Paper for Issue

FEAST FOR HEALTH: ATETE POSSESSION RITUAL IN WALLO

Abstract

This study historically contextualizes the adoption of the Atete spirit possession and the rituals associated with it following the settlement in Wallo of the Oromo from the end of the sixteenth century or the beginning of the seventeenth century. Though the ritual has persisted in the rural areas until the present time, the majority of women in most urban centers were compelled to stop offering feasts to the Atete spirit in the years following the coming to power of the military government in 1974. Despite the dearth of written sources in the area under investigation, the study makes use of oral tradition, and knowledgeable informants endeavored to reconstruct the locally held beliefs in respect of Atete possession and the ritual practices deemed indispensable to cajole and create peace with this naturally nonviolent spirit, and its adaptation to the new cultural and religious environment. The research, which is extensively based on oral sources, does not claim to be exhaustive. However, it will hopefully cast useful insight into this poorly documented and investigated subject.

CHANGES IN ETHIOPIA’S POLITICAL IDEOLOGY

Abstract

Ideological discourse in Ethiopia began during the student movement of the 1960s. It was a time when most sections of Ethiopian society, including students engaged in an intense discussion of socialist ideas and beliefs. At the time, political ideology, class struggle, social rivalry, ethnic questioning, politics, and party politics were among the main topics discussed in Ethiopia. A problem arises because external political ideologies do not reflect Ethiopian political, economic, and social conditions but are trying to be applied from a viewpoint that ignores local imperatives. Although the question of democracy arose as all the political forces of the day followed the philosophy of socialism, the main questions were about group rights, and equality between nations and religions. The turmoil in Ethiopia over the past five decades is fueled by differences in worldview, political affiliation, class, ethnicity, and religion in a way that does not incorporate knowledge and experience of foreign implementations. Today, the view of the country is one of a country at a crossroads between alternative ways ahead. Analyzing the country's realities to heal our fractures and creating an inclusive vision learned from international experience will be the bridge to Ethiopia's future. It is imperative that Ethiopians work together to ensure sustainable development by overcoming obstacles erected between different domains. Socialism, Liberalism, and other ideologies have been implemented elsewhere in the world with varying degrees of success, as have other political alternatives, such as revolutionary democracy. If we are to correct the flaws of the past, it is essential to balance competition and cooperation, balance competing ideologies and not be a prisoner of ideology alone. This article aims to examine the nature, history, characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of the systems and ideologies tested in Ethiopia.

THE STRUCTURE OF NOUN PHRASE IN DIZIN

Abstract

This paper examines the structure of noun phrases in Dizin, one of the least linguistically studied languages in the Southwest part of Ethiopia. It focuses mainly on the Maji dialect. It describes different types of elements that appear in noun phrase and their orders in light of Dryer's(2007)cross-linguistic observation. The study follows a qualitative research approach. The data were collected using elicitation from key informants and from natural texts like fables in Maji district. The findings showed that Dizin employs variable order of elements with respect to the head noun or with respect to each other, which is almost similar to Hellental’s (2010) work on closely related language Sheko. Specifically, numerals and demonstratives occur before or after the head noun. While adjectives, quantifiers, and adpositions occur post-nominal, relative clauses occur left-adjacent to the head noun. As a result, Dizin is neither left-headed nor right-headed in the typology of noun phrase structure.