Hadiya people

Hadiya (Amharic: ሐድያ), also spelled as Hadiyya, is an ethnic group native to Ethiopia in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region who speak the Hadiyya language. According to a popular etymology, the name 'Hadiya," sometimes written in the versions Hadya, Hadea, Hadija, Hadiyo, Hadiyeh, Adea, Adia, means "gift of god" A historical definition of the Hadiya people based on the old Hadiya Sultanate included a number of Ethiopian ethnic groups currently known by other names. Currently, this historic entity is subdivided into a number of ethnonyms, partly with different languages and cultural affiliations. In his book "A History of the Hadiya in Southern Ethiopia," Ulrich Braukämper reported that Leemo, Weexo-giira (Baadogo, Haballo, Bargaago, Waayabo, Hayyibba, Hoojje and Hanqaallo), Sooro, Shaashoogo, Baadawwaachcho, and Libido (Maraqo) Hadiya subgroups remain a language entity and preserved identity of oneness, the Hadiya proper. In contrast, Qabeena, Halaaba, Welene and Gedebano, and Silt'e people developed separate ethnic identities. Clans of Hadiya origin in Oromia, Sidama, Wolayta, Gurage, Tigray (Rayyaa, Azaaboo, and Ashaange), and Afar were completely absorbed by these nations. They were initially all inhabitants of a single political entity, a sultanate, which in the four centuries following its break-up in the mid-16th century fragmented into separate ethnic groups.

History

The Hadiya people are the scattered remnants of a formerly much larger ethnic complex under the once mighty Muslim principality called Hadiya Sultanate. Hadiya are believed to be originally descendants of old Sidama (Highland East Cushitic) and the extinct Harla people who lived under the Harla Kingdom in the ninth century. A cluster of speakers labelled Hadiya-Sidama developed maintaining Islamic identity and later creating the Hadiya Sultanate as founding population. According to Arab historians, the dynasty was started by descendants of Harar Emir Abadir, who intermarried with Sidama. The earliest surviving mention of Hadiya is in the ''Kebra Nagast'' (ch. 94), indicating that the kingdom was in existence by the 13th century. Another early mention is in a manuscript written on the island monastery of Lake Hayq, which states that after conquering Damot, Emperor Amda Seyon I proceeded to Hadiya and brought it under his control using Gura armies from modern day Eritrea which would later become Gurage. Later during Amda Seyon's reign, the King of Hadiya, Amano, refused to submit to the Emperor of Ethiopia. Amano was encouraged in this by a Muslim "prophet of darkness" named Bel'am. Amda Seyon subsequently set forth for Hadiya, where he "slew the inhabitants of the country with the point of the sword", killing many of the inhabitants while enslaving others. Arab historian, Shihab al-Din al-'Umari (1300 – 1349), referred to Hadiya as a rich, the largest and militarily the most powerful Muslim state among the seven states of the Muslim federation of Zeila. Absence of strong successors to Amdä Sion provided the Border States almost a century in which to re-organize their power. Hadiya once again emerged as a cohesive unit. Its army was estimated at 40,000 horsemen and double the amount of foot soldiers.

During the reign of Zara Yaqob (1434-1468), ''Garad Mahiko'', the son of ''Garaad'' Mehmad, or Sultan of Hadiya, repeated his predecessor's actions and refused to submit to the Abyssinian Emperor. The war between Abyssinian Empire and Muslim principalities was intensified during the reign of Emperor Zara Yaqob. Initially, the Muslims were under the leadership of Arue Badlai, King of Adal. Badlai was killed but Muslim conflict was sustained by Mahiko, the Garäd of the Kingdom of Hadya, (one of the seven Kingdoms of Zeila) who succeeded in setting it up again as an independent state. However, with the help of one of Mahiko's followers, the Garaad was deposed in favor of his uncle Bamo. Garaad Mahiko then sought sanctuary at the court of the Adal Sultanate. He was later slain by the military contingent Adal Mabrak, who had been in pursuit. The chronicles record that the Adal Mabrak sent Mahiko's head and limbs to Zara Yaqob as proof of his death.

After militarily occupying Hadiya, many kings of Ethiopia and high-ranking members forcefully married Hadiya women; Queen Eleni of Hadiya is one example. This would result in wars with neighboring Adal Sultanate, who did not take kindly to the atrocities committed by Ethiopia against its fellow Muslim state Hadiya. Adal Sultanate attempted to invade Ethiopia in response however the campaign was a disaster and led to the death of Sultan Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din at Battle of Gomit. Ethiopian and Adal relations continued to sour after the Hadiya incident and reached its peak at the Ethiopian–Adal war, Hadiya would join the Adal armies in its invasion of Ethiopia during the sixteenth century. In the late sixteenth century, the Hadiya regions were overrun by Oromo migrations, thus the Arsi Oromo today claim Hadiya ancestry.

Identity

Historical definition of Hadiya people includes a number of Ethiopian ethnic groups currently known by other names according to ethnologist Ulrich Braukämper, who lived in various parts of southern-central Ethiopia for over four years during his research. In his book titled A history of the Hadiyya in Southern Ethiopia, he established linkages to the ancient Hadiya Kingdom. Currently, Hadiya is not a homogeneous ethnic group but is rather sub-divided into a number of ethnonyms, partly with different languages and cultural affiliations. They were initially all inhabitants of a single political entity, a Sultanate, which in the 4th centuries following its break-down became remarkably diverse. The Libidoo (Maräqo), Leemo, Sooro, Shaashoogo, and Baadawwaachcho remained a language entity and preserved an identity of oneness, the Hadiya proper; whereas the Qabeena, Allaaba, Siltʼe people, clans of Hadiyya origin in Welayta, parts of the East-Gurage as well as descendants of an old Hadiya stratum living with the Oromo and Sidama developed separate ethnic identities. Hadiya are related to the Harari.

Hadiyya sub-groups

1. Current Hadiyyisa speaking groups (Hadiya proper): Leemo, Sooro, Shaashoogo, Baadawwaachcho, Haballo, Hojje, Sha’ammanna, Gabara, Baadoogo (Weexo Giira-Baadoog, Haballo)

2. Libidoo (Maraqo, Marako) (total about 27 sub-groups): Abaachche, Agabeello, Waaremanna, Weerarmanna, etc.

3. Cushitic speaking: Alaaba and Qabeena

4. East-Gurage speaking: Azernet, Barbare, Ulbarag, Woriro, Wolane, Zay, Gadabaano, Abeechcho, Aboosare, Abbiyyo, Gammaso, Wosharmine, Qaalisha, Shandar

5. Hadiya Clans in Arsi and Bale: Abaanna, Abbayymanna, Abbure, Aboosara, Holbaatmanna, Wonamanna, Woshermine, Yabsanna, Oodomanna, Lataamanna, Insemanna, Dollomana, etc.

6. Hadiya Clans in Sidama: Buchche (Bushe) (5 Clans): Fakisa, Hollo, Malga, Hadichcho and Awacho

7. Hadiya Clans in Wolega (among Maaca Oromo around Nekemte)

8. Hadiya Clans in Wolayta (total 11 sub-groups): Ansoomooso, Bohalmanna, Doodichchmanna, Haballooso

9. Hadiya Clans in Harar (among Ittu Oromo, total 5 sub-groups): Abosaara, Asalmanna, Dooyyomanna, Horsumanna, Tokkomanna

10. Alaaba (total 12 sub-groups): Bukaanna, Kitaabo, Kolmine, Shaamanna

11. Hadiya clans in Kambata

12. Hadiya clans in Afar and Somali

13. Hadiya clans in Amhara and Tigray (Raya)

14. Hadiya clans around Jimma and Kafa

Social and political life

The Hadiya nation is divided approximately into 16 sub-clans. Each clan traced its lineage to a single male ancestor. The clans were not restricted to any particular geographical area; they lived side by side. Some clans had a recognized leader, others did not. However, in either case, real political power was exercised by the ruling council of elders for each clan. Each clan then forwarded the leader of its council to the apex council of elders for the whole community. The overall council of elders representing all the clans was then led by a headman or the nation's spokesman.

The Hadiya Zone is named after the Hadiya people, whose homeland covers part of this administrative division. The 2007 Ethiopian national census reported that 1,269,382 people (or 1.5% of the population) identified themselves as Hadiya, of whom 150,087 were urban inhabitants. The Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region is home to 93.9% of this people.

Natural environment

The area occupied by the Hadiyya proper and groups of Hadiyya descent extends from the upper Gibe in the west to the bend of the Wabi Šäbälle in the east. Transferred to the administrative map of Ethiopia of the 1970s, the area comprises southern Šäwa, the entire General Arsi and the north of Bale. On today's map it covers the Hadiyya Zone and parts of the Gurage Zone in the north of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional State (SNNPRS) and some central-southern parts of Oromia. The geography of this region is characterized by a division into an eastern and a western zone by the Ethiopian Rift Valley, which is a part of the great East African Rift System. The main areas inhabited by the Hadiyya, who have preserved their original ethnic identity, are situated on the western edge of the Rift Valley; east of the axis there are only parts assimilated by ethnic groups who are known by other names. The Rift Valley extends in a north-north-easterly direction from approximately 6° north latitude as a rough estimate, and continues through the Awaš depression towards the funnel-shaped Afar lowlands. Within this massive rupture zone, which came into being in the middle tertiary period, there is a difference in altitude of between 1,250m (Lake Abbayya) to sometimes well over 2,000m.

Notable Hadiya

* Beyene Petros – is a professor of Biology at Addis Ababa University, former member of the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives, former chairman of Forum for Democratic Dialogue in Ethiopia or Medrek (FDDE), and its current head of Public Relations & External Affairs, and chairman of Ethiopian Social Democratic Party (ESDP).
* Habtamu Wondimu – Professor of Social Psychology in the College of Education of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
* Fantu Magiso Manedo - an Ethiopian runner specializing in the 400 metres and 800 metres.
* Garad Amano-Famous King of Hadiya in 14th century
* Garad Mehamed-Chief of Hadiya and father of Princess Eleni
* Garad Mahiko-Famous King of Hadiya in 15th century
* Eleni of Ethiopia

See also

* Hadiya Sultanate
* Hadiya Zone
* Hadiyya language
* Cushitic peoples
* Kingdom of Kush

References

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Ethnic groups in Ethiopia