Post
by Dama » 01 May 2025, 22:53
Per your para.1, linguists have established that nearly 90% of the time 7bet and Mesqan are mutually intelligible, meaning when a Mesqan individual speaks his dialect, a 7bet individual will understand him 90% of the time. They are so close.
Per your second paragraph, there are very powerful, influential forces against Gurage developing ethnic nationalist politics. Well educated, well-placed in the beaurocracy of the Ethiopian govs. The Gurage political tradition that discourages nationalism goes way back to the 1960s, spearheaded by Gurage generals in Haile Sellasie gov, high profile civil beaurocrats such as author of tge Afersata Sahle Sellasie B.Mariam, G.Yesus H.mariam, followed by the DERG era Gurage officials and acadrmics. And EPRDF appointeed beaurocrats continued the tradition of rejecting ethnic nationalism. Economist Mesfin(PhD) from.7bet, resident of Germany, appeared on many mefia, led the Gurage Intellectuals opposing tgh Gurage Region legal demand.
Thes folks rather brag about them not being nationalists and that Ethiopian nationalist groups should learn from Gurage on how not to embrace nationalism. Example: Dr.Birhanu Nega.
If you ask them what Gurage benefitted from not being nationalist, they have nothing to show for it. They can't defend their lame belief. They sound like a brainwashed kid who was told by a church that the Earth was flat.
No Gurage linguist has studied ways to develop a common standard Gurage language. Professor Fekedu Minuta of Hawas University encouraged each group of Gurage to write its dialect. For that to happen, he manipulated Geez alphabets to suit each dialect's special sounds.
Elders are unorganized toothless wise men/women with no powers to say NO to whatever Addis Abeba brings to Gurage. If they protest, they will arrest them. They will warn them candidly.
Mesqan is majority Muslim. More or less also Qoqir and Gedebano if 100% Muslim. Welene is 100%. Abeshge and 7bet are, I think, majority Muslim or 50-50.
The risk different religions play in forging unity remains but when carefully and respectfully handled, it can't be an issue. There were burning of 8 mosques in Mwhair in 2010 and burning of a forestry business machines owned by a Muslim, but the Gurage Zone controlled it by taking appropriate legal actions. Over all, Gurage is Muslim majority if the stat is correct. However, the more educated group and those in pilitics and beaurocracy are Christians.
The Sodo dance is too.much back and forth, very sexual. Mesqan being Muslim and Islam emphasizes modesty, they cut out the sexual suggestiveness of the Sodo modernized style of dance. If you go to the coutry of Sodo, rural Sodo, this sexually suggestive aggressively back and forth motion, does not exist. You will see the authentic, the uncorrupted style of dance there. You will also find this conservative Gurage dance in rural 7bet country.
Last edited by
Dama on 02 May 2025, 08:33, edited 3 times in total.