Oromo Orature: An Ecopoetic Approach, <i>Theory and Practice</i> (Oromia/Ethiopia, Northeast Africa)
Using available empirical data of Oromo Orature, particularly folksongs, obtained from the field through interview and observation in Oromia, central Ethiopia, in 2009 and 2010, and other sources in print, this study has two objectives to tackle. First, reflecting upon the questions of a native mode...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-03-01
|
| Series: | Humanities |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/9/2/28 |
| _version_ | 1827719557283840000 |
|---|---|
| author | Assefa Tefera Dibaba |
| author_facet | Assefa Tefera Dibaba |
| author_sort | Assefa Tefera Dibaba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Using available empirical data of Oromo Orature, particularly folksongs, obtained from the field through interview and observation in Oromia, central Ethiopia, in 2009 and 2010, and other sources in print, this study has two objectives to tackle. First, reflecting upon the questions of a native model of origin narratives in relation to ecology, this study examines some examples of Oromo ecopoetics to determine: (a) how ecology and creative process conspire in the production of folksongs and performance, and (b) how the veil of nature hidden in the opacity of songs is revealed through the rites of creative process and performance as the human and ecological realms intersect. When put in relation to ecology, I theorize, the ecocultural creative act and process go beyond the mundane life activities to determine the people’s use (of nature), perceptions, and implications. Second, damages to the ecology are, I posit, damages to ecoculture. Drawing on the notion of ecological archetypes, thus, the study makes an attempt to find a common ground between the idea of recurrent ecological motifs in Oromo orature and the people’s ecological identity. The findings show that the political and social attitudes the Oromo songs embody are critical of authorities and the injustices authorities inflict on peoples and the environment they live in. For the folksinger, singing folksongs is a form of life, and through performance, both the performance and the song sustain the test of time. In its language, critique, imagination, and cultural referents, Oromo Orature is a voice of the people who rely on traditional agricultural life close to nature along with facing challenges of the dominating religious, political and scientific cultures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:45:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-52d00181d23b4bb9bd36fb24db56bf31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0787 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:45:52Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities |
| spelling | doaj.art-52d00181d23b4bb9bd36fb24db56bf312023-11-19T20:17:37ZengMDPI AGHumanities2076-07872020-03-01922810.3390/h9020028Oromo Orature: An Ecopoetic Approach, <i>Theory and Practice</i> (Oromia/Ethiopia, Northeast Africa)Assefa Tefera Dibaba0Department of Oromo Language, Folklore, & Literature, College of Humanities, Languages, Communication, & Journalism, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1176, EthiopiaUsing available empirical data of Oromo Orature, particularly folksongs, obtained from the field through interview and observation in Oromia, central Ethiopia, in 2009 and 2010, and other sources in print, this study has two objectives to tackle. First, reflecting upon the questions of a native model of origin narratives in relation to ecology, this study examines some examples of Oromo ecopoetics to determine: (a) how ecology and creative process conspire in the production of folksongs and performance, and (b) how the veil of nature hidden in the opacity of songs is revealed through the rites of creative process and performance as the human and ecological realms intersect. When put in relation to ecology, I theorize, the ecocultural creative act and process go beyond the mundane life activities to determine the people’s use (of nature), perceptions, and implications. Second, damages to the ecology are, I posit, damages to ecoculture. Drawing on the notion of ecological archetypes, thus, the study makes an attempt to find a common ground between the idea of recurrent ecological motifs in Oromo orature and the people’s ecological identity. The findings show that the political and social attitudes the Oromo songs embody are critical of authorities and the injustices authorities inflict on peoples and the environment they live in. For the folksinger, singing folksongs is a form of life, and through performance, both the performance and the song sustain the test of time. In its language, critique, imagination, and cultural referents, Oromo Orature is a voice of the people who rely on traditional agricultural life close to nature along with facing challenges of the dominating religious, political and scientific cultures.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/9/2/28ecologyorature/folksongecoculturecreative process/actecopoeticsOromo/Oromia/Ethiopia |
| spellingShingle | Assefa Tefera Dibaba Oromo Orature: An Ecopoetic Approach, <i>Theory and Practice</i> (Oromia/Ethiopia, Northeast Africa) Humanities ecology orature/folksong ecoculture creative process/act ecopoetics Oromo/Oromia/Ethiopia |
| title | Oromo Orature: An Ecopoetic Approach, <i>Theory and Practice</i> (Oromia/Ethiopia, Northeast Africa) |
| title_full | Oromo Orature: An Ecopoetic Approach, <i>Theory and Practice</i> (Oromia/Ethiopia, Northeast Africa) |
| title_fullStr | Oromo Orature: An Ecopoetic Approach, <i>Theory and Practice</i> (Oromia/Ethiopia, Northeast Africa) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oromo Orature: An Ecopoetic Approach, <i>Theory and Practice</i> (Oromia/Ethiopia, Northeast Africa) |
| title_short | Oromo Orature: An Ecopoetic Approach, <i>Theory and Practice</i> (Oromia/Ethiopia, Northeast Africa) |
| title_sort | oromo orature an ecopoetic approach i theory and practice i oromia ethiopia northeast africa |
| topic | ecology orature/folksong ecoculture creative process/act ecopoetics Oromo/Oromia/Ethiopia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/9/2/28 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT assefateferadibaba oromooratureanecopoeticapproachitheoryandpracticeioromiaethiopianortheastafrica |