Historical Problems in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa *

Lewis, Herbert S.

doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1962.tb50145.x

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…For example, Ari and/or Wolayta individuals who work as farmers 23 or weavers avoid intermarrying with individuals from the same ethnicities who work as blacksmiths, 24 tanners or potters (Freeman & Pankhurst, 2003). There has been an ongoing debate among 1 anthropologists about whether these divisions reflect recent marginalisation of certain groups based 2 on craft (Biasutti, 1905;Pankhurst, 1999) or whether the occupational groups descend from different, 3 distantly related sources (Lewis, 1962;Todd, 1978;Freeman & Pankhurst, 2003). Our analyses 4 strongly supports the former theory, corroborating a genetic study considering a subset of the Ari 5 occupational groups considered here (van Dorp et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The genetic landscape of Ethiopia: diversity, intermixing and the association with culture

López

Tarekegn

et al. 2019

Preprint

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SummaryThe rich linguistic, ethnic and cultural diversity of Ethiopia provides an unprecedented opportunity to understand the level to which cultural factors correlate with -- and shape -- genetic structure in human populations. Using primarily novel genetic variation data covering 1,268 Ethiopians representing 68 different ethnic groups, together with information on individuals’ birthplaces, linguistic/religious practices and 31 cultural practices, we disentangle the effects of geographic distance, elevation, and social factors upon shaping the genetic structure of Ethiopians today. We provide examples of how social behaviours have directly -- and strongly -- increased genetic differences among present-day peoples. We also show the fluidity of intermixing across linguistic and religious groups. We identify correlations between cultural and genetic patterns that likely indicate a degree of social selection involving recent intermixing among individuals that have certain practices in common. In addition to providing insights into the genetic structure and history of Ethiopia, including how they correlate with current linguistic classifications, these results identify the most important cultural and geographic proxies for genetic differentiation and provide a resource for designing sampling protocols for future genetic studies involving Ethiopians.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The genetic landscape of Ethiopia: diversity, intermixing and the association with culture

López

Tarekegn

et al. 2019

Preprint

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“…Many of the Gamo cultural characteristics described above are similar to those associated with caste systems described in South Asia and other parts of Africa (Dumont, 1970;Hocart, 1950;Leach, 1960;Sterner and David, 1991;Tamari, 1991;Tuden and Plotnicov, 1970). Although Freeman (2001, p. 187) refers to the Gamo artisans as marginalized minorities, many other researchers acknowledge the Gamo artisans as members of caste-like groups (Abélès, 1981;Arthur, 2002Arthur, , 2003Arthur, , 2006Bureau, 1975, p. 38;Cartledge, 1995;Levine, 1974, p. 39;Lewis, 1962Lewis, , 1974.…”

Section: The Gamomentioning

confidence: 95%

An Ethnoarchaeological Study of Hafting and Stone Tool Diversity among the Gamo of Ethiopia

Weedman

2006

J Archaeol Method Theory

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The significance of flaked stone tool variation has been a source of great archaeological debate for over 100 years. Even though evidence for stone tool hafting exists as far back as the Middle Paleolithic/Middle Stone Age, there is a dearth of information concerning how hafting affects stone tool technology. This ethnoarchaeological study of hafted stone scrapers among the Gamo of southern Ethiopia examines why a single cultural group utilizes two different hafts, which generate different lithic morphologies, technologies, and spatial distributions. The relationships between history, environment, and social group membership are explored to demonstrate how these associations create variation in technological practices.

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“…He also described them as a 'submerged' or 'pariah' group, who like other occupational specialists, such as blacksmiths, potters and tanners, lived either in subjugation to or in 'symbiosis' with the pastoral and agricultural Oromo (Huntingford 1955(Huntingford , 1963. Lewis (1962) refuted the 'remnants' theory of historical origins, and maintained that the structural positions of these endogamous hunting and artisan groups, and the cultural taboos applied to them, had arisen as a result of occupational specialisation. He proposed that such occupational groups were the means through which division of labour was traditionally organised in Oromo society and formed part of its system of social stratification (Lewis 1970: 182-185).…”

Section: Research On the Waata Groupsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As Bashuna states, there is no word for 'caste' in Oromo; he gives this etic term an alternative interpretation, by describing Waata as a 'sacred caste'. In theoretical terms, Lewis (1970) represents this system of ranking as a form of social stratification. Kassam has proposed that this hierarchical relationship probably formed part of a common regional code of economic differentiation.…”

Section: Conclusion: Etics Emics and Indigenous Researchersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Marginalisation of the Waata Oromo Hunter–Gatherers of Kenya: Insider and Outsider Perspectives

Kassam¹,

Bashuna²

2004

Africa

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This paper examines how the way of life of a little known group of hunter–gatherers, the Waata Oromo, was brought to an end through British colonial wildlife conservation laws and the creation of national parks in Kenya. Through this policy and that of the containment of ethnic groups to ‘tribal reserves’, the Waata lost their place in the regional economic system and suffered loss of cultural identity. It also meant that when Kenya gained independence, the Waata were not recognised as a distinct entity with rights to their own political representation. Instead, they became appendages of the dominant pastoral groups with which they had been associated. They were thus doubly marginalised, in both economic and political terms. The paper describes how this situation has led some Waata in northern Kenya to claim separate ethnic status. It discusses the problem from the point of view of a Waata social activist and of an anthropologist. These two perspectives raise further issues for the etic/emic debate in anthropology.

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Historical Problems in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa *

Cited by 10 publications

References 3 publications

The genetic landscape of Ethiopia: diversity, intermixing and the association with culture

The genetic landscape of Ethiopia: diversity, intermixing and the association with culture

An Ethnoarchaeological Study of Hafting and Stone Tool Diversity among the Gamo of Ethiopia

Marginalisation of the Waata Oromo Hunter–Gatherers of Kenya: Insider and Outsider Perspectives

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