OROMOO CULTURAL CENTER
About
Oromo Cultural Center
Oromo cultural center was
established to work on research and development of Oromo culture, history,
language and art. It also works on preserving Oromo heritage. Accordingly
the center has four major divisions. These are:Oromo Research
Center:- comprehends four broad departments.
Those are departments of history, language, culture and art researches. Due to diverse essentialities of
specialization in the department, the
language research division has accommodated four departments namely: (1) department of Afaan Oromoo folklore and Oral Literature, (2) department of Afaan Oromoo grammar study,
(3) department of Afaan Oromoo language codification and standardization and
(4) department of Afaan Oromoo dictionary making.
The others divisions
of Oromoo Cultural Center are:
v Oromoo Art Training and
Development Center
v Oromoo Library and
Archive Center
v Center of Oromoo
Museum
Socio-political Lifestyles
The folk-life of Oromo is basically established on social base. Based on communal understanding the people used to represent life with symbols, norms, and system and shared patterns of behavior, belief, knowledge, attitudes and values endowed in theirsystem of living together. Gada System is a high profile socio economic and democratic political system of Oromo society. The Gada System is recently registered by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of the people. It comprises various institutions such as: social, political, economic and
religious.
Gumaa (blood pay) isone of the peculiar conflict resolution mechanism that can totally hill thesense of death revenge.
Kallacha, caaccuu,bokkuu, alangee (lichoo) are sociallyconstricted symbolic utensils of truth which are used to undertake oath no to do wrong while they undertake Guma. Guddifacha (adoption), moggasa (nomination) and harma hoosisa (brestfeeding) are the tree ceremonial approaches in which the community give son-hood or relative-hood to any one from outside the tribe or society and make part of the society to make his/her life easier in a democratic sprit which ultimately gives a self-sense of family hood to the newly socialized fellows.
People and Culture
As indicated by different sources,
Oromo people are one of the largest ethnic groups with diversified cultures in
Ethiopia. The Oromo people speak Oromo language which is originally known as
Afaan Oromo. Afaan Oromo is the most widely spoken language in Ethiopia.
It is also a cross boarder language which is widely spoken in Kenya, Somalia,
Djibouti, Tanzania, Sudan which makes it the third widely spoken Language next
to Arabic and Hausa and the Second widely spoken in the context of African
Languages.
Religion and Belief System
Oromo People believe in a supernatural being
called ‘Waaqa Tokkochaa’ (meaning:
One God). The Sprit through which the power of God manifested itself is called ‘Ayyaana’. The one who has given such a
power called ‘Qaalluu’ (for male)
and ‘Qaalliittii’ (for female). The
belief system pattern of Oromo is similar to that of Old testament trend which
might indicate its ancient actuality of the belief system prior to AD.
Siinqee/Siiqee
As Conflict Resolution Mechanism
Obviously, the 21 century has become an arena of
misunderstandings and conflicts in intra and inter international community which necessitates the importance of making use of cultural conflict resolution mechanisms and methods to avert its impendingmenace to peace and development. Hence, if not many ,most many traditional societies including those in developed world have started to retrieve their indigenous knowledge for the purpose. Unless the increasing animosity, hatred, conflict and war being seen among the peoples of the world is resolved, inclusive & sustainable development is unthinkable.
Since time immemorial, the Oromo have been implementing various cultural conflict management
settlement mechanisms and practices which still is intact and operational under Oromo Gada System. To mention few of them
Oromoo Research Center
The Oromo research and publication center was mainly established
to conduct research on Oromo Language, literature, folklore, art,
culture and history. Furthermore,it can also offer a bid of research projects that are
desirable to be undertaken on outsourcing base. This initiative had been
started by Oromia Culture and Tourism bureau and handed down to Oromo Culture
Center. Accordingly, the accredited beginnings by OCTB resulted in to
the presence of some books that have been published and disseminated to the
society. Recently, Oromo Culture Center inherited the above activities that were
beginning by OCTB.
Library
The center has a comprehensive library that renders
services to readers and researchers from different academic background. It has
also an archive center, which is currently under assemblage, and liable to
serve as a source of information, for any researcher from anywhere but
interested in conducting a research on issues related to Oromo Society
Oromoo Museum
The regional museum had been
opened and give serves for both local and foreign tourists and visitors. The artifacts collected
from 10 cultural zones were arranged and displayed in various show rooms in
different clusters and made accessible for public visit. Since the beginning of
its service, the museum has been visited by students, from kindergarten up to
universities, professionals, researchers, Ethiopian nations and some foreigners..
Art and Theater
The art and theatre center has three subsections and respective
services. These are (1) Music training and performance services, (2) film and
theatre production and staging services and (3) pictures and handcraft training
and gallery services. The theater hall has started its functions, and has
hosted some musical and theater shows. It has rendered services to
governmental, nongovernmental and other civil societies. It also has served
artists and Oromo authors on different induction ceremonies