From Abba Bahrey to Dr. Berhanu Nega’s ESAT and Gimbot-7 – Irrational Fear of the Oromo (Oromo-Phobia) at the Center of Hateful Campaign of Defamation Against Oromo Human Rights Activists

From the Editor’s Notebook of gadaa.com

Anyone, who has paid attention to the Horn of African social media over the last few days, can notice the ongoing hateful campaign of defamation against Oromo human rights activists; a video of a minute and 40-seconds long is being used to propagate Oromo-phobia.

In the video, Oromo nationalist activists in Oslo, Norway, chanted, “Stop Killing Oromos in Saudi Arabia!” (watch video below). And, some Ethiopianist activists (especially those who work for the Oromo-phobic ESAT, aka the Neftegna TV station) purposely misinterpreted what the Oromo activists were saying, as if the Oromo activists were saying, “Kill Others, but not Oromos!” This was done to purposely misinform the public and propagate Oromo-phobia.

The Genesis of the ESAT and Gimbot-7 Oromo-Phobia
Back in 2010, in a jaw-dropping revelation, Dr. Berhanu Nega, the chief priest of ESAT/Neftegna-TV and Gimbot-7, told the world that, what drove him into politics was the “fear of the Oromo,” especially the fear of those Oromos whom he had met in prison during his temporary detention in the early 2000′s.

Here’s that video in which Dr. Berhanu Nega tells it all:

If the chief priest of the ESAT and Gimbot-7 openly declares his Oromo-phobia, it’s clear that ESAT and Gimbot-7 are motivated by the 4-century-old (since Abba Bahrey) Oromo-phobia propagated by Abyssinia against Oromo (i.e. over the last 400 years.)

Up until the late 19th century, the Oromo, as a nation, were completely unaware of the hate propagated against them by generations of kings and debtera’s of Abyssinia – and that unawareness of what Abyssinia was up to, had led to the manufacturing of many Ras Gobana’s (those who didn’t know they were being deceived by Abyssinia), and also to the sudden total conquest and occupation of Oromia by the psychologically well-prepared enemy, Abyssinia in the late 19th-century. For over 300 years prior to the conquest, the Abyssinians were preparing themselves – psychologically and diplomatically (through European travelers of those eras), to “drive the Oromo to the ocean it came from.”

The 19th-century conquest was a rude awakening for the Oromo; since the late 19th-century conquest, the Oromo have continued to wage countless struggles to free the Oromo people and land from Abyssinia. Inch by inch, the Oromo nation is getting close to victory – thus, the recent rise in Oromo-phobia, such as one portrayed by Dr. Berhanu Nega, should not surprise us.

THE ESAT AND GIMBOT-7 OROMO-PHOBIA MOVEMENT
Recently, the Oromo-phobia comes in this form: Oromo nationalist activists in Oslo, Norway, chanted, “Stop Killing Oromos!” in Saudi Arabia (watch video below). And, some Ethiopianist activists (especially those who work for the Oromo-phobic ESAT, aka the Neftegna TV station) purposely misinterpreted what the Oromo activists were saying, as if the Oromo activists were saying, “Kill Others, but not Oromos!”

In the same recent Saudi Arabian immigration crisis, some other African immigrants in Saudi Arabia were also targeted by the Saudi security forces and youth mobs. However, the Ethiopianist activists from DC to Los Angeles were saying – “Stop Killing Ethiopians!” – does that mean they were saying, “Kill Other Africans, but not Ethiopians!”??

Unless one is naive and drunk with Oromo-phobia, “Stop Killing Oromos” doesn’t come close to saying, “Kill Others, Spare Oromos!”

However, when they were saying, “Free Eskinder!” in all of their human rights rallies, were they implying ‘do not release the 99% Oromo nameless political prisoners’?! … Why should they, the ESAT/G7 Ethiopianists, care about the other 99% Oromo nameless political prisoners, whom they have always identified as “hateful,” “bitter.” When they say, “FREE ESKINDER!” – what’s exactly what they mean, “DO NOT RELEASE THE HATEFUL AND BITTER OROMO POLITICAL PRISONERS!” The chief priest of the Oromo-phobic movement of ESAT and Gimbot-7 speaks (watch video below) – listen how he labels our Oromo political prisoners (who are languishing in the one of the worst prisons in Africa, the Qaalittii prison) as “hateful,” “bitter” – this irrational labeling of the Oromo is the guiding principle of the ESAT and Gimbot-7 Oromo-Phobic Movement.

And, the labeling of the Oromo activists in Oslo as “beasts,” who care for no one else, but Oromo, is the irrational manifestation of the ESAT and Gimbot-7 Oromo-phobic movement.

Continued Trend of Oromo-Phobia from ESAT and Gimbot-7
This is not the first-time for the ESAT and Gimbot-7 Oromo-Phobic Movement to propagate irrational fear of the Oromo; back in 2012, they released a documentary film to incite violence between the Oromo nation and its good neighbors in the east, west, south and north: basically, to whomever was willing to listen to their propaganda and go to fighting against the Oromo.

Oromos should not tolerate such blatant defamation of the Oromo nation; they must fight against the ESAT and Gimbot-7 Oromo-Phobic Movement.

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Diddaa Barattootaan Wal-Qabatee Yuunivarsiitii Gonder Keessatti Mootummaan Wayyaanee barataa Oromoo yakka tokkoon malee ajjeeste.

Sadaasa 25,2013 Gabaasa Qeerroo Yuni GondarMootummaan Wayyaanee ilmaan Oromoo keessumaa ammoo barattoota Oromoo hidhaa fi ajjeesaa kan as geesse ammas ittuma fufuun Yuunivarsiitii Gondar keessatti barataa Oromoo ajjeeste. Barataan Oromoo Asrat jedhamu barataa FBE marketing tahee waggaa sadaffaa baratu yakka tokko malee mooraa Yuunivarsiitii Gonder keessatti ajjeefamee jira. Barattootni Oromoo gumaa ilma keenyaa ni baafna jechuun diddaa dhageessisuu irratti argamu. Mooraan Yuunivarsiitii Gondaris diddaa kanaan guutamtee mootummaan wayyaanee waraana hedduumminaan bobbaasuun dhiphina keessa galee jira. Waraanni mootummaa wayyaanees guutummaan rasaasa dhukaasuun diddaa dura dhaabbachaa jira. Mootummaan wayyaanee barattoota ajjeesaa, rasaasaan rukkutaa fi hidhaa as gahe itti fufuun gara jabinaan raawwachuu irraa diddaan jabaatee itti fufee jira. Ilmaan Oromoo martis waamicha keenya akka nuu dhageessan jechuun qeerroon Yuunivarsiitii Gonder dhaammatee jira.


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Oromo Relief Association (ORA): Urgent Appeal Letter – Re: Refoulement of Refugees from Saudi Arabia

The following is an urgent appeal letter from the Oromo Relief Association (ORA).

——————————

His Highness Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdul Aziz
Embassy of Saudi Arabia
30 Charles Street
London W1J 5DZ

18 November 2013

Your Highness,

I write as Chairman of the Management Committee of the Oromo Relief Association, UK, to express my organisation’s concern about the recent killing, beating and detention of Oromo and other Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia.

Many of these migrants are law-abiding citizens who have fled because of persecution in Ethiopia and who have become unwitting victims of employment practices in Saudi Arabia.

Our deepest concern is that some of those detained may be returned to Ethiopia against their will. For those who have fled from persecution in Ethiopia, this will amount to refoulement, contrary to the UN Refugee Convention.

The Oromo Relief Association respectfully requests that no-one is subject to involuntary return to Ethiopia until any claim for asylum from persecution in that country is thoroughly and professionally assessed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Oromo Relief Association would welcome your reassurance that involuntary returns to Ethiopia will not take place without such consideration of refugee status.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Trevor Trueman, Chairman, ORA UK.

cc Minister of Interior, Ahmad bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, Riyadh

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The Oromoo Cultural Principles: First among Equals

By Iddoosaa Ejjetaa* | November 24, 2013

Introduction

Culture is a manifestation of collective experience, achievements in the form of art, custom, social institution, belief system, and etc. To understand a culture is understanding a society. Culture may change as the needs for a society change or/and as a society goes through a process of cultural destruction caused by external or/and internal factors. The primary goal of colonialism is destroying identity by taking a direct attack on indigenous people’s cultural identities: social and cultural institutions, religious symbols, moral and aesthetics values and indigenous knowledge.

For a nation who had suffered from colonial repressions like Oromoo, revitalization of the indigenous culture and knowledge should be seen as a must deed and sacred goal of liberation struggle that launched against all forms of colonial exploitation and oppression.

Historically, the Oromoo Gadaa Society had been a free nation who had matchless of democratic system of its time, self-governing and egalitarian until the first half of 19th a century. After the second half the 19th century, the Abyssinian rival war lords invaded, conquered and occupied the Oromoland with the help of European firearms and military advice under the disguise of Christianity and civilizing mission (between 1881-1914), and scramble for African Continent, the Berlin Conference in 1884 in which the Abyssinian King, Menilik II, took part by writing a letter to European colonial powers seeking for entitlement and recognition of newly conquered Oromoland, Biyyaa Oromoo-Oromiyaa including the present southern part of Ethiopia.

After a barbaric conquest, the Oromo people’s history, language, belief system, cultural traditions, indigenous knowledge, self-rule and self-confidence, self-expression had distorted, kept in silence, devalued, banned, and destroyed by Abyssinian subsequent oppressive neftenya regimes who continued to receive the Euro-American financial, military and professional training supports seemingly as their own extended or satellite republic in the Horn of Africa at the expense of a gross human right violation, indigenous knowledge and environmental destruction.

The purpose of this paper is to address one of the core principles of Oromoo Gadaa culture: the principle of first among equals and discusses the concept of self-reliance in the context of Oromoo culture.

The First among Equals: the Oromoo Cultural Principle

The Oromoo Gadaa culture is very dynamic and living force. As oppose to the hierarchical top-down Abyssinian institutions, the Oromoo Gadaa society have had a horizontal social structure where entire culture and political system had guided by a principle of first among equals.

For example, Abbaa Gadaa/Abbaa Bokkuu Oromoo has been holding the highest office of the Oromoland while he is considered as first man among the equal men-the hiriyyoota. In the same
way, the Oromoo spiritual leaders-Qalluu has been playing the first man/woman among equals role while he/she is holding an equal position in the society. The Qallu or Ayyaantuus are people who have accumulated indigenous knowledge of the creator of the Universe-Waaqa tokkichaa and pray with people, but not on behalf of people. In Oromoo indigenous culture, every person has a direct contact with his/her creator-Waaqa, God, and does not need intermediary men like priests or pastors to pray on behalf of them. In other words, everybody pray together repeats the end words of what the first among equals man- Hangafaa, Qalluu or Ayyaantuu has said.

The concept of “Oromoon Hangafaa qaba” is seemingly has the same meaning like the first among equals. Hence, this concept, Oromoon hangfaa qaba, needs a political recognition and respect by all Oromoo people particularly by younger Oromoo generation regardless of existing differences in religious affiliation.

Life has been always frightening under any oppressor, tyrant and police state surveillance. Under such conditions, people have not afraid of the oppressors only, but also afraid of the freedom they need. This means, freedom depends on the will of the oppressed people; they must show their willingness to be free. They must break the fear factors first and then build self-confidence based on their indigenous cultural identity. In other words, an imported, introduced and practiced falsehood identity must let go once forever.

The concept of Oromoon Hangafaa Qaba in Practice

As one may has noticed, the statement has been always used during various Oromoo meetings. The organizers or moderators of the meetings have set a tone of the meetings by starting with a statement: akka aadaa Oromootti, Oromoon Hangafaa qaba. Kanafuu, eebbaa hangafattin ykn manguddootiin ykn jaarsatiin jalqabana- according to Oromoo culture or tradition, the meeting shall start with elders’ blessing. Traditionally, this had been a common practice by Oromoo people in every part of Oromiyaa as one of unifying Oromoo cultural principles.

Today, unfortunately, the principle has lost its uniformity. The moderators still making the same statement-akka aadaa Oromootti … at the beginning of every meeting, but in most cases they forget about the actions that need to go with it. In other words, there is a disconnection between their words, thought and an action that seemingly, goes in sync with what they have said. I have no doubt about their intention, which is positive. At the same time, due to the lack of consistency and collective self-awareness it leaves one with head scratching and confusion.

In situation like this, Buddha said, “however many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?” In Oromoo case, what is the purpose of one saying akka aadaa Oromootti… when he/she is not matching it with his/her action?

It is imperative for us to understand the contents of first among equals or Oromoon hangafaa qaba and its applications so as to revitalize Oromoo authentic-self effectively. At present, many Oromoo individuals and families have abandoned their own indigenous culture and tradition at
home to become Christian and Islam. However, I believe and they believe in also that the Oromoo Gadaa culture, traditions and rituals are still at the heart of everyone although not practiced or lived in everyday life. Some people say that religion does not prohibit from being Oromoo. This means accepting foreign religious values shouldn’t contradict with indigenous common values that show common Oromoo interest and identity. If this is the case, why the Oromoo meetings do not start witheebbaa hangafaa in line with aadaa Oromoo everywhere, now?

Like other societies, the Oromoo Gadaa Society had established principles, which are self-evident truth that nearly all the Oromoo people understood and accepted as national values. The statement, for example, Oromoo people choose their leaders based on first among equals principle. Oromoon hangaffa qaba-the Borannaa is consistent with the principle of first among equals. Therefore, as Oromoo people have the right to expect or have reasonable expectations from their leaders to perform their social responsibilities such as organizing and leading community meetings in the line with the Oromoo cultural principles.

Every element of Oromoo culture has its respective aadaa and dudhaa, which are the building blocks of authentic Oromummaa. For example, Eebbaa manguddoo (elders blessing) is one of the manifestations of aadaa Oromoo whereas the ways, the steps and skill set being followed shows part of the dudhaa or the ritual aspect of the culture. That means every part of Oromoo culture-aadaa- has its own respective dudhaa-ritual.

For example, eebbaa jarsaa and hammachiisaa constitute the elements of Oromoo culture. The content and context of eebbaa and hammachiisaa are the knowledge and skill set of dudhaa. To put in different way, if we take eebbaa jarsaa as a culture, being seated and give a blessing represent thedudhaa: ta’ani eebbisuun dudhaa dha; baruu harka lamani waaqatti qabani kaadhachuun dudhaa dha. Hayyee, Hayyee, Hayyee jeechuun dudhaa dha. Oromoon taa’e eebaa keena, taa’e eebaa fudhataa-kunis dudhaa dha; eebaa booda harka walsimuun ykn dhungachuun dudhaa dha; Jarsi Oromoo yeroo eebisuu qommaa irraa waabufataa –kunis dudhaa.

Let me make clear here: eebbaa jarsaa shows the content while the steps and skill performances, thedhudhaa-rituals, show the context of Oromummaa. In short, akka aadaa Oromootti, only one ayyaantuuor hangafa expected to provide ritual services or eebbaa during Oromoo social events such as meetings. In recent years, however, it has been changed because external influences. Some Oromoo people try to understand it in context of diversity of religion (Christian and Islam). To my understanding, this not the case; Oromumma is not about diversity or equal opportunity of religion. Instead, Oromummaa is about authentic-self, Oromoo that makes a person Oromoo based in line with authentic Oromoo culture and shared values.

As Oromoo, with all respect, it is irrelevant to line up the Islam and Christian preachers to conducteebbaa jarsaa, blessing on Oromoo social events, meetings. One must note that eebbaa jarsaa Oromoo is intended to exercise Oromoo cultural identity and principles in line with akka aadaa Oromootti-Oromoo traditions, but not intended to exercise an equal opportunity for other religions. It should be noticed that some imported religions denominations have been instrumental to destroy our identity and bury Oromoo culture underground and to humiliate our people.

As I have observed, as you may did also, some Oromo meetings have been exercised in the line with what the leaders believed to be right; they used statistical data to determine the demography of religion or hierarchies in Oromiyaa: Islam first, Pentecostal Christian second, and Waaqeffannaa third. The blessing – eebbaa had performed in line with the hierarchies set by them: Arabic first in the names of Alha, Jesus of Nazareth in Afaan Oromoo, and finally in Afaan Oromoo in the name of Waaqa Gurraacha. In my view, this does not serve both Oromummaa and tokkummaa because there is no religious hierarchy in Oromoo culture and traditions. I believe that most Oromoo people believe that they have known just one God for all -Waaqaa tokkichaa through which they see their identity as indigenous people of Africa. As one nation, therefore, we must exercise the Oromoo Gadaa cultural principles: First among equals and the concept of Oromoon hangafa qaba… and fulfill the promise that many of us like to offer. It is a disservice to our culture and forefathers forgetting the actions that need to go with our promise: akka aadaa Oromootti jalqabbinee akka aadaa Oromootti xuumuruu qabina.

The Source of Tokkummaa

The word tokkummaa and Oromummaa are the most widely used by Oromoo individuals through writings and verbal communications during meetings and social media. In many cases individuals tend to address the concern they have about the lack of tokkummaa. I wish that if they have had addressed the root causes for the lack of tokkummaa. Sometime they confuse tokkummaa (unity) with Oromummaa ( jiruu fi jireenya Oromoo), which is very complex to explain in a single word or statement. To my knowledge, tokkummaa is the function of Oromummaa. Tokkummaa is the outcome of Oromummaa. Tokkummaa is not what ought to be. Instead, tokkommaa is what it is; means a reality or facts on ground. The lack of tokkummaa cannot be resolved through wishful writing or speech on meetings. Instead, tokkummaa can be realized if only if every Oromoo family members try to strive to take action to revitalize indigenous Oromo culture and learn from it and live life with it in accordance with the Oromoo cultural principles. In short, if we don’t practice and live Oromummaa, we cannot see tokkummaa on the ground; it may remain as virtual reality, but I hope not.

The Oromoo Concept of Self-reliance

Tokkummaa can be archived through the Oromoo concept of collective self-reliance. The Oromoo Gadaa System is a collective self-reliant system. It has well organized and structured institutions, education system and belief system. It refines itself every eight years. The Abbaa Gadaa/Abbaa Bokkuis the first man among equal men-the hiriyootaa who hold the highest office fulfilling his social responsibilities with high level of moral ethics, safuu, integrity and transparency.

The Oromoo Gadaa culture and social teaching are well known to humanity as against any form of exploitations, discrimination, corruption, and abuse of power and natural environment. A strong sense of collective self-reliance has been always reflected in Oromoo cultural principles, arts and songs. For example, one may refer to a recent Haacaaluu Hundeessaa’s music “waa’ee keenyaa” 2nd album, and also in earlier traditional Oromoo songs to understand the concept of self-reliance even at individual level in Oromoo culture. The following lyrics are about self-reliance: Surreen jilbaraan dhumitee abbatuu waranataa, hiyyuumaa Ijoolluman namatti dhuftee, abbatuu tatafftaa. Kobborta eenyuu nama bata, yoo abban batatee mallee, rorroo halgaa irraa dhufte eenyuu namaraa dhowaa, yoo abbaan dhwaate mallee.
The concept of Oromoo collective self-reliance is important strategy for the revitalizing and bulging our nation: the Gadaa Republic of Oromiyaa by complementing with imported skills relevant to build our nation.

Conclusions

Uuman Oromoo aadaa fi dudhaa aadaa qaba. The Oromoo people have cultural principles and rituals for the culture. First among Equals is one of the core principles of the Oromoo culture. Oromummaa as Collective identity must be based on Oromoo core cultural principles, common interest, shared values, traditions, social institutions, and strong moral ethics, safuu Oromoo. To regain what we have lost in the past, the Oromoo, as a nation, need to stick to its fundamental cultural principles: first among equals, Oromoon hangafa qaba and practice them. Let the hangafa conduct his/her social responsibilities: teaching, blessings, and etc in line with aadaa and dudhaa Oromoo.

The Oromoo younger activists cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes had done by older generations. They are expected to enjoy Oromummaa first in order achieve tokkummaa through creative self-expression and mutual understanding. The younger Oromoo generation has abundant resources and opportunities to learn from, understand about, frame and consolidate what are relevant and indigenous to the Oromoo Gadaa Republic. In other words, the Oromoo Qubeegeneration is expected to draw from the past Oromoo Gadaa forefathers wisdom to live the present and shape the future of the Oromoo Gadaa Republic.

Moreover, the Oromoo communities, as mother organization for younger generation, have a social and moral obligation to revitalize the Oromoo indigenous culture by creating conducive environment to re-establishing and reconstructing the Oromoo Gadaa institutions by persuading their members and mobilizing resources to revitalize these institutions; this can happen by sponsoring the first men and women among equals from Oromiyaa who have involved deeply in Oromoo culture and gained rich experience, knowledge and skill sets in particularly in aadaa and dudhaa Oromoo to teaching the younger as well as the older generations about Oromoo Gadaa cultural traditions and providing standardized social and spiritual services.

Finally, the Oromoo people must know their history, core principle of their culture, and heritage and understand the content of Oromummaa as prima concept of tokkummaa. The Oromoo history, culture, national identity and symbols: Fajjii Abbaa Gadaa, and afaan Oromoo need to be learned and promoted so as to revitalize authentic Oromummaa, build a genuine tokkummaa and ultimately earn the Oromoo Gadaa Republic of Oromiyaa where we all can live in peace, true-self and free at last!

November 24, 2013
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* Author: Iddoosaa Ejjetaa, Ph.D., native to Oromiyaa, Ethiopia. Independent and Naturalist Thinker; Activist and Advocator for the Revitalization of Authentic Oromummaa, Indigenous Oromoo Gadaa culture and traditions, and the formation of Biyyaa Gadaa Oromoo-The Gadaa Republic of Oromiyaa.

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Coffee in the Eyes of the First Coffee Drinkers – the Oromo People

Begna Dugassa,. Ph.D | November 24, 2013

Coffee in the Eyes of the First Coffee Drinkers – the Oromo People

Correction: In the first part of the story, I spelled the Oromo word buna as bunna and it should be read as buna.

Part II: Buna or Coffee as a Stimulant

I wish to note that intellectual property theft… represents the very essence of organized crime. Howard Berman

The above statement is the words of Honorable Howard Berman – a US law maker. The statement makes clear that intellectual property theft is one of the essences of organized crimes.  Coffee is indigenous to Oromia and the Oromo people are collectively entitled to the intellectual property rights to coffee. As I have discussed in part one, denying that coffee is not indigenous to Oromia is equivalent to taking something from someone unlawfully. In this paper, when I use the term intellectual property right, I am referring to the assets that the Oromo people acquired using their own curies and creative minds. Any deliberate attempts made by individuals and groups to deny the Oromo people their entitlement to their intellectual property rights to coffee should be seen as property theft. At the same time, institutions that are not willing to learn from past mistakes, and continue to reproduce the old racist assumptions should be seen as organized criminals.  Having said this let me directly take you to the Oromo story about coffee.

There are many Oromo oral stories that support the view that coffee is indigenous to Oromia. As I elaborated in part I, in Oromo perspective coffee is seen as the flesh of a man named Bunno and the tear of almighty God. The Oromo oral story also suggests that Bunno is the father of an Oromo sub-clan known as Bunno — one of the sons of Meecha.  He lived around the town Bunno-Badale. Most of the Bunno sub-clans are settled in the area believed to be the place where coffee plants were first discovered, the area where coffee is still found naturally in the forest.  The oral story suggests that long after the coffee plant grew on Bunno’s grave and it spread into many parts of Oromia. It grows in low-land (Gamoji) and semi-highlands (Bada Dare) regions of Oromia. However, for many years no one knew of the stimulating effects of coffee. Then a wise and an observant Oromo woman named Taliilee noticed it.

Although several literatures mentioned the story about coffee in the relation to goat and goat breeder, Akko Taliilee was wrongfully referred to by an Arabic name – Kaldi. 

The discovery of Akko (grandmother) Taliilee is very similar to that of the famous ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes who said “Eureka, Eureka” i.e. I found it; I found it, when he came out of the bath he accidentally stepped into. Archimedes proclaimed “Eureka” I found it, when he noticed that the water level rose—suddenly realized that the volume of water displaced must be equal to the volume of the part of his body he had submerged. He then realized that the volume of irregular objects could be measured with precision, a previously intractable problem. Archimedes accidentally discovered the problem he and others had been trying to solve for a long time. The discovery of grandmother Taliilee was analogous to the Archimedes “Eureka”.

In her childhood Akko Taliile was a very smart girl and as she grew to adulthood she became a wise and observant woman. Like most Oromo people, Akko Taliilee was a professional cattle breeder a job which includes goat breeding.  Her husband was believed to be suffering from depression- something the Oromos referred to as “irra ciisa = suppressing down”. Before, during and after the life time of Akko Taliilee, every morning when the Oromos wash their hand they pray as they say:

Guraacha Garaa Garbaa,                        The Almighty Black God
Leemo Garaa Taliila                                 The Holy and forgiving power
Nagaa fi fayyan na’olchi                          Make my day peaceful and healthy.

Nagargaari Yawaaqi                                Help me God:
Akka ijiiko gaari argu                               My eyes to see the good things
Akka gurriko odu gaari dhagahuu           My ears to listen to good news
Akka harkikoo  nagaa qabaatu               My hands to hold peaceful objects
Akka arrabniko haan ijaaru dubaatu       My tongue to speak constructively
Akka sammuno gaari yaadu                    My brain to think positively

Nagargaari Yawaaqi                                          Help me God:
Akka atti natiksiitee, akkan umamma tiksu       As you cared for me, to care for natural world
Akka ani namaati hindabaree                           Not to transgress against others
Akka namniis naat hindabaree                         Not to allow others to transgress against me.

After her usual prayers Akko Taliilee would go to her daily activities i.e. making food for the family, cleaning the house, preparing the children for their daily events and milking the cows. Sometimes, if her husband was busy with farming, she would care for the cattle.  One day, when Akko Taliilee was looking after her goats one of her long time prayer—“help me God, my eyes to see what others missed” answered. She noticed that the goats became stimulated after they ate the leaves of the coffee tree.  Akko Taliilee made repeated observations of different goats. She observed that the father goats, the mother goats, the young goats, the old goats were all getting stimulated after they ate the leaves of the coffee tree. She also noticed the unwanted effects were not significant.  As a result, Akko Taliilee hypothesized that if coffees leave stimulated goats it should do the same to her husband and help him to overcome his depression. At one point, Akko Taliilee collected coffee leaves, boiled them and gave them to her husband to drink.  Then she carefully observed the effects on her husband. As she hypothesized, Akko Taliilee noticed that after her husband had drunk a cup of the boiled coffee leaves, he also was stimulated (iira ka’e = the suppression has lifted) and he felt happy. Not only that, the legend suggests that the soak of coffee leaves made Akko Taliilee to enjoy her happy husband.  Given that she found the solution to one of the communities’ outstanding social problems, she must have said something like “Eureka”.

We now know that the leaves of the coffee tree contain a high concentration of caffeine. However, the soak of coffee leaves are bitter than coffee seeds. Akko Taliilee tried to see if she could roast and fry coffee seeds and feed the family members. Indeed, even today, frying coffee in butter is widely practiced for the Buna Qala ceremony. For that, she collected the coffee seeds, and partly roasted it and then fried it in butter and she joined her husband in eating it.  Later on, the idea of grinding and brewing and drinking emerged. As a result, she joined her husband in eating the fried coffee seeds and drinking the brewed coffee. Ever since, coffee has been used for drinking and chewing. Given that coffee is seen as the flesh of a holy man and God’s tear, the Oromo people use coffee for prayer for peace, stability, fertility, in the community and for romance.  Akko Taliilee set the norm of drinking coffee and coffee ceremony. Even today, when coffee is roasted, the person who is roasting it makes sure that the husband and wife and other guests smell the aroma of the coffee.

As the colonizers took coffee from Oromia and introduced it in their colonial lands, they also brought corn, potatoes and tobacco from South and North America to Oromia.  For example, the word tobacco (timbo=in Oromo) is coming from the name Tobago Island -in Caribbean.

Most coffee seeds contain a chemical known as caffeine. Caffeine is known to be a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant. It is widely used both recreationally and medically to reduce physical fatigue and to restore alertness when drowsiness occurs. It generates increased wakefulness, a faster and clearer flow of thought, increased focus, and better general body coordination. In the medieval times, in Middle East and Europe, coffee houses were seen as the center for the exchange of ideas or the place where new ideas surface and stimulating conversation takes place and it was often referred to as ‘Schools of the Wise. These all factors popularized coffee drink.

For two different and opposite reasons, coffee became far more popular in the Middle East and Europe than it was in Africa. In the Middle East, where Islam is the dominant religion, the teaching of Islam prohibits drinking alcohol.   The people needed a stimulant drink that was not prohibited in the Holy Koran. For this reason when the coffee drink was introduced it quickly became popular in the Middle East. Later on the Arabs and the Turkish farmers and merchants who benefitted from the coffee introduced it to the Europe. In Europe, coffee was introduced in 16^th century and it became popular during Industrial Revolution. In Europe, coffee was popularly used to moderate the level of their alcohol consumption. During the Industrial Revolution, the consumption of alcohol during the working hours was seen as a risky and unproductive social practice. Given that coffee was known to restore alertness when drowsiness occurs, generated increased wakefulness, a faster and clearer flow of thought, and promoted better general body coordination it became attractive for both workers and employers. In addition, the demands for the long hours of work necessitated workers having to be alert all the time in factories and the need for critical and fast thinkers’ helped to popularize coffee. Coffee became a lucrative business.  This all contributed to popularizing the coffee drink in the Middle East and Europe.

In Middle East, coffee has practically replaced the want for alcohol.  In Europe, coffee helped people reduce their alcohol dependency. In Africa, Islamic dietary restrictions such as the prohibition of alcohol were not wide spread. In addition, the social conditions that attracted Europeans to coffee were not there. This made the adoption of the culture of coffee drinking slow process in Africa.   Drinking coffee and farming became more popular after Europeans colonized Africa.

The rapid increase in consumption of coffee in Europe and the Middle East necessitated further increasing the production of coffee. The European colonial forces, missionaries and traders carried coffee seeds to new lands and planted them in their colonial lands, Asia and the Caribbean and South America i.e. worldwide. In only 100 years, coffee established itself as a valuable commodity crop throughout the world. Although the European colonizers, missionaries and traders effectively introduced coffee plants and drinks into their colonial lands, the Ethiopian government banned it. The Ethiopian government categorized coffee farming and coffee drinking with the practice of Islam and Waqefaata and profaned it. Indeed, in the 1880s when Oromia was invaded by Abyssinia, their king Menelik condemned coffee drinking and prohibited the farming of coffee. The Ethiopian Coptic/Orthodox Church banned members from coffee farming and coffee drinking.  Until recently, no commercial coffee productions were recorded in the Abyssinian heart lands i.e. Amahara and Tigray regions.  Even though the Abyssinian church and their kings officially banned growing coffee, several literatures give credit to Abyssinians for introducing coffee to the world.

The Origin of the term Coffee

It is generally agreed that the term coffee found its way into European languages sometime in the 1600′s.  Some literature hypothesize that most probably the English word coffee comes from the Italian term “caffe”. These sources indicate that the Italian word caffe was derived from the Turkish pronunciation “kahveh” of the Arabic word ‘Qahwah’. Interestingly, in medieval Arab literature the term “qahwa” was used interchangeably to denote wine or dark stuffed drinks. As the anti-colonial scholars charge the Eurocentric discourses, they did not name coffee its Indigenous name or the way it was first named- Buna. They did not acknowledge the intellectual property rights of the Oromo people to coffee. Although they admit that these languages borrowed terms from each other, they did not admit the term from which the Arabs took the word and appropriated it to their language.

For individuals who read the three influential holy books (Toran, Bible and Koran) when they learn that the Oromo religious teaching promotes sacrificing a lamb for the forgiveness of sins, they might think that the Oromos adopted such practices from these religious teachings. Historical evidence shows that the Oromo people practiced a sacrificing lamb long before those religious teachings.

There are two major discourses that explain the origin of the word coffee. The first discourse suggests that the word coffee comes from the name Kafficho that represents the people who settled adjacent to the Oromo people – near the settlement of Bunno sub-clan. The Kafficho people are neighbors to the Oromo people- of Bunno sub-clan, and coffee plants have been growing in the wilderness on their lands as well.  The second discourse is that the word coffee comes from the Oromo word kofii – which means stimulant, overacting or fermentation. For example, when Oromo mothers bake bread, they allow the dough to ferment – when the dough is fermented it expands. The fermented and expanded dough is referred to as bukkoon kofii jedhe. When individuals exaggerate what they can do or what they have done, the Oromos call them kofi-kofi jedha.  In the Oromo language, the word kofii represents stimulant, stimulation, exaggeration and fermentation – expansion or overacting.  The major chemical component of coffee is caffeine and it is known to act as a central nervous system stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness.  This suggests that the term coffee comes from the Oromo word kofii a word used to describe stimulant or stimulation, exaggeration and fermentation –expansion or overacting. Indeed, in the Western world we know that coffee drinkers rush to coffee shops, when they are tired and when they want get stimulated.

Buna Qala – Slaughtering Coffee

One of the Oromo religious ceremonies is Buna Qala. The literal meaning of Buna Qala is slaughtering coffee. However, the deep meaning of Buna Qala is sacrificing coffee in the prayer for peace, stability in the community, fertility and romance. The Oromo indigenous religion (Waqefaata) teaches that one has to sacrifice a lamb for forgiveness of major sins and coffee for minor sins. For example, if a conflict between two individuals or communities led to bloodshed, for the forgiveness of sin and to establish peace, they sacrifice a lamb. The reason for choosing a lamb is that it is the most peaceful animal. For the forgiveness of minor sins- and minor conflicts they sacrifice coffee. Coffee is also used to pray for peace and to make peace.

From the Oromo perspective, it seems that duties and responsibilities are categorized into three: Godly, Godly-humanly and entirely humanly. For example, peace, health, romance i.e. marriage is the duty and the responsibility of God and human beings, in correcting wrong doing or establishing relationships, the Oromos offer coffee for it. Life is Godly responsibility and to correct any wrong doing the Oromos offer lamb for it. Many others are considered human responsibilities and the Oromos teach their children the need to continuously learn and fulfill those ethics and moral obligations.

When Oromo farmers take a rest from their farming duties, you hear them saying “harra naaraa ciisa – maloo buna nudanfissa” = today I feel depressed, please, brew us coffee”.  It is well known that coffee is used as a means to overcome their depression. From the Oromo perspective, coffee drinking time is always prayer time. It is also the time when the neighbors come together and exchange new ideas, evaluate the past and present. These include prayers for peace, prosperity, good health, fertility and romance.  Some of the coffee prayers include:
Qajaabaa – Yawaaq siitu jabaa                                     You, the almighty God.
Jabaa beela nuura dabarsii                                            prevent us from extreme famine
Jaabaa waraana nurra ittis                                             avert us from extreme war
Jabaa dhukkuba nubaraari                                            prevent us from epidemic diseases

Qileensa nagaa nuuf keeni                                           Give us no stormy weather
Roobaa nagaa nuuf roobsi                                           Give us a peaceful rain
Haan ani jedhee waqayyo hajeedhu                            Let God accept my prayers.
Guraacha – garaa garbaa                                              the Holy Black God
Lemoon Garaa Taliila nudhagahi        the pure and forgiving power listen to us.
Haan hafeet Waqayyo haguutu            the prayer that I did not mention – let God fulfill it.

Certainly coffee is indigenous to Oromia. Thanks to Akko Taliilee, “if the Oromo people did not introduce coffee to the world, the world community remains sleepy”. The Oromo people are fully entitled to claim the intellectual property right to it. Any attempt made to deny the Oromo people their intellectual property rights to coffee should be seen as part of the long standing agenda of misappropriation.

In the next section, I will take a close look at the impacts of the most popular drink -coffee-that Akko Talilee had discovered and that the Oromo people introduced to the world.  I explore the facts and the assumed impacts of coffee on the well-being of people.

I am still collecting more information on coffee, if you have comments on the story or have more stories about it please send me at:begna.dugassa@gmail.com

Using this opportunity I would like to say thank you to those elders and other informants who provided me such valuable information. 

Begna Dugassa begna.dugassa@gmail.com

Previous articles: 

Coffee in the Eyes of the First Coffee Drinkers – the Oromo People  – Part I

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Ibsa-dhaaba ULFO/THBO

Ajjeechaa fii Saamicha Seeraan alaa Lammiilee Keenya Biyya Sa’uudi Arabiya Jiraatan irratti Raawwatamaa Jiru ilaalchee.
Ibsa dhaaba ULFO irraa mootummaa Saudi arabiyaatiifii dameelee gola addunyaa hundaaf ergame
Mootummaann sa’uudii arabiyaa gaafa 14 -11 – 2013 irraa jalqabee lammiilee keenya irratti tarkaanfii seeraan alaa kan gara jabinaa fudhachaati jira. Lammiileen keenya biyya keenya keeysatti imaammata gabroomfataa wayyaaneetiin hacuucamanii fala akkuma biyyoota biraa biyya sa’uudii arabiyaa keeysa jiraachaa turan. Ummanni keenya miidhaa hamaa kanaaf kan saaxilaman kun kanneen seeraan ala gara biyya kanaa seenan qofa miti, kanneen seeraan biyya kanaan jiratan qabaatanii yeroo dheeraaf jiraataa turan dabalatee qabeenya saamamuufii lubbuun ajjeefamaa jiran .Roorrifamuun seeraan alaa kun lammiilee keenya irratti deddeebi’ee raawwatamaa  kanture tahuus Kan ammaa kun diinummaa ija baase waan taheef dhaabbiileen kabajamuu mirga namoomaatiif dhaabbatan hundi mootummaa sa’uudi arabiyaa irratti dhiibbaa jabaa akka godhan hoogganni dhaaba ULFO hubachiisee jira. Akkuma lammiileen keenya biyya sa’uudi arabiyaa jiraatan bifa kamiiniis tahu lammiileen sa’uudi arabiyaa biyya keenya keeysa seenaa turan ammaas seenaa jiran.
Lammiilee keenyarratti miidhaan seeraan ala raawwatamaa jiru kun murtii kan hin arganne yoo tahe, lammiilee biyya sa’uudi arabiyaa KAN bifa kamiinuu biyya keenya seenan irratti tarkaanfiin halu bahaa kan kana caalu fudhatamuuf kan jiru tahuu ULFOn akeekkachiisa cimaa dabarsee jira.  Akka ummanni keenya biyya keenyarraa godaanu kan godhan keessaa tokko  hiyyummaa gabrummaarraa burqe tahuun beekkamaadha. Mootummaafii tujaarotni biyya arabaa sirna gabroomfataa wayyaaneetiin waliif galuun arabootni lafa  keenya saammachaa jiran.Haala  kanaafii kkf  hunsaan hundaan araboonni diina keenyaaf firoomanii ummata keenya biyyarraa akka bahan godhaa turan. Kanneen biyyarraa bahaniis human isaanii gatii xiqqaatti gurguranii araboota tajaajilaa jiran. Horii xiqqaan isaan tajaajilaa yeroo dheeraaf  kuufatan saamamanii harka duwwaa mana hidhaatti darbamaa , Kaaniis rasaasaan ajjeefamaan gaafa 4 – 11 – 2013 irraa jalqabee hangaa ammaattinamoonni hedduun nurraa  ajjeesanii jiran. Kanneen bakka namni hin arginetti du’aniis danuudha.Hujii fookkataa seera kamiinuu dhoorkaa tahe dubartoota  keenya gudeedaa jiraachuu isaanii ragaalee gara garaa irraa hubachuun sandahamee jira.
Kanaaf dhaabni ULFO biyya keeysaa fii alattiiis mirga ummata keenyaa kabachiisuuf kan qabsooynu waan taheef, roorroo lammiilee keenyarra gayu kamuu kan hin fudhanne tahuu Eenyufillee hubachiisuu barbaanna. Gabaabumatti mootummaan sa’uudi arabiyaa lammiilee isaa kan biyya keenya seenaniif kan yaada’u yoo tahe saaminsaa fii ajjeechaa lammiilee keenyarratti raawwachaa jiru ariitiin akka dhaabu ULFOn akeekkachiisa.

1.  lammiileen keenya seeraaniis tahe seeraan ala seenan qabeenya dafka isaaniitiin hojjatanii argatan irratti mirgi abummaa qabeenya akka kabajamuuf ULFOn mootummaa Saudi arabiyaa,Liigii arabaatiifii mootummoota  idil addunyaatti hubachiisee jira..

2.  kanneen heeraan jiraatan migi heeraan jiraachuu isaaiif akka kabajamuu fii kanneen seeraan ala jiraniis gidiraa takkaan maletti gara biyyaa akka galfaman dhaabni ULFO mootummaa sa’uudi arabiyaatiif ibsee jira..

3.  lammiilee keenya kan hanga ammaatti rasaasaan ajjeefaman bifa seeraatiin ilaalamee murtiin barbaachisu mootummaa addunyaatiin sa’uudi arabiyaa irratti kan hin murtooyne yoo tahe turuus dafuus dhiigni lammiilee keenyaa lammiilee sa’uudi arabiyaatiif kan hin hafne tahuu  hoogganni dhaaba ULFO murtii maayyii dabarsee jira.     Biyyoonni lammiileen keenya keessatti baqatanii jiran hundi mirga  lammiilee keenyaatiif kabajaa godhuun isaanii, lubbuu lammiilee isaanii biyya keenya seenaniif yaaduu akka tahe hubachiisuun hoogganni dhaaba ULFO dhaamsa isaa Xumuree jira.

TOKKUMMAAN HUMNA!!!
OROMIYAAN NIWALABOOMTI!!!
KHR ULFO
November, 24/2013

Odeeffannoo dabalataaf
Email:-  info.ulfo2012@gmail.com

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Oromo Democratic Front (ODF): Statement on the Mistreatment of Immigrants from Ethiopia in Saudi Arabia

A statement from the Oromo Democratic Front (ODF) …

November 22, 2013

We, members of the Oromo Democratic Front (ODF), strongly condemn all actions of brutality carried out against migrant workers from Ethiopia in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Leave alone our fellow Oromos, we do not wish such dehumanizing, barbaric, and vicious violence being inflicted on any human being whatsoever. Although officials of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have every right to ask foreigners to leave their country, it should be done in a civilized fashion where people are not dehumanized and abused. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the UN Charter, has an obligation to observe and protect human rights and treat immigrants in accordance to international law.

The anti-migrant outburst, currently being witnessed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, possibly serves as the symptom of the underlying explosive contradictions in the Kingdom’s political-cum-religious policies. The Kingdom that vests sovereignty in individual rulers prides itself as the protector and promoter of the purest form of Islam although only the Almighty Creator is Sovereign according to the tenets of Islam. The Kingdom interferes in the internal affairs of other countries in order to export its preferred version of Islam while invoking the doctrine of non-interference in internal affairs in its dealings with foreigners found on its home territory. Moreover, while pretending to pose as the bastion of worldwide brotherhood of the Umma, it allows its security personnel to brutalize and humiliate fellow Muslims from other countries without any compunction whatsoever. The country, with one of the highest number of educated females in the Arab/Islamic world, does not even allow women PhD holders to drive cars. These and other clearly contradictory practices constitute a highly explosive mixture, which the power holders are trying to contain by directing popular frustration against helpless foreign migrants.

Over the years, we have seen graphic images of brutality inflicted on our women migrant workers in the other Arab countries as well. Beatings, longer hours of work, denial of pay, and sexual abuses are common practices.

While we are extremely saddened by the brutality suffered by our compatriots in foreign countries, we would like to point out the underlying reasons which have caused the massive migration of our people to other countries. The reasons are twofold: the first is gross human rights violations and political persecution in Ethiopia; and the second is abject poverty. These are the twin enemies our people are running away from, taking enormous risks along the journey and exposing themselves to dehumanizing conditions at their destinations.

Democratic governance, which protects the rights of its citizens, as well as a government which creates an opportunity for its own people to live a dignified life on their land, is the only solution to curb the flight of people from their own country. The humiliating experience we have been experiencing will come to an end only when we drain the swamp that has forced people to flee their country.

On this occasion, the ODF would like to call upon all the Ethiopian peoples, the government, and political groups to come together and tackle the structural deficiency of democratic governance and alleviate poverty to restore pride and prosperity to our peoples.

Freedom & Justice for All!

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