Oromusings

[oromusings-blog]

Expanding the Frontiers in Oromo Studies: Pathways into the Future

The Oromo Studies Association’s past conferences have focused on the crucial themes of human rights, democracy, and national liberation – all generating important theoretical and macro-level discussions. This year, we propose that the theme of the OSA annual conference focus on Expanding the Frontiers in Oromo Studies. We anticipate that this focus will lead to intergenerational discussions on identity, culture and community.  Specifically, we want to emphasize social media, youth leadership, diaspora/homeland connection/disconnection, trauma and healing, and challenges of faith/spirituality and gender expressed in artistic endeavors and academic works, reflections on activism in the Oromo community, and visions for the future. OSA invites paper and panel submissions focusing on the aforementioned themes and other under-explored topics related to Oromo daily life, activism, and experience shared with other struggling peoples. In addition to academic studies, we invite creative work, personal writings and reflections on home and exile, and efforts to bring about change.   Given that OSA’s mission is to create a platform for the exploration of all issues concerning Oromo life, we expect that this call for presentations will reveal themes and issues which may previously not have been given enough attention. The infusion of academic/personal/artistic work has a great potential to provide new data as well as fresh perspectives, which may lead to robust discussions during and after the annual conference. Opening up the space for greater latitude in the type of presentation – in addition to the kind of academic presentations people have come to expect – may also encourage diversity in panel participants and conference attendees. Please use this form to submit an abstract of up to 300 words by May 15th. Abstracts can also be emailed to [email protected] along with the information requested in the form below.

http://www.oromostudies.org/blog/osa-2015-annual-conference-abstract-submission-form

[oromusings-blog]

The many tribes of Oromo

People often refer to the Oromo as "tribes" If you know anything of the Oromo, you'd know that's such a misleading characterization. 

The many Oromo tribes: 

Raya

Wollo

Karaiyu

Mecha

Tulama

Guji

Arssi

Borana

Yejju 

You see, Oromo is too big to be a tribe. 

[limmiti-deactivated20140924]

I wonder what our culture as Oromo people would have been like had it been given the chance to flourish and grow freely. Having been thwarted into inferiority by Emperor Haile Selassie who himself was of Oromo lienage and further ground into oblivion by the Dirge regime much less through blatant...

[amyvansteenwyk]

As an ESL teacher who has worked with students from many different countries, I had reservations about focusing too much on one people’s struggles. It felt unequal, unfair somehow.

I told myself, it’s okay. Right now 100% of your students are East Africans. Minnesotans know who Somali people are...

[danielzergaw-blog-blog]

A perspective for consideration:

Most discussions related to ethnic identities in Ethiopia fail to realize the extent to which identities can be socially constructed. This is nowhere more evident than among groups that struggle for Oromo rights. Almost everyone in this camp claims to stand for...

[nomadizing-blog]

Geographically speaking, the Oromo people inhabit much of what is now Ethiopia, some parts of Northern Kenya, and Somalia. In the Horn of Africa, they are the single largest ethnic group as they also are in Ethiopia. The Oromo have an elaborate cultural, social, and political heritage and...

[maarnayeri-blog]

I really deplore this toxic and regressive culture that promotes the idea of knowledge being invalid if isn’t wrapped in academic jargon. The amount of brilliance I’ve encountered and enrichment I’ve gained from immigrants and those systematically deprived access to elite...

[amyvansteenwyk]

I was at a fundraiser yesterday. The majority of it was in Afaan Oromo, a language I’m trying to learn, but still very far from understanding.

Still, I was tempted to decline when a woman in my row moved over to sit next to me and offered to translate for me. I kind of like to try to...

[oromusings-blog]

Oromo people are Ethiopia's and HornofAfrica's single largest ethnic group. Have you heard of them?

[oromusings-blog]

Over the last week and half, hundreds of Oromo students, across multiple universities in Ethiopia have taken to the streets in a peaceful demonstration against what the government calls Integrated Development Master Plan of Addis Ababa. The plan aims to expand Addis Ababa to 20 times its current size. This means that millions of indigenous peasants stand to lose their land, culture, identity and economic independence. 

In a nutshell, the protesters oppose the mass eviction of poor farmers that are bound to follow the territorial expansion of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Oromo students say the “master plan” is meant to de-Oromonize the city and push Oromo people further into the margins.

Here is detailed information on how you can get involved and raise awareness 

https://www.facebook.com/notes/ayantu-tibeso/how-to-support-oromoprotests-and-get-involved-in-raising-awareness/500517300073824

[barentu-deactivated20130923]

my favourite oromo song <3

[barentu-deactivated20130923]

Why is the largest ethnic group in #Ethiopia also one of the most persecuted? On Tuesday, The Stream looks at the marginalisation of Oromos in Ethiopia. 

[oromoo]

Mountain plains of Eastern Ethiopia, also known as Oromia.

The Oromo people are the largest ethnic group in the Horn of Africa and are mainly concentrated in Ethiopia, Northern Kenya and along the Western coast of Somalia.

follow for more

[mpiedlourde]

outside Ficchee, Shewa, Ethiopia

December 26, 2011

[barentu-deactivated20130923]

Oromos in the US since 1902

Ellis Island Portraits by Augustus F. Sherman, Courtesy of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and the Aperture Foundation.

[lightsandcamera-deactivated2014]

Proposal for Al Jazeera’s The Stream for a show on Oromo identity and the state of Oromo people in Ethiopia and the diaspora by co founder and editor of Opride.com, Mohammed Adeom !! Another proposal on the new face of Mogadishu,Somalia! How is the reality of day to day life in Mogadishu, Somalia?

[plansfornigel-deactivated201703]

Oromo women protest male violence under banner of goddess Atete by VELEDA on MARCH 6, 2014

I found this article while searching for information about the Oromo goddess Atete on a scholarly database. Here the southern Ethiopian goddess hardly appears in her own right, most of the Oromo having...