THE SOCIO-CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE HADIYYA PEOPLE, 1894 TO 1991

Abstract

The socio-cultural history of the Hadiyya people has not been deeply discussed by scholars. The study began in 1894 with the incorporation of Hadiyya into Menelik II Empire and ends with the 1991 when the federal structure established in the country. Moreover, some of the historical studies carried out in the region have mostly found in scattered condition. The aim of this thesis is to present the historical developments of socio-cultural issues of Hadiyya people from 1894 to 1991 basing on qualitative analysis of oral traditions, written sources and archives. The paucity of archival source, shortage of funds and reluctance of few informants are among the problems faced during this research work. The Hadiyya people inhibit the area between the Omo River in the west and the Bilate River in the east. Hadiyya was ruled by its own rules and indigenous institutions upto the 19thcentury. Traditionally, Hadiyya had both political and religious leaders. One of the indgenous institutions of Hadiyya is Fandaanano religion. It was the indigenous belief professed by a large number of people among the Hadiyya for centuries. The other socio-cultural practices of the Hadiyya people are indigenous marriage practice, child bearing ceremony, the circumcision ceremony and the mourning ceremony are among the subjects discussed under socio-cultural issues. However, these socio-cultural issues faced some transformations since late 19thcentury and early 20thcentury due to the expansion of various types of Christianity and Islam in the region.