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Sidama: - Can Religion be a tool for Identity Obliteration?

By Kambata Xoola

July15, 2007

‘‘We know of no people without names, no languages or cultures in which some manner of distinctions between self and others, we and they, are not made. Self-knowledge- always a construction no matter how much it feels like a discovery-is never altogether separable from claims to be known in specific ways by others.’’ Calhoun (1994:9-10)

I. Definition and Introduction.

 Introduction

 Identity is people’s source of meaning and experience. People would like to explain themselves in a meaningful manner. The Jewish and Palestine’s ongoing conflicts are primarily initiated due to quest for identity. The South Africans struggle for similar quest witnesses its significance. International inter-religious and politico-cultural discontents are all directly or indirectly related to it. Identity is, therefore, a power of self explanation. Sidama nation’s identity is not different from these fundamental explanations. This article attempts to investigate Sidamas identity in relation to newly emerged Christianity and its impact on traditional model of identity.    

 II. Background of Sidama’s Cultural Identity.

 Sidama deeply believes in cultural significance. The nation holds its cultural values that enable it to have a strong sense of truth and true way of life (halaale) as a guiding principle in their all round lives. This gives traditional Sidamas profound courage and determination to stand for justice, equality and respect for all. These strengths emanate from their traditional and cultural identities.  

 Ironically, Sidama’s ways of lives, ‘halaale’ on which Sidama’s cultural identity is based agrees with Christ’s teachings. Jesus Christ was the first one to defy an unjust system imposed by the authorities on the poor. He preached Gospel of salvation and liberty. He declared justice for powerless and poor. Nowadays, however people misinterpret the Bible to their own favour and distort its noble ideals. The Bible says, ‘Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my spirit on him and he will proclaim justice to the nations’ (Matthew 12:18:1127 ‘N.I.V’). Therefore, this shows that Christianity is not instrument for the destruction of cultural identity. Identities are stronger source of meanings and self definition. The ‘meaning’ is defined by (Castells, 1997:7), as symbolic identification a social actor of the purpose of her/his action.

 Sidama’s collective/individual identity manifests itself in number of ways. Some of them include, celebrations of New Year ‘Fiichche’ festive periods with their ceremonial procedures and essences, Weddings ‘Gooshshato’, male Circumcisions Barciima, Conforming to the ethos of social institutions such as Seera and Jiirtee, and so forth can be regarded as their identity. Others deep rooted identities include scarifies made to ancestral spirits and God ‘Magaanuna Anuuwate Ayaana Kaakalo’, slaughtering bulls or rams and spilling bloods directly over the dead fathers grave ‘Xorshsidhdha’ and sprinkling blood with the branch of hyssop (in similar ways as Israelites used to do during Old Testament), as purification and sanctification of sins and evil. This practice is performed purely by male elderly.    

 As a nation, Sidama’s cultural identity evolved for centuries without surrendering to its successive colonial powers despite their repressive and brutal treatments since 1890s. On various occasions since the nation fallen under the colonial yoke, the rulers attempted to impose their ways of lives, culture and religion although they failed until 1970s.

II. Traditional Religion in Sidama  

 Prior to 1960s, Sidama nation believes in Kalaqaa Kaaliiqa, God the creator or almighty. As a part of their beliefs, they perform sacrifices ‘Kakaalo’ to their ancestor’s spirits. They also strongly believe that their ancestors’ spirits have the power of mediating between them and God. Similarly, Orthodox and Catholic Christians believe that this is being done for them by the angels. In the case of Sidama, in particular if there happen to be natural disaster such as failure to rain for prolonged period of time, failure of the crop to yield enough for consecutive years, if epidemic kills significant number of people, if herds die in mass and so forth initiates such practices and invites repentance of male and female elderly for any wrong-deeds on behalf of the nation. Such deep-rooted believes are embodiments of their religious identity.  

 Additionally, Sidama nation offers sacrifices to any spirit that might directly of indirectly causes culturally unacceptable things to their children, land, farm, country and general well being. And they believe that nature has strong link with God. They also strongly believe in balancing nature and natural order. If any traditional Sidama is being questioned what his/her religion is; he/she tells without hesitation that her religion is Kalaaqa Kaaliiqa and ancestors’ spirit.     

III. The Expansion of Protestant Christianity in 1960s and its impact on Sidama identity.

 Although European missionaries had introduced relative autonomy compared to local authoritarians, their Gospel mission wasn’t perfectly designed for African life style in such way that recognises cultural identities. Instead they wanted African to behave in European ways including building Churches that are typically designed for Europe weather. They spend a lot amount of money and resources building expensive buildings designed to protect snow; with amount of money that might be sufficient to build perhaps more than two African weather friendly Churches.

 Professor John H. Hamer 2002, the only senior Western Anthropologist who wrote on Sidama culture extensively argues that the way religious conversion took place in African context in general, in Sidama nation in particular was not well thought through. He argues as follows; ‘on the other hand, I agree with Horton that the ‘missionaries of the world religions’ bring new idea about Western materialism, but for those who find customary beliefs unsatisfactory they also bring an alternative cosmological paradigm’ J. H Hamer, 2002. 

 Others argue that, Latin American style liberation Theology must have been adopted by European missionaries to preserve African cultural identity. In Latin America, the liberation Theology attracted great momentum. Those who were involved increased their awareness to the extent of standing for their peoples’ fundamental rights including an Argentinean Che Guevara who has been inspired by this Theological approach. Therefore, in Latin American in comparison to Africa, nations preserved their cultural identity although they are still practising their religious beliefs.  

 In the case of Sidama, since the emergence of European missionaries in late 1950s to the early 1960s, the door was partially opened for this new religion. There were serious resistances from the nation as a whole although the European missionaries were allowed with minimum resistance from Sidamas, simply because the nation was already resisting Abyssinian Colonial powers’ religion as it was a part of their brutal expansionist system that is considered repressive, since 1890s.

 When European missionary approached Sidamas relatively with humane manner compared to the brutish systems of Abyssinian colonial powers, it hasn’t been so difficult for the European missionaries to penetrate some parts of the Sidama region with minimum effort. In particular, when they opened schools that traditionally used to be for Abyssinian rulers’ children, the Sidama were not unhappy.

Meanwhile, the missionaries recruited some Sidama youngsters (notably from Aleta Wondo, Yirgalem and some other districts) and sent them to their new schools to teach them Bible so that they can be second hand translators as well as preachers. By doing so, they transformed the identities of those who were involved and helped them to send their children to their schools. Abyssinian colonial powers had no good will either to open schools for Sidama people or allow Sidama’s to go to other schools that are established for their own children for simple reason of subjugation.

The Sidama recruits were obliged to learn their colonial master’s language (Amharic). Whilst doing so they also were taught the Amhara ways of lives. They were told that their ways of lives are uncivilised and thus an ‘evil’ in religious context. Sidamas cultural identity started to be named and shamed by those who were teaching Sidama evangelists (Abyssinian colonial members or their loyalists) on constant bases. Previously emphatically rejected Abyssinian Church priests call Sidama cultural identity and believe as ‘paganism’ to undermine their cultural identity. Paradoxically, they don’t consider their own people’s acts who still believe and make sacrifices to the sprits and rivers such as Ghion spring (the spring for the source of Blue Nile), in their northern regions and several others practices as evil.  

3.1 After the ‘Downfall of Emperor’s regime’ Post 1974

Since the debacle of the monarch in 1974, the trend changed dramatically in all Sidama region and its districts. More primary and some secondary schools were opened by the successor military regime in all parts of the region. As a result more teachers were sent to the deeper Sidama country. In places where Neftegna (colonial power’s representative settlers) used to live putting minimum pressure on Sidamas; now hundreds of thousands of youngsters (from whom none of Sidamas present) from Universities and high schools from others parts of the country were sent as a part of ‘land for tiller and illiteracy’ campaign. Although their presence was constructive in education term, it has been also destructive in terms of Sidamas cultural identity and substantiates my previous arguments.

Immediately after the downfall of Emperor’s regime, his successor sent all Western missionaries back to their countries leaving huge vacuum for religious leadership in all parts of the country. Such vacuum in Sidama was filled with fresh blooded re-born Christian youngsters who have neither leadership skills nor traditional maturity to take such a responsibility. These new generations revolutionised the concept of Christianity purely against Sidama religious and cultural practices; probably supported by the people who have helped them to translate English language to Amharic. As discussed above, the later might have had own hidden mottos whilst encouraging new Evangelists in dismantling Sidamas cultural institutions. The evangelists conveyed messages of disobediences to the traditional ways of lives and rule of traditional laws that used by Sidama nation for centuries.        

The later continued to undermine Sidamas cultural identity whilst promoting previous colonial powers culture supremacy. The perception that persists to this date that, the only ‘all knows are the ruling classes and what they tell is perfect’ continues to dominate. Sidamas cultural identity is being obliterated. The Sidama people were obliged and dictated by the regime’s representatives and campaigners to accept the new one without question.

This was the time of historical juncture that majority Sidama youngsters were converted to Christianity. They in turn started to regard their ancestors’ cultural identity as backward and uncivilised. Traditionally strong, egalitarian and just systems that maintained the cohesiveness of the nation started to give place for the newly emerging abrupt, unwise, undemocratic and uncivilised system imposed by the colonial masters under the pretext of religion.   

VI. Confusing Cultural Identity with Religious Identity; the Consequences.

‘In all cases I think my religious identity is a part of my folk identity because without my religious background, there wouldn’t be all of the great family traditions and customs to follow, especially those that my family and I have at Christmas and other national holidays. It makes it easier too that my family consider both identities and both are practiced with great respect without one over-riding the other in any way, (Ian Brodie, Professor, January 23, 2007)

The above writer distinctively draws line between traditional model of identity and religious identity. Lack of the appropriate knowledge that helps to differentiate cultural identity from religious is significantly contributing to the deterioration of cultural heritage in Sidama region.    

Culturally egalitarian Sidama nation that prioritises collective responsibility to own benefits started to diminish by giving place for creation of irresponsible and unproductive groups that travels from place to places by the name of religion to do nothing. Saint Paul in the Bible emphatically condemns idleness and worked hard to earn living in conjunction with his Gospel services. He urges all fellow Christians to set an exemplary life. Contrary to the both Bible’s and Sidama cultural requirements, today in Sidama region, millions are following an unclear path in their lives whilst facilitating means for destruction of Sidama cultural heritage.

4.1. Impact on Socially accepted Ways of lives such as Funeral Ceremonies…

A ceremonial celebration such as funeral ceremony is being substituted with inexplicable type of silence and choir songs’. If one grieves seriously with deep sadness and cries loud, they condemn such an act. They urge their followers to conduct all funeral ceremonies with silence accompanied with choir songs. The Bible teaches otherwise.

When Jesus raises Lazarus from death, he saw grieving and weeping sisters for their dead brother. He was also moved in spirit and wept with them knowing that he is going to raise him from death, (John 11:33-35). From old Testament; Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days, (Numbers 20:28/9).  Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over, (Deuteronomy 34:7/8). There are no places in the Bible that prohibit mourning for the dead ones.

Wedding ceremonies that represent Sidama ways of lives are being substituted with confusion; in between Abyssinians and European style that doesn’t satisfy any one. In the Bible we learn clear distinction between evil and holy and God’s and peoples’ cultural identity. In (Mark 12:18) ‘Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’ Jesus didn’t teach his disciples how to destroy people’s cultural identity and heritage. Another angle of this history is that, the younger generation in Sidama is taking over the noble ideals of Sidamas gerantocratic system that can set exemplary leadership model for the whole world as (John H. Hammer, 1982, 1988, 2002) discusses.    

V. Conclusion.

The nation as whole, in particular, new generation and religious groups in Sidama region need to re-think their approach. They need to see where they are standing. The Bible they are carrying doesn’t say what they are preaching against Sidama cultural identity. They need to differentiate cultural identity from religious identity and work in conjunction with their beliefs. They also need to learn more about how religion works in the world including in Israel from where the religion they are preaching came from. There needs to be urgent action to reverse the danger of cultural destruction in the region.

                             By Kambata Xoola, July 15, 2007

VI. References,

1. Answer.Com, (2007), Definitions of Identity, available Online
2. B. Powell (2007) Available Online on Answer.com
3. Calhoun, Craig (ed) (1994) Social Theory and the politics of Identity, Oxford: Blackwell
4. Castels, Manual (1997) The Power of Identity, Blackwell
5. Castels, Manual (1981) ‘Local government, Urban Crisis and Political Change’ In Political Power and Social Theory: A Research Annual, Greenwich, CT:JAI press, 2,pp1-20
6. Hamer, John H (2002) The religious conversion Process among the Sidama of North East Africa,
7. Hodder and Stoughton (2000) Holy Bible, New International Version (N.I.V) 
8. Ian Brodie, (January 23, 2007), Some Answers to Religious questions, Nova, Scotia, Canada
9. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, (1995), pp 589, Oxford University Press