Introduction to Gadaa

System
(Gada 1012)
 1. Introduction to Gadaa system
1.1. The meaning of Gadaa
 The term Gadaa cannot be given a univocal
interpretation.
 It stands for several related ideas.
 It is, first of all, the concept standing for the
whole way of life that is the subject of our study.

 it refers to any period of eight years during

which a class stays in power.
 It refers to a specific grade (VI) through which
every class pass (Asmerom, 1973, P.81).
 Cont…
The Gadaa which is comprehensive
phenomena by its nature, contains
political, religious, rituals, and cultural
dimensions that govern the basic its
components such as age grade, the age
set and generational class.
 Cont…
Term Gadaa can be understood along the
following line:
1. Gadaa as Period:
• Gadaa means a period of age grade.
• One period of Gadaa contain average of 8
years.
• The period of eight year is so important in
the Gadaa system that most of the social-
cultural practice is based on it.
• Among Borana and Guji Oromo most cultural
practices took places within these eight years
cycles period.
• For example, mobility of village, the political
transition, and ritual practices are calculated
through eight year of Gadaa period.
 Cont…
 Gadaa as period can contain two
dimensions: the vertical dimension and
the horizontal dimension.
• The vertical dimension Gadaa contain
vertical period, along which individual’s life
span is divided, from time of birth to the
time of death.
• it refers to the eight years categorization of
individuals life.
• Individuals physical-social growth can be
calculated based on these age grades
(period that contain eight year).
 Cont…
• horizontal dimension: is the consequent eight
years blocks through which even a history of
tribe can be dated.
• Thus, if one Gadaa contain eight year, 10
Gadaa can make 80 years,70 Gadaa, 560 years.
• Through this method, the period in history can
be identified by its leadership, environment,
event such as war and neighborhood
relationship.
• Thus, from this dimension Gadaa means a
period which has its own characteristic through
which history is remembered, or individuals
passes to learn their own experiences.
 2. Gadaa as Reign
• The IV grade is called Gadaa grade (or simply Gadaa).
• This is a grade when individuals who have stayed
warrior for (Raabaas) currently comes to assumes
ruling position in Gadaa system.
• During this period, the individual’s members
themselves are now called Gadaa, their grade is also
called Gadaa grade.
• The Gadaa grade will have one leader called Abbaa
Gadaa. While Gadaa system remain majorly cultural,
the political connotation of the Gadaa comes from the
grade called Gadaa.
• This is the time when adult member become politically
mature to control the surrounding and make important
decision on the matter concerning wider public.
• This period connotation gives us Gadaa as political unite,
 Cont…
• Each successive Gadaa period (ruling time)
has its own memories as expressed phrase
such as Gadaan Gadaa misooma [the Gadaa
of development], Gadaan Gadaa quufaa [the
Gadaa of abundance], hence the ruler during
the period is associated with memory itself.
• Thus, the phrase “Gadaan Gadaa Keenyaa”
[the reign is ours] implies more of power
period rather than simply a grade period.
• This definition gives the image of Gadaa
system as governance method, or political
organization.
 Cont…
3. Gadaa as system:
 Gadaa is not merely about age (period) or the
age of rule (politics)
 is cultural system that govern the Oromo people
social, cultural, economic, and political life.
 As one shift from one grade to the other what
is practiced is not merely cultural, rather
economic and political as well.
 Just as all other systems, Gadaa system is
made of several components part that are
enter related and interdependent,
interconnected.
 Cont…
Thus, when one hear of phrase like Gadaa
system, what is meant is not merely age
grade or age set or generation class,
rather how the components of Gadaa
system work together to sustain holistic
nature of the system.
 Cont…
4.Gadaa as indigenous Knowledge:
• Beyond structural view of Gadaa, Gadaa
can also view as important indigenous
institution.
• Gadaa system as such has been
registered as intangible heritage by
UNESCO, in December 6,2016.
• The Oromo people regard Gadaa system
as their common heritage.
 1.2. Components of Gadaa System
• The Gadaa system is constructed in three sub-
systems: Gadaa grades, Gogessa and Luba (cf.
Leus and Salvadori, 2006; Asmerom, 1973).
1.2.1. Age Grade

• According to Gadaa system, the grade is

partition of individual ages into eight years block
periods starting from time of birth; individual
ages are ranked into 11 grades, each containing 8
years.
• In each grade, an individual receives shared
responsibilities and the members of the grade
have sense of solidarity.
 Cont…
• The solidarity of a grade is maintained
through collective mobility (Godansa) and
ritual activities.
• The transition from one Gadaa grade to
another is marked by rite of passage or
ritual ceremony performed by moving to
sacred places called Ardaa Jilaa (the scared
sites).
 Lists of Gadaa Age grades/sadarkaalee Gadaa
According to Asmerom (1973), the Gadaa grades
includes:
1. Dabballee( 0-8)
2. Gaammee/Gammee xixiqqaa Junior Gamme (9-16)
3. Foollee/Gaammee gurguddaa Senior Gamme (17-24)
4. Kuusa/Qondaala (25-32)
5. Raaba/Raaba-Doorii ( 33-40)
6. Gadaa/lubaa(41-48)- The Stage of Political and
Ritual Leadership.
7. Yuba (I, II, III & IV) 49-80)-The Stage of Partial
Retirement.
8. Gadaamojjii(81-88) -The Terminal Sacred Grade.
 1. Dabballee( 0-8)
• The first grade is named dabballe
• It is a grade always occupied by a class of
people sharing a common identity by virtue of
the fact that they are all the sons of the Gadaa
class who are in power as leaders of Borana
society as a whole.
• The members were identified with their
amazing hairstyle known as Guduruu/
gaammee, which was a symbol of childhood.
 Cont…
• As the Dabballee were immature, no specific
political roles were associated with them.
• The boys are not only made to look like girls; they
are also categorically identified with them.
• In the case of the dabballe, however, the parent is
forbidden by custom from ever punishing them
physically.
• Before the maqbaasa (name giving) ceremony,
they were not given real names.
2.Gaammee/Gammee xixiqqaa/ Junior
Gamme(9-16)
• The actual ceremony consisted of two
segments — the hair shaving rite and the
giving of names.
• Parents and their friends called the boys
by their new and very masculine names
after completing the ritual.
 Cont…
• In addition to the terminological and behavioral
changes, the child also experiences a shift in the
locus of his activities.
• The principal responsibility the boy assumes after his
rite of passage is the responsibility of looking after
the small livestock and horses of the family.
• This is the age is a fertile time to study Oromo myth,
riddles, stories of different types, geerersa, cultural
songs.
• Are required to learn counting numbers with
analogies and genealogy on fathers and mothers line
• There were no political obligations attached to the
gaammee xixiqqoo as a gadaa grade.
 3. Foollee/Gammee gurguddaa (Senior Gamme
(17-24)
• The initiation ceremony to pass from
junior gamme to senior gamme is ukee/
taaboree. Taaboree is to mean taborii
(man of tomorrow).
• The oldest boys in the class are permitted
to go on war parties, cattle raids, and
hunting expeditions with older gada
classes.
 Cont…
• It is the time when young men take the
family herds into the undomesticated
river valleys. They call it fora.
• Grade III also marks the beginning of an
important subsidiary institution that
Borana call hariyya (Age set).
• This is a group of people born in the same
eight-year period; they are an age-set.
 4.Kuusa/Qondaala (25-32)
• The transition from the third to the fourth Gadaa
grade is one of the most important events of the
Gadaa system.
• At this point the Gadaa class and the age-set come
into being as formal corporate groups.
• Leaders are elected for both groups.
• The name of the most senior man in each group
becomes the name of the group as a whole.
 Cont…
• Dressed like adults, the boys left their
maternal huts and assembled at the site of
the shrine.
• For the first time they had come together as
a Gadaa class (age set).
• They assembled for the purpose of building
a large enclosure to serve as their isolation
camp.
• All the six adula councilors are required to
live and nomadize together from now until
the group subdivides sixteen years later.
5. Raaba/Raaba-Doorii (Junior and Senior Warrior) ( 33-40)
• The Raba grade is a very important stage in the life cycle of
the youths whose, complex careers we have been following
up to this point.
• The candidates as they were planning to take power in
the next gadaa period
• Those men who are in the Gadaa cycle and who are of the
appropriate age when they reach the Raba grade are
expected to marry.
• Men are not allowed to marry before the 32nd year of the
cycle, though they may have mistresses as soon as they
are capable of attracting them, and may only beget sons in
the 4oth year of the cycle,
 Cont…
• As leaders of the Gadaa class, they were
expected to play a prominent role in
warfare.
• Dannisa: The Fatherhood Ceremony. The
dannisa ceremony brings to a conclusion
forty years of development of the Gadaa
class.
• The remarkable stage at which individual
Oromo gained art of leadership and
philosophy was the Doorii stage.
 Cont…
• One of the social privileges associated to the dooroma was
performing marriage but they were not expected to have
children mainly at early years of this stage because
generation gap with their son would be violated and the
children could not act as senior councilor if they were not born
at the right time into the gadaa cycle (gogeessa).

• Children that were born to before their fathers’ initiation to

Lubaa grade were referred as ilmaan Jaarsaa that were
reduced to a hiriyyaa (peers) group and involved in the
gadaa administration only as Jaldhaaba (police).
 Cont…
• Five successive gadaa stages make up a
generation (gap between father and son) that
occupies forty years on the gadaa cycle.
• The first five eight years were generally
periods of training and military service in
addition to shouldering some economic
activities.

• The remaining gadaa grades consists of the

adulthood stages that continues up to the
eleventh stage.
• The stages of adulthood were periods of
socio-political responsibilities.
6. Gadaa/lubaa, The Stage of Political and Ritual
Leadership (41-48)

• This is the optimum age of having maturity,

skill and capacity of shouldering and
discharging societal responsibilities.
• The passage into the Gadaa grade (VI) is known as
balli walirrafudu (the exchange of scepters).
• The balli or “scepter” represents ritual-political
authority.
• We label this ceremony the “takeover ceremony,”
when referring to the incoming class and
distinguish it from the “handover ceremony,”
which refers to the outgoing class.
 Cont…
• According to custom the two Abba Gadaa
and their respective assemblies (Yaa’a) are
required to camp adjacent to each other
several weeks before the ceremony, the
month as well as the day of the ceremony
is prescribed.
• The incoming Abba Gadaa opens the
ceremony by going out into the fields in
search of ostrich feathers.
 Cont…
• From a functional standpoint, it is more
productive to consider the collective
duties of the assembly rather than its
internal differentiation.
• The assembly as the whole is charged
with the responsibility of resolving major
crises between descent 'groups, clans or
camps.
7. Yuba (I, II, III&IV)
 The Stage of Partial Retirement
 Yuba is a large category. Like the gamme (II,
III) category mentioned earlier yuba
subsumes more than one class.
Yuba I(49-56)
Yubaa II(57-64)
 Yubaa III(65-72)
Yuba IV(73-80)
 were generally advisors of the gadaa
government and educators of the
 8. Gadaamojjii: (80 and above):
 The eleventh and final stage of the Gada
System is a very distinctive part of the
theoretical life cycle.
 Their transition into the final grade is a
formal ritual.
 The men who are leaving the gada mojji
grade are the fathers of the gada (6), the
class in power & grandfather of first grade
(dabballee)
 After gada mojji men become jarsa, retired
men.
 1.2.2. Generational Class/Gogesa
 While Gadaa grade works for all members of
tribe, the actual participation of individuals
in Gadaa politics is determined by sub
systems such as Gogessa (Generational class)
, and Luba (age set).
 Generational class might be called by
different terminology in different Oromo
tribes.
 For examples, among the Guji it’s called
Miseensa, while among the Borana it is
known as Gogessa.
 Cont…
 The Gogessa/miseensa implies patrilineal,
generational set, of which the prime Abbaa
Gadaa is drowning every eight years.
 each have five generational classes in which all
individuals belong to one.
• The names of gogessa are difrent among Oromo tribes
Maqaalee Gogeessota Gadaa shanan kan gosoota Oromoo gurguddoo
shananii
Sabboo-Goonaa Gujii Maccaa- Ituu-Humbaana Sikkoo-Mando
Tuulama
1 Moggisa Harmuufa Birmajii Horataa Birmajii

2 Sabbaqa Roobalee Michillee Dibbaqa Roobalee

3 Makula Muudana Halchiisa Dibbeessa Bahaara

4 Daraara Halchisa Malba/horata Fadata Horata/Warata

5 Mardiida Dhallana Roobalee Daraar Bultuma

 Cont…
• Boranas Cont… Gada parties/gogessa
I. Moggisa 1. Mogisa

II. Sabbaka 5.Mardida

2.
Sabbaka

III. Libasa 3.Darara 3. Libasa

IV. Darara
V. Mardida
 According to the generational class, the Gadaa
power rotate in circles among these five groups
of lineages (which include the whole tribe by the
way) each consecutive eight years.
 If each class has to reign 8 years, it means it
takes 40 years for the Gadaa power to return to
the same lineage.
 Which children of current Gadaa in power are
their Dabale (1st grade), and when their father
finish the Gadaa system and enter Gadaamojji,
the son is also approached Gadaa grade
• 1.2.3. Age sets
• Age set is group uniting all men born during a
certain time span; this group controls
property and often has political and military
functions (Kottak,2010).
• Males born in the same eight-year period
belong to an age-set.
• Age set are also called by the lineage name of
ilmaan, meaning (the children of.).
• The age set is associated with the Gadaa that
establish it.
• Thus, Abba Gadaa is considered as the head of
its set.
• The age set has to move together,
preform ritual together, celebrate
together.
• The congregation and companionship of
age set is called Yaa’a.
• Yaa’a can literary be defined as flow or
flood, referring to the large number of
people of Gadaa(the companions) who
move/flow together in order to fulfil the
purpose of Gadaa system.
 1.4. Gadaa as an example of Classical African
Civilization
• Gadaa is an invaluable ancient civilization
that the Oromo offered to the world as an
intangible cultural heritage.
• Some scholars suggest that as one of the
Afro- Asiatic speaking peoples, the Oromo
formed part of the ancient Egyptian
civilization.
• The Oromo concept of peace in particular
parallels those of ancient Egyptians.
 Cont..
• Charles Verharen writes, “Like ancient
Egyptians, the Oromo share the idea that all
humans are subject to a universal principle of
harmony and order, nagaa from the elected
leaders of the Gadaa to the lowliest herd boy.”

• The Oromo concept of nagaa which means

peace, health, balance, order, harmony and
justice, corresponds to the ancient Egyptian
concept of maat which is “peace, harmony,
order, balance that must characterize our
responsibility to the continuance of life.
• Accordingly, the Oromo might have
actively involved in the civilizations that
appeared in ancient Egypt and Meroe.
• Moreover, engraved stone with kallachaa
archaeological discovery in Sudan shows
that either the Oromo had lived in Sudan
in the former period or Kushites who lived
at the site had been practicing the same
culture as Oromo which manipulates as
one part of African classical civilization.
 Cont…
• The concept Gadaa could refer to the
whole system, the eight-year period of
government or the class in power.
• It refers to the whole system of
governance that entails social, economic,
political and religious life of the society.
• It is a complex system in which the Oromo
were divided into age groups and enjoyed
rights and disposed duties and
responsibilities.
1.5. Preservation and Promotion of Gadaa system

 Today the Gadaa institutions have been

preserved among the Borana and Guji clans
of the Oromo nation.
 As late as the 19th century, the Gadaa
system was still a living institution among the
Tulama Oromo in central Oromia.
 There is some historical evidence that in the
16th century, one system of Gadaa class
governed the whole of the Oromo nation.
 Cont…
However, without refining and restoring elements
of the original Oromo political culture of Gadaa,
the Oromo society cannot fully develop
Oromummaa, which is absolutely necessary to
achieve national self-determination, statehood,
and democratic governance.

Intangible cultural heritage, as a factor of

promoting and developing cultural and national
identity, is the focus of attention of the UNESCO
and other international organizations specializing
in the protection and promotion of culture and
tourism, thereby generating tourism demand.
 Chapter Two: Social Structures and
Organizations in Gadaa System
2.1. Gender and Age
• gender is the multiple ways in which
maleness and femaleness are perceived,
evaluated and stratified in a society.
• In addition concerning the word gender by
citing Gayle Rubin he stated, a feminist
anthropologist who brought the term ‘gender’
into contemporary use defines it as “a socially
imposed division of the sexes” and as a
deliberate transformation of “males and
females into ‘men and women”
44
 Gender and Gadaa
• Within the Oromo cultural practices, there are laws
or legalities and various other manifestations of
gender stereotypes that directly or indirectly
reinforce gendered culture.
• In areas where the Gada System is active or a
powerful socio-political institution, as in Borana
and Guji there have been forces of law governing
gender and other relationships between members
of the society.

• In areas where the Gada System and butta ritual

be came to law are ample tacit social value systems
that still enforce gender ideology.
• According to Oromo world view, Mother is
symbolized as earth, for giving birth to bringing up
and tolerance. So, the laws of Gada respect and
treat them. 45
 Cont…
• The Oromoo people have a tradition that gives
priority for women in different indigenous rituals
such as Engicha is celebrated by girls and Atete is
celebrated by women.
• Dejene, (2002:44) argued with other scholars;
women have roles to play in the ritual practices
embedded in the Gadaa system.
• Women are not excluded from Gada system, but
only from age grade.
• Women cannot enter into Gadaa age grade because
they are married at certain age in the middle of their
stay which forces them to join another clan.
46
 Cont…
• On the other hand, each age grade has roles and
responsibilities which often require separation from
home and marching to distant and desert areas.
• Because of their social responsibility (nurturing children)
however, women cannot do this.
• For instance, when husband became dhaloota, his wife
became dhaloota/Kalaalee; Luba serves for both husband
and wife.
• Unlike other gada age grades, the final one differentiates
in names for men and women. Gadamoojjii and Cifiree is
known for husband and wife respectively.
• Thus, they perform their duties in line with their
respective age grades.

47
Females duties in the families and Buttaa
rituals
• In Boorana, all families have their duties and
responsibilities. From among these:
• Constructing hut or house is a responsibility of women.
• Their knowledge and abilities are examined by the hut
they constructed.
• But this is not allowed for unmarried females.
• According to this idea constructing house was females
responsibility among Boorana Ormoo.
• Furthermore, according to Kuwee, (1997), the Oromo
women had been given a shelter in the Gada system.
Accordingly, the Abba Gada was given a siiqqee, ritual
stick, to take home for his wife by the Qallu, the
spiritual leader.
• The siiqqee was granted her to use whenever she
performs important ritual performances and to
symbolize her feminine rights and respects.
48
 2.1.1. Addooyyee
Addooyyee is the sisterhood or friendship institution
established by girls of the same mate during their
adolescence age.
Addooyyee institution has social, normative and
regulative structure that persisted by laws, rules, beliefs
and behavioral roles of the Oromo.

It especially derived from gadaa system in which its

principles focuses on gender equality which addooyyee
institution is one version of gadaa in relation to equality.
It is promise made between two and more girls to be
close friend, to repute each other, to help each other,
to love each other and not to call each other by their
respective name; instead, to call each other addooyyee

49
 Cont…
• Adooyyee sometimes called hiriyyee or
saakumee (close friend); however,
addooyyee is prevalent and formal term
used to embody the concept.
• After the establishment of the addooyyee
between girls, they do not call each other
by their name; they call each other
addooyyee throughout their life.
• The friendship established between girls
through addooyyummaa (addooyyee’ness
or friendship) is not short time friendship,
it is lifelong friendship.
50
 Establishment of Addooyyee Institution
• During establishing addooyyee institution, girls come
together and take a promise of addooyyummaa. The
addooyyee can be established between girls who have
blood relation and also those who do not.
• The promise has cultural procedure and practice.
They practice it at the river when they fetch water or
collect firewood.
• After deciding to be addooyyee for each other, they
come to the river where the callaadduu (tall grass
which grows at riverbank) grows and uproot it.
• By holding the callaadduu they take the promise oath.
Callaadduu is green and beautiful and it symbolizes
happiness and harmony relation of girls in their life.

51
 2.1.2. Siiqee/siinqee
• The Siqqee is:
• Basically, is a stick given by the mother of
daughter to be married
– the Oromo women's institution.
– It is a parallel institution to the gada system.
– The cultural meaning of siiqqee, is used to defend
Oromo women's rights in the society.
– Is also used to maintain safuu (ethical code) of
Waaqa (God) and the society.
– has enabled Oromo women to have control over
their sexuality and fertility, and to maintain their
social rights and religious and moral authority to
deter men from infringing upon their rights.
52
• Kuwee Kumsa (1997) argues Oromo women
have maintained some values of this institution
to protect human dignity and to struggle for
national liberation, gender equality, and social
justice.

• Further, she demonstrates how some Oromo

women still use some tactics of siiqqee
rebellion and punishment to resist male
domination, and how they use original Oromo
religion to Oromize Christianity and Islam.
• She argues that the resilience of the siiqqee
institution is obvious in the current struggle of
Oromo women for national liberation and
gender equality.

53
 Cont…
• The ulee sinqee is a special stick which a
woman who gets legally married will receive on
her wedding day.
• The shape of the sinqee stick varies from place
to place; in the eastern lowlands of Bale it is a
straight stick, in the western part the upper part
is formed like a fork.
• The sinqee is considered as “a woman’s weapon”,
symbolizing the respect and the power that a
married woman has: The sinqee stick is given to
a woman in order to protect her rights
• If a woman has a sinqee she has to be respected.
Nobody should fight with her. The sinqee stick is
important and related to the rules and
regulation of marriage.
54
• There are forms of marriages which
are based on sinqee, and there are
marriages that are not based on
sinqee. In the kadhacha form of
marriage, sinqee is important.
• If there is marriage by force (butta)
this is not by sinqee. People will say
“Sinqeen gurguran” (She is married by
sinqee). If a woman is married based
on sinqee, she has full rights. She is
formally married. If she is married
without sinqee she has no power in
her husband’s family.
55
 Cont…
• The sinqee has traditionally been used on a number of
different occasions: During religious ceremonies, in
particular when women go for Ateete – a religious
women-only ceremony.
• Women will march to a nearby riverbank where they
will pray to God. This is in particular done when the
community faces problems, such as:
– lack of rain,
– infertility,
– disease among human and livestock and in times of political
instability and war.
– If a woman is insulted, intimidated or sexually abused.
– If a husband beats his wife or insults her during her pregnancy
or during the qanaffa.
– When there are conflicts between clans (gosa).
– During marriage ceremonies.
 Cont…
• Important to note is that siinqee not merely
is a term for a material symbol, it also refers
to an institution, to a women’s organization
totally excluding men, which has both
religious and political functions.
• The word sinqee is thus often used to
describe various mobilizations conducted by
women, yet the term ateete is also applied.
• Ateete or sinqee seems interchangeably to
refer both to religious marches as well as to
political mobilizations conducted when
women’s rights or perhaps more correct to
say, women’s wayyuu has been violated.
57
 Chapter Three: Laws and Governance in Gadaa
 The Oromo term for "law" is derived from the verb seeruu, meaning "to
forbid".
 The term heera is used in the eastern part of Oromo land.
 The Oromo distinguish between two types of laws:
• the laws of God (seera Waaqaa) and
• the laws of man (seera namaa).
 Accordingly, the laws of man are derived from the laws of God
 It is by the law of Waaqa that all things are born, grow, become old and die
The laws of God are the eternal and immutable laws of
Nature:
 The dry season has its time and length; the rainy season has its time
and length; the cool season has its time to come.
 Natural law provides man with one of the bases for secular law.
 The laws of man however also have divine origins.
 They are believed to be revealed to man through the prophets
(raaga),Waaqa is therefore the ultimate source of all laws,
whether natural or human.
58
 3.1. Gadaa System and Natural
Environment
• Gadaa system is not only complex
institutional organization that embraced the
Oromo peoples’ political, social, economic
and religious life in entirety, but also highly
embedded in natural environment in one way
or another.
• The embedment is emanated from the
Oromo worldviews that state Waaqaa (God) as
creator of all living and non-living things.
• In Oromo cosmology, this belief system is
used as a basic ground for inextricable
connection between Gadaa system and
natural environment.
59
 Cont…
• Practically, the link and embedment of
Gadaa system to natural features can be
understood in different dimensions and
contexts.
– For instance, the practices and rituals in Gadaa
system are interlinked with natural features
such as land, forests, tree, water, domestic
animals and wild animals in one way or
another.
• The details are discussed as the following:

60
 3.1.1 Gadaa System and Land
• According to Oromo Gadaa system, land is a
mother of all creatures that have been living on it.
• All living things and non-living things are
sprouted and based on it since the land
formation.
• Land is respected and treated in due
respect since it gives livelihoods for survival
of human kinds and animals.
• Land is seen as the most precious and
sacred gift that Waaqaa gave to human 61

societies so that they would carefully utilize

and manage it.
Cont…
• According to Oromo narrations in Gadaa
system “Waaqaafi latti/lafti angafa waan
hundaati” meaning God and land are senior
of all things in the universe.
• Oromo people believe that this elder hood
can philosophically be understood in terms
of infinite age, powerful grace and
everlasting nature of land and God.
• The practice of vowing by the name of land
has been traced back to the worldviews of
Gadaa system that gives land special
respect and reverence.
62
 Cont…
On the other hand, even though land is
perceived as a great gift for human kinds
from Waaqaa, there are some areas of land
that are set aside for special practices and
rituals of Gadaa system since the time
immemorial.
• The process of setting some natural areas
aside for cultural purposes in Gadaa system
is known as Woyyoomsuu/sacralization.
• The land sacralised in this way is usually
known as Ardaalee Jilaa or lafa Woyyuu/
sacred natural sites or sacred shrines. 63
 Cont…
• In Oromo worldviews, the land once sacralised
and identified for rituals and traditions of
Gadaa system can never be utilized for other
purposes like farm and other activities except
for grazing.
• Numerous sacred shrines of Oromo
community exist in various parts of Oromo
land, even though it is relatively being
preserved and sustained in Gujii and Booranaa
Oromo than other areas.
– For instance, in Gujii case, various rituals and
events of Gadaa system are organized as per the
tradition in more than three hundred seventy six
sacred shrines.

64
 Cont…
• The major sacred shrine of Guji Oromo where
Gadaa power transition is peacefully performed
in every eight year is known as Me’ee Bokkoo.
• In Guji Oromo, this area is not only Gadaa
power handover site, but also it is the sacred
site for performance of different traditional
rituals.
• The ritual like thanks giving, supplications,
formulation of customary laws and making oral
declarations are made at Oromo sacred shrines.
• Because, Oromo people believe that “Ardaaleen
Jilaa kan namaafi kan waaqaati” meaning, sacred
shrine are commonly belonged to human kinds
and God. 65
 Cont…
• According to this belief system, Waaqaa
attentively listens to the supplication made in
sacred shrines since the supplication in the
place is accompanied by thanks giving and
sacrifices rituals.
• Based on the traditional values attached to
these sacred natural sites/shrines, the Oromo
people highly revere and respect them.
• Concerning the future fate of Oromo sacred
land, there have been customary laws, oral
declarations and taboos that mainly govern it.
– For instance the activities like urinating, defecating,
having sexual intercourse particularly disvirgining
the girl, farming, burning the area, spitting, burying
dead body, quarrelling with someone and crying
for dead person are strictly forbidden at Oromo
sacred land. 66
 3.1.2 Gadaa Norms towards Trees and Forests
• In Oromo Gadaa system, single trees as well as
dense forests are believed as wear of land that
was given by Waaqaa to cover its nakedness.
• In Oromo people, there is belief system that
perceives God and Earth as having husband
and wife relationship respectively.
• In this sense, God is responsible to protect and
safely keep the land from unwanted degradation
and damage by sprouting trees and dense
forests on it.
• Based on this belief, Gadaa system usually
reinforces the conservation of forests through
customary practices, belief systems, taboos
and traditional laws.
67
 Cont…
• Basically, in Gadaa system, forests are
conserved for different economical and
socio-cultural importance.
• Economically, the forests are protected for
sheltering of livestock and serving as source
of food during drought.
• The Oromo pastoral communities move their
livestock through the forest areas during long
dry season and drought to save their
livestock from drought driven problems.
• In addition to economic importance, forests
have medicinal value among Oromo people
since the different woods, plants, bushes and
tendrils exist in. 68
 Cont…
• Not only forests, but also single trees have
special values in Gadaa system. Trees are
vital natural feature and cultural element.
Some of the trees are considered as sacred
due to their traditional importance.
– For instance, Odaa (Sycamore) tree is believed
as sacred and respected in Oromo Gadaa
system, due the mythical backgrounds and
cultural significances it entails.
• The shadow of Odaa is considered as both
central government hall where Gadaa
assembly met and sacred place where ritual
activities are organized.
69
 3.1.3 Gadaa System and Water
• Water has cultural values in Oromo Gadaa system.
• The respect for the water is emanated from the
valuable functions it offers to human societies and
animals in multidimensional ways.
• Water is a source of survival for all living things. As
a result, Oromo govern and conserve the water
points and its courses by customary laws and
indigenous declarations.
– Eg. During balli transfer at Me’ee Bokko, Yuubaa’s
(senior elders who have already transferred power to
the next Gadaa party and work as mentors, lawmakers
and declarers) of Guji Oromo declare the customary
laws regarding protection and management of Malkaa
(water points and its courses).
70
 Cont…
• They say Malkaan Woyyuu santi seera:
meaning Malkaa is sacred, that is a law.
• This law is declared in the moment of power
transition at sacred natural sites.
• On the other hand, Malkaa is a center for
different rituals such as Dhibaayyuu (libation)
and Irreechaa (thanks giving ritual) in Gadaa
system.
• Dhibaayyuu is a ritual of Oromo whereby Milk,
Honey, Barley and Coffee beans are poured
down at the sacred place and watercourses
while Yaa’aa (Gadaa councillors) cross the
Malkaa.
71
 Cont…
• This implies the supplications and thanks giving
ritual to Waaqaa to propitiate him.
• Similarly, the Irrechaa is thanks giving annual
festival of Oromo people.
• This ritual is marked in at Hora Arsadii and Hora
Finfiinnee in the beginning of October every year.
• The main purpose of this ritual is offering thanks
and propitiating Waaqaa who keeps and protects
people in the time of heavy rain season before
October, as Oromo believe.
• Generally, water is not only source of human
survival, but also cultural hotspot in Oromo Gadaa
system.
72
3.1.4. Gadaa System and Animals
• Gadaa system is connected to either domestic or
wild animals in multiple ways.
• The rituals in Gadaa system such as slaughtering
for sacrifice (qalmaa), libation (dhibaayyuu),
foretelling what would happen in the future, giving
back sacred power to Waaqaa and others rituals
are linked to animals in one way or another.
• In Gadaa system, the councillors perform
slaughtering ritual to thank and propitiate Waaqaa
under the sacred trees that are set aside for this
purpose. Usually, they slaughter a bull for different
ritual purposes.
• The rituals are performed for different purposes in
Gadaa system, even though it is broadly
categorized as thanks giving and supplication
oriented rituals. 73
 Cont…
• Libation (dhibaayyuu) ritual is also performed
by products of cattle, particularly, by milk.
• The milk is typical element used for libation
ritual in Oromo Gadaa system.
• While crossing the Malkaa, Gadaa councils pour
down fresh milk in the water and bless Waaqa.
This ritual is usually connected with cattle milk
in the manner that demonstrate inextricable
link between Gadaa system and cattle.
• This means Oromo people have been practicing
the knowledge of foretelling to identify the
potential threats like drought, war, prosperity,
peace, and abundance and so on.
• Generally, practices and rituals in Gadaa system
are directly or indirectly associated with
various animals for different cases. 74
3.2. Sacred Natural Site (Ardaa Jilaa)
and Its Practices
• Sacred natural site-
– implies a part of physical environment which is
identified for socio-cultural practices and rituals
across the globe.
– sacred natural sites could serve as historical and
cultural heritage, center of ancestral
commemorations, center of worship, center for
purification traditions as well as center for rituals.
– In case of Oromo Gadaa system, sacred natural
sites are understood as any physical feature
identified and ordained for practices and rituals
of Gadaa system.
 Cont…
• There are numerous sacred natural sites
locally known as Ardaalee Jilaa or Lafa
Woyyuu in Oromiya region
• The Oromo sacred natural sites are very
respected and treated as the shrines,
because over all traditions and rituals in
Gadaa system are performed at these
sites.
– Eg. Me’ee Bokkoo- the Guji Oromo Gadaa
power transitions site every eight years,
 Cont…
Class activity
1. What do we mean by sacred?
2. What sacred natural sites mean?
3. List all sacred natural sites in your locality
and share to your class room
4. Describe the functions of sacred natural
sites in your vicinity/locality
5. Discuss the indigenous mechanism of
preserving sacred natural sites in your
vicinity
3.3 Law of Protecting the Environments
• In Gadaa system,
– the customary laws are formulated and
amended by Gumii – Gadaa assemble at
sacred sites.
– these laws regulate the human-environmental,
human-to-human as well as human to
supernatural relation
– everyone should protect and preserve the
environment
 Cont….
-Deegrading the forest, cutting down big trees,
closing the ways to water points (Daandii Malkaa),
killing wild animals are few examples among
highly forbidden actions in Gadaa system.
• The violation of this law is punishable as
stated in Gadaa system
• In case if someone settled in sacred natural
sites or negligently degrade the natural
forests, Gadaa bring the violator to the
customary court (Hayyuu) to deal the issue
and pass the decision.
 Summery of Gadaa Norms and laws
• Issues Related to Environment:
– Ritual places are sacred. No one is permitted
to settle and farm such a place. Any one
found done these will be punished.
– River is wayyu (sacred). No one is permitted
to pollute water, neither any one permitted to
interrupt the flow of river for any purpose.
– Road is wayyu. Road should not be closed.
– Trees should not be cut without purpose.
When necessary, one needs keeping its value
– They are life giving and have life.
 Issues related to marriage

– Abduction is forbidden
– Marriage should be either with the agreement
of the couples or the parents.
– Marriage within the clan is strictly forbidden
– Marriage with one’s mother or daughter
generations is not allowed.
– family cases must be traditionally settled
 Issues related to human right

– Sexual assault is strictly forbidden

– violation of others right is not allowed
– boys have right
– Girls are equal with boys and have
equal right to learn.
 Issues related respect
– Mother deserves respect
– Father deserves respect
– elders deserves respect
– Gadaa deserves respect
• Issues Related to animals:
• All animals both domestic ad wild have
right.
• So no one is allowed to harm them in
unjust manner.
3.4 Sacredness of Gadaa Leaders and
Symbolic Materials
• In Gadaa structure, Abbaa Gadaas and Yaa’aa
(Gadaa councils) are the most sacred individuals
who owe special respect.
• Abbaa Gadaa is usually approached respectfully in
humble approach; no one is expected to
disrespect him.
• He is considered as the man who has mystical
power that can make curses and blesses effective.
• It is strictly forbidden to insult, abject, simplify,
humiliate and gossip Abbaa Gadaa and his
councils in the system, even with absence of them,
because the Waaqaa who hears the evil words
spoken against Abbaa Gadaa would punish the
 Cont…
• There are respecting words used only for Abbaa
Gadaas for their sacredness.
• For instance, to tell the death of Abbaa Gadaa to
another person, one must say “Abbaan Gadaa
ebelu ‘ Gorora liqinse” literally meaning the Abbaa
Gadaa whose name is Mr X has swig down his
saliva”
• Abbaa Gadaa has different symbolic materials like,
– Kallachaa (phallic material tied on forehead)- Kallchaa
indicates power of being Gadaa leader or reign
– Bokkuu (sacred scepter stick) sometimes known as
Horooraa and different ornamental materials on his
hand such as Micciirraa.
 Cont…
• class Activity
1.What are symbolic materials you know at
your area?
2.What do these materials demonstrate?
 3.5.Gadaa and Peace
• Gadaa system is system of peace, peace
sustaining and peace building.
• In Oromo Gadaa system, peace is not lack of
war, but it is a holistic harmony of people with
the local fellows, natural environments and
Waaqaa.
• Peace is not a free gift rather there must be a
continuous aspiration and prayer for existence
and sustainability of peace by the community.
• Some rituals are made to supplicate Waaqaa
for prevalence of human beings peace,
livestock peace, and environmental peace.
 Cont…
• Peace of Human being is:
– the peace that exists in family setting, among
neighbours and local context,
• Livestock peace is
– prosperity and fertility of livestock,
– abundant pastureland with safe grazing system and
– availability of milks and butter in the expected manner.
• The environmental peace indicates:
– the absence of damaging locust,
– absence of wildfire that damage niches,
– absence or farness of wild carnivores’ animals that
would eat cattle, goat, sheep, donkey and other
domestic animals.
• Generally, Oromo Gadaa system entails peace and gives
priorities to it all the time.
 3.6. Kinship structures in Gadaa system
• The kinship structure in traditional Oromo
society followed a similar conceptual
patterning.
• It consisted of five steps, progressing from
the level of the particular family to that of
the people or nation as a whole:
Ibidda-
Warra-
Balbala-
Mana-
 1. Ibidda:

The particular or nuclear family is

referred to as ibidda, literally
meaning "fire".
Fire is a common metaphor used to
designate the family in Oromo, in
particular the wife.
For without a wife there can be no
home, and no home without a fire.
The expression ibidda isaatu
dhaame "his fire went out" is used
on the death of a man's wife
 2. Warra:
• Second level of kinship relations,
comparable to the minimal lineage, was
the extended or joint family, referred to
as warra.
• In Oromo the notion of 'family' is slightly
different to that in English.
• Warra refers to blood relations rather
than cohabitation.
 3. Balbala:
refer to those of the minor lineage
• These are termed balbala in Oromo, literally
meaning "door".
• The difference between warra and balbala is
one of degree.
• Balbala is inclusive in terms of lineage,
whereas warra refers to particular families in
the same lineage group.
 4. Mana:
At the fourth level is situated the mana or "
house''.
• This refers to a coherent clan grouping found
on both sides of the moiety divisions of the i.e.
, Sabbo and Goona.
5. Gosa: At the highest level of the Oromo
kinship structure is found the gossa, or group.
• people of the same "gene" or "seed".
• the general frame of blood relationships, and
that they are only really relevant at the lowest
level of conception, tending to become
progressively more fluid at the higher levels
of the structure.
 Traditional Oromo Concept of Organisation
– household-shanacha-olla -reera-dheeda-Gadaa
• Among the traditional Oromo Booran, the
primary unit of organisation is the
household.
• These households are grouped to form
what are known shanacha or homesteads.
• It is then clusters of such shanacha that
constitute the olla or settlement.
• The further clustering of several olla in an
area build up to form a unit of reera.
 Cont…
• Several reera then join to form what is
known as district groups or dheeda.
• Finally these dheeda, which are
composed of all the members of the
Boorana Oromo society come under the
rule of the Gadaa socio-political system
 3.7. Organs of Gadaa
administration
• Gadaa System embraces three
governance institutions that are similar to
modern government bodies.
• For instance, the Oromo, particularly,
Borana Gadaa system also incorporates
the General Assembly (the gumi ), Gadaa
Council (the Adula) and Gadaa justice
system.
A. Gadaa General Assembly[Gumi gayo]
(Legislative body)
• The Gadaa General Assembly is the house"
of deliberation and adoption of new rule
or amendment of laws in which the
concept of seera (laws) properly applies.
• While the ultimate executive power
resides in the hand of the Gadaa Council
(Adula), the ultimate legislative authority
rests on the supreme Gadaa General
Assembly (Asmarom1973;
 Cont…
• Gadaa General Assembly (gumi gayo) is
vested with the powers of legislature,
undertakes law reforms, reiterates old laws
and enacts new ones.
• Noted for its freedom of expression and
attendance, the assembly tends to curb the
excesses of all members, be they high and
mighty or lowly and ordinary.
• Persistent disputes, which were unsettled
for their gravity or complexity, are brought
before an open air court for the community
to contribute their wisdom towards its
solution (Wako1997:647-648).
 Cont…
 its participants and the nature of the assembly.
 first, \seats" are reserved for the semi-retired
Gadaa leaders (i.e. ex-presidents and ex-vice-
presidents will be member of the Gadaa General
Assembly).
 That is Gadaa leaders' career could not be put to
an end just after eight years of service.
 they shall become legal advisors for their
experience matters to the legislative body, i.e.
Gadaa General Assembly.
 in the mid-term of the president's term once
Gadaa General Assembly checks over the
performance of the Gadaa Council in power
 Cont…
• elected members of Gadaa Council but waiting to
take power (de facto Gadaa leaders) are
members of the Gadaa General Assembly.
• every time the president in power is checked by
the Gadaa General Assembly, in the mid of his
term office, he had to face ex-members Gadaa
Council and the waiting Abba Gadaa.
• In other terms checks and balance would arise
from the six presidents (that is, one ex-president,
two ex-vice-presidents, one incoming president,
and two incoming vice-presidents) against the
president and his cabinet (the Gadaa Council) in
power.
 Cont…
• the Gadaa General Assembly serve also as the
house of \unity" and adjudicates cases involving
group (clan) interests as a final authority.
• Thus its supremacy is not limited to legislative or
political only but it also owes supreme judicial power.
• Asmarom notes in this respect that one of the main
function of the Gadaa General Assembly is to \re-
examine the laws of the land, reiterate the in public,
to make new laws if necessary, and to settle
disputes that were not resolved by lower levels in
their judicial organisation" (Asmarom 2006: 211).
 Cont…

• Another distinct feature of the Gadaa

General Assembly is that it is \open to
everyone" who has vested interest in the
issues the assembly delivers on or anyone
who has the knowledge of Gadaa System,
Gadaa legal history and any one who
want to contribute his own part.
B. Gadaa Council (Executive Body)
• In Gadaa System the highest executive office is
entrusted to Gadaa Council.
• the Gadaa Council consists of six leaders: one
Abba Gadaa, two vice Abba Gadaas and three
senior Gadaa councillors.
• The nature of Gadaa Council resembles to
the\government by committee"
• Furthermore, in Gadaa System, an outgoing
Abbaa Gadaa has the mandate to appoint of six
additional junior councillors (garba) from among
all Gadaa parties to thereby ensure balanced
opposition among all Gadaa parties
Powers and Functions of Gadaa Council and
Abbaa Gadaa
• Abba Gadaa enjoys the highest political
authority in executive branch of the Gadaa
traditional government.
• However, the relationship among the
members of the Gadaa Council is not
hierarchical. Rather members of the Gadaa
Council exercise powers jointly and severally.
• this does not mean that there is no job
description attributed to each member of
the Gadaa Council.
 Cont…
• As a president of the Borana Abba Gadaa summon and
preside over the Gadaa Council.
• The Abba ensures the presence of all members of the
Gadaa Council during the council's session and he may
take disciplinary action against the Gadaa Council
absentees according to seera goro (code of conduct")
• the Abbaa Gadaa shall oversee the deliberations carried
out by the Gadaa councillors and he hammers out (tumaa
seeraa) the law.
• It is the mandate of Abba Gadaa to bring disagreements
among Gadaa councillors in to end. However, unlike in the
modern governance where a single leader can decide or
pass an order, the Gadaa Council demand the consensus
of all of its members to pass a decision that prevails over
the Borana people.
 Cont…
 Powers and functions of the Gadaa Council are:
• Commander in chief: During wars with
neighbouring ethnic groups the Abba Gadaa and
his cabinet discuss and decides whether to wage
war or not. Where a stand is taken to wage a war,
it has to be in collaboration with the raba (the fith
Gadaa Grade).
• Approval of capital punishment: punishments
such as: banning an offender or a group of people
belonging to one the Borana clans from accessing
water wells, expulsion (banishing from Borana
land) shall be authorised by the Gada Council.
•
 Cont…
• Ensure the peace of Borana (\nagaa Boranaa"):
• Ensuring the overall social order, implementation of
customary laws and implementation of the laws
enacted by the Gadaa General Assembly.
• Protect and defend the Gada System:
• The Gada class in power through its Abba Gadaa looks
after the well functioning of the Gadaa system. The
character and determination of Abba Gadaa during his
term office and his courage not to forgo his people for
his own personal profit are core values.
• Final resolution on unsettled cases:
• The more unjust, incompetent, or litigious the leaders
are the less likely that the case of conflict come before
them.
• the Abba Gadaa in power serves as the presiding
councillor under normal circumstances and holds the
power of \cutting" (Asmarom 2006) the debates and
formulating the emergent propositions.
 Cont…
• Cases involving collective interest:
• When conflict breaks out between olla's
(the smallest unit of settlement consisting
of 30 to 100 households (warraa) or ardaa
(small group of ollaas, usually two or three
only, who may cooperate together on their
grazing pattern), or madda (area
surrounding one water source), then the
Abbaa Gadaa will rule on the case (Dirribi
2011; Asmarom 2006).
• Gadaa Council, as an organ of Gadaa
government, has the power to dispose
 Cont…
• Ensure the economic wellbeing of the
Oromo:
• It is the responsibility of Gadaa Council to
contribute to the economic wellbeing
• For instance, the Gadaa Council has to
mobilise workers to help maintain principal
well complexes which are so essential for
the Boran pastoral life
• The role of Abba Gadaa in the excavation
of water wells is also very critical.
 Cont…
• Preside over the Gumi (Gadaa General
Assembly):
• Abba Gadaa shall maintain, during the Gadaa
General Assembly sessions, the order and
peace of the general assembly.
 C. Gadaa Justice System (Judiciary body)
• Oromo handle the issue of justice at various levels
• Issues may also vary from breach of smallest taboo to
serious offenses.
• Cases are usually settled by clan elders at two levels;
Qee'ee Milloo (lineage level court) and Qee'ee gosaa
(clan level court). With the exception of a few, most
cases are not taken beyond clan level" (Arsano 1997: 45)
.
• The Gadaa customary law (seera-aadaa) conflicts were
used to be set right by mutual understandings, blessing
and forgiveness.
• Customary justice system embraces communal-
reparative and restorative justice systems than
individual punitive and retributive (State Justice) system.
 Cont…
• The purpose of Gadaa customary trial system is,
in principle, not to ascertain who committed the
offence; rather it is why the offence was
committed and how it can be rectified.
• Second, there is deeply rooted norm of
forgiveness among the Oromo. Forgiveness is
part of their customary laws|which brings the
offender and the victim (if alive) face to face and
it encourages the family of the victim forgive to
the family of the offender.
• This has the power of healing the wound and
ultimately it restores the peace the people believe
in beyond the modern court's reasoning and
adjudication.
 Cont…
• there is no need to imprison an offender
even if he was found guilty; rather s/he
shall remain in the community and pay
compensation for the damage caused.
• In cases of serious offenses, however, an
offender shall banished from the Borana
`country'.
 Activity
1. Discuss one of the following customary
conflict resolution in Gadaa system
a. Gumaa b. Jaarsummaa c. Siinqee
 Chapter 4
4.1. Rituals and performances in Gada system
• The Oromo ritual performance as part of
exercising spiritual life is the sharing of the
blessing of the harvest.
• Ritualistic life in the context of the Gada
system functions as ideological discourse
and service as a tool for influencing,
fostering benevolence and regulation of
inner life of the society
• The role and/ function of ritual
performance can be explained in terms of
human needs to maintain social regulation
 Cont…
• Like other sub-Saharan Africans, the
Oromo have developed sophisticated ritual
practice, which enable them to
demonstrate moral strength, spiritual
values and religious convictions.
• The traditional ritual ceremonies and
festivals are lead by the most senior
qaalluu called Abbaa Muudaa, literally, the
anointed father or leader of pilgrimage;
who has selected on the bases on his
intelligence, sound judgement, honest and
spiritual quality.
 Ateetee
• One of the well known festival of the Gadaa
ritualized tradition.
• Is popularly known as aayyoo/aayyolee,
literally the mother, who is a symbol of
forgiveness.
• Stresses the blessing of God the continuity
of peaceful orderly life and fertility in the
household for-both cattle and people.
• The most common symbols of fertility in the
Oromo ateetee include, milk, butter, honey-
wine (bulbulaa) hydromel/ mead (daadhii),
beads (callee), green grasses (irreensa) and
the blood of sacrificed animal.
 Cont…
• Butter as a symbol of abundance has a
deeper meaning in the life of traditional
Oromo.
• Praying or ejecting the hydromel from the
mouth (daadhii biifuu) is another symbol
for blessing one’s life and fertility.
• During the ateetee ritual ceremony, the
chief elder blesses the barren women by
spraying daadhii (hydromel) over them.
• Ateetee ritual is practiced only by women.
• When ever natural disasters occur, women
gather and perform the ritual.
 Cont…
• 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.
 Irreecha/ Thanks giving
• It is one of the most popular festival
which aimed at glorifying God and giving
thanks to him for the harvest, prosperity,
fertility, rain and peace.
• Importantly, such euphoric occasion is
marked by carrying tall and fresh grasses
that are symbol of wealth and new hope;
according to the tradition, the bunch of
grasses have to be placed on ground
where the festival is arranged.
 Cont…
• Celebrate the end of the rainy season and welcome the
harvest season.
• So, Irreechaa is celebrated in two seasons annually:
• Autumn and Springe.
• The irreechaa of birraa (Autumn) is celebrated at
Malkaa/river as a thanks giving of God who pass them
the dark summer and prayer for their future winter.
• Where as the irreechaa of arfaasaa (spring) is
celebrated at the top of hill as a thanks giving of God
who pass them through drought and pray for the future
summer.
• The Irreechaa ceremony is also led by the senior
members of the society and celebrated early summer
in Oromia betwean September and November.
• There is no clear difference between the political
functions of the Gadaa system and the ritual function.
 Cont…
• Gada system is political, providing a
governing body, it also is very ritualistic
and has significant religious importance
• At the end of the transfer of power the
Abbaa Gadaa (father of the Gada power)
passes of the bokku (symbol of power) to
the incoming Abbaa Gadaa and the change
in government is accomplished. Then a
ritual scarifies is performed.
• The new Abbaa Gadaa slaughtered his
butta bull and, depend a branch of green
tree in to the blood of the sacrificed victim
and planted it in the assembly.
 Cont…
• The sacrificial blood symbolized the unity of
the confederacy brothers descending from
common founder, real or factious.
• Some of the mojor Gada ritual centers were:
– Odaa Nabee (East Shoa)
– Odaa Roba (in Baale)
– Madda Walaabuu (South western Baalee)
– Odaa Bissil (West Shoa)
– Odaa Bultum (West Harargee)
– Odaa Bulluq (Horroo Guduruu)
 Cont…
– Odaa el Dalloo (Liiban)
– Odaa Doggii (Salgan Iluu)
– Odaa Hullee (Jiimma)…
• Odaa (sycamore tree) of different kinds
are regarded as an abode of spirit among
the Oromo and used to provide the
Oromo with ritual performance and
praying site.
 Rite of Passage
• Is cultural defined activities associated with
the transition from one lace or stage of life
to another.
• The Gada system as such is ornamented
with several rites of passage, which mark
the end of one grade and the beginning of
new one.
• List of rites of passage:
– Gubbisa/ maqbaasa- the ceremony of name
giving
– Nyaachisa-the feasting rituals, preparation of
warriors
– Godiyaa-the end of Gamme and beginning of
Kuusa
 Cont…
– Bantii-the ritual for the end of Kuusa
– Baallii fuudhan-the beginning of Gadaa
– Gadamoojjii- the end of Gadaa grades.
Chapter Five: Gadaa and the Economy

2.5 Socio-economic aspects of Gadaa system

• Indigenous social values and customary
practices promote collective conscience.
• It helps the overall wellbeing of the society.
• Similarly, Gadaa values are mainly oriented
towards stability and cohesion of the
society.
• Gadaa system has several importances for
overall system of the Oromo society.
 Cont…
• Furthermore, community spirit under
Gadaa system is very strong. For this
reason, people would like to look out for
one another and care for each other with
full trust.
• Supporting local and regional networks of
traditional practitioners and community
exchanges can help to disseminate useful
and relevant Indigenous knowledge and to
enable communities to participate more
actively in the development process.
 Cont…
• Social values and customary practices pay
particular attention towards development
and sustainable progress of a given society.
• Indigenous social values and customary
practices can assure economic wellbeing of
the society via cooperative work and
division of labour.
• Societies oriented towards proper
utilization of resource and keen enough
in making sure their basic needs. They
engage in variety of livelihood strategy so
as to maximize their survival and
prosperity.
 Cont…
• Economic welfare of the society to some
extent based on the social values of the
society.
• Under Gadaa system, social values and practices
of the society build cooperation among its actors.
• Even poor individual opt to work cooperatively
with relatively richer households who can afford
all necessary needs to poor individuals.
• The Oromos resource utilization and resource
management highly interlinked with social
values and custom.
• Moreover, social values and custom of the
society appreciate cooperation and coordination
among themselves
 Cont…
Oromo institutions can be better
understood by studying the Oromo concept
of social development (finna).
• As in any society, social changes occur in
Oromo society by combining the cumulative
historical experiences with the
contemporary condition.
• Hence finna “represents the legacy of the
past which each generation inherits from its
forefathers [and foremothers] and which it
transforms; it is the fertile patrimony held in
trust by the present generation which it will
enrich and bequeath to future generations.
 Cont…
• The Oromo concept of social development is
constructed in seven interconnected phases:
Guddina, gabbina, ballina, badhaadha,
hormaata, dagaaga, and dagaa-hoora.
• When guddina indicates an improvement in
cultural life due to the introduction of new
experiences to Oromo society, gabbina
involves the process of integrating
cumulative cultural experiences with
contemporary social conditions through
broadening and deepening the system of
knowledge and worldview.
 Guddina
• Is an improvement in cultural life due to the
introduction of new experiences to Oromo society.
• Gabbina: involves the process of integrating
cumulative cultural experiences with contemporary
social conditions through broadening and
deepening the system of knowledge and worldview.
• Without gadaa or Oromo democracy there cannot
be finna (development), peace, social justice, kao
(freedom, peace, prosperity, success, and
happiness), and safu.
• Gabbina emerges through democracy, peace,
cooperation and consensus of all members of
Oromo society of different levels to improve
economic, cultural, and political conditions.
 Ballina
• Involves the expansion of enriched cultural
and political experiences from Oromo
society to another society through
reciprocity of cultural borrowing and
resources sharing and interdependence,
based on the principles of democracy.
• This is the phase that focuses on foreign
relations.
• It allows Oromo society to involve in
cultural exchange and cooperation with
neighbouring peoples.
 Cont…
• The cumulative experiences of guddina,
gabbina, and ballina lead to the phase of
badhaadha (richness).
• Theoretically badhaadha is a phase at
which the Oromo and their neighbours
who accept their philosophy of social
development obtain peace, prosperity,
and wholeness since there are no
incidences of conflict, poverty, disease,
and natural calamities.
 Hormaata
The dev't stage of Badhadhina leads to
the stage of hormata.
Hormaata is a dev't stage in which people,
animals and other living things reproduce
and multiply because of conducive
conditions, such as the availability of
resource and peace.
 Dagaagina
 Dagaagina is stage of dev't in which dev't cycles are
integrated to maintain even and stable dev't for society.
It usually refers to great achievements.
 It is also the stage in which how the dev't achieved
could be repeated again so that it becomes
sustainable dev't.
 The last developmental stage is Daga-hora in which full
dev't takes place in Oromo society and expands to
neighboring societies.
 Oromo believe that it is only when this achievement
disseminates to other societies, dev't is said real
development.
 Generally, Without gadaa or Oromo democracy there
cannot be finna (development), peace, social justice,
(freedom, prosperity, success, and happiness), and safu.
 Cont…
According to Cambridge advanced learners dictionary,
2003, define dev't as ‘growth, changes or passing from one
stage to the other stage and becoming more advanced’.
Likewise dev't in Oromo is growth and passing from one
stage to the other.
 However there are sharp d/ces b/n Oromo dev't concept
and western dev't concept; the way they seen development
itself.
For many European, dev't is a linear unidirectional move
toward the feature. (one way)
In Oromo development is not linear unidirectional but
cyclical.
The social systems the politics as well as dev't all are
cyclical.
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