| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,867,350(2007)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Ethiopia | |
| Languages | |
| Gurage languages | |
| Religion | |
| Islam,Christianity,traditional faith[2][3] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
Gurage (/ɡʊəˈrɑːɡeɪ/,[5]Gurage: ጉራጌ) are aSemitic-speaking ethnic group inhabitingEthiopia.[2] They inhabit theGurage Zone andEast Gurage Zone, a fertile, semi-mountainous region inCentral Ethiopia Regional State, about 125 kilometers southwest ofAddis Ababa, bordering theAwash River in the north, theGibe River, a tributary of theOmo River, to the southwest, andHora-Dambal in the east.
According to the 2007 Ethiopian national census, the Gurage can also be found in substantial numbers inAddis Ababa,Oromia Region,Harari Region andDire Dawa.[6]
According to the linguistMarcel Cohen, the Gurage are likely the descendants of a very isolated group of ancient Semitic-speaking South Arabian settlers who established themselves around theLake Zway region and mixed with the indigenous peoples. However other historians have raised the complexity of seeing Gurage peoples as a singular group. For example, Ulrich Braukhamper states that the eastern Gurage (Siltʼe,Wolane,Kebena) were probably an extension of theHarla and they often cite kinship withHararis. Oral traditions also states that EmperorAmda Seyon established a military colony in northern Gurage (Aymellel) of soldiers fromAkele Guzai led by Azmach Sebhat. Some elements of the Gurage, such as theWolane, claim to be descendants of the soldiers of Imam Ahmad al-Ghazi who fled to the Gurage area after their disastrous defeat atWayna Daga.[7] Thus, historically the Gurage peoples may be the product of a complex mixture ofAbyssinian andHarla groups.[8][9]
The Gurage first appear in theRoyal Chronicle of EmperorAmda Seyon I where it claims thatSabr ad-Din I appointed a governor for the Alamalé region (i.e.Aymellel, part of the "Guragé country"). Sabr ad-Din appears to have gained some Gurage support, as according to the chronicle his forces included 12 "Geragi" (Gurage) and 3 "Seltogi" (Siltʼe) leaders. By the 15th century, the Gurage region had become an established part of theEthiopian Empire, theEnnemor were recorded during the reign of EmperorYeshaq I as paying tribute in horses. EmperorBaeda Maryam visitedAymellel where his chronicle claims that he loved the area and planted "all kinds of sweet-smelling plants".[10]
The first explicit mention of the Gurages comes from thePortuguese traveller and priestFrancisco Alvares who visited Ethiopia in the 1520s. According to Alvares, the Gurages were a fiercely independent people who resented the Christian Ethiopians, he says "and of these there are no slaves, because they say that they sooner allow themselves to die, or kill themselves, then serve the Christians." The Gurages also had a very bad reputation as being robbers who regularly attacked the royal camp (katama) ofLebna Dengel. This was particularly serious for Behtweded, the Emperor's favorite courtier, who's quarters which situated on the left of the camp and was prone to attacks. Alvares claims that the attacks were so common "they were few days when it was not said: 'Last night the Gorages killed fifteen to twenty people of the people of great Betudede."[11]
EmperorSusenyos I was much involved in the Gurage country. Prior to his coronation as Emperor he marched into the province, where the Christian Gurages asked him to support them againstSidi Mohammed, the Muslim ruler ofHadiya. The chronicler describes the Gurages as a largely Christian people who were "superior in arms" toOromo andAmhara warriors. The Portuguese JesuitManuel de Almeida described them as "heathens and Moors", who did not often obey the Emperor. Their country was situated, he says, on the important trade route betweenGojjam andEnnarea, and their warriors included horsemen, as well as men skilled in the use of bows and arrows.
Susenyos I is recorded to have faced a significant battle against the Ennämor people during his return from an expedition to Enarya. The Ennämor forces inflicted heavy losses, seizing hundreds of horses and mules. Despite these setbacks, Susenyos advanced into Ennämor, where he met fierce resistance, causing most of his army to flee. With only two cavalrymen initially by his side, he regrouped his remaining troops, composed of Oromos and Amharas, and launched another assault. Though they managed to breach the Ennämor camp, a counterattack forced Susenyos's forces to retreat, with the prince narrowly escaping. For the remainder of Susneyos's reign little more is heard of the Guragés, who with the northward movement of the capital and empire, had become independent of Imperial rule.[12]
The Gurages typically had very hostile relations with the neighboringOromos. The traffic of Gurage slaves substantially increased in the mid-19th century. Many Gurages had desperately appealed to NegusSahle Selassie ofShewa to protect them from Oromo attacks.Karl Wilhelm Isenberg witnessed Gurage slaves begging at the feet of the Negus, attesting that when they go toShewa they are often nearly naked asOromos frequently ambush and rob them. In response, Sahle Selassie gifted them new clothes, knowing that the Oromos, fearing his wrath, would not dare rob them again. Despite these incidents, many Oromos also peacefully intermarried with theSoddo Gurage, with many of the latter speaking the language of the former and adopting Oromo names. Many Oromos adopted traditional Gurage customs and cultures, this is most present with the Jida and Abado clans of the Tulama branch, as well as the Geto who are mostly indistinguishable from the Gurages customs or tradition.[13][14]
The Gurages were profoundly affected by theAgar Maqnat or the conquests ofMenelik II ofShewa. Initially, the Gurages, with the exception of theSoddo Gurage—who submitted to Menelik in 1876 without resistance—fiercely opposed his expansion. From 1874 onward, they fought to defend their independence and lands for 14 years, successfully repelling Menelik's forces in several battles. The most intense and significant of these was the Battle of Aräkit (in Gumär) in 1875 whereHassan Enjamo ofKebena defeated a large Shewan force. Only about one-third of Menelik's men returned safely and a number of Shewan captives were sold to the Wällamo region by the victors. Among those killed in the battle was Aläqa Zänäb, author of the first chronicle of EmperorTewodros II. It wasn't until 1888 whenGobana Dacche defeatedHassan Enjamo at theBattle of Jebdu Meda were the Gurages finally subdued.[15][16][17]
Following their incorporation into the modern Ethiopian state, the repressiveneftenya system over their homeland facilitated urban migration, initially migrating for labor inAddis Ababa to generate the necessary cash to pay the taxes imposed on them. Throughout the history ofAddis Ababa, the Gurage have been both the city's main labor force and the driving force behindAddis Mercato. By the early 20th century, Gurage had become synonymous with porters, as people would call for laborers by shouting the name "Gurage". Until the 1950s, most urban Gurage worked in manual labor, petty trade, or as shopkeepers for foreign traders (Yemeni Arabs,Armenians,Greeks, andIndians), who then dominated Ethiopia's economy. However, between the 1950s and 1970s, they successfully outcompeted foreign entrepreneurs, effectively dominating Ethiopia's emerging capitalist economy. Today, their strong work ethic and entrepreneurial success remain integral to Ethiopia’s economic and social fabric, with "Gurageness" often associated with business acumen in public discourse.[18]
The Gurage languages are a subgroup of theEthiopian Semitic languages within theSemitic family of theAfroasiatic language family. They have three subgroups: Northern, Eastern and Western.
Gurage languages includeSebat Bet, consisting of the dialectsInor,Ezha,Muher,Geta,Gumer,Endegegn,Chaha, and alsoSoddo,Masqan,Zay. Like otherEthiopian Semitic languages, the Gurage languages are heavily influenced by the surrounding non-Semitic AfroasiaticCushitic languages. Gurage is written left to right using a system based on theGeʽez script.[19]
According to the 1994 census, the six largest ethnic groups reported in Gurage Zone were theSebat Bet Gurage (45.02%), the Silt'e (34.81%), theSoddo Gurage (9.75%), the Mareqo or Libido (2.21%), theAmhara (2.16%), and the Kebena (1.82%); all other ethnic groups made up 4.21% of the population.Sebat Bet Gurage is spoken as a first language by 39.93%, 35.04%Silt'e, 10.06% spokeSoddo Gurage, 3.93% spokeAmharic, 2.16% spokeLibido, and 1.93% spokeKebena; the remaining 6.95% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were reported asMuslim, with 29.98% of the population reporting that belief, while 51.97% practisedEthiopian Orthodox Christianity, 15.9% wereProtestants, and 1.95%Catholic.[20] According to the 1994 Ethiopian census, self-identifying Gurage comprise about 2.7% of Ethiopia's population, or about 1.4 million people.[21][22]
The Gurage live a sedentary life based on agriculture, involving a complex system ofcrop rotation and transplanting.Ensete is the mainstaple food,Teff and othercash crops are grown, which includecoffee andkhat which used as traditionalstimulants.Animal husbandry is practiced, mainly for milk supply and dung. Other foods consumed include green cabbage, cheese, butter, roasted grains, meat and others.
The principal crop of the Gurage isensete (also enset,Ensete edulis, äsät or "false banana plant"). This has a massive stem that grows underground and is involved in every aspect of Gurage life. It has a place in everyday interactions among community members as well as specific roles in rituals. For example, the ritual uses of ensete include wrapping a corpse after death with the fronds and tying off the umbilical cord after birth with an ensete fiber. Practical uses include wrapping goods and fireproofing thatch.[23] Ensete is also exchanged as part of a variety of social interactions, and used as a recompense for services rendered.[24]
Ensete is totally involved in every aspect of the daily social and ritual life of the Gurage, who, with several others tribes in Southwest Ethiopia, form what has been termed theEnsete Culture Complex area... the life of the Gurage is enmeshed with various uses of ensete, not the least of which is nutritional.[23]
Ensete can be prepared in a variety of ways. A typical Gurage diet consists primarily ofkocho, a thick bread made from ensete, and is supplemented by cabbage, cheese, butter and grains. Meat is not consumed on a regular basis, but usually eaten when an animal is sacrificed during a ritual or ceremonial event.[23] The Gurage pound the root of the ensete to extract the edible substance, then place it in deep pits between the rows of ensete plants in the field. It ferments in the pit, which makes it more palatable. It can be stored for up to several years in this fashion, and the Gurage typically retain large surpluses of ensete as a protection against famine.[24]
In addition to ensete, cash crops are maintained (notablycoffee andkhat) and livestock is raised (mainly for milk and fertilizer). Some Gurage also plantteff and eatinjera (which the Gurage also call injera).[25]
The Gurage raisezebu. Thesecattle are primarily kept for their butter, and a typical Gurage household has a large quantity of spiced butter aging in clay pots hung from the walls of their huts. Butter is believed to be medicinal, and the Gurage often take it internally or use it a lotion or poultice. A Gurage proverb states that "A sickness that has the upper hand over butter is destined for death." Different species of ensete are also eaten to alleviate illness.[26]
The Gurage regard overeating as coarse and vulgar, and regard it as poor etiquette to eat all of the ensete that a host passes around to guests. It is considered polite to leave at least some ensete bread even after a very small portion is passed around.[27]
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Multi-ethnic civic nationalism | |||
