A unesco conference has adopted 33 new items of intangible heritage that includes the system of traditional governance or gada system largely practiced by the oromo people. The unescos coveted list is made up of those intangible heritage elements that help demonstrate diversity of cultural heritage and raise awareness about its importance. I am sure that many member countries of unesco will draw great lessons from the african oromo gada system of democracy. Latest current affairs in april, 2020 about intangible cultural heritage list. Nov 302016 the indigenous democratic sociopolitical system of the oromo, gada, inscribed in the unesco intangible cultural heritage of humanity list.
Gada is organized into five classes taught by oral historians, with each having to progress through a series of grades before it can take the leadership. The following is a brief description of the gada system extracted from the documentation submitted to the unesco with some editing for the sake brevity. Crisp news summaries and articles on current events about intangible. What do the communities and groups that transmit the system think. The gada system and the oromos ethiopia culture of peace aliye. Unesco established its lists of intangible cultural heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.
Gada is a traditional system of governance of the oromo people in ethiopia developed from knowledge gained over generations. We focus on describing a the causes and consequences of conflicts in the sanctuary since 1990s, and b outcomes. Unesco has inscribed gada system as intangible world heritage. I am happy and thrilled to see that my former employer, the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization, unesco has adopted and displayed the gada system as one of the worlds intangible heritages. The organization is the only united nations agency with a mandate to cover all aspects of education. It is quite long overdue to register gada as a world heritage. Gada system, an indigenous democratic sociopolitical system of the oromo subject. About unescos list of intangible cultural heritage.
Gada theory and practices by geremew nigatu kassa, m. Some pastoralists report that the gada system still works well during periods of good rains, but weakens during drought, as members of the gada are overwhelmed by the myriad of crises and conflicts over grazing land and water they face. For indepth coverage, provides oromo chronology, scholarship search, internship search, video, audio, photo gallery, and web directory. United nations education, science and cultural organization unesco has inscribed gada system as intangible world heritage in its 11th. Is it system or institutions or culturally practiced concepts. The gada system comprises regulatory measures pertaining to issues such as conflict resolution, questions of religion and to womens rights. Unesco has inscribed gada system as intangible world heritage at its eleventh session of the intergovernmental committee for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural. The necessary researches have been made and almost 80 % of the research about the gada sytem is completed, he said. Agricultural oromo as the name of the senior division of their kinship. The united nations educational, scientific, and cultural. Unesco includes yoga in intangible cultural heritage list. The origins of the borana gada system discover what advantages such systems could have over the ordinary agegrading systems which clearly preceded them.
An example of classical african civilization by asafa jalata, ph. The oromo recognized the gada system as part of their cultural heritage and as a contemporary system of governance that functions in concert with the modern state system. The gada system is an allinclusive social system in which every member of the society has specified roles and duties during ones life course. Gada is a traditional system of governance used by the oromo people in ethiopia developed from knowledge gained by community experience over generations. Unesco has inscribed gada system as intangible world heritage at its eleventh session of the intergovernmental committee for the safeguarding. Gada system, an indigenous democratic sociopolitical. Oromo geda system pdf data on the gada systemthe central in stitution.
The gada system of the oromo people is a system of governance in which people are grouped and organized into five gada grades or strata and govern themselves in rounds. We focus on describing a the causes and consequences of conflicts in the sanctuary since 1990s, and b outcomes of the actions taken by the gada system leaders. The oromo, gadaasiqqee democracy and the liberation of ethiopian colonial subjects asafa jalata harwood schaffer abstract this paper explores the potential role of the gadaasiqqee system of oromo democracy in the. One of the famous abba gada elders underlined that the gada is a conflict medicine and it has to be adopted for the country as a system of governance if we want to manage conflicts and live in. Unesco education natural sciences social and human sciences culture communication and information media services login gada system, an indigenous democratic sociopolitical ethiopia representative list 2016 converted by. Meskel, gada system and fiche chambalala are the three intangible heritages of ethiopia inscribed by unesco. Indigenous knowledge for good governance and development. The gada system is largely practised by the oromo people. Last week on 25 26 september 2019 was meskel and this week 0405 october 2019 is irrecha one of the festivals in the gada system. Meskel and irrecha are celebrated in the first month of the new year just in weeks one after the other.
The recognition of the gada system, a political, economic and social system with a long history with which the people of oromo have been governing themselves in a democratic way, is a proper decision of the committee. The interest of legesses book is that he proposes a solution to this problem for the gada system of the borana galla, and it is upon this aspect of his book that i intend concentrating here. One of such is the gadaa system of the oromo people. Gada system inscribed in unesco intangible cultural heritage of. The mission of the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unesco, as defined just after the end of world war ii, is to construct intellectual and moral solidarity in order to build the defenses of peace in the minds of men and women. The gada system is against the cutting of big trees unwisely, and if it is required to be cut, instead of one tree two trees should be planted. This list is published by the intergovernmental committee for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, the members of which are elected by state parties meeting in a general assembly. Gadaa is the traditional democratic system of governance used by the oromos in ethiopia and. It has been entrusted to lead the global education 2030 agenda through sustainable development goal 4. It was registered in 2016 on unescos list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity unesco, 2016.
The declaration describes yoga, an ancient indian practice as a human treasure. The system regulates political, economic, social and religious activities of the community dealing with issues such as conflict resolution, reparation and protecting womens rights. The gada system during their history, the oromo developed their own cultural, social, and political system. The gada system is centuries old and is a form of african democracy. The system divides male members of the population into different agesets which then assume political power in every eight years term. This paper was presented at oromo study association osa annual conference at the. Unesco registers sidamas new year in ethiopia as intangible world heritage. Professor asmerom legesses ahistorical analysis and. Unescos list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity unesco, 2016. The gada system was a system of an agegrade classes luba that succeed each other every eight years in assuming military, economy, political and ritual responsibilities.
Unesco intangible cultural heritage lists wikipedia. Definition the gadaa system is an indigenous egalitarian democratic system practiced among the oromo nation of east africa for the last six hundred years. We are working together with the federal heritage authority to complete the rest 20 % research document including the irecha celebration and the document is expected to be submitted to the unesco this year, he added. Unesco has inscribed gada system as intangible world. The table below presents the list of files being treated for the 2016 cycle that are to be examined by the committee at its eleventh session in. Professor asmerom legesse, the pioneer of gadaa studies kichuu. The gada men and yubas duties also includes transfering knowledge and skills associated with the functions of the democratic gada system to the members of succeeding grades the laws, norms, values, and ideals of the gada system are compatible with existing international human rights instruments. The united nations educational, scientific, and cultural organization unesco congressional research service the most recent wave of reform activities is driven by the findings of a 2010 independent external evaluation report commissioned by member states. Oromo elites, abba gadaa father of gadaa, historians most often say that it is the gada system is largely practised by the oromo people.
Gadaa system, an indigenous democratic sociopolitical system of the oromo inscribed in 2016 at eleventh session of the committee on the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Ethiopian intangible cultural heritage ethiopian intangible cultural heritage. Gadaa system, about the customary mechanisms of conflict resolution so as to integrate them into. Gada system inscribed in unesco as intangible world heritage. This power transfer was overlooked by the head of a religious institution,qallu. By gemechu kedir oromo elites, abba gadaa father of gadaa, historians most often say that it is impossible to know about oromos background without understanding the ruling scheme of the gadaa system. Regarding sending to you a petition by the oromo people for the inscription of the gada system on the representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. One of the famous abba gada elders underlined that the gada is a conflict medicine and it has to be adopted for the country as a system of governance if we want to manage conflicts and live in a harmony. In my view, the gada system should have been recognized by unesco as a world heritage years back, but due to unconvincing reasons unesco still seems reluctant to recognize it or may be there has. Unesco gada system, an indigenous democratic socio. The gada system why denied recognition to be a world. The gada system is a democratic system of governance in which the community as a whole has the opportunities to participate on equal basis.
It is the brainchild of oromo from the madda walabu woreda of oromia. Unesco highlights ethiopias intangible gada heritage preserving heritages is preserving. Top news stories and analysis, entertainment, politics, and more. The organization has therefore carried out a considerable amount of mental. The following is a brief description of the gada system extracted from the documentation submitted to. Each gada class remained in power during a specific term gada which began and ended with a formal power transfer ceremony.
Fiche chamballala inscribed as intangible cultural. The gada system why denied recognition to be a world heritage. The united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unesco have formally included yoga in its representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Oromiyaa times uncategorized december 1, 2016 december 1, 2016 4 minutes unescon dhaabbata barnootaa, aadaa fi saayinsii hambaalee qabatamoo fi qabatamoo hin taane galmeessuun akka eeggamanii fi. Unesco has inscribed gadaa system of the oromo nation as intangible. Irecha cultural festival discover bishoftu home crater.
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