Dhinsaa Dheeressaa

There were/are different assumptions concerning with the name and origin of Ebantu. The word Ebantu in some case contradicts each other. There are different interpretation and meaning.The first one is, according to oral tradition Ebantu is the name of clan, one of the son’s of Jawwi Macha.1 In the same way the book entitled ‘’Oromo history up to 16th century’’ states that, Ebantu was one of the major branchs of Jawwi Macha. It listed the sons of Jawwi as: Amuru, Horo, Ebantu, Jimma, Limmu, Jidda, Guduru, Ilu and Gudaya.2

The second assumption about the derivation of Ebantu name is the name of land or district which given through time by the few person as the jock. According to this oral tradition, one day at night time, one individual wanted to go with the woman who lived without husband for his own purpose. When he arrived at the door, it was closed and he says inbantu again inbantu indidde (literarly don’t you open/don’t you open, have you refused?3 The oral tradition mentions after that time the young person hear the word and spoke through time as the jock and it was one of idea generated origin of the name of Ebantu.

Additionally the information says Inbantu4 as the name of district and Indidde5 as the name of district town called Hinde. However this oral tradition has no strong ground within Ebantu population at the large. The information could not satisfay the tghical values of such secrete demands of male Oromo. Second, most of the elders and literate persons oppose this origin of name. Third, most of the time the backgrounds of the clans in Oromo are tied the core of the people. Whatever the case, most of the elders and some written materials agreed on the origin of Ebantu name from Ebantu clan. Ebantu Jawwi Macha Rayya.6

Additionally oral tradition says: Jidda, Caliya, Ebantu, and Limmu are brothers and their father’s advice them to expand their land to the fertile and green areas. For that case their father sacrificed bull and blessed them. Those four brothers took different body of scarified bull; Ebantu received head of the bull and now the shape of Ebantu landscape is such like of bull head.7 Accordingly either written sources or oral traditions, what is clearly understood is that the origin of the Ebantu district is derived from the name of the clan known as Ebantu Jawwi Mecha.Thus my discussion and presentation in this research paper is in line with the name Ebantu as the clan of Jawwi Mecha Oromo.

References 1Informants: Marga Gobana, Haile Jallata 2Biiroo aadaa fi turizimii Oromiyaa (BATO), Seenaa Oromoo hanga jaarraa 16ffaa, second edition (Finfinnee, 1998) p.152 3Informants: Dasale Irana, Amanu Jogora 4open it (any person who need to open the closed and command other part) 5Do you refuse it? Do you ignore? 6BATO, Seenaa Oromoo hanga jaarraa 16ffaa, second edition (Finfinnee,1998) p.141