Soddo Gurage people
The Soddo or Kistane (
The Soddo Gurage are related to their fellow Gurages, including the Dobi, who live south and are also referred to as "Kistane", as well as the Meskan and
History
The earliest reference to the Kistane dates back centuries. Historical sources list Aymellel (Alamale) as a district and province that was governed by Emperor Amda Seyon (1314–1344) in the early 14th century and served at times as a military garrison and settlement by him and future emperors.
Kistaneland (as the region is sometimes referred to as, is the site of numerous historical sites, such as the monolithic UNESCO World Heritage site
That the Kistane's homeland once stretched much further wide is attested in the discoveries of remnants of a Kistane population in Lake
During the 15th to 17th centuries, "Aymellel" was listed by some explorers such as Hiob Ludolf as an independent district separate from other Gurages, who were described by some as “Pagans”, while the Aymellel were Christians. Later in 1841, several subgroups and polities belonging to Christian Gurages (i.e. Kistane) were listed by
"The Christians are settled in the following places:---1. Aimelelle ; 2. Nurreno; 3. Bezanchubu; 4. Manes; 5. Malakdamo; 6. Wogoram; 7. Buiyana; 8. Yudamo; 9. Dachi; 10. Yetanne; 11. Arechat; 12. Heberrer; 13. Arogomane; 14. Dobi; 15. Yawitwi; 16. Yatabona; 17. Zera Zangania; 18. Mohor."[7]
Of these, the most notable belonging to the Sodo Kistane include Aimellele (Aymellel), Nurenno (Nurenna), Buiyana (Bui), Wogaram, and Malakdamo (Damu); while Dobi, Heberrer (Sheberrer), Arechat, Arogame (Argume) are Dobi, and Moher (Muher) are a subgroup of the Sebat Bet which, like the Kistane were Christian for centuries.
Oromo migrations/invasions and impact
Sources list that the locals of Aymellel aided and fought in the armies of the Christian Kingdom in fighting against the invasion of
“The Galla first broke into Aymallal territory through Ambare Wargo in Nuranna. Then other Aymallal areas, like Gayat, Gareno, Endabuya, Amawte, were invaded and sacked. The main Galla tribes that invaded Aymallal were the Abado and Malima from the north, both members of the Tulama branch of the Galla, the Geto, and the Dula. Amawte is said to have been invaded by the Abado, Wacho by the Geto, and Aratge by the Dula. Another, less known, tribe, the Jidda, invaded Gareno. Of these tribes, the one most feared was the Abado, with whom the Aymallal had most of their battles."[11]
The overall effect of the Oromo invasion was one of despoliation, depopulation (through either death or flight), and enslavement. The traffic of Gurage slaves substantially increased in the mid-19th century. There are still elders who have memories of grandparents or other such relatives sold into slavery by the Oromo. The invasion and despoliation caused many Kistane villagers to flee and settle in neighbouring areas such as Ada, Meqi,
Other links and Modern period
The Kistane also share long historical and ancestral ties with the Amhara, particularly of
After the overthrow of Haile Selassie and the imperial regime in 1974, a communist regime under the
Language
The Soddo Gurage language, also known traditionally and locally as Kistanigna, is one of the Gurage languages from the Northern group, which is classified as one of the clusters of South Ethio-Semitic. Within the South Ethio-Semitic, it is branched under the Gunnangn Branch of Gurage languages. It is not mutually intelligible with any of the West Gurage or East Gurage languages (i.e. Sebat Bet). Kistanigna is generally considered closest to
Communal laws and organization
Unlike their neighbors to the north and much of the rest of the country, the Gurage traditionally did not practice a structured monarchial system and thus lacked definitive kings or single rulers. Instead, they politically organized in communal systems of governance that were governed by several local respective chiefs. The system of governance of the Soddo Kistane are known as Ye Gordena Sera which is also shared with the Gedebeno, while the Dobi practice the Ye Sinana Sera, and the Meskan Ye Feresgena Sera. It comprises customary and legalistic laws, social/communal organization, and territorial units. The Gordena was thought to have been founded in a district called Enjeri in the Nurena area, and is often referred to interchangeably as that (i.e. Ye Enjeri Sera). It is in contrast with the Sebat Bet Gurage who practices the similar Yajoka Kicha. While the Yajoka Kicha spans its establishment to about 300 years, the Kistane shows remarkably consensus in tracing the establishment of the Gordena to over 600 years.[21] Like the Sebat Bet, the Sodo Kistane is composed of several agnatic descent groups. However, unlike the Sebat Bet, these sub-groups are categorized based on geographic territory rather than genealogical lineages and clans. These subdivisions are known in the Kistane as Agers. Within each Ager are dozens of smaller territorial and familial units called Sebuggnets.[22]
The circumstances that led to the uniting of these agers and the establishment of the Gordena were the presence of both internal and external threats; the long territorial disputes between the warring "agers", in addition to the external threat of the Mareko (and later the Oromo) facilitated the development of a united system to combat them. The Sera system is not limited to the Gurage however but is also shared with the
Notable individuals
- Teddy Afro, national artist and singer
- Bahru Zewde , Professor, Ethiopian Historian and Author
- Dr. Fekadu Gedamu , Ethiopian Social Anthropologist and Ambassadors
- Sebsebe Demissew , Professor and Ethiopian botanical scientist
- Zemzem Gerbie , Entrepreneur and business woman
- General Yilma Shibeshi , Chief of national police
- Aster Aweke, national artist and singer
- Abinet Agonafer, singer
- Abonesh Adinew, singer
- Minalush Reta, singer
- Argaw Bedaso, singer
- Elias Melka, song composer and songwriter
- Dejazmach Balcha Safo, war commander, dejazmach, governor
- Dejazmach Gebremariam Gari, war commander, governor
- Dejazmach Geresu Duki. war commander
- Dejazmach Bekele Weya, war commander
- Getaneh Kebede, professional athlete
- Geremew Denboba, professional athlete
References
- ^ Braukamper, Ulrich (2002). Islamic History and Culture in Southern Ethiopia: Collected Essays. p. 55.
- ^ Ullendorff, Edward (1966). The Glorious Victories of 'Amda Ṣeyon, King of Ethiopia. p. 280.
- ^ Zewde, Bahru. The Aymallal Gurage in the 19th century: a political history. p. 66.
- ^ d'Abbadie, Antoine (1844). Géographie de l'Ethiopie: ce que j'ai entendu, faisant suite à ce que j'ai vu. p. 152.
- ^ Haberland, Eike (1966). Bemerkungen zur Kultur und Sprache der , Galila ' im Wonči. p. 14.
- ^ Braukemper, Ulrich (1977). ISLAMIC PRINCIPALITIES IN SOUTHEAST ETHIOPIA BETWEEN THE THIRTEENTH AND SIXTEENTH CENTURIES.
- ^ Ludwig Krapf, Johann. Detailing Their Proceedings in the Kingdom of Shoa, and Journeys in Other Parts of Abyssinia, in the Years 1839, 1840, 1841, and 1842. Journals of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society. p. 98.
- ^ Zewde, Bahru. The Aymallal Gurage in the 19th century: a political history. p. 66.
- ^ Sima, Tamrayehu (2016). Ye Gurage Hizb Maninent Be Ethiopia Andinet ina netsanet. p. 46.
- ^ Bonsa, Shemeles (Mar 2010). A History of Kistane migration to 1974. p. 176.
- ^ Zewde, Bahru. The Aymallal Gurage in the 19th century: a political history. p. 57.
- ^ Zewde, Bahru. The Aymallal Gurage in the 19th century: a political history. p. 60.
- ^ Cornwallis Harris ·, William (1844). The Highlands of Aethiopia. p. 312.
- ^ William Isenburg, Charles. Journals of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society. p. 182.
- ^ Alemu, Denberu (1990). Gogot: Ye Guragé behérasab tarik : bahelena qwanqwa.
- ^ Zewde, Bahru. The Aymallal Gurage in the 19th century: a political history. p. 60.
- ^ Bonsa, Shemeles (Mar 2010). A History of Kistane migration to 1974. p. 175.
- ^ Gedamu, Fekadu. "Ethnic Associations in Ethiopia and the Maintenance of Urban and Rural Relationships with Special Reference to the Alemgena Wolamo association": 4.
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(help) - ^ Zewde, Bahru. The Aymallal Gurage in the 19th century: a political history. p. 57.
- ^ y Maria Bulakh, Denis Nosnitsin, Thomas Rave (July 20–25, 2003). Proceedings of the XVth International Conference of Ethiopian Studies, Hamburg. p. 987.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Zewde, Bahru. Ethiopia, the challenge of democracy from below. pp. 24–26.
- ^ Gedamu, Fekadu (1986). Traditional social setting of the Kistane (Soddo) in central Ethiopia. p. 28.