March 7, 2015
Seenaa Godana-Dulla Jimjimo, The In-Between: The Story of African-Oromo Women and the American Experience. Published by Independent Publishing Platform, North Charleston, SC. December 2014. 164 pages (164 including glossary), priced $19.95. Cover page illustration by Roba Geleto.
Reviewed by Abbas H Gnamo*
One of very interesting books I have read in these recent weeks is authored by Seena Godana Dulla Jimjmo, a young Oromo or Oromo-American, Oromo-African woman, to use a hyphenated identity which constitutes one of the major thrusts of the book. The book addresses, albeit briefly, a wide ranging topics including, but not limited to, European colonialism, post-colonial realties with a focus on Ethiopia and the Oromo national struggle, and some recent developments in the Oromo national movement as well as the Oromo diasporic experience in the United States.
According to the author,“The purpose of this book is to establish an identity for how one sees oneself and about the often neglected or untold history that has shaped the writer’s existence. This book is written from the perspective of the African-Oromo woman (introduction). Here, the author does not claim to have made an in-depth analysis of the political and historical issues she raised nor does she claim to have written a historical or sociological treatise based on scholarly research. Having this in mind, I will try to comment and inject some remarks on a host of issues addressed in the different chapters of the book.
In fact, what makes this book remarkable is the fact it is based on the author’s vivid memories of childhood and lived experiences in Diaspora as activist, student, both in secondary school and higher education settings, as well as her involvement, in different capacities, with Oromo community organization (Chicago). Thus, the book brings to light untold stories with many interesting insights on the Oromo experience both in Oromia and diaspora from the author’s perspective. She discusses with passion the concept of Oromumma, being and becoming Oromo, and some hurdles and challenges to affirm this identity both in homeland and hostlands or diaspora.
Seenaa was born in Arsi Oromo family- she considers the Arsi as gosa but in actual the Arsi constitute the largest Oromo branch/sub-group which includes about 200 named family clusters called gosa. The Arsi are known for a century-old history of anti-imperial struggle and memory of resistance, the most memorable being in the 1880s and 1890s and 1960s. No surprise then if the Arsi became the backbone of Matcha-Tulama Association and OLF afterwards. Her father was a well-known member of OLF in the Bale and, as such, he was persecuted as countless of nationalists and activists in Oromia and elsewhere in the country. She saw firsthand, and at very young age, what transpired: oppression, humiliation, insecurity and displacement (both internally and externally). I am sure that many Oromo, members and sympathizers of the Oromo national movement, who have suffered, were jailed or displaced under the successive regimes can relate to a moving story of her family as well as the hope and disappointment revolving around OLF. To quote her at length:
… My father, one of the most respected men in his hometown, was an OLF member, and provided this organization with all the necessities it needed, such as security, food and shelter …. Now, I cannot believe how far we have come and how much has changed. It might seem surreal, but some of the OLF leadership has not only failed the people that believed in them, but they seem to have abandoned the very core beliefs of the organization which they created. They seem to say they never believed in the idea for which they drafted the constitution, or perhaps for which many have paid the ultimate price. Like many people throughout Oromia, my father, siblings, cousins and other family members were jailed for affiliating with the OLF. I, too, when I was less than ten years old, got beaten up by the Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO) who were nothing more than“front men or Uncle Toms”for the (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) TPLF.
The author belongs to what is now dubbed as the Qubee Generation, which she calls the “Generation of Fire”, an adjective used for young Oromo who were born between 1980 and 2000 and have been schooled in the 1990s and who are imbued with strong sense of Oromummaa. She argued that, as opposed to the some of the preceding generations of Oromo political elites who are suffering from a divided loyalty and the consequent duplicity, this generation has a clear sense of belonging and identity. It is in line with the current stage of Oromo consciousness and aspiration. She states“By far, they have become the most awakened generation of all Oromos.”They are fearless in expressing the plight and aspiration of their people. They are in the forefront of the struggle for political and economic rights of the Oromo nation. The massive student movement against environmental degradation, Land Grabs and the so-called‘Finfinne Master Plan”, in which many paid the ultimate sacrifice, is a testament to their determination. Those in Diaspora are active are part of this social movement.
At the same time, underlining the role of“Qubee Gneration” does not reduce, in anyway, the contributions and sacrifices of countless Oromos of glorious generations who never bowed down to the oppressive imperial regimes and who kept Orommuma alive and passed on the torch of the struggle to the current generation. It is important to stress that Oromumua/Sabbonnuma is not the invention of a group of individuals or a political organization but it is deeply rooted in Oromo history, common culture, harsh experience under imperial domination and collective aspiration of this formidable cultural nation to restore its violated dignity and freedom. That is why the defection of some individuals and groups, for one reason another, and the much publicized “Paradigm Shift” would not reverse the course. Oromo nationalism is here to stay; it is not the same as a business venture which may go bankrupt and closes the door upon bankruptcy.
On the other hand, the author indicates some collateral damage caused by the quarrel and factionalism within OLF for the Oromo both at home and in the diaspora including Oromo community organizations. It has exacerbated the ideological and regional /religious divide within Oromo diaspora. This is a step backward in the development and growth of Oromo nationalism compared to the early 1990s when regional and religious divisions appear to have subsided, and the Oromo enjoyed unity and unprecedented élan since their conquest. As example, she mentions an important Oromo Community Organization workshop devoted to Oromo national issues but was almost exclusively attended by people hailing from the same region, a sign of rampant regionalism/provincialism in Oromo politics.
Likewise, she injects some critical remarks on the functioning the Community Organization thanks to her role as member and president of youth association and even as member of the executive of the Oromo Community, Chicago. She points out some impediments in the working of this community including regional, religious, gender and age bias, etc. which contribute to a certain paralysis and lack of effectiveness.
Perhaps the most interesting discussion is devoted to gender identity and this was the subtitle of the book: An African–Oromo Women and the American experience. She tackles the issues pertaining to the definition of being Black and being African in the United States. In fact, identity is not permanent or primordial by the fact that being and becoming or self-identification may change overtime for a host of reasons. The author makes some pertinent points on the African American experience or identity formation where millions of blacks who trace their origins back to Africa, from where their ancestors were shipped over 350 years. Decades ago, they preferred to use a hyphenated identity of African-American. Currently, this is in no more. According to the author, African-Americans now prefer to call themselves Black-Americans:“From academia to the streets, black Americans embraced the term African Americans to define themselves. However, at the current time, the language used to define the same people is black Americans.” Why this sudden shift?
Based on her personal experience and that of other young Oromo who came here at formative age or who were born in North America, she discusses attitudes of new African diaspora towards the old diaspora and the persistence of some hostilities, and misunderstanding or mistrust between these distant cousins, which minimized the degree of interaction, socialization and marriage. This raises the fundamental question about the challenges to new Immigrants and their children like Seenaa, to integrate into their new culture and ways of life and the difficulty to identity with African culture and life style at the same time. She narrates vividly both the limits and possibilities of inter-black solidarity and interactions.
As indicated in the tittle, the in-between is about gender identity and the story of African Oromo women from their perspective. The book begins with personal and familial story by providing the example of her grandfather, who practically waged war to defend the honor of his daughter and her father who marriage to his mother was not approved and, as such, was ostracized in the community. Both are common features in a traditional Arsi society; the family has to protect the honor, dignity and wellbeing of their daughters even after her marriage. The action of her grandfather to retaliate shows that mistreatment and abuse of women is not tolerated. It is a common practice among the Oromo, as many traditional societies, that the marriage is arranged by two families and kin groups, not based on romantic love. Her father was married to the woman he loved, without the consent of his family, which might have displeased his family at least for a while.
Nevertheless, that did not exclude him and neither did this prevent him from being an important member of the community. There is no punishment for romantically married men and women when it happens. Marriage is not prescribed in Oromo culture. Men can refuse the marriage contract and this is not the case for girls. This is where gender inequality lies and a reflection of patriarchal culture. They rarely oppose the proposed marriage overtly although some do not hesitate to rebel and flee their home. Either way, as far as I know, there is no father or mother who cut ties with their children because of unapproved marriage; reconciliation and healing are the founding principles of cultural life and social system, and no human conflicts remain unsolved including homicide.
In other words, I would have liked to see the author digging deep into Oromo social and cultural traditions to come up with a balanced assessment of gender issues and the status of women. Here, I think of the concepts of Wayyuu, Sinqee and Atetee as important social mechanisms to empower women or at the very least to counter-balance gender inequality and attenuate patriarchal authority or male domination. Feminist lens allows to tell the story from certain theoretical perspective but it does not give the full picture how a given society functions. Cultural relativist approach would permit a better understanding of the complex nature of Oromo society both its empowering and disempowering aspects as well as inclusionary and exclusionary practices towards women.
However, Seenaa’s analysis on Oromo immigrant experience with respect to marriage, and raising children and growing up in diaspora is the most convincing and pertinent. This seems to be a common problem among all recent immigrants or the first or second generation of immigrants. They are in fact between two cultures: the culture of homeland and that culture of “hostland”. Adults and children find themselves between opposing values and norms, ways of life, family system, marriages, husband-wife relations. Can arranged marriages work in the diasporic context? Are girls allowed to date and get married outside their communities? Can Oromo ensure gender equality of the children? The two cultures often clash and leads to tension and crisis within the family: separation, divorce and even violence. The author provides several examples of oppressive and abusive experiences of Oromo women and girls in diaspora.
The In-between discusses with reasonable details the dilemma of young men and women of being part of their community and the modern Western culture in which they would like to integrate. As the author stated, while the glamorization of traditional values such as arranged marriage cannot be adapted to the present time, the glamorization of modern marriage or post-modern marriage, if any, does not serve a great purpose. Unstable family, children born out of wedlock and raised by single mothers or in the context matri-focal family structure, as has often been the case among Black Americans, has its own problems.
Generally speaking, there is no universal cultural form which works for all human societies and the same size fits all in terms of family and marriage forms does not exist. While the Oromo should maintain the fundamental values of their ancestors and pass on to their children and generations to come, they also have to get over whatever oppressive cultural practices that are not compatible with basic human dignity including women and children rights. Ultimately, with education and change in socio-economic situation some cultural traits will wither away and are replaced by new cultural values and attitudes.
The In-between grapples with many important issues and problems including some taboo subjects with respect to gender identity and women rights. There is no ready-made solutions. The author seem to be critical of arranged marriage, its problems in diaspora context, but she knows too well that all also there is no universally prescribed and applicable family and marriage system. Also, it is important to note that the Oromo follow different religions, Islam, Christianity and Waqaffanna and the type of marriage and the way one would like to raise children reflect their religious beliefs and worldview. The Oromo are no exception.
All in all, this is a remarkable piece of work grounded in the life experience and observation of the author. It raises many important issues and challenges, even some inconvenient truth, facing the Oromo society at home and in diaspora. Obviously, all issues raised may not have been discussed thoroughly- that may be the object of another book. Personally, I am thrilled to see young Oromo women emerging and taking part in the debate of their time by articulating their views and thoughts on how to bring about positive change in their society. It is to be noted that fifty percent of 40 million Oromo are women/female, and it is time to hear the voice of our mothers, sisters and daughters on the current problems and political challenges and the hope for the future. The better world we would like to create is not only for men but for women as well. This interesting book, with many untold stories, thoughtful insights and anecdotes, should be read by all those who are interested in Oromo issues and those who want to understand the diasporic experience of Oromo youth striving to integrate in the new homeland while trying to maintain their cultural identity, Oromummaa.
“Abbas H. Gnamo, Ph.D., teaches Political Science at the University of Toronto and author of a new book, Conquest and Resistance in the Ethiopian Empire, 1880-1974: The case of the Arsi, Boston-Leiden: Brill Academic Publishing, 2014
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