Abota, Arka (PhD)Bekele, Desalegn2019-08-272023-11-082019-08-272023-11-082019-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/18844The role and utilization of indigenous communication is still pervasive in different communities of Ethiopia. The people of Gedeo are one of the long lived people of Ethiopia who practiced the indigenous communication as means of conflict resolution. The purpose of this research was to analyze the role and utilization of indigenous communication in conflict resolution of the Gedeo people of southern Ethiopia. Qualitative methodology was employed to conduct the research. Individual interview, focus group discussions, and non-participant observation were used to gather the necessary data from the sample respondents in four woredas namely Gedeb,Yirga chefe , Dilla Zuria and Dilla town. Individual interviews were conducted with a total of 20 individuals (six from community elders, four from experts of culture and tourism, and ten from the members of the baalle /traditional administration system of the Gedeo people. Focus group discussions were held with three groups having six members of each (the age of participants ranged from 45-90).The study found that conflict exists among the people of Gedeo and the dominant causes of conflicts are farm land boundary and grazing land. Also it was revealed by the study that in the traditional conflict resolution, the people of Gedeo mostly employ the win - win approach on which neither a looser nor a winner, but cases are negotiated for mutual benefit. However, in most local songos people are losing their trust on the hayyichchas/the traditional judges because, few hayyichchas are acting against the people‟s belief of working for all people without taking any side/biases among individuals or groups. Also this significant communication assets transferring from generation to generation is facing great challenges. The researcher calls up on action the responsible bodies to verge such dangers from the people‟s asset and act in a way that changes the current situation being noticed.enJournalismeThesis