Babal'ina Uumata Oromoo
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In spite of the fact that there are several
indications and evidences that Oromo are
indigenous to this part of Africa, Abyssinian
rulers, court historians and monks contend
that Oromo are newcomers to the region
and did not belong here. For instance, the
Abyssinian court historian, Alaqa Taye
(1955), alleged that in the fourteenth and
sixteenth centuries the Oromo migrated
from Asia and Madagascar, entered Africa
via Mombasa and spread north and
eastwards. Others have advocated that
during the same period the Oromo crossed
the Red Sea via Bab el Mandab and spread
westwards. Abyssinian clergies even
contended that Oromo emerged from water.
On this issue, based on the points made in
The Oromo’s Voice Against Tyranny, Baxter
(1985) remarked, “… the contention that the
first Oromo had actually emerged from
water and therefore, had not evolved to the
same level of humanity as the Amhara (i.e.
treating a myth of origin as a historical
fact); or, more seriously, that Oromo were
latecomers to Ethiopia and hence, by
implication, intruders and not so entitled to
be there as the Amhara.”
The Oromo are one of the Cushitic-speaking
groups of people with variations in color and
physical characteristics ranging from
Hamitic to Nilotic. A brief look at the early
history of some of the peoples who
occupied north-eastern Africa sheds some
light on the ethnic origin of Oromo. The
Cushitic speakers have inhabited north-
eastern and eastern Africa for as long as
recorded history. The land of Cush, Nubia or
the ancient Ethiopia in middle and lower Nile
is the home of the Cushitic speakers. It was
most probably from there that they
subsequently dispersed and became
differentiated into separate linguistic and
cultural groups. The various Cushitic nations
inhabiting north-east and east Africa today
are the result of this dispersion and
differentiation. The Oromo form one of
those groups which spread southwards, and
then east and west occupying large part of
the Horn of Africa. Their physical features,
culture, language and other evidences
unequivocally point to the fact that they are
indigenous to this part of Africa. Available
information clearly indicates that the Oromo
existed as a community of people for
thousands of years in East Africa (Prouty at
al, 1981). Bates (1979) contends, “The
Gallas (Oromo) were a very ancient race, the
indigenous stock, perhaps, on which most
other peoples in this part of eastern Africa
have been grafted.”
The history of the arrival of the Oromo
people in the sixteenth century in East
Africa from outside is a fabrication and
denial of historical facts. It is a myth
created by Abyssinian court historians and
monks, sustained by their European
supporters and which the Ethiopian rulers
used to lay claim on Oromo territory and
justify their colonization of the Oromo
people. Several authorities have indicated
that the Oromo were in fact in the North-
eastern part of the continent even before
the arrival of the Habasha. According to
Perham (1948): “the emigrant Semites
landed in a continent of which the North-
East appears to have been inhabited by the
eastern groups of Hamites , often called
Kushites , who also include the Gallas .”
Paulitschke (1889) indicated that Oromo
were in East Africa during the Aksumite
period. As recorded by Greenfield (1965),
Oromo reject the view that they were late
arrivals, “… old men amongst the Azebu and
Rayya Galla dismiss talk of their being
comparative newcomers.” Their own
(Abyssinians) oral history and legends attest
to the fact that Oromo have been living in
Rayya for a long time. Beke (cited by
Pankurst, 1985-86) quoted the following
Lasta legend: “Menilek, the son of Solomon,
… entered Abyssinia from the East, beyond
the country of the Rayya or Azebo Gallas .”
There are also evidence (Greenfield et al,
1980) that at least by the ninth and tenth
centuries that there were Oromo
communities around Shawa and by about
the fourteenth century settlements were
reported around Lake Tana.
=========================================
In spite of the fact that there are several
indications and evidences that Oromo are
indigenous to this part of Africa, Abyssinian
rulers, court historians and monks contend
that Oromo are newcomers to the region
and did not belong here. For instance, the
Abyssinian court historian, Alaqa Taye
(1955), alleged that in the fourteenth and
sixteenth centuries the Oromo migrated
from Asia and Madagascar, entered Africa
via Mombasa and spread north and
eastwards. Others have advocated that
during the same period the Oromo crossed
the Red Sea via Bab el Mandab and spread
westwards. Abyssinian clergies even
contended that Oromo emerged from water.
On this issue, based on the points made in
The Oromo’s Voice Against Tyranny, Baxter
(1985) remarked, “… the contention that the
first Oromo had actually emerged from
water and therefore, had not evolved to the
same level of humanity as the Amhara (i.e.
treating a myth of origin as a historical
fact); or, more seriously, that Oromo were
latecomers to Ethiopia and hence, by
implication, intruders and not so entitled to
be there as the Amhara.”
The Oromo are one of the Cushitic-speaking
groups of people with variations in color and
physical characteristics ranging from
Hamitic to Nilotic. A brief look at the early
history of some of the peoples who
occupied north-eastern Africa sheds some
light on the ethnic origin of Oromo. The
Cushitic speakers have inhabited north-
eastern and eastern Africa for as long as
recorded history. The land of Cush, Nubia or
the ancient Ethiopia in middle and lower Nile
is the home of the Cushitic speakers. It was
most probably from there that they
subsequently dispersed and became
differentiated into separate linguistic and
cultural groups. The various Cushitic nations
inhabiting north-east and east Africa today
are the result of this dispersion and
differentiation. The Oromo form one of
those groups which spread southwards, and
then east and west occupying large part of
the Horn of Africa. Their physical features,
culture, language and other evidences
unequivocally point to the fact that they are
indigenous to this part of Africa. Available
information clearly indicates that the Oromo
existed as a community of people for
thousands of years in East Africa (Prouty at
al, 1981). Bates (1979) contends, “The
Gallas (Oromo) were a very ancient race, the
indigenous stock, perhaps, on which most
other peoples in this part of eastern Africa
have been grafted.”
The history of the arrival of the Oromo
people in the sixteenth century in East
Africa from outside is a fabrication and
denial of historical facts. It is a myth
created by Abyssinian court historians and
monks, sustained by their European
supporters and which the Ethiopian rulers
used to lay claim on Oromo territory and
justify their colonization of the Oromo
people. Several authorities have indicated
that the Oromo were in fact in the North-
eastern part of the continent even before
the arrival of the Habasha. According to
Perham (1948): “the emigrant Semites
landed in a continent of which the North-
East appears to have been inhabited by the
eastern groups of Hamites , often called
Kushites , who also include the Gallas .”
Paulitschke (1889) indicated that Oromo
were in East Africa during the Aksumite
period. As recorded by Greenfield (1965),
Oromo reject the view that they were late
arrivals, “… old men amongst the Azebu and
Rayya Galla dismiss talk of their being
comparative newcomers.” Their own
(Abyssinians) oral history and legends attest
to the fact that Oromo have been living in
Rayya for a long time. Beke (cited by
Pankurst, 1985-86) quoted the following
Lasta legend: “Menilek, the son of Solomon,
… entered Abyssinia from the East, beyond
the country of the Rayya or Azebo Gallas .”
There are also evidence (Greenfield et al,
1980) that at least by the ninth and tenth
centuries that there were Oromo
communities around Shawa and by about
the fourteenth century settlements were
reported around Lake Tana.
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