The Oromo are a Cushitic ethnic group and nation native to the Oromia region of Ethiopia and Kenya who speak the Oromo language as their mother tongue (also called Afaan Oromoo or Oromiffa), which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and represent 34.5% of Ethiopia’s population.
Oromo used the gadaa system as a form of governance. A leader elected by the gadaa system remains in power for 8 years, with an election taking place at the end of those 8 years. Oromo has traditional religion known as Waaqeffanna, an ancient monotheistic religion.
Origins and nomenclature
The origins and prehistory of the Oromo people before the 16th century are based on Oromo oral tradition. Older and subsequent colonial era documents mention the Oromo people as Galla, which has now developed derogatory connotations, but these documents were generally written by members of other ethnic groups. The first verifiable record mentioning the Oromo people by a European cartographer is in the map made by the Italian Fra Mauro in 1460, which uses the term “Galla”.
Fra Mauro’s term “Galla” is the most used, however, until the early 20th century. The term stated Juxon Barton in 1924, was in use for Oromo people by Abyssinians and Arabs It was a term for a river and a forest, as well as for the pastoral people established in the highlands of southern Ethiopia. This historical information, according to Mohammed Hassen, is consistent with the written and oral traditions of the Somalis. A journal published by International African Institute suggests it is an Oromo word (adopted by neighbours) for there is a word galla “wandering” or “to go home” in their language.
The Oromo never called themselves “Galla” and resist its use because the term is considered derogatory. They traditionally identified themselves by one of their clans (gosas) and now use the common umbrella term of Oromo which connotes “free-born people”. The word Oromo is derived from Ilm Orma meaning “children of Orma”, or “sons of Men”, or “person, stranger”. The first known use of the word Oromo to refer to the ethnic group is traceable to 1893.
After Fra Mauro’s mention, there is a profusion of literature about the peoples of this region including the Oromo, particularly mentioning their wars and resistance to religious conversion, primarily by European explorers, Catholic Christian missionaries. The earliest primary account of Oromo ethnography is the 16th-century “History of Galla” by Christian monk Bahrey who comes from the Sidama country of Gammo, written in the Ge’ez language. According to an 1861 book by D’Abbadie. The Oromo are mentioned as the Galla in several Maps and Historical events. One mention of the Oromo before the (Oromo expansion), was when the Oromo led a campaign against the Sultanate of Ifat the campaign being named Meeshii Dir Dhabe. The Oromo led an expedition against the Cisee Dir clan who inhabited the great city. The Cisse clan would be victorious ending the campaign. The Cisee would rule the city for the next 2 centuries till the expansion/Migration of the Oromo. One inscription of the Oromo from the 14th century notes that the Oromo were inhabiting Ethiopia much before the Oromo migration and founded several Civilisations many of which Wej, Bale, Arsi, Dawaro, as well as others. Sihabudin also mentioned that the Werra Qallo who now inhabit Hararghe, were living in Dawaro much before the Oromo migration. historical evidence, suggests that the Oromo people were already established in the southern highlands in or before the 15th century and that at least some Oromo people were interacting with other Ethiopian ethnic groups. According to Alessandro Triulzi The Oromo would get in contact and interact with the Nilo Saharan Groups.
Historical linguistics and comparative ethnology studies suggest that the Oromo people probably originated around the lakes Lake Chew Bahir and Lake Chamo. They are Cushitic people who have inhabited East and Northeast Africa since at least the early 1st millennium. The aftermath of the sixteenth century Ethiopian–Adal war led Oromos to move to the north. The Harla were assimilated by the Oromo in Ethiopia. While Oromo people have lived in the region for a long time, the ethnic mixture of peoples who have lived here is unclear. The Oromos increased their numbers through Oromization (Meedhicca, Mogasa and Gudifacha), assimilation, and forced assimilation of other ethnic groups, as well as the inclusion of mixed peoples (Gabbaro). The native ancient names of the territories were replaced by the name of the Oromo clans who conquered it while the people were made Gabbaros.