“Habesha & Ethiopianism”

The following post was taken from a facebook group entitled: “I’M OROMO NOT “ETHIOPIAN”! ANI OROMOODHA!” The writer did not intend it for a public forum (although he’s said he doesn’t mind it being posted here) so I am to blame for possible grammatical errors he may have committed.

The basic component of human life is our identity. There are certain identities we do choose to be while there others that we are born with. Oromummaa is our identity, the stamp that we carried when we came out to this world. We did not choose to be born Oromo. Hence we should be proud of who we are.

However colonizers and oppresser have been trying to make us ashamed of who we are by dehumanizing and defacing Oromummaa. They want us to convert to their identity not because they love us but because they want exploint our human and natural resource by enslaving us.

The two false identitiies oppressors try to impose on us are Ethiopianism and Habasha. I would like to point out what this concepts stand for and why oppressors use it to as a cover up for their heinous crimes.

Ethiopianism: As some one mentioned Ethiopia of the bibilical era is different than the today’s empire. Since the Habashas assumed this name to gian material support from the west, they have made it their identity. Therefore in todays world Ethiopia does not stand for a country. Its rather an identioty of the Habasha groups. Todays Ethiopia is very similar to the aniciant Abyssinia.Both terms refers to the semetic Amhara-Tigrian cultural identity. Take example. Whats Ethiopia’s cultural dance? Eskista. Whats Ethiopia’s cultural food? Injera. Whats Ethiopian language? Amharic. Therefore Ethiopianism does not leave room for other nations and nationalities subjugated in that empire. Hence if you are an Oromo, you do not fit to the Ethiopianism identity even if you make an exterem makeover. Neither does Ethiopianism leave any spot for you.

Habasha: This is the one they always push on you. Some how they were able to confuse large number of people that every body in the empire is Habasha. This terms refers only to those who migrated from Southern Arabian region some 3000 years ago. However as I mentioned above, since they dominated and subjugated all nations and nationalities, they have imposed their identity on them. Once you have enslaved somebody, then you should be able to do whatever you wish any ways.

What is really obscure about the term Habasha is when you ask them, sometimes they say its the name for all black people. Then you ask them if Sudanese are Habasha. They will sa NOOOOOOOOO. Why? Because Sudanise are too dark for racists Habasha rulers who imposed such identity. It is funny while they try to make you believe Oromos are Habasha, they would immidiately tell you, the Boaranaa Oromos of Kenya are not Habasha’s. How about Ogandenians? They are Habasha’s only of they speak Amharic and wear pants instead of their traditional marxoo. What a hypocracy!

But why do they always insist that Oromos are both Ethiopians and Habashas? Because they love you? No! They loveeeeeeeeee what harmee Oromiyaa got to offer. They dont care about Eritrea been independent except Asab port. They dont care about Ogandenia going away except they dont get salt. But Oromiyaa feeds their belly and they are nothing without Oromiyaa. Therefore they always love you?Dude when a Habasha telling you that we all are Ethiopian/Habasha and he loves Oromos, be aware that he is telling you he just love the dammaa Baalee, bunaa Jimmaa,sangaa Harara, warqii/ziqaya Wallagaa, qamadii Arsii, Xaafii Adaa’a. Certainly not you!!