos and Nilo-Saharan groups likely began very early. Subsequent colonial era documents mention and refer to the Oromo people as Galla , which has now developed derogatory connotations, but these documents were generally written by members of other ethnic groups. The term Galla

8418-435: The Oromo society had a designated name. For example, Tumtu were smiths, Fuga were potters, Faqi were tanners and leatherworkers, Semmano were weavers, Gagurtu were beekeepers and honey-makers, and Watta were hunters and foragers. While slaves were a stratum within the society, many Oromos, regardless of caste, were sold into slavery elsewhere. By the 19th century, Oromo slaves were sought after and

8540-418: The Oromo were a pastoralist people who began to move in large numbers into the central highlands of Ethiopia from their cradleland in the plains of southern Ethiopia during the 16th century. This large scale expansion is referred to as the "Great Oromo Migrations" . Prior to this movement, the Oromos were divided into two major confederations, the Boorana and the Barento , who lived in the west and east of

8662-406: The Oromos have led some scholars such as Mario Aguilar and Abdullahi Shongolo to conclude that "a common identity acknowledged by all Oromo in general does not exist". Like other ethnic groups in the Horn of Africa and East Africa, Oromo people regionally developed social stratification consisting of four hierarchical strata. The highest strata were the nobles called the Borana ; below them were

8784-636: The Stephanite sect labelled heretic by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church . A power struggle had developed in the early 16th century between Harla emirs of Harar and Walashma dynasty in which Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi would assume power by executing the Walashma Sultan Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad . According to Adal writer Arab Faqīh , in the middle of the 16th century, the Adal Sultanate led by Harla and their Somali allies invaded Abyssinia. Harla were part of Adal's elite military unit called

8906-591: The ancient people. Locals in Zeila also attested that the old town of Amud was built by the Harla. The influx of Arab immigrants such as Ābadir ʻUmar Āl-Rida into Harla territory would lead to the development of the town of Harar , known then as Gēy. Harar would become the leading center of Islam in the Horn of Africa. Archaeologist Timothy Insoll discovered stoneware in Harla town resembling that found in Harar. According to

9028-510: The area before the Oromo invasions. In 2017, a Harla town that produced jewelry was discovered by archaeologists. The architecture of a mosque found affirmed Harla had ties with Islamic centers in Tanzania and Somalia . The Harla tribe's disappearance could have been due to the Ethiopian–Adal War in the sixteenth century, destitution, or assimilation. Strong evidence suggests that during

9150-483: The city center. The predominant strand or self-identification adopted by Harari people is Sunni or non-denominational Islam . Hararis comprise under 10% within their own city, due to ethnic cleansing by the Haile Selassie regime. Thousands of Hararis were forced to leave Harar in the 1940s. Harari people moved throughout Ethiopia, mainly to Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa , establishing families and businesses. There

9272-495: The collective achievement of the members of the Gadaa class. It is responsible for coordinating irreecha . The Gadaa General Assembly is the legislative body of the Gadaa government, while the Qallu Assembly is the religious institution. The Oromo people developed a lunisolar calendar ; different geographically and religiously distinct Oromo communities use the same calendar. This calendar is sophisticated and similar to ones found among

9394-498: The eastern part of the country, especially in Arsi , Bale and Hararghe , the Oromo had remained predominantly pastoralists until the late 19th century. Only the Oromo who lived within the immediate periphery of the city of Harar adopted agriculture as their primary occupation, mostly to engage in trade with the inhabitants of the walled city. According to oral and literary evidence, certain Somali and Oromo clans fought each other throughout

9516-581: The empire and exposed it to the intervention and meddling of neighboring Muslims (especially Egypt and the Ottoman Empire) and European powers. The emperors that ruled in that period, Tewodros II , Yohannes IV , and Menelik II , thus strove to suppress disunion and schism both within and without the Ethiopian Church and were often intolerant towards other religions. The Wollo Oromo , the Arsi Oromo , and

9638-564: 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 first detailed history of the Oromo people comes from the Ethiopian monk Bahrey who wrote Zenahu la Galla , or "History of the Galla" in 1593. They are also mentioned in the records left by Abba Paulos, Joao Bermudes, Jerónimo Lobo , Galawdewos , Sarsa Dengel and others. These records suggest that

9760-437: The expressive and noble character of their physiognomy : accustomed, from their most tender youth, to ride horses, to carry the butcher and the spear, they are excellent horsemen and insensitive to the harshest fatigue; full of courage and valor in combat, they showed themselves, in their fields, skillful and laborious farmers: this great nation, because we can call it that could led by an enterprising leader, make itself master of

9882-424: The fertile and adequately watered land of the region. This increased the importance of agriculture and led to the subsequent rise of a land owning class. The rich natural environment produced commodities that were in high demand and lead to the rise of a strong merchant class. These changes allowed the gadaa officials to acquire more authority and convert their elective offices into permeant monarchical institutions. In

10004-512: The first to have cultivated coffee in Ethiopia and recognise its energizing effect. Oromo people have governed themselves in accordance with the Gadaa system long before the 16th century. The system regulates the political, economic, social and religious activities of the community. Oromo were traditionally a culturally homogeneous society with genealogical ties. A male born in the Oromo clan went through five stages of eight years, where his life established his role and status for consideration to

10126-465: The form of administrations that was subsequently set up in the newly conquered areas. In areas where the Shewans encountered resistance, such as Arsi, the conquering generals were installed as governors and the Amhara soldiers or neftenya settled the region in military garrisons known as katamas which later become the administrative centers for Shewan rule. These officials and soldier-settlers lived off

10248-568: The former Wollo and Tigray provinces of Ethiopia. The Oromo consist of two major branches that break down into an assortment of clan families. From west to east: the Borana Oromo , also called the Booranaa , are a semi- pastoralist group living in southern Oromia and northern Kenya . The Borana inhabit the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia and the former Northern Frontier District (now northern Kenya) of Northern Kenya. They speak

10370-775: The government's indirect role in the death of hundreds of Oromos in western Ethiopia. According to Amnesty International , "between 2011 and 2014, at least 5000 Oromos have been arrested based on their actual or suspected peaceful opposition to the government. These include thousands of peaceful protestors and hundreds of opposition political party members. The government anticipates a high level of opposition in Oromia, and signs of dissent are sought out and regularly, sometimes pre-emptively, suppressed. In numerous cases, actual or suspected dissenters have been detained without charge or trial, killed by security services during protests, arrests and in detention." According to Amnesty International, there

10492-726: The gradual integration of the Oromo into the Ethiopian Empire . Emperor Susenyos I , who came to power with Oromo support, did much to integrate them into the political establishment of the Christian state. Having grown up among the Oromo, he was fluent in their language and admired their way of life. He employed Oromo warriors, military tactics and combat formations against his rivals for the throne. Once in power, he filled high level offices with his Oromo supporters and settled various Oromo groups throughout much of Gojjam and Begemder . Under Susenyos's successors, many Oromos would continue to rise to positions of prominence in imperial service, and for

10614-534: The land of the locals, who soon became serfs to the Shewan aristocrats. In the areas were the Oromos submitted peacefully, such as the Kingdom of Jimma , the indigenous rulers were made tributaries to the crown but were allowed to self-govern themselves with minimal interference from the central government. During Haile Selassie 's rule, many Oromos lost their autonomous status granted to them by Menelik, Haile Selassie abolished

10736-458: The language spoken by the Imams and Sultans of Adal would closely resemble contemporary Harari language . Modern Harari is influenced more by Oromo than Somali and the presence of Arabic is still there. After the eighteenth century Egyptian conquest of Harar, numerous loanwords were additionally borrowed from Egyptian Arabic . Gafat language, now extinct, was once spoken in the Blue Nile

10858-535: The masters of basketry in Ethiopia, decorated with complex geometric patterns, and renowned for their quality and beauty. Those baskets are often used for special occasions such as weddings, mournings, but mostly for house decoration. In addition, the Mesob (traditional basketwork table) was invented by the Harari people. Harari baskets are considered valuable handicrafts, mainly used by wealthier Harari families, and are highly appreciated and prized not only locally, but also in

10980-753: The minority protest that took place in Oromia near Addis Ababa, 23 people were killed following the deaths of 43 Oromos in the Addis Ababa neighborhood of Saris Abo. Some have blamed the rise in ethnic violence in the Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne on the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for giving space to groups formerly banned by previous Tigrayan -led governments, such as the Oromo Liberation Front and Ginbot 7 . Protests broke out across Ethiopia, chiefly in

11102-465: The modern era, the Harla have been reduced to insignificance under the Somali Darod clan. According to historian Ali Jimale Ahmed , the surviving Harla dwelling in the Harari kingdom were absorbed by Darod Somalis after the sixteenth century. The Darod sub clan Harti and Geri are furthermore according to tradition, the brothers of Harla. The Karanle sub clan of Hawiye also claims to have birthed

11224-423: The modernization projects during the reign of Haile Selassie . This discontent emanating from the political marginalization, economic exploitation and the cultural domination of the Oromo led to the rise of the Mecha and Tulama Self-Help Association in 1963, ostensibly for organizing Oromo self-help, but in fact to promote Oromo identity and fight the marginalization of the Oromo. The Mecha and Tulama Association

11346-599: The most sacred and largest event among the Oromo, the Irreechaa cultural thanksgiving festival. In one day, dozens were killed and many injured. Every year, millions of Oromos gather in Bishoftu for this annual celebration. That year Ethiopian security forces responded to peaceful protests by firing tear gas and live bullets at over two million people surrounded by a lake and cliffs. In the week that followed, angry youth attacked government buildings and private businesses. On 8 October,

11468-479: The municipal boundary of the city of Addis Ababa into Oromia, over 500 people have been killed and many more have been injured, according to human-rights advocates and independent monitors. The protests have since spread to other ethnic groups and encompass wider social grievances. Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in response to Oromo and Amhara protests in October 2016. With the rising political unrest, there

11590-472: The name of the Oromo clans who settled on it while the indigenous people were assimilated. According to Herbert S. Lewis , both the Oromo and the Somali people originated in southern Ethiopia but the Somali expanded to the east and north much earlier than the Oromo, and the Oromo lived only in southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya until the Oromo expansion began about 1530. Historical evidence suggests that

11712-519: The nationalist Kulub movement which was linked to the Somali Youth League . These events led to the Haile Selassie government's ethnic cleansing efforts on Hararis. A Harar Oromo proverb alludes to this occasion: "On that day Hararis were eliminated from earth." Former Mayor of Harar Bereket Selassie reported that both the Amhara and Oromo viewed Hararis with contempt. Haile Selassie's overthrow by

11834-401: The native ancient Cushitic monotheistic religion of Oromos. Historical linguistics and comparative ethnology studies suggest that the Oromo people probably originated around the lakes Lake Chew Bahir and Lake Chamo . They are a Cushitic people and prior to their expansions, they inhabited only the region of what is now modern-day north Kenya and southern Ethiopia. The aftermath of

11956-579: The northern Ethiopian highlands was the Islamic Warra Himano (1580–1916), which transformed Wollo into a veritable Islamic state in the heartland of Christian Ethiopia. The Warra Himano would convert many Amhara Christians to Islam during its rule, and at the zenith of its power, the Warra Himano had their hegemony accepted in the various parts of Wollo: Ambasel, Qallu, Borena, Wore-Illu and Amhara Sayint. Notable rulers such as Ras Mikael of Wollo and

12078-414: The only remnant of the old Harla civilization. According to Hararis , the Harari ethnic group consist of seven Harla subclans: Abogn, Adish, Awari, Gidaya , Gatur , Hargaya , and Wargar . Some sources claim Harla were a less Semitic version of the Harari. The Siltes (East Gurage) are also believed to be the descendants of the Harla people. Harari, Silte, Wolane, and Zay are the only people who speak

12200-488: The present-day inhabitants of parts of Ethiopia , Somalia , and Djibouti with having constructed various historical sites. Although now mostly lying in ruins, these structures include stone necropoleis , store pits, mosques and houses. Cave drawings are also attributed to the Harla. Tradition states one of Harla's main towns was Metehara and the area between Harar and Dire Dawa is still referred to as Harla. The Harla inhabited Chercher and various other areas in

12322-426: The region prior to the Adal Sultanate 's Islamic invasion of Ethiopia. The sixteenth century saw Oromos invading regions of the Horn of Africa from the northern areas of Hargeisa to its southern portions such as Lower Juba , incorporating the Harari people. Hararis were furious when Muhammad Gasa decided to move the Adal Sultanate 's capital from Harar to Aussa in 1577 in response to Oromo threats. In less than

12444-520: The region were believed to be of Hadhrami stock. Sheikh Abadir , the legendary patriarch of the Harari, is said to have arrived in the Harar plateau in the early thirteenth century, where he was met by the Harla, Gaturi and Argobba people . In the Middle Ages Hararis led by Abadir supposedly came into conflict with the Shirazi people who had occupied Somalia's coast. By the thirteenth century,

12566-491: The reign of Emir Nur ibn Mujahid helped preserve Harari identity from being assimilated by the Oromo . Harari colonies in the middle of the seaboard and Harar were also assimilated by Somalis putting the Sultanate of Adal under duress. Hararis confined in the walled city became the last remnants of a once large ethnic group that inhabited the region. According to Ulrich Braukämper, the Harla-Harari were most likely active in

12688-515: The ruling OPDO and several opposition political parties in the Ethiopian parliament believe in ethnic federalism . However, most Oromo opposition parties in Ethiopia condemn the economic and political inequalities in the country. Progress toward independence started in the 1960s and 70s, but progress has been slow aside from the creation of Oromo-focused banks, notably the Oromo-owned Awash International Bank in 1994 and

12810-425: The semi-independent status of many Oromo states and began to undergo a period of centralization. Pastoralists were evicted to make way for mechanized farming and the few members of the educated Oromo class were prevented from holding powerful positions, instead being held by assimilated or Amharized Oromo notables. Despite the great contribution of the Oromo regions to the Ethiopian economy, Oromos areas were left out of

12932-524: The settlement, they would establish kingdoms in the Gibe regions and dynasties in Abyssinia . The Oromo people traditionally used the gadaa system as the primary form of governance. A leader is elected by the gadaa system and their term lasts eight years, with an election taking place at the end of those eight years. Although most modern Oromos are Muslims and Christians, about 3% practice Waaqeffanna ,

13054-501: The seventeenth century the Harla of Afar Region were assimilated by Afar people following the collapse of Adal Sultanate. In Afar region, clans named after Harla are still found among farmers in Aussa , and Awash district between Dubti and Afambo . The moniker of clans proposes a fusion between native and immigrating tribes. According to historian Richard Wilding Harla were ancient Cushitic however ethnologist Ulrich Braukämper suggests

13176-407: The sixteenth century Ethiopian–Adal war led Oromos to move to the north. While Oromo people have lived in the region for a long time, the ethnic mixture of peoples who have lived here is unclear. The Oromos increased their numbers through assimilation ( Meedhicca , Mogasa and Gudifacha ), as well as the inclusion of mixed peoples ( Gabbaro ). The native names of the territories were replaced by

13298-613: The sixteenth century under Ahmed ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi , the Harari state stretched to large parts of the Horn of Africa. During the Ethiopian–Adal war , some Harari militia ( malassay ) settled in Gurage territory, forming the Siltʼe people . Hararis once represented the largest concentration of agriculturalists in East Africa. In the sixteenth century, walls built around the city of Harar during

13420-408: The sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, particularly near their eastern borders. The French traveler, Charles-Xavier Rochet d'Héricourt , visited Ethiopia in 1863, and was greeted by Sahle Selassie , the ruler of Shewa . During his time there, he observed the different ethnicities within Ethiopia, one of which were the Oromo people. He described them as such: "[The] Galla breed

13542-538: The subjective reality is that "neither traditional Oromo rituals nor traditional Oromo beliefs function any longer as a cohesive and integral symbol system" for the Oromo people, not just regionally but even locally. The cultural and ideological divergence within the Oromo people, in part from their religious differences, is apparent from the constant impetus for negotiations between broader Oromo spokespersons and those Oromo who are Ahl al-Sunna followers, states Terje Østebø. The internally evolving cultural differences within

13664-585: The three parties – the Oromo who followed Waaqeffanna , the Christians and the Muslims – dissipated the political strengths of all three. The religious beliefs of the Oromo people evolved in this socio-political environment. In the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, Protestant or Catholic missionaries' efforts spread Christianity among the Oromo. Organizations included the Sudan Interior Mission ,

13786-489: The uncrowned emperor of Ethiopia, Lij Iyasu (1913–1916), descend from this ruling family. In the late 16th century the Oromos had settled in the territories south of the Abay river in western Ethiopia. Within 60 years of their arrival, five Oromo states would emerge in the Gibe region , such as Gera , Gomma , Gumma , Jimma and Limmu-Ennarea . These states arose through the transformation of pastoralism to agriculture due to

13908-463: The wall, where all valuable goods were stored, such as gold, coins, medicine and coffee beans. Harla people The Harla , also known as Harala , Haralla are an ethnic group that once inhabited Ethiopia , Somalia , and Djibouti . They spoke the now-extinct Harla language, which belonged to either the Cushitic or Semitic branches of the Afroasiatic family . The Harla are credited by

14030-425: The whole of Africa ." In the last quarter of the 19th century, the Oromo tribes and kingdoms fell under the rule of Menelik II of Shewa . Beginning in the 1870s, the Kingdom of Shewa annexed one Oromo territory after the other with unpreceded speed owing to the modern weapons acquired from the international arms trade and the disunity among various Oromo groups. The manner this conquest was carried out determined

14152-631: Was ethnic violence involving the Oromo such as the Oromo–Somali clashes between the Oromo and the ethnic Somalis , leading to up to 400,000 displaced in 2017. Gedeo–Oromo clashes between the Oromo and the Gedeo people in the south of the country and continued violence in the Oromia-Somali border region led to Ethiopia having the largest number of people in the world fleeing their homes in 2018, with 1.4 million newly displaced people . In September 2018, in

14274-790: Was disbanded by the government after several increasingly tense confrontations in November 1966. Later groups include the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), the United Liberation Forces of Oromia (ULFO), the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Oromia (IFLO), the Oromia Liberation Council (OLC), the Oromo National Congress (ONC, recently changed to OPC ) and others. Another group,

14396-450: Was especially popular among German historians who once believed that the Oromo were related to the ancient Gallic tribe in France. Another outdated theory of its origin comes from the belief that the Oromos rejected the offer to convert to Islam by Muhammad as their official religion, thus the prophet giving them the name Qal la or هو قال لا meaning "he said no". Some sources claim it was

14518-513: Was in use for Oromo people by the Abyssinians , Arabs , and Nilotic people . The original meaning of the term is heavily disputed. An outdated but popular theory among European historians during the 19th century regarding the origin of the term was the belief that it derives from the Hebrew (חלב) and Greek (Gála), milk , due to the outdated belief that the Oromos were lost white men. This name theory

14640-457: Was recently established, but it has faced a lot of harassment and persecution from the Ethiopian government since its beginning. Abuse of Oromo media is widespread in Ethiopia and reflective of the general oppression Oromos face in the country. Various human rights organizations have publicized the government persecution of Oromos in Ethiopia for decades. In 2008, the OFDM opposition party condemned

14762-462: Was related to a Harari dialect. Harari language has some form of correlation with Swahili and Maghrebi Arabic . Prior to Oromo encircling the Harar region, its postulated Harari speakers were in direct contact with Sidama , Afar and Somali. The first known Harari language dictionary in English was published by British traveler Henry Salt in 1814. The Harari language was historically written using

14884-407: Was soon disbanded by the government, but its impact was significant. The movement raised the consciousness of the Oromo regarding the significance of their own cultural and historical contributions and their status as a people within the Ethiopian state. The Oromos are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia (35.8% of the population), numbering about 40 million. They are predominantly concentrated in

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