This document summarizes key points from an anthropology presentation on indigenous systems in Ethiopia. It discusses the advantages and challenges of Ethiopia's large youth population. It also describes customary systems of governance for the Oromo, Gedeo, and Gamo ethnic groups. These systems generally involve councils of elders, periodic transfers of power, and assemblies for conflict resolution and lawmaking. The document also discusses the roles, strengths, and limitations of indigenous conflict resolution institutions, as well as the causes of ethnic conflicts in Ethiopia. It defines legal pluralism and indigenous knowledge, and explains their importance to indigenous communities.

1. ANTHROPOLOG
Y
PRESENTATION

2. 1. Ethiopia currently has large number of younger
people. What are the advantages and challenges
of having large population of young people in
countries like Ethiopia?
Advantages
 Gives the country a chance to build an
educated and civilized community.
 For the expansion o f socio-cultural.
 For the future of national security and sovereignty
of the country

3. cont...
Disadvantages
High dependency ratio.
Inaccessibility of social services such as
school and health care.
There is also ecological destruction in order
to create more space for agriculture and
accommodation.
 Lack of availability of job in future

4. 2. What kind of challenges do older men and women face in
Ethiopia? How does it vary in rural and urban areas?
People’s attitude toward older persons is changing over time
in Ethiopia and all over the world. Despite being the
custodians of tradition, culture, and history, older persons
are facing a lot of challenges in Ethiopia as a result of
rural-urban migration. Older people are facing various
problems as a result of modernization, globalization and
urbanization.

5. cont...
In most cases, older people are excluded from
social, cultural, political and economic
interactions in their communities. They are
marginalized because they are considered
as social burden rather than social assets.
3. Identify customary systems of governance
and conflict resolution institutions of the various
peoples of Ethiopia.

6. Customary governance: is a system of government
that is guided by the customs, believes, norms, or
cultures of an indigenous society rather than
written laws.
 It is a traditional form of government.
Some examples of customary system of
governance in Ethiopia are;

7. cont...
A. The Oromo Gadaa System
The Gaada of the Oromo is one of the well-studies
indigenous systems of governance. It is an age
grading institution of the Oromo that has a
complex system of administration, law making
and dispute settlement.
Gadaa is an egalitarian (democratic) system of
governance.

8. cont...
In the Gadaa system, political power is transferred
from one generation set (Luuba) to another every
eight years.Gaada officials such as the Abba
Gaada (president),Abba duulaa (head of army)
and Abba Seera (father of law) serve for eight
years and leave their position to the new
generation of Gadaa officials.
The Gaada system involves a continuous process
of law making and revision. The law making
process has rooms for wider participation of the
people.

9. cont...
Examples;
Gumi Gaayo: a law making assembly of the Borana Oromo
Yaaii haaraa: a law making assembly of the Walliso Oromo.
B. The Gedeo Baalle
The Gedeo of southern Ethiopia have an indigenous system
of governance called Baalle. The Baalle and the Gaada
system of the Oromo have some similarities.

10. cont...
For example:
 Both have grading system and exercise periodic
transfer of power (i.e., every eight years).
 The role of religion is high in the two indigenous
systems of governance.
Moreover, the customary law of the Gedeo is called
Seera. The Ya’a is the highest body of the Gedeo
indigenous system of governance.

11. cont...
The Baalle is a complex system which has three
administrative hierarchies: Abba Gada, Roga,
and two levels of council of elders known as Hulla
Hayyicha and Songo Hayyicha.
In general, the Gedeo system of governance has
the following major institutions: the ya’a (general
assembly), the Seera (customary law), the Abba
Gada, and council of elders.

12. C. Dere Woga of the Gamo
The Gamo are among Omotic peoples of southern
Ethiopia. The Gamo did not have a
centralized political system. They were
organized into several local administrations
locally known as Deres.s Deres. According to
anthropological findings, there were more
than 40 deres across the Gamo highlands.

13. Cont...
Each dere had its own ka’o (king) and
halaqa (elected leader). The highest body of
the indigenous governance is the Dere
Dubusha. The Dubushas assembly has three
hierarchies; The dere dubusha( at the top), Sub-
der dubusha( at the middle), Guta/neighborhood
dubusha.

14. The customary conflict resolution institutions
in Ethiopia.
Indigenous/customary justice institutions have
been widely used across Ethiopian regions
and cultures. With some exceptions,
customary justice institutions include three
major components. The three components are:

15. cont...
1. Customary laws: it refers to a body of rules,
norms, and a set of moral values.
Examples;
The Sera of the Sidama, the dere woga of the
Gamo, the Seera Aadaa of the Oromo;
Gordena Sera of Kestane Gurage.

16. 2. The of counsel of elders.
Examples;
Jaarsa biyyaa (oromo) ,Hayyicha (Gedeo)
Yehager shumagille (Amara), Dere cima(gamo),
daere cimma(wolaita), and cimuma (burji).
3.customary courts or assemblies: are public
assemblies that serve two major purposes:
(a) hearing, discussing and settling disputes,
and (b) revising, adapting, and making laws.

17. 4.Analyze the strengths and limitations of
indigenous institutions conflict resolution
The strengths of indigenous institutions conflict
resolution;
• Incur limited cost in terms of time and
resources/money.
• Conflict resolution processes are performed
in a transparent way.

18. cont...
• Decisions are easily enforced through
community-based sanctions including social
exclusion; compliance ensured through
blessings and the threat of curses.
• Customary systems aimed at restoring
community cohesion, social relations, collective
spirit and social solidarity.
• Rely on respect for elders, the tradition of
forgiveness, transferring compensations,
embedded in indigenous beliefs.

19. cont...
The limitations are;
• Limitations related to protecting and
safeguarding women’s rights.
• Indigenous justice institutions are dominated by
men.
• Their potential in resolving inter-ethnic conflicts
and restoring long-lasting peace is very limited.

20. 5. Explain the role of women and women’s
institutions in settling disputes and making
peace in different cultural settings.
Ethiopian women participate in the process of
dispute settlement in exceptional cases. For
example;
• When the cases are related to marriage and
women’s issues.

21. cont...
• In some societies, women use their own
institutions to exercise power, protect their
rights, and actively participate in peacemaking
activities.
Examples;
Women’s peacemaking sticks: Oromia and
Sidama
Don Kachel: Agnuak women peacemaking
institution
Women’s institution of reconciliation: Raya-
Azebo, Tigray

22. 6.Intra and inter-ethnic conflicts have become
common in our country in recent years.
• Conflicts and disputes exist in every society and
community. It may arise between individuals,
groups and communities within the same ethnic
group. It may also involve groups from different
ethnic background.

23. 7.What do you think are the causes of these
conflicts?
 Causes of these conflicts are;
Political, religion, and language causes.
Resources and boundary
Culture, history, and ideology
8.What are the advantages and disadvantages of
legal pluralism(having multiple justice/legal
systems/institutions)?

24. Legal pluralism refers to the co-existence of
multiple legal systems working side-by-side in
the same society.
The advantages of legal pluralism
have a capability to address all legal cases
and maintaining peace and order.
To give a speedy trial and save time and costs.
To serve all communities especially for remote
and rural areas.

25. cont...
The disadvantages of legal pluralism
It needs more budget.
It needs more human power.
It may have lack of professional skills.
9.What is indigenous Knowledge?
It is the local knowledge that is unique to
a given culture or society.

26. cont...
• Since every population is unique in terms of
its environment, resources and tools, IK will
also be unique. It contrasts with the
international knowledge system generated by
universities, research institutions and is closely
related to 'local knowledge or wisdom', 'non-
formal knowledge', 'culture', 'indigenous
technical knowledge', 'traditional ecological
knowledge', 'traditional knowledge', and
others.

27. 10. Why indigenous knowledge is considered as
an important part of the lives of the indigenous
peoples?
• Indigenous knowledge is considered as an
important part of the lives of the indigenous
peoples because;
• It increases and enhances livelihood options,
revitalize agriculture, increase food security,
improve health and promote a sense of cultural
pride within the community

28. cont...
Experiential rather than theoretical knowledge.
Experience and trial and error, tested in the
rigorous laboratory of survival of local
communities constantly reinforce IK.
Indigenous knowledge passes from one
generation to the next and enable
indigenous people to survive, manage their
natural resources and the ecosystems
surrounding them.

29. 11. Identify who indigenous people are, and
their knowledge
Indigenous people refer to:
• A specific group of people occupying a
certain geographic area for many
generations. They possess, practice and
protect a total sum of knowledge and skills
constitutive of their meaning, belief systems,
livelihood constructions and expression that
distinguish them from other groups.

30. 12. Describe the significances of indigenous
knowledge
It addresses the pressing problems of development
and the environment. It also enables people to
develop strategies for handling household and
communal activities.
In general, indigenous knowledge is an important
part of the lives of the poor. IK is a key element
of the “social capital” of the poor; their main
asset to invest in the struggle for survival, to
produce food, to provide for shelter or to
achieve control of their own lives.

31. 13. State the challenges facing indigenous
knowledge
i. The exploitation of natural resources, and
increased competition for employment, has set
off a problematic chain of events.
ii. IK can also be eroded by wider economic and
social forces.
iii.IK is sometimes accepted uncritically
because of naive notions that whatever
indigenous people do is naturally in harmony
with the environment.

32. 14. Suggest viable ways of promoting and
protecting indigenous knowledge
IK is promoted and protected by:
Documenting and preserving formally
It must be gathered, organized, integrated
and disseminated.
Educating new generations to protect IK.

33. 15. Where and how do you think indigenous
knowledge is stored and transmitted from one
generation to the next?
IK is transmitted from one generation to next
generation when it is gathered, organized,
integrated, and documented formally.
16. Who are indigenous people?
The phrase ‘indigenous people' refers to a
specific group of people occupying a certain
geographic area for many generations.