The Oromo of Ethiopia: A History 1570-1860 (African Studies, Series Number 66)

This study deals mainly with the history of the Oromo of the area - the Gibe region. It covers a period of three centuries. The story begins at a time when the medieval Christian kingdom of Abyssinia was rapidly disintegrating and ends shortly before the creation of the modern Ethiopian empire. During this long period, the Oromo led an independent existence as masters of their destiny and makers of their own history. The Oromo of the Gibe region lived as neighbors with, but beyond military control and political influence of, the medieval Christian kingdom of Abyssinia. The latter came to constitute only a small part of what today is Ethiopia. The Oromo developed their own cultural, religious, and political institutions which shaped their history and expressed their world view.The independent existence of the Oromo was brought to an end abruptly and rudely by the creation of the modern Ethiopian empire during and after the 1880s. The Oromo, who constitute nearly half the population of Ethiopia, are the largest single national group in the Horn of Africa. For political reasons they have been denied a history, but this study establishes that they were indigenous to Ethiopia with a culture, religion and political institutions. Mohammed Hassen. Based Mainly On The Last Section Of My Ph.d. Dissertation Presented To The School Of Oriental And African Studies, London University, In June 1983--pref. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 234-245.