The first track of cultural astronomy in Uganda: Perspectives of the Baganda, Bagisu, Banyoro and Langi
September 2020
Uganda is among the most developing countries in Africa where astronomy education and outreach activities are at infant stages. Although Uganda has a long history of organized ethnic groups and cultures, record of cultural astronomy or its exploration is scanty, a challenge that this paper tries to address. A qualitative research design was adopted with emphasis on holistic description of primary data or information....
The role of elephants as military pack animals in the Abyssinian Campaign, 1867-1868
September 2020
In late 1867 the British Government authorized a military expedition to effect the release of 59 hostages being held at Magdala by Emperor Tewodros II. The force consisted of 13,000 soldiers and 40,000 transport and pack animals. Its formidable task was to travel 650 km and ascend 3,050 m of altitude before it reached its goal. The animals comprised horses, mules, donkeys, bullocks, camels and 44 elephants....
Critical analysis of archaeological research trends in Uganda: 1920-2018
January 2020
Much as the first collections of stone tools in East Africa were made by geologist J.W. Gregory, beginning in 1893, E.J. Wayland’s joined the government service in Uganda in 1919 to set East African Archaeology on the course that it was to follow for the next 40 years or more. However, over 90 years from its inception, a larger percentage of archaeological research in Uganda seems regionally imbalanced, dominated...
Pawnship labour and mediation in colonial Osun division of southwestern Nigeria
January 2020
Pawnship was both a credit system and an important source of labour in Yoruba land. It was highly utilised in the first half of the twentieth century Osun Division, sequel to its easy adaptation to the colonial monetised economy. This study examined pawnship as a labour system that was deeply rooted in the Yoruba culture, and accounts for the reasons for its easy adaptability to the changes epitomized by the colonial...
The shared pain of a culture’s decline: A study of Femi Abodunrin’s ‘The Dancing Masquerade’
January 2020
Although in recent years Africans have, through their very rich indigenous performing traditions, began once again to re-affirm the functionality of their arts, yet not many people today have tried to relate these to questions of mass mobilization and conscientization. It is believed that African art and particularly traditional African theatre, story-telling or art serve a social function with several...
The Amharic proverbs and their use in Gǝʿǝz Qǝne (Ethiopian poetry)
January 2020
This article aims to provide a concise impression of Amharic proverbs and their use in Gəʽəz Qəne. Qəne is an extraordinary Ethiopian poetry with special feature, beauty, and limit. There is no language restriction to compose Qəne; since its introduction in the 15th Century Gəʽəz is predominantly used to compose Qəne in different forms. Adding an Amharic proverb to Gəʽəz Qəne is a great talent which requires an advanced...
Increasing participatory space in Zimbabwean local governance democracy
December 2019
The purpose of this paper is to unpack the extent to which citizen participation has been enhanced in local governance in Zimbabwe. The paper points out that citizen participation in local governance have proved to be of significance to all decision-making processes. Legislative provisions guiding citizen participation in local governance in Zimbabwe are prescribed in the Urban Councils’ Act of 1996 which seeks to...
Oyo-Ondo relations: A study in pristine inter-group relations in Nigeria
November 2019
The noticeable degree of Benin and Ife influence on Ondo has not obliterated the Oyo factor as a strong force in the history of Ondo, especially its traditions of origin. This paper focuses on Oyo-Ondo connections as a study in pristine inter-group relations. It argues that although Oyo is situated in the savanna region of Yorubaland, while Ondo is placed in the forest region, certain traits offer strong proof that Ondo...
Democratization and nation-building in Nigeria, from 1914 to 2004: An appraisal
July 2019
Nigeria came into being in 1914 following the British colonial authority's amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates during which various ethnicities were living independently of each other. However, the activities leading up to the 1914 amalgamation predates this date. It would therefore not be out of place to say that the most enduring legacy of British colonialism is the geo-political entity known...
Facing social-politcal challenges: A historical examination on the survival methods of the Nubi ethnic minority in Uganda
April 2019
Since the pacification of Uganda by the British Imperial Government in 1894, up to the time Nubians were recognized as an ethnic community in 1995, they continue to retain their indigenous ethnic identity, through professing Islam, speaking their traditional language (Ki-Nubi) and practicing their own traditional values, for example traditional dressings and foods. Nubians quest for survival as an ethnic group has been...
Beneficiaries’ perceptions of the contributions of community development projects to peacebuilding process in South Sudan: A case of Terekeka State
April 2019
Despite the fact that a lot of research has been done about community development in relations to peacebuilding, there are a few studies available on the contribution of community development projects to peacebuilding process. The intention of this article is to start to fill the gap by investigating beneficiaries’ perceptions of the contribution of the community development projects to peacebuilding process in...
‘‘We Did Not Come as Mercenaries…!’: Linking the Origin, Ethnic Identity and Settlement of the Nubis in Uganda
March 2019
Focusing on the period 1894 to 1995 and drawing on both written and oral sources, this article explores the origin, ethnic identity and settlement of the Nubians since their advent in Uganda. Ugandan Nubians abandoned some aspects of their former African traditional customs and adopted new ones borrowed from the Arabic culture, constituting a unique and distinct ethnic group. Using a historical research design and...
The predicaments of the“Grand narrative” of Ethiopian history:The challenges of post modernism
February 2019
The shadow of skepticism that post –modernist casted on the Meta narrative is so encompassing that it led to conspicuous cynicism on the objectivity of history as a scientific discipline. This article raises this issue by discussing and analyzing the arguments of Samir Yusuf; a post-modernist critique of Bahiru Zewdie’s A history of modern Ethiopia. The research, using such analytical tools as...
The cultural factor in conflict management/resolution: A case study of the Acholi of Northern Uganda
February 2019
The research was purposed to explore the role of positive practices in culture(s) that support the resolution and management of conflicts. The government’s militaristic options achieved no meaningful results. Lack of peace eluded the 2006 Juba Peace negotiations. This necessitated exploration of alternative approaches to conflict resolution and peace building. The main thrust of this study was the exploration of...
The unwritten historical perspectives of Akan spokespersons staffs
January 2019
The Akan of Ghana are one of the ‘richest’ ethnic groups in the country. They are known to be the first ethnic group that settled in Ghana, hence the reason for the name “kan (e)” which means ‘the first’. There are several subgroups that are classified under the eight main clans of the Akan and all of these subgroups are well known for their rich culture. Among the Akan culture the...
Muslim settlement in a Christian environment in the city of Dolisie (Republic of Congo) from 1937 to 2007
December 2018
Dolisie is the third largest city of Congo, located at the enterance of the Mayombe forest. This city became an urban center when, in 1933, the colonial administrator Blanchet set Chemin de Fer Congo-Océan (CFCO) in the center for the construction and management of the country’s main railways. At that time, Protestant and Catholic missionaries had settled there for a longtime. But at the end of the CFCO...
Revisiting the socio-economic implications of local-level political competition in Harena, Northern Ethiopia
December 2018
In Harena, Northern Ethiopia, local-level political competition for the post of metehadaderi (governor) had twofold impacts. On one hand, it played a role in ensuring the right of every person to participate in the political process, usually exercised by supporting one of the village contenders. On the other hand, it was a cause for social and economic conflict within the community. In other words, it brought winners...
Theorizing Namummaa: Oromo relational philosophy (Oromos’ Gift to the World)
November 2018
This article attempts to theorize the concept of namummaa, Oromo relational philosophy which is complex, dynamic and has values that are connected to behavior and character of a person. Namummaa is Oromo philosophy of humanness that claims what makes a person human being, not just human, is her or his potential to grow into good and mature vertical and horizontal relationships: relationship with community in which a...
The use of the History of Science to improve the understanding of the thematic of reproduction: A study with students of secondary school
September 2018
The History of Biology teaching offers immense advantages in students’ success, this fact being supported by many authors. This study mainly aims to identify the knowledge of the sample students about the reproduction of living beings. A qualitative methodology and questionnaire were used to collect data. The sample consists of 18 students from a secondary school, in North Portugal. For comparison, the same...
The new Gojjame rule and the Oromo resistance in Abbay Choman, North East Wallaga, Oromiya, Ethiopia, 1850s-1882
June 2018
This paper deals with the new administration system under Gojjame rules and the Oromo people resistance to them in Abbay Choman, South of Abbay River from 1850 to 1882. The year 1850’s was a turning point in the history of the Oromo of Abbay Choman Oromo because it was a period when the system was transformed into a semi- monarchical administration. On the other hand, the year 1882 was the period when Horro Guduru...
Marriage practices and gender role socialization among the Gumuz of Ethiopia
May 2018
The Gumuz are indigenous peoples in Northwest Ethiopia having their own unique cultural values and traditions among which marriage practices and gender role socialization are just two of them and this study aimed to explore these practices. The study was conducted in Dibate District, Benishangul Gumuz Region, using inductive qualitative ethnographic design. Participants were adolescent school girls, mothers, elderly...
A discourse on the fundamental principles of character in an African moral philosophy
April 2018
This research attempts to throw light on the indigenous African moral philosophy from the yorùbá socio-cultural paradigm, espousing the adequacy of its authentic ontological and ethical principles towards sustainable development in the contemporary period. Indigenous African morality revolves around the notion of character and character traits which aim at analyzing actions and motive of a moral agent....
Global networking and the fate of family in Ethiopia
February 2018
Globalization is largely the gift of networking. In global networking, Information Technology is the leading actor which plays a role of catalyst. The process of globalization is intensifying as different parts of the world are increasingly linked with one another as a result of this global networking. This article claims that while global networking has brought the people of the world, who are spatially far away...
Women empowerment through ‘Abegar’ in South Wollo: A critical ethnography
February 2018
It is the objective of this study to describe, explain and critically analyze the role of the traditional social practice of ‘Abegar’ to empower women in South Wollo, Ethiopia. Data were collected through participant observation, record of social events and in-depth interview. The study was conducted from April to June 2014 E.C. Five social events known as ‘Wodaja’ were recorded. The result of...
Equines in military operations in Sudan in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
January 2018
Equines (horses, mules and donkeys) have been used in warfare for thousands of years. In Sudan, they were used in the 18th and 19th centuries in inter-tribal fighting. Their principal use in the period under review, however, was in the Egyptian/British fight against the Mahdist forces between 1884 and 1898. At least seven regular British Army cavalry Regiments served in Sudan either as horse cavalry or as part of the...
Assessing potentials and challenges of Haiq Estifanos Communal Monastery for cultural heritage tourism development
January 2018
The main purpose of this research is to assess the potential of Haiq Estifanos Communal Monastery to become tourist destination and to identify the major hindering factors of tourism development in the site. To attain this objective, the researcher employed qualitative research method. To assess the potential and challenges of the monastery for tourism development, primary and secondary data were collected. To collect...
Reason of state in the philosophical works of Niccolo Machiavelli
December 2017
Every state has its own reason of survival whether it is democratic or undemocratic, constitutional or unconstitutional, tyrannical or republican. Thus, the concept of reason of state depends on the nature of the state. Reason of state in a democratic order is different from that of undemocratic state. This study gave more emphasis on the philosophical works of Niccolo Machiavelli. Based on his philosophical works, the...
Recalling the history of Sultan Mohammed Hanfare “Illalta”: Was he a democratic Sultan of Aussa in Afar, Ethiopia?
October 2017
Recalling past history is pertinent to constructively rewrite the history of the future. Thus, recalling the history of Aussa Sultans best examines and analyzes their leadership style and development endeavors. This study aims to analyze the democratic nature of Sultan Mohammed Hanfare “Illalta”, his political lifespan vis-à-vis the leadership styles of his predecessors and successors. After a...
The Nigerian child in war and peace, 1960 to 2010
August 2017
Peace as the absence of both direct and indirect violence in Nigeria has eluded the Nigerian child. From the perspective of direct violence, the Nigerian child has not been spared the horrors of wars that have dotted Nigeria’s geographical space since independence. From the perspective of indirect violence, the Nigerian child has been thrown to the center stage of structural and cultural violence. This has...
Missionary education: An engine for modernization or a vehicle towards conversion?
July 2017
It is now 460 years since the arrival of the first Jesuits who came to implant Catholicism in Ethiopia. In order to promote their evangelical activities, these Catholic missionaries managed to open the first mission schools in the country. The Jesuits are, therefore, regarded as pioneers of missionary education in Ethiopia. Their missionary work was not, however, successful for the introduction of Catholicism resulted...
The religious cycle in Sudan history: Case study on the Sudanese religious conflicts up to 1983
June 2017
This article aims to give an insight to the role of religion in Sudanese history through the centuries before the birth of Christ to the present time by discussing; (a) Impact of Ancient Egyptian religions. (b) Judaism and its influence on Sudanese social transformation. (c) Entry of Christianity and its role in dividing the Nubian society into three kingdoms between two denominations Catholic and Orthodox. (d) Entry of...
A note on Abebe Reta’s role in the Ethio-Swedish contacts
May 2017
Persons who are in one way or another had been involved in the Ethio-Swedish contacts, have not been well studied. The research behind the present study has purposes. First and foremost, it intends to trace personal files and memories with information significant to understand the Ethio-Swedish contacts, which could not be gotten from official archives. Secondly, to gain authentic sources which could not be obtain from...
Mahebär: Dynamics of a social self-help association
April 2017
The paper examines the dynamics of a socio-religious self-help association by looking at the celebration of Mahebär, a religious-oriented association, in Adi Ei’rä, Ethiopia. Mahebär is an indigenous socio-religious organization of individuals who pledge as members to treat one another as equals. It is dedicated to honor a particular sacred religious figure. Like Equb and Edir, Mahebär is by...
Introduction of evangelical Christianity in Oromia: The five major expeditions
April 2017
This study tried to discuss the introduction of Evangelical Christianity in Oromia in five major expeditions attempts that foreign and local missionaries have made to reach the Oromo people with Gospel. To this end, the necessary information were collected from written documents related to the topic, and then chronologically ordered and narrated. As discussed in this article, the Western missionaries had given much...
Change and continuity in the indigenous institution of Qoollee deejjoo ritual practice and its role in forest resource management among the Kafecho: The case of Gimbo Woreda
March 2017
This ethnographic article explores the changes and continuities of indigenous Qoollee Deejjoo ritual practice, and its role in forest resource management among Kafecho peoples. The Kafecho people, who live in Southwestern Ethiopia have enormous indigenous intangible ritual practices which have never been well investigated and recognized clearly. This study focuses on Qoollee deejjoo ritual practice in Gimbo woreda. The...
The gender factor in post-World War I Africa: The development of the oil palm industry in Nigeria’s Benin province
February 2017
In spite of the evidence that African Women under the post-World War I economy were subjected to brutal exploitation and underdevelopment as much as their male counterparts, Women Studies has remained a neglected theme in the historiography of post-World War I Africa. In fact, Nigeria’s Benin economic and development history typifies and reflects this reality of neglect across all its historical epochs. This study...
Contending views on land tenure system in Ethiopia: Historiographical essay
January 2017
Land issue in Ethiopia is associated with the socio-economic and political aspects of both the people and the state. Land was said to be owned by the peasants, the church and the nobility in the form of gult and rest while later the ownership type officially changed to private and state property. Thus it is comprehend that governments in Ethiopia have made inconsistent and controversial land tenure policies....
Prophets and prophecy as a response to crises: Prophet Esa in traditional religion of Wolaitta (1920-1928)
December 2016
This article explores the socio-political and economic context of Prophets and prophecy in Wolaitta, with specific reference to the Prophet Esa and his prophecy, which emerged in the context of traditional religions of Wolaitta, from 1920 to 1928. The article examines how the prevalence of crisis related to socio-political and economic influence, and the factors that determine who has access to such influence, can...
A paradox: Post-modern, postcolonial Guelwaar
December 2016
Post-modern in its critique of language, contesting of binaries, and resistance to closure, Sembène’s 1993 film Guelwaar, later made into the novel of the same name, calls for real political change, constituting a paradoxically post-modern work with postcolonial political intentions and goals. Despite the apparent contradiction of styles and worldviews, the coincidence of the post-modern and postcolonial...
The historical background to the Takyiman disputes with Asante
November 2016
This paper examines the historical background to the Takyiman disputes with Asante. The study reveals that cordial relations originally existed between Takyiman and Asante. Asante defeat of Takyiman in 1723 notwithstanding, Takyiman dutifully served the Asantehene as a vassal state. Under British colonial rule, Takyiman asserted its autonomy but in 1949 failed to have nine of its villages Asante seized in the 19th...
Ubuntu: A phantasmagoria in rural Kwazulu-Natal?
November 2016
Ubuntu is a value system that is known to be found in African communities. Like other values within African communities, it is perceived to have transcended the colonialist rule which changed the landscape of Africa including its socio-cultural makeup. Although KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is credited for the initiation of Ubuntu, the erosion of certain cultural values has been found to be more acute in...
Revisiting history of Gafat: Was emperor Tewodros’s military reform an attempt at “translative adaptation” of western technology?
October 2016
Gafat is now a desolate spot located a few kilometers Northeast of Dabra Tabor, capital of South Gondar. Some one hundred and fifty years ago, it was a busy village. It was there that Emperor Tewodros II (1855 to 1868) set up his foundry to produce modern arms. Gafat did witness the production of many mortars including the largest one named “Sebastopol.” The purpose of this study is to evaluate the...
Why Somalis cried at President Nasser's death
August 2016
African unity was one of the most important matters discussed during the fifties and sixties. The Egyptian President, Nasser had a great role in this matter, by his support for the liberal movements in Africa, including Somalia. There have been commercial relations between Egypt and Somalia since ancient times. The relationship between the two countries continued until recent days. The most important phase of the...
A historical survey of hotel services in Bahir Dar Town Since 1930s: Challenges and prospects
July 2016
The development of tourism sector was essential in the socio-economic development of nations. In a developing country like Ethiopia, the development of tourism industry is closely linked with the development of hotel sector because the majority of customers of this sector come from international tourists. Bahir Dar located along the Historic Route, the town and its environ are endowed with both natural and...
Methodological misjudgements: The myth of ‘clan cleansing’ in Somalia
January 2016
This article explores recent controversial and flawed book, Clan cleansing in Somalia: The ruinous legacy of 1991 by Kapteijns (2013) and, by closely assessing through critical and content analysis, reveals how and why the book is a new myth in the making (Malkki, 1995). Using fictional works (novels) as a basis to construct a non-fiction work, Kapteijns uses violence as a tool to arrest the political opponents of the...
Mapping the socio-cultural landscape of the Gumuz Community of Metekel, Northwestern Ethiopia
December 2015
This study critically examined the socio-cultural practices and beliefs of the Gumuz community of the Metekel such as the process of the traditional medical treatment strategies, dietaryhabits, marriage practices, and agricultural activities, social and religious institutions. These traditional practices and beliefs symbolize the societal cultures performed by members of Gumuz community and give them sense of...
May Fourth: Historical misunderstanding?
November 2015
While China is looking up at the Western scientific achievements, seeing in it the way through independence, the European intelligentsia to the pretentious positivist understanding of the world answered declaring the bankrupt of the Western civilization. It is true that the technological progress of the last century surpassed the achievements of three thousand years prior this period, but science brought catastrophes....
Attitudes of Christian missionaries towards African traditional religious beliefs in East Africa during the British colonial rule
October 2015
This article focuses on the religious encounter between European Christian Missionaries and the African traditional religious beliefs in East Africa. The area of study is Buganda in Uganda. The scope of the study is 1877-when Christianity was first introduced in Uganda to 1962 when Uganda got her independence; the period when Christian missionaries lost influence together with the colonial rulers. Using the qualitative...
The ethnographic analyses of “Zulu Woman”: A book review
September 2015
This book review brings once more to the spot light the work of Rebecca Hourwich Reyher, American feminist, the Zulu Women about which not too many before this work has dealt with. The book by women which have no similitude with the Zulu women of South Africa except her feminist zealotry for women emancipation and her sex divulging in a field of study not of her professional commitment gives us one vital piece of...
Decolonizing place-names: Strategic imperative for preserving indigenous cartography in post-colonial Africa
September 2015
Indigenous cartography existed in various forms in pre-colonial Africa. Unfortunately, the indigenous cartographic heritage of the continent suffered a major setback during the period of imperialism and colonialism. A foremost threat to the traditional cartographies of the African people has been the colonization and deformation of original local geographical names. As an enduring legacy, toponyms are revered by the...
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