1. Chapter Two: Social Structures and Organizations in Gadaa System
2.1. Kinship structures in Gadaa system
The kinship structure in traditional Oromo society
followed a similar conceptual patterning.
It consisted of five steps, progressing from the level of the
particular family to that of the people or nation as a whole:
2. Kinship structures in Gadaa system....
1. Ibidda:
The particular or nuclear family is referred to as
ibidda, literally meaning "fire".
Fire is a common metaphor used to designate the
family in Oromo, in particular the wife.
For without a wife there can be no home, and no
home without a fire.
The expression ibidda isaatu dhaame "his fire went
out" is used on the death of a man's wife
3. Kinship structures in Gadaa system....
2. Warra
Second level of kinship relations, comparable to the
minimal lineage, was the extended or joint family,
referred to as warra.
In Oromo the notion of 'family' is slightly different to that
in English.
Warra refers to blood relations rather than cohabitation.
4. Kinship structures in Gadaa system....
3. Balbala
It refer to those of the minor lineage
These are termed balbala in Oromo, literally meaning
"door".
The difference between warra and balbala is one of
degree.
Balbala is inclusive in terms of lineage, whereas warra
refers to particular families in the same lineage group.
5. Kinship structures in Gadaa system....
4. Mana
While Gadaa grade works for all members of tribe, the
actual participation of iAt the fourth level is situated the
mana or "house''.
This refers to a coherent clan grouping found on both
sides of the moiety divisions of the i.e., Sabbo and
Goona.
6. Kinship structures in Gadaa system....
5. Gosa: At the highest level of the Oromo kinship structure
is found the gosa, or group.
people of the same "gene" or "seed".
the general frame of blood relationships, and that they are
only really relevant at the lowest level of conception,
tending to become progressively more fluid at the higher
levels of the structure.
8. Concept of Organization in Gadaa System
Gadaa has its own governance structure to sustain peace
and security of ecosystem.
These structure are starts from individual house holds up
to Gumii.
We can categorize the structures of Gadaa organization in
to seven.
Let us see them in detail.
9. Concept of Organization....
1. The Maatii/house hold/family is the first building block
of Gadaa organization.
Members of a family are husband, wife and their children.
Family is headed by Abbaa Manaa/ a husband.
In one family when if the absence of the husband, the
family is led by the wife or the eldest son.
.
10. Concept of Organization....
2.The Shanacha/Warra is members may include, being the
children of the same father, grandparents, aunts, their
married children with their families and includes those
who are not married.
For example, if a grandparent has eight children: if all
eight marry and have wives and children, this all in one
place called Warra.
11. Concept of Organization....
3. The Ollaa /neighborhood is the many households live or
settle close together.
The Ollaa which quickly meets in times of sorrow and joy,
head is called Abbaa Ollaa.
4. Reera is the extensive settlement of several Ollaas
coming to gather.
This organization may contact each other weakly during
sorrow and joy.
Reera is ruled by Abbaa Reeraa /Reera's father.
12. Concept of Organization....
5. Dheeda means, several Reeras came to gather and be
Dheeda.
Usually Dheeda is came to gather during different jilaas
/rituals and contact each other at one market.
Peoples who live in one Dheedaas couldn’t meet each
other weakly for economic and socially as Reeraas.
The head of Dheeda is called Abbaa Dheedaa (Gadaa
Rogaa).
13. Concept of Organization....
6. Yaa'a (Gabalaa )is the cluster of Dheedaas.
Gabalaa administration is managed by Adulaa (Abbaa
Gadaa Gabalaa).
Abbaa Gadaa Gabalaa manages governors who with him
and the society.
14. Concept of Organization....
Abbaa Gadaa Gabalaa manages governors who with him and
the society.
7. Gumii/ Caffee is many Gabalaa (yaa'a) came to be Gumii
/Caffee and structures like :
Me'ee Bokkoo,
Gumii Gaayoo,
Odaa Roobaa,
Odaa Nabee,
Odaa Bisil, Odaa Bulluq,
Odaa Bultum and below structures which governed by Abbaa
Gadaa.
16. 2.3.Gender and Gadaa
What is Gender ?
Gender is the multiple ways in which
maleness and femaleness are perceived,
evaluated and stratified in a society.
Gayle Rubin, “a socially imposed division
of the sexes” and as a deliberate
transformation of “males and females into
‘men and women”
17. Gender and Gadaa....
Gender refers to "the socially constructed characteristics
of women and men – such as norms, roles and
relationships of and between groups of women and men.
Gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls
and boys that are socially constructed.
This includes norms, behaviors and roles associated with
being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships
with each other.
As a social construct, gender varies from society to society
and can change over time.
18. 2.3.1. Gender Relation between Men and Women and Gender
Construction in Gadaa System
A gendered culture of a society is part and parcel of the
society’s complex socio-economic structure.
According to Oromoo oral narratives, God is one of the
creators of all nature.
He created many nature in the water.
The Creator of Walaabuu is the essence of human nature.
By the visit of the Waaqaa, the Creators of Walaabuu were
divided into Horoo(men) and Hortuu(women).
In this way, God created men and women equally at the same
time.
19. Cont…..
It is obvious that the reason why the husband is enjoined with the
responsibility of controlling the modesty of his wife is that a wife
does not have an existence separate from her husband or that she is
under his full protection.
The same belief is equally distinctly communicated in a number of
Oromo folk-proverbs.
In Oromoo practices, there are various other cultural attitudes and
that reflect gender construction.
The first is the differential treatment of boys and girls from the
moment of their birth.
At birth, parents are asked whether they have a gurbaa (baby son) or
intala (baby daughter).
20. Cont….
DURING BIRTH
However, among the Booranaa Oromoo, who are still practicing the
Gadaa System closer to the original, unless they leave their
Dabballee grade, boys are never indoctrinated into masculinity.
ISHEE
Among the Arsii, after a child is born, the midwives declare the sex
of the child, usually by ululating five times for the baby son and four
times for the baby daughter.
Similar cultural practiced among the Hadiyyaa people, who are
geographically, culturally and historically related to the Arsii
Oromoo.
At a very early stage, the Oromoo boys and girls engage in cognitive
self-categorization.
21. Cont….
DURING MARIAGE
The way the Oromoo establish marital relationship also reveals gendered culture.
For instance, a man requests (active) the hand of a girl for marriage, while a girl is
requested (passive).
Again, a man is deemed fuudhe (married) by virtue of his taking a woman to his
homestead while the woman is deemed heerumte (been wedded) since she is taken
away from her parental home.
This simply shows that men are possessors while women are the possessed.
BRAVERY
KORMA, KORMEE, DHIIRA, AKKA DHIIRAATI….
QEERRUMMAA FI QARRUMMAA/ DURBUMMAA
Similarly, the language of sexuality in Oromoo emphasizes the importance of
masculine potency/strength or virginity .
22. Cont….
FERTILITY
The word ulfaa’uu (becoming pregnant, passive) is used
for women.
Ulfa(informal)
Dadhabbii qabdi
Garaatti baatti Formal
Garaa ulfaatti
Ulfeessuu (impregnating, active) is used for men.
Dhashuu
23. Cont….
LABOR DIVISION
MEN : controlling military and political activities.
engaging in warfare.
taking part in the elections of leaders of camps.
taking part in age grades.
Producing income for their wives
They have responsibilities of doing heavy works by themselves
WOMEN : Producing food for men, child care and supporting them
Motivating and criticizing by song in politics and work songs (kaarrilee)
Participate in conflict resolution
Participate in simple duties
24.
25. Gender and Gadaa....
According to Oromo world view, Mother is symbolized as
earth, for giving birth to bringing up and tolerance.
So, the laws of Gadaa respect and treat them.
The Oromoo people have a tradition that gives priority
for women in different indigenous rituals such as
Ingiccaa is celebrated by girls and Ateetee is celebrated
by women.
26.
27. Cont…
Dejene, (2002:44) argued with other scholars;
women have roles to play in the ritual practices
embedded in the Gadaa system.
Women are not excluded from Gadaa system,
but only from age grade.
Women cannot enter into Gadaa age grade
because they are married at certain age in the
middle of their stay which forces them to join
another clan.
27
28. Cont…
On the other hand, each age grade has roles and
responsibilities which often require separation from
home and marching to distant and desert areas.
Because of their social responsibility (nurturing
children) however, women cannot do this.
For instance, when husband became dhaloota, his wife
became dhaloota/Kalaalee; Luba serves for both
husband and wife.
Unlike other gada age grades, the final one
differentiates in names for men and women.
Gadamoojjii and Cifiree is known for husband and
wife respectively.
Thus, they perform their duties in line with their
respective age grades.
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29. 2.5.Females duties in the families and Buttaa rituals
In Boorana, all families have their duties and
responsibilities. From among these:
Constructing hut or house is a responsibility of
women.
Their knowledge and abilities are examined by the hut
they constructed.
But this is not allowed for unmarried females.
According to this idea constructing house was females
responsibility among Boorana Ormoo.
Furthermore, according to Kuwee, (1997), the Oromo
women had been given a shelter in the Gada system.
Accordingly, the Abba Gada was given a siiqqee, ritual
stick, to take home for his wife by the Qallu, the
spiritual leader.
The siiqqee was granted her to use whenever she
performs important ritual performances and to
symbolize her feminine rights and respects.
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30. 2.6. Addooyyee
Addooyyee is the sisterhood or friendship
institution established by girls of the same mate
during their adolescence age.
Addooyyee institution has social, normative and
regulative structure that persisted by laws, rules,
beliefs and behavioral roles of the Oromoo.
It especially derived from Gadaa system in which its
principles focuses on gender equality which
addooyyee institution is one version of gadaa in
relation to equality.
It is promise made between two and more girls to be
close friend, to repute each other, to help each other,
to love each other and not to call each other by their
respective name; instead, to call each other
addooyyee
30
31. Cont…
Adooyyee sometimes called hiriyyee or
saakumee (close friend); however,
addooyyee is prevalent and formal term
used to embody the concept.
After the establishment of the addooyyee
between girls, they do not call each other
by their name; they call each other
addooyyee throughout their life.
The friendship established between girls
through addooyyummaa
(addooyyee’ness or friendship) is not
short time friendship, it is lifelong
friendship.
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32. 2.6.1.Establishment of Addooyyee Institution
During establishing addooyyee institution, girls come
together and take a promise of addooyyummaa. The
addooyyee can be established between girls who have blood
relation and also those who do not.
The promise has cultural procedure and practice. They
practice it at the river when they fetch water or collect
firewood.
After deciding to be addooyyee for each other, they come to
the river where the callaadduu (tall grass which grows at
riverbank) grows and uproot it.
By holding the callaadduu they take the promise oath.
Callaadduu is green and beautiful and it symbolizes happiness
and harmony relation of girls in their life.
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33. 2.6.2. Addooyyee institution as self-help
organization
Addooyyee institution has self-help organization
through which they help each other during illness,
birth, death and other social events.
One is through their dugda deebii (help turn by turn)
institution.
In this system addooyyee institution come together to
help each other on farming turn by turn.
They work meesii (cleaning ploughed farm land to
prepare to distribute seed), aramaa (weeding), and
others.
They help each other according to their addooyyee
institution.
34. Cont’d….
The other institution through which addooyyee
institution help each other is daboo durbaa (girls’
cooperative work).
They help each other through daboo (cooperative
work), when one of their addooyyee unable to finish
her works on time because of different social issues
such as birth, illness, death and other reasons.
After marriage, if one of their addooyyee gave birth,
the institution helps her in the farming.
They work on weeding, meesii, haamaa (mowing) and
other harvesting works.
35. Cont’d….
They appoint the day on which they help her
and participate in unity.
Not only farming, they also wash her cloth
and body and prepare shananii birth ritual.
During the birth event addooyyee institution
also affords each other gumaata dhalaa (gift
of birth).
Gumaata dhalaa is the food that addooyyee
institution prepares at their respective home
and present for their addooyyee who give
birth.
37. 2.7. Siiqee/siinqee
The Siqqee is:
Basically, is a stick given by the mother of daughter
to be married
the Oromoo women's institution.
It is a parallel institution to the Gadaa System.
The cultural meaning of siiqqee, is used to defend
Oromoo women's rights in the society.
Is also used to maintain safuu (ethical code) of Waaqa
(God) and the society.
has enabled Oromoo women to have control over their
sexuality and fertility, and to maintain their social
rights and religious and moral authority to deter men
from infringing upon their rights.
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38. Kuwee Kumsa (1997) argues Oromo women have
maintained some values of this institution to
protect human dignity and to struggle for national
liberation, gender equality, and social justice.
Further, she demonstrates how some Oromo
women still use some tactics of siiqqee rebellion
and punishment to resist male domination, and how
they use original Oromo religion to Oromize
Christianity and Islam.
She argues that the resilience of the siiqqee
institution is obvious in the current struggle of
Oromo women for national liberation and gender
equality.
38
39. Cont…
The ulee sinqee is a special stick which a woman who gets
legally married will receive on her wedding day.
The shape of the sinqee stick varies from place to place; in
the eastern lowlands of Bale it is a straight stick, in the
western part the upper part is formed like a fork.
The sinqee is considered as “a woman’s weapon”,
symbolizing the respect and the power that a married
woman has: The sinqee stick is given to a woman in order
to protect her rights
If a woman has a sinqee she has to be respected. Nobody
should fight with her. The sinqee stick is important and
related to the rules and regulation of marriage.
39
40. Cont…
There are forms of marriages which are based on
sinqee, and there are marriages that are not based on
sinqee. In the kadhacha form of marriage, sinqee is
important.
If there is marriage by force (butta) this is not by
sinqee. People will say “Sinqeen gurguran” (She is
married by sinqee). If a woman is married based on
sinqee, she has full rights. She is formally married. If
she is married without sinqee she has no power in her
husband’s family.
41. Cont’d...
The sinqee has traditionally been used on a number
of different occasions: During religious ceremonies,
in particular when women go for Ateete – a religious
women-only ceremony.
Women will march to a nearby riverbank where they
will pray to God. This is in particular done when the
community faces problems, such as:
lack of rain,
infertility,
disease among human and livestock and in times of
political instability and war.
If a woman is insulted, intimidated or sexually abused.
If a husband beats his wife or insults her during her
pregnancy or during the qanaffa.
When there are conflicts between clans (gosa).
During marriage ceremonies.
42. Cont…
Important to note is that sinqee not merely is a term for
a material symbol, it also refers to an institution, to a
women’s organization totally excluding men, which
has both religious and political functions.
The word sinqee is thus often used to describe various
mobilizations conducted by women, yet the term ateete
is also applied.
Ateete or sinqee seems interchangeably to refer both to
religious marches as well as to political mobilizations
conducted when women’s rights or perhaps more
correct to say, women’s wayyuu has been violated.
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