Identity in Ethiopia: the Oromo from the 16th to the 19th century

Cherri Reni Wemlinger

This thesis looks at changing identity through the history of the Oromo people of Ethiopia from the 16th to 19th century. Using culture, religion, and identity to situate the mechanisms used by the Oromo, I explore how they have maintained and altered their sense of self; it seeks a better understanding of the role identity maintenance and formation play in the unfolding of world history. The diverse history of Ethiopia provides a unique venue for studying cultural change. Ethiopia had global connections throughout Asia and the Middle East, maintaining strong trade relations with Egypt, Arabia, the Mediterranean, and Eurasia. These trade relations were an important element in the spread of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism into the area that is modern day Ethiopia. Although there has been considerable contact between these religious systems, there still remain distinct practices which reveal clues about the agency groups have used to create their own identities. The cultural group that will be the focus of this thesis are the Oromo. The Oromo constitute the largest ethnic group in modern day Ethiopia. They are an eastern Cushitic speaking people. The Oromo began to move north into Abyssinian territory after fighting between the Sultanate of Adal and the Christian Solomonite kingdom, in the 16th century weakened both groups and gave the Oromo an opening to relocate. The Oromo chose different religious identities to define themselves and to gain power in their new homes. The Oromo identify as a single ethnic group, but are also subdivided into smaller groups related to their families of origin. The Oromo practice Islam, Christianity, and Oromo religion. Even though they have adopted diverse religious beliefs systems, these systems all bear distinct Oromo cultural elements. The Oromo exercised power over their own identities, defined their own cultural and religious character, and have maintained their ethnic distinctiveness. This thesis will provide a blueprint for looking at religion as a system used to define and empower. By investigating the syncretism of religious systems and the methods used by specific groups of people to shape their own identities in the face of changing political and cultural environments, it is possible to identify some of the mechanisms used by minority cultures to shape and maintain identity.

Identity in Ethiopia: the Oromo from the 16th to the 19th century

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