Mekan people
Appearance
This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2014) |
![]() A female member of the Bodi, in the Omo Valley | |
Total population | |
---|---|
56,585 (1998) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Ethiopia | |
Languages | |
Me'en language |
The Mekan or Me'en are a Surmic ethnic minority group inhabiting southwestern Ethiopia. The 1998 census lists them as consisting of 56,585 individuals.[1] In Ethiopia, ethnic communities speaking Nilo-Saharan languages are referred to as "Nilotic", but this is not exactly the same meaning as the Nilotic language family.
The Mekan or Me'en speak the Me'en language, which is a member of the Surmic language family. The population is subdivided into two groups: the highland Tishena, who are agriculturalists, and the lowland Bodi, who are pastoralists.
See also
References
Bibliography
- Abbink, Jon G. 1990. "Tribal Formation on the Ethiopian Fringe: Toward a History of the 'Tishana'." Northeast African Studies. Volume 12.1: pp. 21–42.
- Abbink, Jon G. 1991. "The Deconstructions of Tribe: Ethnicity and Politics in Southwestern Ethiopia." Journal of Ethiopian Studies. Volume 24: pp. 1–21.
- Abbink, Jon G. 1992. "An Ethno-Historical Perspective on Me'en Territorial Organization (Southwest Ethiopia)." Anthropos. Volume 87.4/6: pp. 351–364.
External links
Media related to Mekan people at Wikimedia Commons