Info For Y'all Karrayyu People: E Africa`S Cushitic Guardians Of Ancient Oromo Civilization As Well As Traditions

The Karrayyu are ancient pastoralist Cushitic speaking Oromo ethnic group residing inwards the Awash Valley, around the volcano of Mount Fentale in addition to the Metehara Plain (Great East African Rift Valley) inwards the Fantalle District of the Oromia part inwards Ethiopia.

                 Karrayyu adult woman with umbrella inwards Gada ceremony - Ethiopia by Eric Lafforgue

As 1 of the few Oromo groups to demand hold preserved their indigenous tradition in addition to pastoralist agency of life, the Karrayyu are seen every bit the guardians of Oromo cultural heritage of the Horn of Africa. The Karrayyu are facing extinction every bit their lay out maintain dwindling every bit they stay every bit 1 of the lastly remaining Oromo groups to maintain the pastoralist agency of life every bit good every bit the traditional Oromo culture, along with the Borana, Guji in addition to Kamise Oromo. The Karrayyu, apart from beingness considered past times many Oromo every bit guardians of their ancient civilization tin live differentiated from other Oromo ethnic groups past times the 2 horizontal tribal marks on the cheeks of their women in addition to the Gunfura traditional hairstyle of their men. Karrayyu are known to the globe for their famous Gada ceremony.

                  Karrayyu tribe adult woman within her hut at Gadaa ceremony,Ethiopia

Interestingly, the main parent Oromo people are the largest Kushitic grouping in addition to the 2nd largest state inwards Africa. Their population is nearly 33 1000000 representing the bulk (32%) of the Ethiopian population.. They demand hold a distinct cultural in addition to linguistic identity of their own. They demand hold inhabited a split upward in addition to well-defined territory inwards the Horn of Africa for centuries.
Beautiful Karrayyu woman

Language
Karrayyu people verbalize an Oromiffa linguistic communication with distinct linguistic characteristics of  East Cushitic language.

                           Pastoral Karrayyu human with cattle

History
It is said the Karrayyu arrived inwards the surface area 200 hundreds years ago, during the so called "great expansion", of the Oromo, during which Oromo settled inwards unlike parts of Ethiopia. There are entirely 10 000 to 55 000 Karrayyus (because of their nomadic lifestyle it is hard to demand hold precise figures) whereas they used to live 200 000 at the get-go of the 20th century. Karrayyu are on the verge of instinction. Such a drib was due to the persecutions the Oromos, including the Karrayyu people had to human face upward during Menelik’s II reign (1889-1913). This emperor, from the Amhara ethnic grouping led the unification of Ethiopia, in addition to imposed the Amhara dominion to the Oromos. Later, during the 20th century, the Karrayyu were deprived of most of their lands because of the establishment of national parks in addition to modern farms. In the lastly iv decades, Karrayyu’s were dispossed from seventy per cent of their land, including their shrines, past times the regime to brand saccharide in addition to cotton fiber plantations.

Economy
Karrayyu are a nomadic-pastoralist who entirely attends to Livestock rearing. They hardly farm every bit they engage inwards buying of nutrient from their neigbhours.

                                        Karrayyu elderberry at Gadaa ceremony

Political structure
The Karrayyu too exercise the Gada system, an ancient in addition to complex shape of African republic which is traditionally based on generation sets which alternate ability every viii years. One total Gada bicycle lasts forty years. Gada is a uniquely democratic political every bit good every bit social establishment which governs the life of individuals inwards Oromo monastic enjoin from nascency to death.

                         Karrayyu tribe human showing tribal 2 horizontal facial marks

One highly developed self-sufficient scheme which has influenced every aspect of Oromo life is the Gadaa system. It is a scheme that organizes the Oromo monastic enjoin into groups or sets (about 7-11) that assume unlike responsibilities inwards the monastic enjoin every viii years. It has guided the religious, social, political in addition to economical life of Oromo for many years, in addition to too their philosophy, art, history in addition to method of time-keeping.
The activities in addition to life of each in addition to every fellow member of the monastic enjoin are guided past times Gadaa. It is the police push clitoris of the society, a scheme past times which Oromo administer, defend their territory in addition to rights, maintain in addition to guard their economic scheme in addition to through which all their aspirations are fulfilled.
Gift for Gada ceremony inwards Karrayyu tribe - Ethiopia

The Gadaa scheme has served every bit the reason of democratic in addition to egalitarian political system. Under it the ability to administer the affairs of the state in addition to the ability to brand laws belong to the people. Every manlike someone fellow member of the monastic enjoin who is of historic menstruum in addition to of Gadaa flat has total rights to elect in addition to to live elected. All the people demand hold the correct to air their views inwards whatever populace gathering without fear.
Karrayyu girls from Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia dressed for gadaa ceremony

There follows a brief description of how the Gadaa scheme works: in that location are 2 well-defined ways of classifying manlike someone members of the society, that is the hiriyya (members of an age-set all born within the menstruum of 1 Gadaa dominion of viii years) in addition to Gadaa grade. The Gadaa grades (stages of evolution through which a Gadaa shape passes) differ inwards lay out (7-11) in addition to lift inwards unlike parts of Oromia although the functions are the same. The next are the Gadaa grades:-
1. Dabballee (0-8 years of age)
2. Folle or Gamme Titiqaa (8-16 years of age)
3. Qondaala or Gamme Gurgudaa (16-24 years of age)
4. Kuusa (24-32 years of age)
5. Raaba Doorii (32-40 years of age)
6. Gadaa (40-48 years of age)
7. Yuba I (48-56 years of age)
8. Yuba II (56-64 years of age)
9. Yuba III (64-72 years of age)
10. Gadamojjii (72-80 years of age)
11. Jaarsa (80 in addition to to a higher house years of age)

              Beautiful Karrayyu girls dressed for Gadaa ceremony

We volition briefly depict the duties of a Gadaa shape every bit it passes through the to a higher house grades.
The Dabballee are sons of the Gadaa shape who are inwards power, the Luba. They are boys upward to 8 years of age. Thus this is a phase of childhood. Upon reaching their 8th year, they go into the Folle grade. At this historic menstruum they are allowed to buy the farm farther away from their villages in addition to to perform low-cal work.

Horsemen inwards TouramentAt xvi years old, they go into the Qondaala. They may at nowadays buy the farm long distances to hunt in addition to perform heavy work. Three years earlier the Qondaala ends, those of the Gadaa shape come upward together in addition to nominate the time to come grouping leaders (hayyu council) who eventually volition constitute its presidium in addition to thereby the executive, judicial in addition to ritual authorities. The terminal election is preceded past times an oftentimes lengthy receive of negotiations. After nomination, the candidates tour the part accompanied past times their supporters to win the backing of the people earlier election, The individuals volition live elected on the reason of wisdom, bravery, wellness in addition to physical fitness.

In the Kuusa grade, the previously elected leaders are formally installed inwards office, although they do non yet assume total authorization except inwards their ain group. This is 1 of the most of import events inwards the life of the private in addition to the Gadaa scheme over all. In the side past times side grade, Raaba Doorii, members are allowed to marry. This in addition to the Kuusa flat constitute a menstruum of preparation for the supposition of total authority. At the terminate of this menstruum the shape members go into Luba or Gadaa, the most of import shape of the whole system, attain total status, in addition to pick out upward their seat every bit the ruling Gadaa class. At this phase the scheme comes to a halt momentarily in addition to all men motion to the proceeding shape vacating the lastly shape which is the straight off occupied past times a novel shape of youth who so start their ascent of the system's ladder.

The quondam ruling class, the Luba, at nowadays becomes Yuba. The Yubas, afterward passing through iii split upward eight-year periods, are transferred to the Gadamojjii class. Then they go into the terminal flat called Jaarsa in addition to retire completely.

Night Shot Of Karrayyu Tribe People Gathered Around The Gifts Offered To The Karrayyu Tribe Families For The Gadaaa Ceremony, Metahara, Ethiopia

As described briefly above, when the Oromo human passes from 1 phase to the next, his duties in addition to agency of life inwards monastic enjoin change. For instance, during the grades of Qondaala, Kuusa in addition to Raaba Doorii, the individuals larn state of war tactics , Oromo history, politics, ritual, police push clitoris in addition to direction over a menstruum of 24 years. When they go into the Gadaa shape or Luba at the historic menstruum of nearly forty years, they demand hold already acquired all the necessary cognition to grip the responsibleness of administering the province in addition to the celebration of rituals. It ends with partial retirement of the whole, grouping of elders to an advisory in addition to judiciary capacity.
The next are the Gadaa officials in addition to their duties according to the Tuullama Gadaa practice:
1. Abbaa Bokku - President
2. Abbaa Bokku - First Vice-President
3. Abbaa Bokku - Second Vice-President
4. Abbaa Chaffe - Chairman of the Assembly (Chaffe)
5. Abbaa Dubbi - Speaker who presents the determination of the presidium to the Assembly
6. Abbaa Seera - Memoriser of the laws in addition to the results of the Assembly's deliberations.
7. Abbaa Alanga - Judge who executes the decision
8. Abbaa Duula - In accuse of the army
9. Abbaa Sa'a - In accuse of the economy

Thus, the entire presidium consists of nine members, called "Salgan Yaa'ii Borana" (nine of the Borana assembly). The Abbaa Bokkus are the primary officials. (Bokku is a wooden or metallic scepter, a sign of authorization kept past times the Abbaa Bokku, the president). The Abbaa Bokkus demand hold counselors in addition to assistants called Hayyus who are delegated from the lower assemblies.
OdaaThere are iii flat of assembly - inter-clan, clan in addition to local chaffes, chaffe beingness the Oromo version of parliament. The chaffe assembly was held inwards the opened upward air inwards a meadow nether the odaa (sycamore) tree. The chaffe made in addition to declared mutual laws in addition to was source of the accumulated legal cognition in addition to customs. In the hierarchy of Gadaa chaffes, the assembly of the entire presidium of the ruling - Gadaa Class - is the highest torso whose determination is final. It is the assembly at which representatives of the entire population come upward together, at predetermined times, to evaluate with other things, the piece of work of those inwards power. If those inwards ability demand hold failed to make what is expected of them, the assembly has the ability to supervene upon them past times some other grouping elected from with the same Gadaa shape or Luba. And this was 1 of the methods of checking in addition to balancing political ability inwards the Oromo society. The 2nd highest Gadaa assembly is the clan chaffe. It is from these assemblies that special delegates to the higher assembly are elected. The lowest Gadaa chaffe is the local chaffe. This is made upward of local members of the Luba from with whom representatives to clan chaffes are elected.
The holders of these responsible posts tin stay inwards business office for viii years only, inwards normal times, in addition to are so replaced past times a novel grouping of officers. The ability is handed over at a special ceremony at a special house in addition to time. The office-holders behavior regime - political, economic, social, ritual in addition to military machine - affairs of the entire state for this period. During state of war fourth dimension all capable men deal nether the leadership of the grouping inwards office. During the viii twelvemonth menstruum the officials alive together inwards a hamlet (yaa'aa village) in addition to when necessary go together.
Karrayyu tribe human carrying gift for Gadaa ceremony

There are 5 Gadaas inwards a bicycle of forty years. If a human enters business office (becomes Luba) now, his sons volition buy the farm Luba forty years from now. The 5 Gadaa (sometimes called Buttaa) inwards the bicycle demand hold names, which vary slightly from part to region. Among some Oromo communities, the sets of 5 Gadaa names used past times the sons are unlike from those of the fathers. Whereas with other communities, the same laid of Gadaa names are used for both fathers in addition to sons.

                                       Beautiful Karrayyu adult woman with her beautiful tribal facial marks

Conflict
Struggle for grazing lands in addition to H2O resources is a constant in addition to daily challenge for the Karrayyus. This results inwards conflicts with neighbouring tribes such every bit the Afar or the Argoba, but too with some other Oromos ethnic subgroups such every bit the Arsi Oromo. Clashes betwixt herders from these tribes are pretty common, in addition to sometimes people fifty-fifty acquire shot. Incidents occur nearly the possession or when some herders raid the cattle from some other tribe. In recent years these conflicts demand hold intensified every bit the lay out of available grazing lands has cutting down. Indeed, overgrazing (involved past times the recent of increase of the area’s population) leads to soil erosion. The degradation of the rangelands intensifies the pratice of cattle raiding which is already deeply rooted inwards the civilization of the tribes inwards this area. Some grazing lands demand hold fifty-fifty been abandoned past times the Karrayyus inwards fearfulness of vehement conflicts.

Religious Belief
The traditional Karrayyu religion is Waaqeffata, which is a monotheistic religion based on belief inwards a supreme beingness called ‘Waaqa’. This religion is closely related to the natural globe every bit the Oromo pray to Waaqa at sites believed to live especially blessed, these sites include for sure tree species such every bit Odaa, at specific lakes in addition to H2O points in addition to on the top of for sure hills in addition to mountains. This does non even so brand them animists, opposite to some explanations.


Passage of Rite
Unfortunately the Karrayyu are too famous for the woman someone genital cutting the women demand hold to human face upward in addition to endure from. According to the 2005 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey, to a greater extent than than 74 per cent of women betwixt the historic menstruum of xv in addition to 49 demand hold undergone some shape of genital mutilation in addition to cutting.. Parents believe this exercise guarantees their immature daughter’s virginity, which is a prerequisite for an honourable marriage.

The dark side of modernity to Karrayyu people
 Drought-affected Karrayyu solid reason where climate change, H2O shortage, conflict, years of neglect past times successive Ethiopian governments, in addition to shortage of grazing solid reason makes life the to a greater extent than unbearable. The Karrayyu recall all their problems are the piece of work of Waaqa.
The Karrayyu demand hold already lost a substantial portion of their solid reason to state-led commercial enterprises. The Awash National Park has taken over threescore pct of what used to live Karrayyu land. In the 1950s, the Dutch established the Matahara Sugar factories in addition to its vast saccharide estate, displacing the local people in addition to taking their solid reason without whatever compensation. According to the World Bank, dikes built to protect the saccharide plantations restrain the H2O stream raising tensions over H2O governance with unlike ethnic groups inwards the area. Government-run agribusiness schemes buy the farm on to chip at their grazing lands, H2O points, in addition to religious sites. Despite corporate expansions into the area, the Fantalle district is 1 of the to the lowest degree underdeveloped inwards Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia with a really pitiable route in addition to telecommunications infrastructure.

The Karrayyu are highly subject on Awash river every bit a source of H2O for drinking, their livestock, in addition to minor scale communal farming. However, inwards add-on to the dikes which boundary the H2O flow, the pollution of Awash river past times state-run factories pose a serious wellness opportunity to the Karrayyu in addition to their livestock. Periodic drought due to delayed rainfall, livestock disease, in addition to conflicts with neighboring communities, primarily the Afar in addition to Argobba, perpetuates the worsening livelihood of Karrayyu Oromos. However, the recurrent ethnic conflicts are unremarkably over access to resources (grazing solid reason in addition to water) in addition to solid reason rights. Land is communally owned with the Karrayyu.

Currently, a government-led irrigation scheme funded past times the World Bank is trying to convince the Karrayyu to comprehend agro-pastoralism.  This is threatening to farther erode their grazing lands in addition to livelihoods along with the Karrayyu cultural heritage – much of which revolves around the pastoral agency of life. “The Karrayyu don’t know how to farm. They are non familiar with money. It is going to live hard to tell them to exit brute herding, in addition to pick out upward farming.”  Some Non-for turn a profit organization similar  Labata Fantalle are trying to span the gap of cognition in addition to orient the Karrayyu into like shooting fish in a barrel diversifying their income through capacity edifice programs such every bit grooming on organic farming in addition to resources direction techniques.

Karrayyu warriors during Gada ceremony inwards Karrayyu tribe - Ethiopia

Gada ceremony close Metahara, inwards Ethiopia
                 By Eric Lafforgue
The guests convey food, milk, in addition to gifts for the families who welcomes them.A human writes inwards a volume everything.
In the center: some fruits are lay on moo-cow dungs. it is the virtual door to the moo-cow fence. Nobody tin walk on it.

Every viii years nether a total moon, a tribe of Karrayyu priests assemble inwards the Methara region, due south of Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, for a ceremony to transfer power, this ceremony is named Gada. Five families part in addition to principle the power.

In 2 days, 10,000 people come, mainly past times pes to assist with the running of the ceremony. Absolutely no tourists are allowed inwards the proximity. After weeks of negotiation with the tribe’s leader, I managed to obtain access to assist at the ceremony. Throughout the entire negotiation process, it was never a thing of money, every bit is oftentimes the representative with tribes, it was but that the ceremony has never been opened upward to foreigners.

Tired Karrayyu human with his Gunfura traditional hairstyle inwards Gadaa ceremony - Ethiopia.

The chiefs finally accepted, the Karrayyus are living inwards especially hard times in addition to their seat is precarious. They desire to brand the globe aware of their predicament ; the drought killing off their livestock in addition to the regime selling their fertile solid reason to Saudi-Arabia, Republic of Republic of India in addition to South Korea.
Their quondam tribal wars with their neighbours, the Afars in addition to the Sidamos, are get-go again. The lay out of immature fighters wearing an ostrich plumage inwards the pilus acts of a badge of having killed some other man, this acts every bit bear witness of renewed conflict.

The ceremony takes house inwards the desert with hundreds of temporary houses having been constructed specially for the Gadda. In front end of each employment solid in that location is moo-cow fencing, the moo-cow beingness a sacred animal, each 1 beingness named similar 1 of their children.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 mound of dry out moo-cow pat decorated with xanthous fruit draws the boundary in addition to the boundary that nobody volition dare to pass.

Inside the house, each employment solid unit of measurement has brought their bugée mataas, a strip of artistically, studded leather, their entirely valuable object.
In front end of the fences, the habitation possessor waits for the ritual gifts that the visitors demand hold come upward to offering them : milk, butter, sorghum …
An accurate listing of what has been offered is kept past times a form of official or clerk.

                       Karrayyu human in addition to her daughter

As nighttime falls, the Karrayuus who demand hold non managed to discovery the friends start to call their names, walking upward in addition to downward inwards front end of the houses. Some shipping texts from the mobiles, the entirely infringement of tradition.
At midnight, the tribal danses begin, the volume circle forms, the warriors, the Qondallas with their afro pilus trend fountain upward in addition to downward to present their power. The desert is no longer precisely an immense dust cloud.

At the same time, a grouping of other men aspect for the immature adult woman of the time to come chief. She hides in addition to they must discovery her, they are fortunate plenty to demand hold help, a total moon. Everybody else waits. All suddenly at 3am, the women who were sleeping using their dresses every bit duvets fountain to their feet in addition to start singing : the chief’s immature adult woman has been found !
The presents are so bought into the houses in addition to the monstrous feast begins.

In the early on hours of the morning, 1 hundred cows are sacrificed. Their throats cutting past times the Gille, a long traditional blade. The Karrayuus smear blood on the foreheads of the children every bit a sign of protection.

Later on towards midday, all of the men of ability including the primary shave the heads meanwhile the women pierce their ears with acacia thornes. Dozens of cows are in 1 lawsuit again sacrificed, in addition to in 1 lawsuit once again the hot blood is smeared on the mens’ freshly shaven heads, fifty-fifty babies demand hold their heads smeared.
At this point, women are allowed to exit the camp.

Then comes the solemn, formal minute of the ceremony, the 2 families human face upward 1 another. Each belongings blades of wildgrass, irrechas in addition to symbols of power. In a mad scramble, the telephone commutation takes house inwards precisely a few seconds. The novel primary declares ability in addition to disappears straight off !
The quondam primary leaves with tears inwards his eyes, the warriors take in themselves upward inwards every sense. Drunk with happiness, the chants in addition to songs start again. Everyone agrees to repeat the ceremony, inwards precisely 8 years time.

Source:http://www.opride.com/oromsis/news/horn-of-africa/3655-jeans-and-marto-with-love-from-karrayyu
All Photos past times the swell photojournalist in addition to anthropologist/travelor:Eric Lafforgue
Eric Lafforgue
















































House built for Gadaa ceremony



Shaving during Gadaa ceremony











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