Gujii

Last updated

The Guji Oromo are an Oromo clan living Guji Zone in southern Oromia of Ethiopia. They are distinguished by their agro-pastoral lifestyle. According to a population projection from 2007, the total population of the Guji Oromo is above 5 million. The Guji have lived in their territory for many centuries. They claim that their cradle land is Girja. [1]

Contents

The Guji live in a fertile and natural resource-rich region in Ethiopia: the Guji Zone in the Oromia Region, which is named for them. The known gold mining area of Adola, the dense natural forest of Bada Magada, the Nechisar National Park and Shakiso-Adola evergreen forests are the natural areas which have been conserved by the Guji Oromo.

Language

The Guji speak an Oromo dialect of the Southern Oromo variety.

Religion

In the Guji Zone where most Gujis are found, there are three major religions: original Oromo religion (Waaqa), Islam and Christianity. [2] However, according to the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), 60% of the population said they were protestant Christianity, and 2.11% said they practised Orthodox Christianity. The remaining practiced cultural religion and Islam

Education

The Guji people are known for using a large number and wide variety of proverbs in many social and conversational contexts. [3]

Notes

  1. "History". Archived from the original on 2016-10-20.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) ()
  2. "Oromo | Encyclopedia.com".
  3. Tadesse Jaleta Jirata. 2009. A contextual study of the social functions of Guji-Oromo proverbs. Saabruecken: DVM Verlag.

Sources

Related Research Articles

The Oromo are a Cushitic ethnic group and nation native to the Oromia region of Ethiopia and Kenya who speak the Oromo language as their mother tongue, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and represent 34.5% of Ethiopia's population.

Oromia Regional state of Ethiopia

Oromia is a regional state in Ethiopia and the homeland of the Oromo people. The capital city of the State of Oromia is Addis Ababa, also known as Finfinne. Currently the state consists of 21 administrative zones.

Boorana Subgroup of Oromo people

The Boorana is one of the two major subgroups of the Oromo people. They live in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia and the former Northern Frontier District of Northern Kenya. They speak a dialect of Oromo. The Borana people are notable for practicing Gadaa system without interruption. Borana people don't name their children for up to three years.

Gadaa Indigenous democratic system of governance used by Oromo people

Gadaa is the indigenous democratic system of governance used by the Oromos in Ethiopia and northern Kenya. It is also practiced by the Konso and Gedeo people of southern Ethiopia. The system regulates political, economic, social and religious activities of the community.

Borena Zone Zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia

Borena is a zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Borena is named after one of the two major subgroup of the Oromo People. Borena is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, on the north by West Guji and Guji and on the east by Dawa Zone Somali Region. The highest point in this zone is Mount Dara Tiniro. Cities and major towns in this Zone include Negele Borana, Moyale, Yabelo, Dubuluk, Mega, Millami, Surupa and Bakke.

Religion in Ethiopia

Religion in Ethiopia consists of a number of faiths. Among these mainly Abrahamic religions, the most numerous is Christianity totaling at 67.3%, followed by Islam at 31.3%. There is also a longstanding but small Jewish community. Some adherents of the Baháʼí Faith likewise exist in a number of urban and rural areas. Additionally, there is also a substantial population of the adherents of traditional faiths.

Wenago is one of the woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gedeo Zone, Wenago is bordered on the southwest by Yirgachefe, on the northwest by the Oromia Region, on the northeast by Dila Zuria, and on the southeast by Bule. Towns in Wenago include Wenago. Dila Zuria woreda and Dila town were separated from Wenago.

Gedeb Asasa is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the West Arsi Zone, Gedeb Asasa is bordered on the south by the Dodola, on the west by Kofele, on the north west by Kore, and on the north and east by Bekoji. The administrative center of the woreda is Asasa.

Adaba is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia; it shares the name of its administrative center, Adaba. Part of the West Arsi Zone, Adaba is bordered on the southwest by Nensebo, on the west by Dodola, on the northwest by the Shabelle River which separates it from the Gedeb Asasa, and on the east and south by Bale Zone.

Uraga is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the Guji Zone, Uraga is bordered on the south by Odo Shakiso, on the west by the Borena Zone, on the north by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, and on the east by Bore. The largest town in Uraga is Solomo. Dama and Hambela Wamena woredas were separated from Uraga.

Bore is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the Guji Zone, Bore is bordered on the south by Ana Sora, on the west by the Uraga, and on the north and east by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region. The largest town in Bore is Bore.

Adola is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. It is part of former Adolana Wadera woreda what was divided for Adola, Girja and Wadera woredas and Adola town. Part of the Guji Zone, Adolana Wadera was bordered on the south by Liben, on the southwest by Odo Shakiso, on the west by Bore, on the north by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, and on the east by the Bale Zone.

Bule Hora is one of the Aanaass in the Oromia of Ethiopia. It formerly included Dugda Dawa and Kercha districts. Part of the West Guji Zone, Bule Hora was bordered on the south by the Dawa River which separates it from Arero, on the southwest by Yabelo, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region and Gelana Abaya, on the northeast by Uraga, and on the east by Odo Shakiso. The largest town of Bule Hora is Bule Hora Town.

Arero is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the Borena Zone, Arero is bordered on the southwest by Dire, on the west by Yabelo, on the north by Bule Hora, on the northeast by the Guji Zone, on the east by the Somali Region, and on the south by Moyale; the Dawa River, the only river in this woreda, separates Arero from Odo Shakiso and Liben. Towns in Arero include Meta Gefersa.

Liben is one of the woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Guji Zone, Liben is bordered on the south by the Dawa River which separates it from the Borena Zone, on the west by Odo Shakiso, on the northwest by Adolana Wadera, on the north by the Ganale Dorya River which separates it from the Bale Zone, and on the east by the Somali Region. The map of the Oromia Region published by Disaster Prevention and Disaster Agency shows that this woreda is part of the Guji Zone, and that the eastern part has been transferred to the Somali Region to create the Liben woreda of that region. The town of Negele Boran was separated from Liben woreda and is separate woreda now.

Abaya is a woreda in the Oromia Region, Ethiopia. It is part of former Gelana Abaya woreda what was divided for Abaya and Gelana woredas. Part of the Borena Zone, Gelana Abaya was bordered on the south by Hagere Mariam, and on the west, north and east by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR). Lake Abaya, on the western border, is divided between this woreda and the SNNPR. However, the Guji Oromo who live in Nechisar National Park are claimed to be administratively part of this woreda, in a kebele called "Irgansaa".

Adola Town Town in Oromia, Ethiopia

Adola is a town located in the Guji Zone of the Oromia Region, at an altitude of 1,758 metres (5,768 ft) above sea level. 470 km from Addis Ababa.

Guji Zone Zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia

Guji is a zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Guji is named after a tribe of the Oromo people. Guji is bordered on the south by Borena, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, on the north by the Ganale Dorya River which separates it from Bale and on the east by the Somali Region. The highest point in this zone is Mount Dara Tiniro. Cities and major towns in this Zone include its administrative center, Nagele, Shakiso Bore, Dila Adola.

The Gedeo are an ethnic group in southern Ethiopia. The Gedeo Zone in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region (SNNPR) is named for this people. They speak the Gedeo language, which is one of the Cushitic languages.

Waaqeffanna is a religion which is indigenous to the Oromo people. The word Waaqeffanna derives from the word Waaqa, is the ancient name for the Creator in the Cushitic languages of both the Oromo people and Somali people in the Horn of Africa. The followers of the Waaqeffanna religion are called Waaqeffataa and they believe in the supreme being Waaqa Tokkicha. It is estimated that about 3% of the Oromo population, which is 1,095,000 Oromos, in present day Ethiopia actively practice this religion.