Program Gada and IK Study

Course Code GIKS2102

Course Title Introduction to Oromo Arts and Visual Culture

Degree Program BA in Gada and IK Study

Guta Dirbeba
Instructor

ECTS/ Credits (CP) 5/3

Working Hours Lecture Tutorial Assessment Practical/ Home Study Total

Field work

32 20 18 16* 50 135

Lecture Days, Time

and Rooms

Tutorial Days and Time

Year/Semester Year II, Semester II

Pre-requisite ---------

Status of the Course Core

Course Description: The course is designed to discuss the history of Oromo visual and
performing Arts; that is very fundamental to enable students to familiar themselves with the
basic production areas of tangible and intangible cultural heritages of the Oromo ethnic
groups. As a preemptive idea for the major discussion, the course begins dealing with
theories of arts in general, mediums of art, interrelationship of arts, and arts through the study
of humanities and the like. Basically, however, students will be able to internalize the visual
and performing arts of Oromo periodically from Pre-Gada system, Gada system and to
present, and thematically it comprises from the intangible performing arts to the traditional
house architecture of the Oromo, Oromo land settled varies ethnic groups, and other Cushitic
and non-Cushitic ethnicities in the country. As such mural and rock paintings; architectural

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 values of historic cities; palaces, church and mosque architectures; traditional house
architecture; city development and the emergence of modern architecture; monuments and
sculpture; handicraft products and practitioners; survey of Oromo performing arts; and
more. In general this course, equip students to internalize Oromo‘s untold art history in
general and the visual cultures in particular.

Course Objectives:

At the end of this course, students will be able to:-

 Define basic terms and concepts of Arts

 Describe the various components and types of Arts

 Distinguish and explain the different art mediums

 Explain how the art of painting evolve in Oromia in particular and

Ethiopia in general from pre-history to the emergence of the so called modern
painting.

 Identify Oromo‘s‘ architectural heritages under components of:- Historical

towns, modern architecture, vernacular architecture and religious architecture

 Evaluate the various components of Oromo architectures based on the

functional requirements of scientific architecture.

 Typifying craft or visual heritages of Oromo and their historical evolution

 Examine the type and artistic features of Southern Ethiopia megalithic

monuments and other Cushitic people sculptures

 Distinguish some traditional performing arts of Oromo and the way society
utilized them contextually.

 Acquire a social oriented skill of interpreting different artistic products

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Schedule of Lecture Topics, Activities and Reading

Wee Lect Conceptual focus Activities/ Resources/ Reading

1 Chapter-1: Fundamentals of Arts Listening, F. David & Lee A.

Jacobus. 2003;
Conceptual Perceptual Meanings of Arts Note taking
HowardS.Becker.19
Typifying Arts
Discussion 78;Jules David
Prown1982;

2 Chapter-2:- Paintings Reading Bosc-Tiesse,

Claire2009; Birhanu
2.1.Rock and Cave Paintings Taking notes
Teferaand R.
2.2. Medieval paintings Questioning Pankhurst ed.rs (
2003) Agazi Negash
2.3. First & Second Gondarine Listening
198? ;
Paintings
Note taking
Introduction to
2.4.Twentieth Century Traditional
Ethiopian Art(
Paintings of Oromo and Ethiopia
Module)

2.5. The Birth and Development of

Modern Painting

3 Chapter-3: Architectural Values of Note taking F. David & Lee A.

Oromo Historic Cities Jacobus. 2003;Birhanu
Listening
Tefera and R. Pankhurst
Jimma Abba Jiffar Palace and
Asking ed.rs ( 2003); Unknown
Mosques
questions Compiler, Architectural

Kumsa Moroda Palace History of Ethiopia in

Taking notes Picture, un published;
Lij Iyasu Palace Introduction to Ethiopian
Listening
Art( Module);Additional

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 Dirre Sheik Hussen Mosque Asking handouts
questions
Wollo Oromo Moseques and
Secular Traditional Houses

Other Oromo towns and Cities

4 Chapter-4: Modern Architectures Asking Fasil Gihorgis et al 1986

in Finfine/Addis Ababa questions In Proceeding of the
International symposium
4.1. Palaces Note taking
on the Centenary of
4.2. Early 20th Century Nobilities Listening Addis Ababa; Unknown
Houses Compiler, Architectural
History of Ethiopia in
4.4. Historical Public Buildings of the
Picture, un published;
City

4.5. The birth & development of

Skyscrapers in Addis Ababa

4 Chapter-5: Oromo Traditional F. David & Lee A.

House Architectures Jacobus. 2003;Unknown
Listening
Compiler, Architectural
Movable House Design
History of Ethiopia in

Masonry House Picture, un published;

Note taking
5.3. Woody House Based on the lecture
Notes of the Instructor
5.4. Muddy Roof
Asking
questions

Discussion

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 Chapter-6: Craft Products of
Ethiopia in Historical Perspective
5 Burley, Dexter.
6.1.Weaving and Leather Work 1979. Pp.145-49;
Lectures
Birhanu Tefera and
6.2.Pottery and Basketry
R. Pankhurst ed.rs (
6.3.Smith and Jewelries 2003); Dena
Listening
Freeman and Alula
6.3.1 Wollo Bati Monday warm Pankhurst2001.
market products and other areas (edrs.); Silverman,
Visiting of Raymond (1999)
Horn and Bead work
Practitioners (ed.)
Bamboo works

6 Field Trip

7 Chapter-7: Monuments and Listening Francis Anfray 1972

Sculptures of Oromo and other (Amharic Version)
Southern Cushitic peoples But it is not

Note taking recommended to

7.1.Artistic varieties of Southern
give for students.
Megalithic

7.2.Waka, Olahita and Dihruma of Discussion

Konso

7.3.Historical Monuments of Jimmaa

and Finifinnee

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 Sacred Graves of Gedeo

Sacred Graves of Oromoo

Functional Martyrs monuments of

Hawassa, Adama and other cities

7 Chapter-8: Survey of Oromo Listening Taye Assafa 2009,

Performing Arts Pp. 107-140; Alula
Pankhurst edr. 2002.
8.1.TraditionalSongs and Dances
Note taking Ethnological Society
8.2. Ecclesiastic Chants Bulletin Vol.I, No.1-
10, Vol.II. No.1,
8.3. Mourning Chants
Discussion 1953-61. ( but not

8.4. Motivational Chants recommended to

give for students as a
8.5. Child and Youth Festive Chants reading)

8.6. Abba Gada‘s Poetry tune sounds

and Gada transition ceremonial
chants

8.7. Erecha Ceremony, songs and

chants

8.8. Oromo Women songs, ululation

and chants

8 Chapter-9: Interpretation of Arts Listening Bantalem Taddase

and Visual Cultures (2010) A Guide to the
Intangible Treasures of
9.1. Interpretation of Traditional
Note taking Ethiopian Orthodox
Tewahdo Church:

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 Paintings Historic Perspective and
Symbolic Interpretations
9.2. Meanings of different styles of Discussion
of the Festival.
Crosses

9 Presentation and Final Exam

Mode of course Delivery/ Teaching Methods:

 Gap lecture
 Questioning and answering
 Class room group discussion and reflection
 Providing assignment and feedback
 Group project and presentation
 Term paper activities
 Reading assignment etc.
EVALUATION

Assignments/ field trip report term paper….......................................30%

To accomplish this course students should visit Oromo Arts and Visual Culture located in
museum at different sectors in Oromia. Specially, Visual Arts located at Gadaa centres will
be the potential resources for the field trip. 2/3 of the course will be accomplished
theoretically in classroom while 1/3 of the course will should be supported with field trip
education. Followed by report should be presented to the class in order to finalize the course.
Quiz and individual term paper---------------------------------------------30%
Final exam 40%
Total 100%

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