Some Notes on the Past of Oromo Society: The Story about Akkoo Manooyyee in Focus

Abstract

This article aims to shed light on the past of Oromo society through the assessment and analysis of some oral traditions, particularly the story about Akkoo Manooyyee. The research that resulted in this article was a mix of historical, anthropological, and sociological research that was undertaken in the last five years. Descriptive and narrative research designs and a qualitative research approach were employed in the study. Data were collected from well-informed and knowledgeable informants from different parts of Oromia. In addition to oral data, relevant written sources were also consulted and used to augment the oral data. The findings of the research indicate that Oromo society had possibly been a matriarchal society for a considerable period in ancient or prehistoric times before the gradual evolution of the patriarchal system. During this matriarchal period, women seem to have been dominant socially, economically, and politically in society. It seems that Oromo society was ruled initially by women and later on by men before the gradual evolution of the Oromo Gadaa system some 5000 or more years ago.