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Wolaytta’s Quest for Statehood: A Historical Overview and Analysis of Contemporary Quests for Regional Statehood in Ethiopia’s Federation

Received: 1 June 2019     Accepted: 8 July 2019     Published: 3 September 2019
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Abstract

This paper tries to shed a light on the history of Wolaytta that evolved from huge kingdom to the recent small province called Zone. Here the researcher presents insights on the previous glories of Wolaytta kingdoms and the retreat of the kingdom’s political and economic hegemonies. The paper also tries to look at the contemporary quest of independent regional state of Wolaytaa. Issues that have been raised above are qualitatively analysed after extensive data collection through interview, group discussion and formal and informal discussions with elderly people who are aware of the history of Wolaytta. The finding of this research shows that the people of Wolaytta had very strong centralized political system since 13th century. Basically two dynasties under the name called Wolaita-Mala and Wolaytta Tigre had ruled the vast territory of Wolaytta up until late 20th century. The kingdom was also known in expanding to the reset of the country up until the then notorious northern Ethiopia up until Gojjam, Amhara. The state was also defended its territory from the expansionist Minilik II and finally incorporated to the Ethiopian kingdom after a bloody war. Since their incorporation, Wolaytta had faced a century of retreat both economically and politically. With the change of leader in the ruling part EPRDF, a new wave of change has been observed that finally led the resurgence of Wolaita’s greatness and the quest for independent regional statehood under the Ethiopia federation.

Published in Social Sciences (Volume 8, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ss.20190804.18
Page(s) 198-205
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Wolaytta, Statehood, Historical Development

References
[1] Human Rights Council-HRCO (2017). 142nd Special Report: Human Right Violations Committed During the State of Emergency in Ethiopia. May 28, 2017, Addis Ababa.
[2] Brandt, S. A., et al. (2012). Early MIS 3 occupation of Mochena Borago Rock Shelter, Southwest Ethiopian Highlands: Implications for Late Pleistocene archaeology, paleo-environments and modern human dispersals. Journal of Quaternary International 03: 047.
[3] Chiatti, R. (1984). The Politics of Divine Kingship in Wolaita (Ethiopia) 19th and 20th Centuries. PhD Thesis. University of Pennsylvania: 327-34.
[4] Berhanu, Bibiso (1995). Production practices in Damotta Woyde: A case of Sura Koyo. MA Thesis in Social Anthropology, Addis Ababa University.
[5] Adane Ayza (2016). Ye Gebar Sirat Be Wolaita:. 1887-1967 (In Amharic). Wolaita Sodo, p. 30.
[6] Demise Mojja (2009). A Survey of Socio-Political History of Wolaita to 1974. M. A. Thesis, Department of History, Addis Ababa University: 38-39, 55-56.
[7] Bahiru Zewde (2002). The Modern History of Ethiopia from 1885 to 1974, Addis Ababa University Press, Addis Ababa.
[8] Asela Gujubo (2012). Qedemt Wolaita and Kaffa (The Early Wolaita and Keffa), Addis Ababa: 34-68.
[9] Abreham Babanto (1979). The Origin of Lemlemitua Wolaitta and revolutionary Modern Wolaitta (In Amharic). Addis Ababa: United Printers.
[10] Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Constitution (2005). Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
[11] Fancho and Eyob (2014) Ye Wolaita Hizeb TarikEske 1966 (In Amharic Language). Wolaita Sodo, 2014.
[12] Jose´phine Lesur, Jean-Denis Vigne and Xavier Gutherz (2007) Exploitation of wild mammals in South-west Ethiopia during the Holocene (4000 BC– 500 AD): the finds from Moche Borago shelter (Wolayta). Journal of Environmental Archaeology vol. 12 No. 2.
[13] Data Dea (2000). Clan, Kingdoms, and ‘‘Cultural Diversity’’ in Southern Ethiopia, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Germany: 163-188.
[14] Wana Wagesho (2004). Ye Wolaita Hizeb Tarik 2nd Edition (In Amharic), Addis Ababa: 14-23.
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  • APA Style

    Tensay Hailu. (2019). Wolaytta’s Quest for Statehood: A Historical Overview and Analysis of Contemporary Quests for Regional Statehood in Ethiopia’s Federation. Social Sciences, 8(4), 198-205. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20190804.18

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    ACS Style

    Tensay Hailu. Wolaytta’s Quest for Statehood: A Historical Overview and Analysis of Contemporary Quests for Regional Statehood in Ethiopia’s Federation. Soc. Sci. 2019, 8(4), 198-205. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20190804.18

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    AMA Style

    Tensay Hailu. Wolaytta’s Quest for Statehood: A Historical Overview and Analysis of Contemporary Quests for Regional Statehood in Ethiopia’s Federation. Soc Sci. 2019;8(4):198-205. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20190804.18

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ss.20190804.18,
      author = {Tensay Hailu},
      title = {Wolaytta’s Quest for Statehood: A Historical Overview and Analysis of Contemporary Quests for Regional Statehood in Ethiopia’s Federation},
      journal = {Social Sciences},
      volume = {8},
      number = {4},
      pages = {198-205},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20190804.18},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20190804.18},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20190804.18},
      abstract = {This paper tries to shed a light on the history of Wolaytta that evolved from huge kingdom to the recent small province called Zone. Here the researcher presents insights on the previous glories of Wolaytta kingdoms and the retreat of the kingdom’s political and economic hegemonies. The paper also tries to look at the contemporary quest of independent regional state of Wolaytaa. Issues that have been raised above are qualitatively analysed after extensive data collection through interview, group discussion and formal and informal discussions with elderly people who are aware of the history of Wolaytta. The finding of this research shows that the people of Wolaytta had very strong centralized political system since 13th century. Basically two dynasties under the name called Wolaita-Mala and Wolaytta Tigre had ruled the vast territory of Wolaytta up until late 20th century. The kingdom was also known in expanding to the reset of the country up until the then notorious northern Ethiopia up until Gojjam, Amhara. The state was also defended its territory from the expansionist Minilik II and finally incorporated to the Ethiopian kingdom after a bloody war. Since their incorporation, Wolaytta had faced a century of retreat both economically and politically. With the change of leader in the ruling part EPRDF, a new wave of change has been observed that finally led the resurgence of Wolaita’s greatness and the quest for independent regional statehood under the Ethiopia federation.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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    AB  - This paper tries to shed a light on the history of Wolaytta that evolved from huge kingdom to the recent small province called Zone. Here the researcher presents insights on the previous glories of Wolaytta kingdoms and the retreat of the kingdom’s political and economic hegemonies. The paper also tries to look at the contemporary quest of independent regional state of Wolaytaa. Issues that have been raised above are qualitatively analysed after extensive data collection through interview, group discussion and formal and informal discussions with elderly people who are aware of the history of Wolaytta. The finding of this research shows that the people of Wolaytta had very strong centralized political system since 13th century. Basically two dynasties under the name called Wolaita-Mala and Wolaytta Tigre had ruled the vast territory of Wolaytta up until late 20th century. The kingdom was also known in expanding to the reset of the country up until the then notorious northern Ethiopia up until Gojjam, Amhara. The state was also defended its territory from the expansionist Minilik II and finally incorporated to the Ethiopian kingdom after a bloody war. Since their incorporation, Wolaytta had faced a century of retreat both economically and politically. With the change of leader in the ruling part EPRDF, a new wave of change has been observed that finally led the resurgence of Wolaita’s greatness and the quest for independent regional statehood under the Ethiopia federation.
    VL  - 8
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Author Information
  • Department of Social Anthropology, Lecturer at Wolaita Sodo University, Sodo, Ethiopia

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