Sidama people: Difference between revisions
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The Sidama preserved their cultural heritage, including their traditional religion and language until the late 1880s during the conquest by Emperor [[Menelek II of Ethiopia|Menelik II]].<ref name=Hameso/> Before this, the Sidama had their own well-established administrative systems that dated at least to the 9th century, though it was made up of a loose coalition of Sidama kingdoms. These kingdoms extended into the [[Gibe region]]. As a result of marginalization and since the language does not have its own alphabet, very little has been written on Sidama issues. Many were not able to attend school until after the [[Derg]] came to power in 1975. |
The Sidama preserved their cultural heritage, including their traditional religion and language until the late 1880s during the conquest by Emperor [[Menelek II of Ethiopia|Menelik II]].<ref name=Hameso/> Before this, the Sidama had their own well-established administrative systems that dated at least to the 9th century, though it was made up of a loose coalition of Sidama kingdoms. These kingdoms extended into the [[Gibe region]]. As a result of marginalization and since the language does not have its own alphabet, very little has been written on Sidama issues. Many were not able to attend school until after the [[Derg]] came to power in 1975. |
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Today, the Sidama area has only a small number of schools, and inadequate health services, though primary education has increased recently.<ref>[http://jimmatimes.com/article.cfm?articleID=17040 "Primary education in Ethiopia"], ''Jimma Times''</ref> The people have repeatedly complained that Sidama doesn't have regional autonomy in the country and asked for the government to give the Sidama people their own region. There are several justifications for this argument. First, Sidama consitutes about 20% of the total population in the Southern region <ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/pdf/Cen2007_firstdraft.pdf "Census 2007"], first draft, Table 5</ref> with |
Today, the Sidama area has only a small number of schools, and inadequate health services, though primary education has increased recently.<ref>[http://jimmatimes.com/article.cfm?articleID=17040 "Primary education in Ethiopia"], ''Jimma Times''</ref> The people have repeatedly complained that Sidama doesn't have regional autonomy in the country and asked for the government to give the Sidama people their own region. There are several justifications for this argument. First, Sidama consitutes about 20% of the total population in the Southern region <ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/pdf/Cen2007_firstdraft.pdf "Census 2007"], first draft, Table 5</ref> with a significant economic contribution to the central government. Second, the 40 smaller ethnic groups in the region belong to the three main socio-cultural and linguistic groups namely, Kushitic groups: Sidama, Alaba, Tambaro, Qewenna, Maraqo, Konso, Hadiya, Kambata; Omotic groups: Wolayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawuro, Konta, etc, and Semitic group: Gurage. After the downfall of the Military regime in 1991, the Transitional Government endorsed five separate regions with in the current SNNPR region. These regions were established based on socio-cultural, linguistic and economic similiraties. They followed similar administrative arrangement made by the previous regime shortly before its downfall. Sidama, Gedeo and Burji belonged to one of the five independent regions with in the current SNNPR. However, those five regions were disolved with out consultation with the peoples of the region. Third, proper administrative arrangement is essential for administrative efficacy, effective delivery of social and economic services and broader economic development. The current administrative arrangement in SNNPR is conducive to none. There is therefore an urgent need to change the current administrative arrangement in the region. |
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Some argue that with the SNNPR being a condensed region with the most ethnic groups concentrated in a small territory, carving out boundaries that historically never existed and are often violently disputed between ethnicities in order to give autonomy to the more than 40 ethnic groups is virtually impossible. |
Some argue that with the SNNPR being a condensed region with the most ethnic groups concentrated in a small territory, carving out boundaries that historically never existed and are often violently disputed between ethnicities in order to give autonomy to the more than 40 ethnic groups is virtually impossible. |
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Revision as of 17:53, 15 September 2009
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The Sidama (Ethiopic: ሲዳማ) people of southern Ethiopia are an ethnic group whose homeland is in the Sidama Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. They number 2,966,474 (4.01% of the population) of whom 149,480 are urban inhabitants, the fifth most populous nation in Ethiopia. [1] Their language is called Sidaamu-afoo, which according to the 1994 national census was the mother language of 99.5% of this ethnic group.[2] According to one authority, the majority of the Sidama practice their traditional beliefs, and only in the 1960s that European missionaries came to their region did any leave that faith.[3] However, according to the 1994 national census, only 14.9% practice traditional beliefs while the majority (66.8%) are Protestant, 7.7% Muslim, 4.6% Catholic, and 2.3% practice Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.[4]
The Sidama preserved their cultural heritage, including their traditional religion and language until the late 1880s during the conquest by Emperor Menelik II.[3] Before this, the Sidama had their own well-established administrative systems that dated at least to the 9th century, though it was made up of a loose coalition of Sidama kingdoms. These kingdoms extended into the Gibe region. As a result of marginalization and since the language does not have its own alphabet, very little has been written on Sidama issues. Many were not able to attend school until after the Derg came to power in 1975.
Today, the Sidama area has only a small number of schools, and inadequate health services, though primary education has increased recently.[5] The people have repeatedly complained that Sidama doesn't have regional autonomy in the country and asked for the government to give the Sidama people their own region. There are several justifications for this argument. First, Sidama consitutes about 20% of the total population in the Southern region [6] with a significant economic contribution to the central government. Second, the 40 smaller ethnic groups in the region belong to the three main socio-cultural and linguistic groups namely, Kushitic groups: Sidama, Alaba, Tambaro, Qewenna, Maraqo, Konso, Hadiya, Kambata; Omotic groups: Wolayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawuro, Konta, etc, and Semitic group: Gurage. After the downfall of the Military regime in 1991, the Transitional Government endorsed five separate regions with in the current SNNPR region. These regions were established based on socio-cultural, linguistic and economic similiraties. They followed similar administrative arrangement made by the previous regime shortly before its downfall. Sidama, Gedeo and Burji belonged to one of the five independent regions with in the current SNNPR. However, those five regions were disolved with out consultation with the peoples of the region. Third, proper administrative arrangement is essential for administrative efficacy, effective delivery of social and economic services and broader economic development. The current administrative arrangement in SNNPR is conducive to none. There is therefore an urgent need to change the current administrative arrangement in the region.
Some argue that with the SNNPR being a condensed region with the most ethnic groups concentrated in a small territory, carving out boundaries that historically never existed and are often violently disputed between ethnicities in order to give autonomy to the more than 40 ethnic groups is virtually impossible.
The above argument is fallacious for two main reasons: first, it is not necessary to grant administrative autonomy to 40 ethnic groups in the region. The demand of the Sidama people is for the regional autonomy in the context of the return to the lawful five separate regions which predate the creation of the current SNNPR region.Second, there are no forty ethnic boundaries in the region and there is no need for any such boundaries. But there are legally recognised boundaries for the previous five separate regions that were disolved to create the current SNNPR. These boudaries have never been disputed by any ethnic group in the south.
Nearly 95% of the Sidama live a life centered around agriculture. An important staple food is the wesse plant, or Ensete. Other crops are also grown and they breed cattle. Perhaps the most important source of income is coffee, and the area is a major contributor to Coffee production in Ethiopia, producing a high percentage of export coffee for the central government, second only to the Oromia region. The Sidama farmers have been affected by hunger caused by declining world market prices for coffee, despite supplying the popular coffee chain Starbuck's with the majority of their coffee products from the region. (coffee crisis according to the pretext of the central government)[7].
See also
References
- ^ "Census 2007", first draft, Table 5
- ^ 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Vol. 2, Table 2.16 (accessed 30 December 2008)
- ^ a b S. Y. Hameso, Trevor Trueman, Temesgen M. Erena 1997
- ^ 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Vol. 2, Table 2.20
- ^ "Primary education in Ethiopia", Jimma Times
- ^ "Census 2007", first draft, Table 5
- ^ Jean Ziegler, The empire of shame