Dachee haadha hundaa Earth, the mother of all
Dachee abbaa hundaa Earth, the father of all
Sirra kaannaa sirraa nyaannaa, We walk on you and we feed up on you
Safuu uumaa safeeyfannaa, We respect the ritual of the nature
Kakuu uumaa kakeeyfanna.
This song is taken from Oromo Oral Literature for Environmental Conservation: A Study of Selected Folksongs in East and West Hararghe Zones by Geremew Chala Teresa and Hunduma Dagim Raga Department of Afaan Oromo, Literature and Communication, Haramaya University.
It is boldly true that environmental issues are very crucial in Oromo society for aesthetic values of nature.
The greenery and the shade delight the eyes all over and give the landscape richness and a variety which make it like a garden without boundary. Healthful climate, uniform and temperate, fertility of the soil, beauty of the inhabitants, the security in which their house seem to be situated, makes one dream of remaining in such a beautiful country.
Thus, the society uses its various oral traditions in dealing with environment for diverse purposes.
All activities and life of each and every member of the Oromo are guided by an egalitarian socio- economic and political structure of the society called the Gada system which is a class system that succeeds each other every eight years in assuming politico- military administration, economic management and other social activities.
It was the central institution of the Oromo people that contains complex and extra-ordinary features. It was purely invented by the Oromo and it is one of the most remarkable political systems which was highly democratic with effective legislative and judicial institutions.
As a governance System, Gada guides the life course of individuals and regulates political, economic, social and religious activities of the community. It also serves as a mechanism of socialization, education, religious expression, peace maintenance and social cohesion and promotes the principles of equality and freedom.
Gada is an indigenous system of human development on the basis of which the Oromo welfare system is institutionalized, communal wealth distributed, rules of resource protection and environmental conservation enforced and through which all their aspirations are fulfilled.
Once every eight years Gadaa General Assembly takes place under a sycamore tree known as Odaa is part of traditional Oromo culture. The sycamore tree, a symbolic representation of dialogue and consensus, is where the local community comes together to make new laws and adjudicate cases. For the last six centuries, therefore, seventy-three general assemblies were carried out. The 74th General Assembly in 2016 had passed decision on environmental protection.
The subject matter of deliberation includes: environmental protection, social relations, peace and development. However, for this article the deliberation on environmental protection is discussed as follows: Note that the decision passed contains ten points but these are chosen as indicators of the society’s concern for environmental protection. The decisions are presented in Afaan Oromo with equivalent English meaning.
“Hafaa mukaa hin muranuu, santi aadaa! (Do not cut an age-old tree that is the custom!)
Bayaa mukaa hin murani, santi aadaa! (Do not cut growing plants that is the custom!)
Mukeen hin qululuchanuu, santi aadaa! (Do not clear branches of a tree that is the custom!)
Namni ibidda qabatee bosona seenu bishaan qabatee deemaa, santi aadaa!” (Anyone who enters a forest with fire, he shall also take water with himself, that is the custom!)
In each statement a discussant’s declare will be affirmatively repeated by a response from the audience saying: “santi aadaa dha!” – “that is the custom!” Hence, the way the deliberation takes place is not authoritative – a setting where one speaks and others listen to it. Rather, it is a setting where every remark and points one makes will be responded immediately in reference of the existing customary law.
As the Oromo people covers the wide area of the country, their custom of environmental protection is expected to be applied in the areas they reside. Major Oromo clans have established the centers of their Gada at several places based on their territorial settlement.The Borana and the Gabra Oromo established their Gada centers at Gumi Gayo and Arero in Borana Zone, the Guji at Me’e Bokko and Nura in Guji Zone, the Tulama at Oda Nabe and the Karrayu at Hora Sama in East Shoa Zone, the Macha at Oda Bisil and Oda Buluk in West Shoa and East Wellega; the Arsi at Oda Roba in Bale Zone, the Ituu and Humbana at Oda Bultum in West Hararghe respectively.
Researches also indicate that the Geda system pays intensive attention for the preservation of environment especially in protecting trees. Professor Asmerom Legese, who made extensive research on the Gada system for 45 years by living in the midst of the community, told The Ethiopian Herald that the system is not stable as some say, rather it is dynamic. The people revise their legislative system as the situations are ever changing from time to time.
For instance, they have issued a legislative for children of elders to give them position in the community “Ayu gerba” since they could not get position in the Geda system. The decision they made on the 74th General Assembly in 2016 regarding environmental protection is among the reforms.
“Any person who stays for a short period of time such as two years to make a research on Geda system system. I have stayed for 45 years and observed two constitutional reforms,” he said.
Regarding environmental protection, as to professor Asmerom, the community has two major customs. One is it is possible to cut trees but it is forbidden to kill or destroy it. For instance if goats could not find leaves to eat because of dry weather, they slightly cut branches of the trees and feed them. Similarly, they set fire to the dried grass in order to get new grass and this is done carefully not to destroy the whole forest. They do not wait until the dry woods are becoming too much otherwise the whole forest would be burnt.
The second one is in case a man dies; his children have to plant a tree in person on the grave. A tree that is planted on the grave is not cut totally by any means. As per this, when a Borena man dies; four or five trees or equivalent to the number of his children are planted and this is renewing of the forest. Jemjem forest in Guji Zone is a good example for this custom.
Emperor Halisilassie had offered it to his Military Generals once up on a time and they used to cut the huge trees with big saws but immediately it was stopped by the community and remained intact, said the professor.
As a brief description of the Geda System extracted from the documentation submitted to the UNESCO; the Geda System is an all-inclusive social system in which every member of the society has specified roles and duties during one’s life course.
This begins when sons join the first grade as members of Geda class (generation class or set) forty years after their fathers and are initiated into the next higher grade every eight years. In the fourth grade, known as Kusa, the class forms its own internal officials (Adula Hayyus) and its own assembly (Ya’a).
Regarding persons with special responsibilities, the Abba Gadaa, the elected chair of the class leadership presides over the assembly.
Together with the Geda class in power, he is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the community’s local affairs including dispute arbitration and maintenance of social order. His duties also include transferring knowledge and skills associated with the functions of the democratic Gada System to the members of succeeding grades.
The knowledge and practices of the Geda System have been transmitted from generation to generation in various ways. At a household level, parents transmit orally knowledge about the ethics, practices and rituals of the system and socialize their children into Geda culture.
The women’s Siinqee Institution within the System enables Oromo women to have control over resources and to form mechanisms of solidarity and sisterhood to determine from infringing upon their rights and promote gender equality.
Moreover, the Geda System contributes to sustainable development of the community as it engages every member in social and economic development duties and regulates conservation of the environment. Thus, an understanding of the System by different communities helps for inter-cultural dialogue and encourages mutual respect.
Abba Gadaa Aliyi Mohammed Surur from Oda Roba, Bale Zone told the Ethiopian Herald that the Geda system was oppressed for about 150 years and its values became disappeared as a result of interests of some regimes. But currently, it is a privilege to the entire Oromo people to see the system is regained. The Gada System is in favor to the National Green Campaign initiated by the FDRE Prime Minister Abiy Ahemed to plant 200 million trees in one day, according to him.
“According to the Geda System” he said, “letting to dry a tree is violating the custom of the community. Instead, when a tree is to be cut, it must be in the way that enables it to bear new bud to grow again. And also a person who cuts a tree is obliged to plant in substitute of that. Furthermore, a person who violates this custom is penalized according to Oromo moral system (safuu),” he added.
Though the system is patriarchal, Siinqee Mother (Haadha Siinqee or Haadha Gadaa) plays great role in the community. In the absence of Siinqee Mothers, the Geda System is incomplete so that a person to become Abba Gadaa has to be a married man. In case two people got in conflict, she stands between them and stretches her stick then they stop fighting in honoring her.
This magnificent system, as to the Abba Gadaa, must be handed over to the coming generation through including it into the curriculum of the formal education.
As a matter of fact, the document submitted to the UNESCO indicates that the school curriculum in Oromia is designed to ensure that the knowledge and skills associated with the element are transmitted to children in their tongue.
Moreover, currently, the Oromia Radio and Television broadcast programs in the Oromo language about various aspect of the Geda System to increase awareness. As a result, when the group enters the Geda Grade (Luba), they will have acquired all the necessary knowledge to handle the responsibility of administering the country and arranging and presiding at the celebration of rituals.
For his part Abba Gadaa Qabeto Egemo Wabe, from Oda Roba, Bale Zone told The Ethiopian Herald that forests have great value in the Gada System. They make assemblies under trees; in case someone got sick suddenly, they let him take rest under the tree.
Moreover, trees are shelter for wild animals. For instance, some endemic animals are sheltered in forests preserved in Bale Zone as a result of custom of the Gadaa system. People are abstaining themselves from killing these animals as they are forced to pay high compensation. Therefore, forests that are essential to the community, animals as well as the environment, should be protected according to the custom, he stressed.
The Ethiopian Herald July 30/2019
BY BACHA ZEWDIE
