ማን ሊስማው
During the period of the Ethiopian feudal empire (roughly the late 19th through early 20th centuries), the ruling elite—primarily from the Amhara and sometimes Tigrayan aristocracy—used various names to identify different ethnic groups. Many of these names, particularly when used in a derogatory sense to signify a subjugated or non-Christian status, are now considered insulting.
Based on historical records, here are some of the names used:
Specific Ethnic Names Requested
Oromo was commonly called Galla. This term is historically documented but now considered a derogatory, foreign appellation for the Oromo people.
Welayta was called Wolamo or Walamo.
Kambata was often referred to similarly as part of the broader Southern Sidama group, sometimes identified by the name of their region, Kambata.
Hadya were often categorized simply as Hadya or as part of the broader, loosely defined Sidama groups, or sometimes within the context of the Muslim Sidama.
Agew were referred to as Agew, though historically they were deeply integrated into the Semitic-speaking Tigrayan and Amhara cultures.
Janjero (Yem) were referred to as Janjero or Yamma.
Dawro (part of the Omotic group) was often called Kullo or Dawro, sometimes lumped into broader "Sidama" classifications.
Other Historically Used Names
Sidama (Omotic Peoples): In the feudal context, the term "Sidama" was sometimes used generically by northerners to refer to various Cushitic and Omotic groups in the southwest.
Shanqalla / Shangalla: This was a derogatory term used by the Ethiopian elite to describe various Nilo-Saharan groups on the western and southern borders of Ethiopia, often with a connotation of slave status.
Bariya / Bareya: This term literally means "slave" or "servant" and was applied in a racialized manner to dark-skinned Sub-Saharan African peoples, particularly those captured or conscripted from the west/southwest.
Gura-Gie: A term sometimes used for the Gurage people, though not as inherently derogatory as others.
Contextual Usage
Derogatory Terms: Galla and Shanqalla are generally regarded as derogatory in modern context, as they were used to classify groups as "pagan" or "heathen" (taneqi) or to identify them for slavery.
Feudal Classification: Many southern groups were broadly classified as barya (slaves/serfs) after their incorporation into the empire, highlighting the oppressive structure of the feudal system.
Religious Connotations: The term Galla was sometimes inaccurately, but commonly, interpreted by the northern Christians to mean "idolater".
የጥጋባቸው ብዛት የቀን ስራተኛ ለመጥራት ማንም ይሁን ጉራጌ እያሉ ይጠሩ ነበር!
ሊስትሮ ሁሉ ጉራጌ አርገው እንደዛሬው ይሳደቡ ነበር!!
ሲቀለድባቸው: ጉራጌ ይሉናል ግራ የገባቸው በስባራ መርፌ እያታለልናቸው (የቆማጣው አማራ ድድብና ለመግለፅ ራሳ የአማራ ስርቶ በላ የገጠመው?!)
........
አብይ አማራ ለመቶ አመት ወደስልጣን አይመጣም አለ ይሚባል ሃሜት ነበረ::
እኛ እንላለን ስልጣን እድሜ ልኩ እንዳማረው ይቅር!!
ስርቶ ከበላ ከተመቸው ከስረቀ በስላም ወጥቶ እንዳህያ ከገባ መች አነስው
