The Derogatory Names

Wolammo,Galla,Agame,Gudella,Tinb-aro,sidamo,Hamasen,Budda-Gojamme,Gurage,Dorze,felasha,------

Let us see some genuine definition for some of these names.

Oromo (Galla)

17^th century History writer Ludolf   [Ludolf 1682:107] describes the origin of the word Oromo and Galla as a follows.

“The Galla, who call themselves Oromo, are as uncertain about their origin of their name as anthropologists. ‘Oroma’ means foreigner not relative; ‘gala’ means stranger who is guest; ’galla’ is stranger who joins the tribe, ’gala’ does also mean go home, also means the one who goes home.

Tigray (‘Agame’)

The Agame (Amharic meaning="fruitful") is a former province in northern Ethiopia, now part of the Tigray Region. Its inhabitants include the Irob people, a region where tradition states the legendary Makeda (the Queen of Sheba) was born and raised. The aristocratic house had its capital at Adigrat. Agame also includes Zalambessa; a piece of land Ethiopia and Eritrea have recently fought over. (Wikipedia)

 Wolayta (‘Wolamo’)

The name ‘wolaheta’ does mean to come together or to form unity or alliance. The word Wolamo is question, Wolla mo? Can I eat the fruit of Wolla tree [I don’t know the name of the tree in English but its Wolayta name is wolla with edible fruits’].

 Different explanations have been given to these sorts of names from different perspectives but this is not the focus of this article.

The last 100 years

 In the last century, after the central Government of Ethiopia is formally established partially by submission and the rest after bloody war the way these names had been used is in the derogatory sense. These names were used to break down the confidence of the people who finally became the members of the Union so as to make sure they live loyal.

The success of Emperor Minelik to control all of the rival states was ended successful. Minelik was not the first King with the intension of unifying these people with Language and culture differences but with deep rooted similarity. There were continues rivallary, marriage-ties, business interactions, and more in the current Map of Ethiopia which dates back to thousands of years.

Lets us see some of the past Histories of intention and successes of  “unifying” these people briefly and our specific, Wolayta, case in a more detail.

Ø  The Oromo expansion was one of the main examples of the form of unifying success which continued for centuries by Oromo’s

Ø  The agew Dynasty in the north where amhara and Tigre’s were part have unified the north for 120 years.

Ø  King Motole of Wolayta(to be discussed in a little bit of detail) under the Damot Kingdom

Ø  The grange ahmed Control over part of the country and Islamazation of the controlled areas, Under the Somale Leader

Ø  The Yodit Gudit (‘Felasha Queen’) control of the center and North of Ethiopia for long period of time and intention of “unifying”.

Ø  Atse Yohannes of tigre  crowned as the King of the North Ethiopia(Tigre, wollo, Gonder, Gojam)

Ø  And various Rulers from Gojam, Gonder (mainly King Tewodros) etc

These brief examples indicates us the kind of interaction the current Ethiopia had before  Minelik finally controlled the entire Ethiopia and moved his capital to  Addis Ababa.

Damota Kingdom

One of the famous Dynasty of Ruled By kings from Wolayta is Called ‘Damota Kawoteta’ or Kingdom of Damot. As written in one of the History Books

“Damot was a medieval kingdom in what is now Ethiopia , and Neighbour to the Ethiopian Empire. Originally located south of the Abay and west of the Muger River,^[1] under the pressure of Oromo attacks the rulers were forced to resettle north of the Abay in southern Gojam between 1574 and 1606.^[2]Its earliest mention is in the Gedle or hagiography of the 13th century Saint Tekle Haymanot, which mentions Damot under a governor named Motolomi, who had his palace at a place called Malbarde, and whose territory extended east beyond the Muger as far as the Jimma.

The kingdom finally became 19^th century Wolayta Kawoteta or Wolayta Kingdom with loss of its vast territory and Kingdom.”

The presence of names such as ‘Damot terara’ or Damot mountain and Damot District in amhara region,’Xossa’ terara or Tossa mountain still indicates the presence of the Wolayta in the Present amhara region in the form of  “Unifying” forces before Hundred of years. In one of the church Book called Gedle Tekle Haymanot one of the king of the dynast called King Motolomi was portrayed as  ‘Aremenewu ye Wolamo Negus’ .He captured wife of priest and the land and burned churches and brought captured war captives back to his land as slaves. The son of the Amhara priest as in the Hagiographic book or as Wolaytas presents him the son of King Motolomi is the famous Ethiopian saint Abune Tekle Haymanot.

The derogatory Names

The above mentioned  derogatory names were widely used in the last century after Minelik was able to completely surrender all of the rivallary states under the present map. He and the amhara kings after him made sure that the rival states and people throughout the Union are under the amhara-Only Rule. The soldiers of Minelik were given lands in the most fertile parts of the entire controlled territory; the neighboring dwellers were forced to serve these soldiers and their families.  Anyone who is seen  to have acceptance in the society is given equal fortune and power as the soldiers of Minelik so as to ‘Divide and rule’.

for example,one of the best friends of King Menelik was Balcha Aba nefso (‘Oromo’)  while Balcha Aba nefso was being  treated as a king  and close friend an average Oromo was treated as slave in the country. This was true in the entire Union from Tigre to Jinka, from Somale to Gambela. There were beloved from each ethnic group who are crowned while the rest had been manipulated by the Amharas and own-manipulators.

The strange thing about Minelik was that He used the same technique on Other Amhara whom he thought may take over his throne. Gojammes were given Derogatory name which is Buda or ‘Evil Eyed’, and The word Woloye was also used as an insult. The vast majority of Amharas remained peasants while the soldiers and families tied to the rulers benefited in and out of the amhara region.

At the era of Emperor Haile selassie even if the people of Wolayta still didn’t accept the name Wolamo as their name, ’Wolamo awuraja’ was the official name of the Wolayta district without the will of the Wolayta people.

This was changed to some extent at the era of the military Junta though the Dominance of the Amharas from the soldier families and the ruling class with relatively better education continued throughout the regime.

These were the main reasons for the Birth of the following [LIBERATION FRONTS] ---MIND YOU –“LIBERATION FRONTS”.

Eritrean people Liberation Front

Oromo people liberation Front

Tigray people liberation Front

Ogden Liberation Front

Afar people liberation Front

Gambela people Liberation Front

Sidama people liberation front and etc

The fuel of these struggle movements was the abuse of these people by the Continues regimes led by amharas for almost 65 years after the forced unity and in others forms in the derg regime.

The oppressed were not only Non-amhara tribes rather the majority of Amhara were also oppressed. They were peasants, depending on from where they are they were given equivalent torture names as explained above. These oppressed Amharas have also joined the other oppressed people to get rid of the oppressor. It took time but the oppressors failed and falled through scarifies of the people, change has come.

The Greatest surprise of Derogatory Names and their Usage

It’s very important to understand that a person from oromiya do not  feel comfortable if anyone from any ethnic group uses the word ‘Galla’ against him. The same is true for all groups with assigned Derogatory names.

Though this names are given by amhara-leaders to their rivallary to weaken the society psychologically we can meet a Tigre from mekelle using the word ‘Gudella’ as an insult against Hadiya, an Oromo from shashemene using the word ‘Wolamo’ as an insult against the Wolayta, ’the Wolayta from soddo using ‘Agame’ as an insult against ‘Tigre’ and all the possible combinations of people and derogatory names.

 A friend of mine from Gonder once fought with another friend from dessie and insulted him as ante ‘Woloye’. It is funny but my other friend became so angry and started fighting, that is big mess.

 When I was in university I had fight with one of my friends (fight is very childish act-I regret today), he used the word ante ‘Wolamo’ as an insult. I was very much surprised by the attitude of my good friend who always complained of abuse of Amhara soldiers on his ethnic group and family and the usage of the derogatory name ‘Galla’. Then I thought it is not only Amharas who has been using these names against others rather Tigres used this name against Gambela, Sidama used against Hadiya and all possible combinations.

 I remember the experiences of other friends that had the same examples—I remember hearing Hadiya student calling A Gurage student ‘Gurage’ as an insult, Gurage calling Tigre student ‘Agame’ or Tigre student calling Hadiya ‘Gudella’ and so on.

 These continued to present date and not only amhara are using these names but all of the ethnic groups use it on one another.

The ruled class amharas didn’t have any derogatory names until the fall of Haile selassie but after the regime change in Ethiopia and the famine incidents that occurred specially in Amhara and other related problems people have started using the Amharic word  ‘AHIYA’, which means Donkey as a derogatory names against them. 

 Giving name to a group specially in Ethiopia has its roots in rivallary. All of the ethnic groups in Ethiopia with special derogatory names are the ones who have challenged and controlled the Amhara region or were autonomous by themselves until the final Unity in 20^th century as I have discussed before.

Since only Amharic language has written language the "Ethiopian History" we know is  written from the perspective of the Amharas only.All of the Nations who have controlled the Amharas are portrayed as Pagans and aliens.The way king Motolomi portrayed in The book of Gedle Tekle Haymanot,The way Falasha Queen Yodit portrayed in History books(Yodit-Gudit),the way Gragn Ahmed is portrayed in History Books all account to the perspective of the writers.
King Menelik started using these names intentionally to break the confidence of the dwellers of the new territory.He and his followers were able to do so for nearly 70 years,until the Oppression got its final answer on 1983 E.C.

What will the future of Ethiopia be?

Today is very different from yesterday In Ethiopia. People have secured protection from the constitution regarding their identity, culture, rights and responsibilities. These names are not easy to use any more though people still seen to use them everywhere at some times; they do not have strong negative meaning as the era of amhara-only dominated period.

Every nation is well represented in the current Government; and even the world system today does not allow any kind of Genocide or abuse of one group on another anymore. People have started developing their languages and cultivating their culture. People have their dignity back after the fall of amhara-only Regimes and Juntas.

The future of the country holds equal opportunity and equal respect for all of the nations and nationalities in the territory of Ethiopia. The question of equality is answered for once and all. I don’t think in million years(Until Jesus comes) the coming of new group who will take these elements of the people away and I believe I will be the first to give whatever it takes to save this from happening. We now have a country where we all are equal members with equal Voice. We now have a country where we can learn, where we can have a carrier and family, now we have a country Unified more than ever and started to shine and change every day.

Now we have a country to be proud of –Ethiopia. And we all are brothers and sisters no one should use derogatory names against another group for the better future of this country. We should love all as we would like to be loved.

We have to have the courage to learn about others, to be concerned for others, to be there for others and help them out regardless of their ethnic identity since we have a common identity far greater than our Ethnic group -‘Ethiopian’.

In this group I am proud to wear my cultural close in any part of the country and speak out that I am Wolayta, inside this group I have all the rights to speak my language, use it to different purposes (media, medium of instruction at higher levels), and I serve this group with Honesty and responsibility. For this group I would like to contribute so that my name and the name of my people will always be remembered in the course of History.

Conclusion

All of the ethnic groups had a derogatory names and no one will feel comfortable if these names are use against him in whatever sense. No Hadiya will feel comfortable to be called ‘Gudella’,or kambata will feel to be called ‘Timbaro’, No tigre will feel comfortable to be called ‘Agame’, no Wolayta will feel comfortable to be called ‘wolamo’,no Oromo will feel comfortable to be called ‘Galla’,no Gurage will feel comfortable if the name is used as an insult, no sidama will feel comfortable if the name ’Sidamo’ is used against him, now a day’s no amhara will feel comfortable if called ‘Ahiya’ or ‘Naftegna’ and the rest is also true.

And there is no point in today’s Ethiopia to hurt one another rather we have all the reason to help one another, to care for one another and to change one another. We are brothers and sisters; we are sons and daughters of great land Ethiopia.

We have a region to dominate, a continent to rule, and a universe to control. Even if century old intentions of benefiting more are still there the current world system does not allow this. Any special abuse of one on another can be seen in the other end of the world in minutes, and above all we have a constitution that is the foundation of our today’s existence. Any group who feels like being abused in the country has the right for self determination, this holds us all.

"we have learned from History that it may take days,months and years but finally the oppressors will fall.we are the living proofs for this.But people and groups with good intentions will always live even after death.let us be one of those."

Sagging Questions

We have questions left sagging, we still have a question of equity. Though people are allowed to develop their language, culture, identity, and the like they are not given the same running track slots.

 My grandfather always asked me ‘Ta na7awu wolaytato qalla telebizhine awude dometti?’—which means my son when will the television show in wolaytato language start?

My grandfather was not lucky to see the news in wolaytato language, he was not lucky to hear news from Wolaytato radio, and read wolaytato news paper. But Oromo’s, Amharas, tigres, Afars, Somalis are able to benefit from the change.

Though the people were given the rights to govern them these rights are not given to all equally. Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the Gambela Region has total population of 306,916. Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Harar has an estimated total population of 122,000, Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the Afar Regional State has a total population of 1,411,092.this all regions are autonomous and their contact is directly with the central government. Sidama with 3,000,000 populations Wolayta with 2,500,000 and etc in the region were not given these rights and still are compressed under one region and have been given new name of a location Debuboch.

This is extremely contradictory to the constitution. A single city dire dawa enjoys TV show and FM broad cast but millions are not given these chances. These are some of the unanswered questions of equity, these are the missing question of unfair treatment, and these are the holes in the implementation of the constitution.

Apart from these and similar sagging question the future of the country is on the hands of each of us. All we from the east, west, north, south and the center, from all of the ethnic groups and individuals have equal share to the goods and bads of the country.

Long live Ethiopia

Long Live Wolayta