Who Are the Indigenous People of Ethiopia?

Oromo

The Oromo is the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, numbering around 40 million, with a small portion living in Kenya. Most of the Oromo occupy the Horn of Africa. This area has rivers and lakes and a good climate with rich soil for agriculture. It has an abundance of wildlife and mineral resources. The ancient religion of Waaqqefata is still practiced, but Islam and Christianity are also practiced.

Amhara

The Amhara are the second largest ethnic group in Ethiopia. They are farmers who live in the north central highlands and their population is over 23 million, which is about 30% of Ethiopia’s population. They speak Amharic and they are mostly Christian, with about 1% being Muslims. Their chief food is “injera” which is made from a local grain, and “wot” which is a type of sauce made with meat or beans.

They live with the risk of famine due to unclean drinking water and deforestation. They are a strong, proud people whose civilization has endured for hundreds of years.

Afar

The Afar (or Danakil) tribe live in three countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. They are a nomadic people who raise goats, sheep, and cattle in dry lands. They live by water in the dry season and move elsewhere during the rainy season.

Hamar or Hamer

The Hamar or Hamer tribe lives in the Omo valley in southern Ethiopia. They are pastoralists, raising goats, sheep, and cattle.

Me’en and Mun

The Me’en and the Mun live in the Omo River Valley in western Ethiopia. In addition to raising cattle, they grow crops in terrace systems. Trading grain, cattle, cotton cloth, and other crops is the center of their economy. Their way-of-life is currently being threatened by global warming and agricultural activity upriver, which have caused drought and water shortages.

Mursi or Murzu

The Debub Omo River Zone in south Ethiopia is home to the Mursi or Murzu tribe. A characteristic of the Mursi tribe is the lip plates worn by the girls and women. The people of the Mursi tribe rarely eat meat, because their wealth is determined by how many animals they own.

Ethiopia

It would take years of study to know and understand the indigenous people of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world. It is also considered one of the oldest areas of human habitation in the world, with some believing it is the oldest.

The world’s second oldest adult fossil, Lucy, was discovered in Ethopia. Her species is called “Australopithecus afarensis”, which means “southern ape of Afar.” She was found in the Awash Valley of the Afar region, and she is approximately 3.2 million years old.

Geologically speaking, there are earthquakes in the Great Rift Valley, and volcanoes and hot springs in the extreme east. There is erosion, deforestation, overgrazing, and frequent droughts. Deforestation is caused by a forest being cleared away to make room for agriculture, housing, etc. When trees are cut down and the shape of the land is changed, deforestation happens and there are consequences.

Because of hunting, pollution, civil wars, poaching, logging, and other human activities, the number of wildlife is decreasing rapidly. When habitats are destroyed, the wildlife that is dependent on that area suffers. When a change in habitat happens quickly, the wildlife does not have time to adjust and their numbers decline. Global warning also plays a role in the loss of wildlife species.