Continuing the
publication of the interview we had with Sidama National Liberation Organization
Chairman, Mr. Kambata Xoola, we cover in this third part a wide spectrum of
issues, encompassing Sidamas’ political aspirations, national and cultural
identity issues, education and religion. The brilliant and noble environment of
this great nation is comprehensively portrayed by the knowledgeable and humanist
SNLO Leader, Mr. Kambata Xoola.
His references to Sidama cultural and religious topics highlight dimensions of 5
millennia long Kushitic continuity from Ancient Egypt through Meroitic Ethiopia
down to modern Kushitic nations. Sidamas’ conception of the world is identical
to the Ancient Meroitic and Ancient Egyptian systems of thought and belief.
- Would you give us an outline of the Sidamas’ political aspirations?
- There is no society that lives under colonial yoke in the 21st century. Sidama
National Liberation Organization, (SNLO) struggles to make such acts of cruelty
against the nation past history. The Sidama nation is democratically egalitarian
society. Its primarily need remains to restore its lost identity. It aspires to
reclaim its administrative, socio-cultural and politico-economic rights. If this
is the case, the Sidama nation aspires to peacefully co-exist with nations of
the empire with common goal of respecting humanity and human values, equitable
distribution of available resources, freedom of expression, and freedom of
assembly, towards alleviating poverty our nation is under, and working together
for common good.
Otherwise, if the successive Abyssinian rulers like TPLF continue to suppress
Sidamas’ fundamental rights under the pretext of a unified Ethiopia, the nation
with like minded democracy loving nationals or independently will continue its
struggle for liberation and further opportunity for independence that will be
decided by the wider society - not only by politicians. This is a deeply rooted
belief among the Sidama people, although they are currently suppressed.
- What is the level of literacy among the Sidamas?
- The level of literacy in Sidama is very low compared to other Zonal
administration in southern Ethiopia, never mind northern regions such as Tigray
and Amhara whose literacy level is more than 80%. We can’t compare Sidamas’
literacy rate with that of peoples living in the northern Ethiopian regions for
simple reason of systematic marginalization. The Sidama people were deprived of
their basic rights of sending their children to schools since 1890s, ever since
the Abyssinian colonial powers have taken control over their land.
The schools that exist in Sidama region are inadequately equipped and always
lack resources compared to other regions. Sadly, the few Sidama cadres don’t
have good will for any issues that concern the nation and they only mind their
personal advantages. Therefore, the nation remains backward in educational
achievements. If one compares Sidama (with above 5 million people) graduates
with others nations under 1 million, it will be embarrassing. Overall literacy
rate in Sidama land is less than 40% at present. As a result, the Sidamas remain
in literacy bottom line.
- How many among the Sidama children attend Primary and Secondary Education?
- They are not more than 30-35% of the total population - compared to above 90%
of the population in the Tigray region.
- What is the official education language in Sidama land?
- Sidamoaffo (that receives constant oppositions from the settlers), Amharic and
English.
- What would you suggest as improvement of the educational system available for
Sidamas?
- To think about education, the nation needs to be liberated and regain its lost
administrative, socio-political, economic and cultural rights. If people in any
society are not allowed to decide on their issues, if they are dictated by
outsiders, if people are constantly told what to do, and if they are being
intimidated and regarded as inferior, there will not be any ground for fertile
mind to flourish!
Whether I suggest possible ideas for improvement, as long as the underlying
problems remain intact, there will not be any progress. The Sidama Nation needs
to reclaim its autonomy, to decide the best way forward for its people and the
generations to come. Otherwise, it will be impossible to think about any form of
development, educational improvement and basic rights for its wider society.
- Would you give us an outline of the major traditional fests and festivals held
annually in Sidama land?
- Fiichee, the Sidama New Year.
Sidama Religion Kalaqaa Kaaliiqa –a Kushitic continuity from Ancient Egypt
- What are the main religions practiced by Sidamas?
- Christianity, Islam, Traditional religion believers believe in Kalaqaa
Kaaliiqa, God the Creator or Almighty.
- Would you give an outline of the traditional Sidama religion?
- Prior to 1960s, the entire Sidama nation believed in Kalaqaa Kaaliiqa, God the
Creator and 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 inter-mediating between them and God. In
particular, if there happen to be a natural disaster, such as failure to rain
for prolonged period of time, failure of crop to yield enough for consecutive
years, if epidemic kills significant number of people, if herds die in mass and
so forth, they initiate specific ceremonial practices, calling for repentance of
male and female elderly for any wrong-deeds on behalf of the nation. Such
deep-rooted beliefs are embodiments of the Sidamas religious identity.
Additionally, Sidama nation offers sacrifices to any spirit that might directly
or indirectly cause culturally unacceptable things (considered as an outcome of
anger of spirits or God) to their children, land, farm, country and generally
the well being. Sidamas 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 Kalaqa Kaaliiqa (God) and ancestry spiritualism.
- National and Cultural Identity; what makes a Sidama different from an Oromo, a
Shekacho, and an Anuak?
- As one scholar writes, "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’’. The Sidama nation has got its distinct identity with
its peculiar characteristics and attached interpretations.
The differences of cultural and national identity of the Sidamas range from day
to day life to the whole range of traditionally accepted ways, social life and
its essence with varied meanings. Therefore, although there is similarity of
some heritages with Kushitic national origins in the country, still the
differences outweigh similarities. Their similarity may be is that with any
nation that is suffering and those nations who share similar fate under the
tyrannical rule of brutal Abyssinian regimes.
- Are there many Sidamas to have entered in mixed marriages, and what is the
origin of their partners?
- There are very few; and actually there is no study available about this
subject. In particular, educated Sidama elites who have national feelings remain
cautious when they think of marriage with people of Abyssinian origins. At the
moment, the Sidamas mostly remain homogenous. However, we can estimate that
there are people who entered in mixed marriages but they are a very small
fraction of the general society. They are married with people from various
ethnic groups without significant distinction including foreigners, such as
Europeans.
- Where do Sidamas live outside Sidama land? In Abyssinia or in the Diaspora.
- I suppose that above 95% Sidama nationals live in Sidama land. There are few
exceptions who are scattered to the different parts of the world, including
Abyssinian Empire, and notably Finfinne (Addis Ababa); they are approximately 5%
of the overall Sidama population. As regards the Diaspora Sidama community, the
majority among them live in the United States, being relocated with Lottery visa
that the US government grants for some countries all over the globe. Finally,
there are a number of Sidama nationals scattered in African countries as well.