Since recent years most scholars and researchers have focused their study on the culture of Gamo Dubusha. Dr Temsgen for example is the one who undertook his PhD dissertation on this culture. Before examining the culture, The Ethiopian Herald had got some relevant information from different written materials and some responsible bodies. Thus, after this general pilot looks; Herald’s crew was in the area to examine the prevalent cultural proceedings. Among the most interesting cultural activities, I picked up Gomie, which means crossing the respected norms of the people in the area. Have a stay with us to learn more about this culture.
As the dissertation of Dr. Temsgen and the exclusive interview of elders with The Ethiopian Herald showed, Gomie in Gamo people is understood in the following way. Elders for generations had posited rules and responsibilities of the people to be followed for the peaceful and blissful destiny of the community. Honesty and respect between people are the leading ones in these rules and regulations that are legalized culturally in a special meeting place called Dubusha. Among the listed details in the rules, individuals or tribes could violate them intentionally or naively. When a certain rule and expectation is breeched, it is called Gomie or sin.
If a person or group never violates the rules of the elders, then something bad could happen on the person who made that transgression. There is a strong mythology that is highly adored by the community. That is if the person who did wrong never confessed his blunder to the elders at Dubusha, then the Holy Spirit could make retaliation on him, his family, and his clan too. The people that Herald approached are quite certain those gaffes are punished if he or she never confesses openly on Dubusha. In this process, the person who committed the given misdemeanor is advised to tell the truth, to confess the wrongdoing. But if he proves adamant then the elders bring him to Dubusha.
In Gamo people, there are misdemeanors that are recognized as curses or Gomie that could happen on various issues. Dr Temsgen had posited 16 Gomies that could be committed by the person or the tribe. Let me bring the major themes that they zero in on so as to examine how critical and smart this culture is.
The first one is Bayra Woga Gomie. This Gomie is conducted when the person who takes a responsibility to lead his people makes mistakes and abuses his people. In the culture, leaders should be loyal, respectful, honest, and hard worker. But instead of adoring such things if they infringe on these obligations, then it is seen as a major offence. There is a belief that the Holy Spirit gets annoyed and punishes the person if he never confesses it on Dubusha. This belief is too strong that the culturally assigned elders take a great care on preserving and transferring it to generations.
The second one is Layma Gomie: as Dr. Temsgen explained it in his paper this Gomie is done by the married couples. In Gamo Dubusha, adultery is a very detested and repulsing thing. If one of the spouses committees the crime, it is seen a serious Gomie when she or he never brings it to Dubusha before getting to her or him. Ato Munaye Mossole, the Culture and Tourism Department Head added that, in the culture, marriage is the most respected thing. Thus, if either of the spouses indulge in a sexual affair breaking marital vows, s/he is going to face challenges that result from the wrath of God.
The other Gomie is related to the territory of a person or tribe. In Gamo culture, the property and border of the person is respected and recognized by the people. If a person or tribe gets encroaches on others’ territory the move is considered as a sin or a type of Gomie called Dihasa Gomie.
In the culture of Gamo Dubusha respect and care given to food is also the basic concern of the people. Elders preach and by word of mouth pass down the culture that dictated food should be preserved safely and used appropriately. If anyone abuses it, it becomes a sort of wrongdoing or Gomie. This Gomie is Katis Gomie.
In Gamo culture elders had rules and regulations that were culturally confirmed at the meeting place called Dubusha. Among these rules, the Gamo people are required to respect and take great care of the bereaved wife and her children after the death of her husband. But instead of this if a person or tribe attempts to harm or disrespect the widow or her children, that action is seen as a taboo and recognized as a crime or Gomie. This type of wrong deed or offense is Yio Gomie.
There are also other Gomies mentioned in the dissertation of Temesgen. Let me bring the major leitmotifs of the remaining sins. There is a Gomie on a person who failed to apply the death notes. If the mentioned words on this note are not practiced and interpreted as per the words, the activity that the person crossed is leveled as a type of Gomie.
In addition to cattle’s, barns are expected to be esteemed and handled well by Gamo people. Cattle should be kept well with respect. If there is one who violated this principle it becomes a type of sine or Gomie.
Money and children could be given to someone trustfully. Respecting trust and seeing to the wellbeing of the given thing or person is the basic requirement of decent Gamo. But, if that person fails to protect his trust, then the culture force it to be a Gomie.
In the culture the place of graves and graves themselves need to be protected. If this respect is violated it is taken as Gomie.
At Dubusha oath and promise are very serious. The one that makes a certain oath should preserve it and apply it ahead. If he fails to protect it, it is dragged back to Gomie.
The people should be good and cooperative to each other. Tricking or practical jokes like prank is a very unwelcome trait. If someone made a deliberate trick on his brother, it becomes Gomie.
Human beings are equal in the cultural administration of Gamo Dubusha. If a given tribe or person attempts to degrade people who are leading their life engaging in handmade jobs it is seen as a crime itself. Everybody is equal before the almighty. There is also a wrong deed that is leveled as \a sin in the culture. That is genital mutilation is supposed to be done properly. If not, it is a type of misdemeanor. Finally, not confessing a type of wrong deed or Gomie is a Gomie itself. This one is called Tuna Gomie.
The above mentioned Gomies are taken from the mentioned dissertation and from interviews with four Deres’ Kawos. As the Kawos and the study showed these Gomies are going to be canceled primarily with the confession of the criminal to elders. If he insists then the elders bring him to Dubusha. At this place the person had the chance to admit his missteps.
As the exclusive interview with the four Kawos that are Dita, Choye, Kogota or Eizo and Bonkie commonly said, a type of Gomie could happen in the family level or in the community level. Whatever malfeasance happened in the people, there are elders that could hear and judge the confession. When the person knowingly or unknowingly committees one of the mentioned sins or Gomies, he can come to the meeting place, Dubusha, and alert the elders to come there. After understanding the sin, elders could prepare a meeting to be held with masses called Gomie Kebera. Thus, the person who committed the crime could openly confess to the mass and the elders. Then based on the type and intensity of the crime or misdemeanor, the person is going to cover the psychological compensation and loss of the missed issue as per the logical judgment of the elders. Here the process is highly interacted with the Spirit of God that fairness and balanced judgment is soundly made by the leaders or Huduga Then after this ceremony, the person gets free and starts living his previous life without any frustration or regret. The mistake is already omitted by that Dubusha Kebera.
As scholars and professionals like Dr. Addisu Adamu mentioned to the Herald, this culture had been practiced for centuries. Before the modern legal process, people have been peacefully and cooperatively living just by this cultural drill. Since the people respected their God and this is highly synthesized and contextualized culturally, an honest and respectful generation has been produced in the area. Though there are challenges these days, the culture still prevails in the community and keeps on creating an accountable generation. Thus, if this culture is examined effectively and utilized scientifically, I think, it could be the cornerstone for bringing human beings together and creating a harmonious universe at large.
BY MEKDES TAYE (PhD)
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER 2024
