Professional Documents
Culture Documents
• In most of the Oromo areas, except in the case of the Gabra and the
Borana there are only five names corresponding to the five groups.
• Gogessa refers to the groups among which the Gadaa divides the society and
luba refers to a specific Gadaa class which is named after the abba Gadaa.
• Gogessa implies those five permanent groups founded by the first Five Abba
• This ritual also marks the fatherhood ritual of the doori, known
as daannisa.
animals.
Kuusa
• Kusa is the fourth stage and significantly important in Borana and
Guji Gadaa.
• Hinnat (1977:128) gave detailed elaboration of the behavior of the
kusa grade.
• During kussa, however, men become like wild animals (akka
bininsa). … During this period the kussa are apparently wild in
their appearance.
• Their bodies are painted with sorsa (a mixture of red earth and
butter).
• Their hair is long and unkempt.
• The group of kussa had their own war leader, called abba dula
and oracles called aba gorsa.
• Similarily, among the Borana this stage is the time where
election of the future Gadaa leaders is performed.
• During the third year of the kusa grade the election of adula is
done.
• At this level the younger person in the group is supposed to be 24
years of age.
• This group is a self reliant and warrior section of the society.
• Yet they are not allowed to marry.
• The leader of the present kusa grade is the prospective Borana
abba Gadaa after 21 years.
• In spite of their identified leaders neither they have base (head
quarter) nor permanent gatherings.
• For the next eight years of time the leaders of the kusa class stay
with their families, but occasionally meet and perform certain
rituals under the supervision of the fathers’ generation of their
group.
• They settle together as a head quarter only when transferred to
the raaba grade.
• This group is eligible to marry just three years later than their
common settlement.
• The Kusa is a kind of warrior class.
• Previously at least its members undertook war expeditions or
big game hunts to win distinction and prestige for themselves
and for the class as a whole.
• Sexually the class members are permitted considerable
freedom, and even in other respects deviating behaviour on
their part is tolerated by their fellow Borana.
• Among the Borana the kusa, raaba, doorii and Gadaa classes
are politically more active.
• Each of these groups is with already identified Gadaa leaders.
• All the next three groups, i.e., the Raba, Doori and Gadaa have
already their leaders.
Raaba grade
• Raaba grade is the warrior grade represents the military force of the
Oromo.
• They have common settlement as a base.
• Settled together they perform extensive rituals.
• Formerly they wage war against their enemies either to defend Borana
land or to raid cattle.
• The source of bride wealth was supposed to be cattle raided from the
enemies.
• Raaba has no power to settle cases, except their own internal problems.
• Formerly they were under the guidance of the Gadaa grade.
• The Borana often use the phrase “raaba ya’a Gadaa dhaqxe” to
indicate the need to keep quite.
• More listing than talking is required.
• For the raaba no statement of decision or even suggestion is allowed
in the presnence of the Gadaa except questions from curiosity to
know something.
• Most raba have one or two mistresses in different camps; but this
depends on their social skills and prestige.
• The main function of this grade is therefore rituals and security
Doorii
• Dorii is one step before coming to power.
• Doorii grade refers to the last three years of the fifth Gadaa grade.
At this stage they are ready to come to power.
• This grade passed through different steps in Gadaa grades and
matured enough.
• They assist the Gadaa class in all administrative activities,
including dispute processing.
• Cases can be taken to them and decision can be passed by the dori
class in the name of the ruling Gadaa class.
• Traditionally it was during this grade that the ritual war called
butta was waged in the past.
• The 1st 5 grades are the practical schools during which young men
were trained militarily, politically and rituaaly to take over the
leadership of the nation.
• The Gadaa grade is the grade in which the group holds power.
• After their entrance into the class of raba or raba didikka, little
raba, the men are allowed to marry, although theoretically they are
not allowed to keep the children who are born while they are in
this class.
• The dori class, also called raba gugurdo, the big raba, a gada
class constitute a period of preparation for the assumption of
authority.
Gadaa Grade
• Gadaa grade is the grade in which the groups are more active.
• They involve in over all administration activities.
• Ritually, politically and socially they are important compared
to the former grades.
• They are responsible in addressing the social, political and
economic problems of the society.
• The father and the son are separated by five grades, like when
the fathers luba is in a grade of Gadaa the sons’ luba is
daballe.
• The fourth through the sixth are active grades (luba), have their
own elected internal leaders, and assembly.
• The leaders of the luba become the leader of the nation
• Each Gadaa class assumes power only for eight years of time
that begins and ends with a formal power transfer ceremony,
called balli kennu, giving balli.
• Among the Borana, Guji and Gabra, while balli refers to an
ostrich feather, which is used as a symbol of power.
(Bargurddaa)
• In the other part of Oromo the out going Abba
Gadaa passes over bokku to the coming Abba
Gadaa, bokku is the symbol of power.
• Bokkuu is a wooden scepter made up of olive tree
used as a symbol of political power.
• So, the incoming abba Gadaa is expected to chase
an ostrich on foot until it drops some feather.
• Because, this is the insignia of political authority.
Yuuba
• The successesive yuuba grades after the Gadaa grade are all equally
• They mainly serve as advisors for the younger generations in the Gadaa
chronology.
• In Borana the senior abba Gadaa has the height power in the Gadaa system.
• The yuba has the right to correct the ruling group when be.
Senior Gaammee(17-24
yrs) Yuuba III (65-72 yrs)
Junior Gaammee (9-16 yrs)
• For instance, for the Borana Areerii Bal’oo is a day for the Ilmaan
Kormaa.
• This means any rituals related to Ilmaan Korma must be celebrated on
this day.
• Similarly, Bitaa dura is said to be the day of war and planned war is waged
on this day.
• Accordingly the birth day of each person has its own meaning in the rest of
• He is entitled to or/ and liable to something. For instance, Algajima
is said to be the day of hayyuu and it is most likely that someone
born on this day will hold the office of hayyuu.
• In the mean time from his early child hood he is supposed to
abstain from all things prohibited for the hayyuu.
• For the Borana woman birth day has nothing to do with their fate,
but their wedding day.
Gumii
What is Gumii?
• In the Gadaa system the legislative power is vested in gumii.
• The Oromo word gumii stands for assembly. It refers to a kind of
gathering.
• In its present sense it represents general assembly, particularly
assembly of the multitude.
• The Oromo have different gatherings, such as clan council, qalluu
gatherings, kora debanuu (meeting of the many).
• In Gadaa system the beginning of eight years reigning time is marked by the
proclamation of the new law.
• The Oromo make law on the occasion of general assembly.
• The assembly is known Gumii gaayoo among the Borana, me’ee bokkoo
among the Guji, yaa’ii haraa among theWaliso.
• Once the group enters the gula grade, the next eight years is known by its
name.
• Asmarom (1973: 83) states, "the strongest indication that the class was in
power is the fact that it imparted its name and its ritual attributes to the
period of history when it was Gadaa (vi).
• Laws are made and proclaimed; the former laws are renewed
and amended every eight years by the name of the reigning set.
• Otherwise it is a common activity of all Gadaa leaders, including the
retired ones.
• The reigning set proposes the law with the consent of the experienced
Gadaa leaders.
• The proposal is enriched, improved upon and amended through public
debate before proclaimed law.
• The formality of proclaiming the law also varies from locality to
locality.
• According to Asmarom (1973: 93-96) in Borana society among whom
Gadaa is still fully operational, gumii gayo that is the assembly of the
representatives of the entire society is a law making body.
• This body has the highest degree of political authority.
• The gumii is held under a green tree known as dhaddacha gumii.
• The Gumii is made up of all the assemblies and councils of the Borana who
meet as a single body once every eight years.
• It is comparable to the great assemblies in the history of other parts of
Oromo country such as the Chaffe of the western (Macc’a), central
(Tulama) and eastern (Barentu-Arsi) Oromo.
• This assembly stands above all other Oromo institutions.
• The assembly also sits as a law making body, revises existing laws and
proclaims new laws.
• Some of the changes they have made are fundamental” (Asmarom 2000:
32).
• In his famous monograph Gadaa of (1973: 93) Asmarom discussed that the
pan-Borana general assembly called gumii gayo that brought together almost
every important leader attended by large number of people every day for
eight successive days.
• Gumii gayo is not only inclusive but also vested with the highest degree of
political authority, the highest decision making body.
• It is inclusive in the sense that any interested person has a right to attend
and bring issues to the attention of the assembly.
• Mohammad Hassen (1990:11) stated that the ultimate source
of power was the assembly held every eight years.
• The assemblies were concerned with issues of supreme
importance like war and peace, legislation, amendment of the
former laws and enacting new laws, settlement of inter clan
disputes.
• The assembly was held in the chafe(the meadow) under the
life giving shade of the oda (the holy sycamore tree”) which
traditionally was believed to be the most “respected” and the
most “sacred” of trees, the shadow of which the sources of
peace and the center of religion.
• The shade of the oda was not only the “office of the government,”
the meeting ground for the elders of the confederacy, but also the
sacred place for the religious duties.
• Hence, all the sacrifices undertaken by the Gadaa class were performed at
this spot” (p.14).
• Oda indicates protection, indiscrimination, democracy, access to power,
inclusiveness, sustainability and prayer.
• Green for the Oromo is the symbol of justice. This is common practice
among Oromo groups.
• The general assembly is held under oda tree, but not in all the cases.
Other trees also serve as the center of the gumii.
• The Amaya Gadaa center is called laafto Liban and the Borana
have dhaddacha gumii, the Guji gather under me’e tree.
• If we take the example of the Borana what qualifies a gathering an assembly
is not the number of attendants, but the purpose and the nature of the
gathering.
• The Borana never call clan gatherings as gumii, rather the word kora is
commonly used.
• Gumii refers to general assembly of the Borana as such under Gadaa
system.
• The participants of general assembly are the Gadaa leaders at different
stages, the retied Gadaa, the qallu, the wayyu, elders, and any interested
Borana men and women.
• In the history of the Borana there have been different assemblies.
• These are: gumii gayo, gumii El-dollo, gumii Surichoo Lahe and
gumii Simphir Balal.
• However, except gumii gayo none of these gumii is a law making
body.
Gumii Gaayoo
• Gumii gayo is the largest and well known assembly held at Gayo in
the present Areeroo district.
• It was first assembled by the 31st Borana abbaa Gadaa Dawwee Gobboo
(1696-1704)... Dawwee Gobboo was committed to restate the weakened
Gadaa system.
• He renewed many of the past traditions and rules. Since then it is
done once every eight years.
• Gumii Gayo was and still is a forum for every interested
personality in airing their views and attending the views of able
and knowledgeable personalities.
• Gumii gayo provides an opportunity to evaluate the performances
of the lately retired Gadaa and the active Gadaa in power.
• It provides chance to evaluate the past Gadaa system in line with
internal dynamics and external pressure.
• Theoretically the forum enables the gumii to dismiss the abba
Gadaa from power when need be.
• However in the history of the Borana there have been no abba
Gadaa dismissed from power before his term of office was over.
• The Borana of course use the forum effectively in evaluating the Gadaa
classes and individuals in the classes.
• The thirty-first abba Gadaa Dawwee Gobo made a popular law called seera
Dawwe.
• The law was related to ban on the movement of the hayyuu.
• The law was enacted to ban free movement of the hayyuu beyond certain
territorial boundaries.
• On this occasion law is made and amended. The abba seera is the leader of
the process. But the law makers never make laws without prior
investigations of the attitude of the Borana as such.
• The investigation and gathering of different ideas could be both in formal
and informal procedures.
• In addition, the adula and the retired abba Gadaa, stay together for long
time during the assembly.
• The making of the law is pre planned, discussed within the concerned
personnel.
• The fiixe from all classes, i.e., from raba, dori, Gadaa and the retired
grades participate in thorough discussion.
• Any abba Gadaa Fiixe has the chance to participate in three assemblies of
gumii gayo prior to his coming to power.
• They therefore, make necessary preparation ahead of time.
• Except in very rare cases making of law never appears as sudden act at
Gumii Gayo.
• But sometimes individuals possibly come with very innovative and
progressive ideas to the general assembly, which automatically welcomed by
the multitude and announced law.
• Ideas are treated if convincing and progressive.
• Among the Oromo what is important is the idea rather than the source of
the idea. During the gumii gayo different laws have been amended and
newly made.
• For instance, Jilo Aga (1976-1984) amended the law which banned on the
movement of the Gadaa leaders beyond certain part of the Borana land.
• Goba Bule (1968-1976) also amended the Borana law against
farming and farming. The Borana have practiced infanticide
for centuries.
• This was in favor of the Gadaa system, but as of the Gadaa
period of Jaldesa Liban (1960-1968) the law was amended.
• During the Gadaa period of Liban Daljesa (200-2008) the
general assembly agreed that opportunistic farming of the
Borana lowland has its adverse effect on the pastoralist way of
life and should be minimized and gradually abandoned.
Gumii El- Dallo
• El-Dallo is located at the north eastern part of the Borana land, in Liban
district.
• It was organized to reach the borana in Liban.
• This gumii is the continuation and implementation some of the decisions of
the gumii Gaayoo.
Gumii Simphir Balal
• Gumii Simphir Balal was the general assembly of the Borana with their
neighbors organized by Borana abba Gadaa Liban Wata (1776-1784).
• LibanWata, according to Borana oral history, was one of the able and
outstanding abba Gadaas.
• The participants were: Borana, Guji, Arsi, Gedeo, Sidama, Gabra, Burji,
Amaro, Murale, Rendille, Konso, Hamar, Erbore and the like.
• Elders attest that the participants were about seventeen groups
neighboring the Borana.
• The very objective of the assembly was to bring about long lasting peace
and cooperation among those groups.
• LibanWata was committed to this golden objective.
• And he was able to gather the groups together.
• . The first assembly was held in Arsi during the Gadaa period of Liban
Wata (1776-1784) and the second in Borana during the Gadaa next Gadaa
period (1784-1792).
• The gumii Simphir Balal was successful in bring peace for these two Gadaa
periods among the neighboring communities.
Gumii Suricho Lahe
• Gumii Suricho Lahe was the assembly organized by the Dambe- Noonnoo
clans of the Borana.
• In Borana political principle of decentralization the Dambe-Noonnoo
clans were allowed their own council in the east-central part of Borana
land.
• The idea was to authorize these clans to defend the Borana in this
direction.
• It was the tendency to guarantee these clans with relatively separate
council, with relative freedom in managing the Borana relations with the
Gare.
• The majority of the Dambe- Nonnoo clans reside in the south east part of
the Ethiopian Borana land.
• They were allowed to organize a huge gumii called gumii suricho Lahe.
• Lahe is one of the nine well complexes of the Borana, which they call, tula
saglan.
Some specific procedures of Making and amending law
• Among the Matcha once agreed upon, laws are formalized through the
process known as seera tumu (law making) that involves a much
elaborated ritual performance.
• The leaders of the class in power select two gulas from any Gadaa set
based on seniority.
• The selected gulas kneel down and lay down whips and pronounce the
law.
• The act of making and proclaiming law is always preceded
and concluded by prayer.
• Mohammed (1990: 16) expresses this fact as one of the
points where politics and rituals intersect. The following is
an example of law making (tuma) ritual.
• It is typical law making process of the Macha Oromo.
x = The first Gul
y = The second Gula
Step – one (general principles) X starts, Y responds
Y X
Kan ati jette milkii dha milkiin biyyaaf haa ta'u Haa ta'u
You said good thing, may good fortune be for the nation May it be
Biyyi nagaa haa ta'u Haa ta'u
May our land be peaceful May it be
Dinni bitaa haa galu Haa ta'u
May our enemy be on the wrong side May it be
Waaqni qananii dha Haa ta'u
5. Raabaa 33–40
✓ This and the kuusaa grade Important military wing of the Gadaa
doorii constitute a period of system.
✓ Conduct raids; protect Boran preparation for the territory and
resources against assumption of full enemies.
✓ Men are allowed to marry authority.
• Successive Ethiopian regimes used Christianity to link themselves
to Europe and North America to consolidate their powers against
the colonized population groups, mainly the Oromo.
• In addition, between 1974 and 1991, the Mengistu regime utilized
a “socialist” discourse to ally itself with the former Soviet bloc
and to consolidate its state power.
Grades Designation Age Limit Remarks Specific Role In Society
1. Dabballee 0–8
❖ Child is born;
❖ stage of None;
❖ immature, sons of the Gadaa class childhood or the luba;
❖ only symbolic role as mediator between God and humans.
2. Foollee 9–16
❖ Naming ceremony at home Some look after small stock
around ollaa.
❖ (Gaammee or Nura Shrine in Liben if perform light work.
xixiqoo) Ilmaan jaarsaa or Ilmaan korma, respectively.
3. Qondaala 17–24
➢ Intensification of the 2nd Take livestock further away
from ollaa.
➢ (Gaammee stage and begin drawing water from Eelaa.
➢ gurguddoo) can go long distances to hunt; perform heavy
work.
.6. Gadaa (Luba) 41–48 )
o Politically the most active Leadership grade – the most important of
all stages.
o Luba assumes power/office.
o Transition is marked by leadership ceremony
o Visit all Borana regions, settle serious disputes and convene
assemblies.
7.Yuba I 49–56
▪ Retirement stage Advisory role in the society.
▪ receive a great deal of respect as wise, experienced authorities and
repositories of law.
8. Yuba II 57–64
• Retirement stage.
9. Yuba III 65–72
• Retirement stage.
10. Gadaamojjii 73–80
Marked by rites at different Senior advisor sites
11. Jaarsa > 80
Stage of old age At a stage to be cared for
• Grade designation and age limits differ slightly between the two
sources.society also change.
• For instance, during the grades of qondaala, kuusaa and raabaa
doorii, individuals learn war tactics, Oromo history, politics,
ritual, law and administration over a period of 24 years.
• When they enter the Gadaa class or luba at the age of about 40
years, they have already acquired all the necessary knowledge to
handle the responsibility of administering the society and the
celebration of rituals.
• This process ends with the partial retirement of the whole group
of elders to an advisory and judicial capacity.
• Following luba, men automatically retire from Gadaa and move
into an advisory role known as yuba.
• By then they receive a great deal of respect, as wise, experienced
authorities and repositories of law, but their decisions are no
longer final, as they had previously been.
• They turn the bulk of their attention to private family businesses or
religious activities while their sons enter Gadaa, the public service.
• Luba is the ruling grade. Its members hold all political authority.
• Elect representatives to attend a national convention called caffee.
• where the laws of the land are amended by the vote of tens of
thousands of lubas and where officials are elected to administer
the society in a wide variety of capacities.
• The caffee elects nine Gadaa officials.
The Following Are The Gadaa Officials And Their Duties.
1. Abbaa Bokkuu Or Abbaa Gadaa – President.
2. Abbaa Bokkuu I – Vice-president.
3. Abbaa Bokkuu II – Vice-president.
4. Abbaa Caffee – Chairman Of The Assembly (Caffee).
5. Abbaa Dubbii – Speaker Who Presents The Decision Of The
Presidium To The Assembly.
6. Abbaa Seeraa – Memorizer Of The Laws And Results Of The
Assembly Deliberations.
7. Abbaa Alangaa – Judge Who Executes Decisions.
8. Abbaa Duulaa – In Charge Of The Army.
9. Abbaa Sa’aa – In Charge Of The Economy.
• These Gadaa leaders are elected on the basis of wisdom, bravery,
health and physical fitness
(Workneh, 2001).
➢ Slight differences are observed among the Oromo communities
across Oromia in the way they practice Gadaa.
➢ The Boran have kept the system more intact than the Oromos in
the other areas because of their relative isolation from external
influences.
➢ In the case of the Boran, the entire Gadaa presidium, consisting
of nine members, is called Saglan Yaa’ii Boran (nine of the
Boran assembly).
➢ The current abbaa Gadaa or Bokkuu (the president) is called
Guyyoo Goba; he is the legitimate leader of the Boran.
➢ If the Gadaa officials fail to carry out their duties, the caffee
can replace them by another group from among the same
Gadaa class, which proves how accountability is entrenched in
the governance system.
➢ One major economic function of Gadaa is the distribution of
resources, by establishing who had to help whom, when and
why, by settling conflicts between families over goods and by
making laws.
➢ It is the system that governs the Boran’s use of natural
resources and enables the various groups to coordinate their
use of important resources like water.
➢ According to Gadaa, those people who have entered the
luba grade (individuals in the expected age range of 40–48)
are considered to be elders.
➢ Therefore, the lubas (elders) settle disputes among groups
and individuals and apply the laws dealing with the
distribution of resources, criminal fines and punishment,
protection of property, theft, etc.
➢ Thus the elders in the community form a dominant component of
the customary mechanisms conflict management and natural
resources management (Watson, 2001; Dejene, 2004)
Dejene, 2004;Desalegn et al., 2004).
➢ The authority held by the elders is derived from their position in
the Gadaa system.
➢ Whilethe rules and regulations laid down by the Gadaa tradition
must be respected by all councils of elders, any problem
regarding resources use which could not be solved by these elders
would be handled by the higher Gadaa leaders.
Watson (2001) describes : The role of abbaa Gadaa in natural
resources conflict resolution as follows:
• The abbaa Gadaa is seen as the figurehead of the whole of Boran,
and is often described as the president.
• As well as performing rituals, matters are referred to him and his
council when a decision cannot be reached at a lower level.
• When conflict breaks out between ollaas or araddaas, or maddaas,
then the abbaa Gadaa will rule on the case.
• If there is conflict between ethnic groups, then he will be called in
to help make peace.
• As the abbaa Gadaa is responsible for dealing with matters of concern to
the Boran, and as matters of concern are often related to access to the
resources (water, land and forests), the abbaa Gadaa is the highest level of
institution of natural resources management in Borana.
• However, it is worth noting that Gadaa is a male-oriented, socio-
political and cultural system and excludes the Oromo women from
its political and military structures.
• Taking the case of the Boran, Legesse (1973) states the following
relationship between men and women:
• Men are in control of military and political activities.
• Only men can engage in warfare. O
• nly men take part in the elections of leaders of camps or of age-sets and
Gadaa classes.
• Men lead and participate in ritual activities.
• However, ritual is not an exclusively masculine domain: there are several
rituals performed by women.
• In these and a few other instances women do take an important
part.
• Women are actively excluded from age-sets.
• They are therefore heavily dependent on men for most political-
ritual services and for all activities connected with the defence of
Boran camps, wells, herds, and shrines.
• However, there are parallel female-oriented institutions to Gadaa
known as Ateetee and Siiqqee institutions ((Megerssa, 1993,
unpublished PhD dissertation; Hussein, 2004)
• Oromo women used to practice ateetee as a way of strengthening
their solidarity and as a tool to counter atrocities staged against
them by men.
• Similarly, as a check and balance mechanism, siiqqee was
institutionalized and women formed parallel organizations of their
own that actively excluded men.
• Another important informal institution with relevance to conflict
resolution is the institution of araara (literal meaning,
reconciliation) and jaarsummaa (literal meaning, the process of
reconciliation between conflicting individuals or groups by a
group of Jaarsaas).
• Dejene (2004) reported the effectiveness of the araara institution
between the Karrayyu Oromo of the Upper Awash and its
neighbouring ethnic groups like the Afar and Argoba.
• Araara is the process of conflict management involving individual
clans within and outside the community.
• It is basically handled by the council of elders in the community and thus
associated with the Gadaa system, and called jaarsummaa in some localities.
• The term jaarsa is the Oromo version of elder, and thus jaarsummaa, is the
process of reconciliation between conflicting individuals or groups by a
group of jaarsaas (elders).