Customary Contention the Power and Authority of Partially Despised Waata Oromo in Dispute Settlement
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Date
2005-06
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AAU
Abstract
My interest to conduct a study on the partially despised Waata was since 1995. I went to the study area for
the first time in order to collect data on customary marriage of the Jiddoo Kombolchaa people among Arsii
Oromo. In 2001 , I conducted another study on their mourning ritual. In August 2004, I surveyed Worjoo
Woshgulla and Faajjii Qaraaruu to start a study on the power and authority of the partially marginalized
Waata in dispute settlement. To that effect, I used the myth of Waata's origin, their categorization as
Oromo, classification as "caste," and I have analyzed it from anthropological emie and etie perspectives.
The change and continuity of Waata's role in dispute settlement, their ritual power of blessings and social
status in customary blood feud recompense has also been dealt with.
I collected primary data led by two full time field guides. I have reviewed relevant literature throughout my
two years stay in the university. The major methods employed were key informant interviews, group
discussions, informal talks, observations and browsing through published and unpublished sources. Data
were mostly recorded using audio cassettes and taking pictures. Sound records were also transcribed
during each night and reorganized for the next day gap filling interviews. Field notes were taken and
preliminary analysis of data was made side by side the data collection and transcription. The categories of
informants included all Waata community members excluding children below their early twenties,
purposively selected elders from Utaa - Waayyuu sub - moiety, local government officials, some experts
from culture and legal departments of the East Shoa zone, other distanced minority members and some
literates from different backgrounds.
The most important findings of this investigation are: one, Worjoo Woshgulla and Faajjii Qaraaruu Waata
seem fulfill only one of the six characteristic features of the "caste" classification. Two, the original forefather
of both Waata and Arsii was a person called Banii/Banoo whose younger son, Hoomaa, took the power of
the elder, Waayyuu, through seera ("law") and left him spiritual power only. Three, Waata and Qaalluu seem
one and the same during early times but divided later on. Four, on blood feud recompense ritual Bokkuu,
("chief of Chiefs") slaughters duJ/aeha keeraa ("old cattle") while Waata slaughters hoolaa gurraattii, ("black
sheep"). Five, homicidal cases are reconciled through fixa gumaa ritual while recompenses of crimes
outside killing are settled through gumfakkii. Six, misunderstandings between custom and contemporary
legal systems has left some criminals undetected. On the basis of these fieldwork findings, the thesis finally
concludes that the despising of Waata and other minority groups is the result of internal division of labor for
wise use of scarce resources. The special role despised minorities play in the social system helps to keep
the continued existence of the society. Although some scholars argue as if customary activities decline
slowly and led to disappearance, it seems from this study that customs undergo some changes and/or bear
some symptoms of disappearance but regenerate depending up on local conditions