05/09/2026
Denied History
The Role of the Oromo in the Formation of the State
A. Doba
Some writers have claimed, and continue to claim, that before 1590 CE the Oromo had no settlements in northern Ethiopia. However, the evidence suggests that this is not simply a matter of the Oromo having been “absent” from the region; rather, it reflects a denied or neglected history.
There is considerable evidence that, as early as 70 BCE, numerous Cush*tic groups lived alongside one another as far as the shores and coastal areas of the Red Sea.
As a result of the expansion and military activities of the Aksumite kingdom, many of these groups gradually began to be displaced from their original settlements. Some were separated from their communities and remained in different areas.
Examples of places associated with earlier Oromo settlements include Abaargalee, Bareentuu, Boroo, Gaara Lataa, Hargiiggoo (Argiigo), and Dabaro, among others. Gaara Lataa, for example, is located in the central part of present-day Tigray.
These historical references have been discussed by scholars including Conti Rossini and Tadesse Tamrat.
Francisco Álvares and the Northern Red Sea Region
The Portuguese traveler and priest Francisco Álvares, who lived in Ethiopia from approximately 1520 to 1526, provides an important early European account of the region.
In his writings, Álvares describes a place on the coast of the Red Sea known as Baranbas (Bahr Nagash). He states that the ruler of the area was called Dori and that the town in which he resided was called Dabaro.
Álvares also identifies a coastal town called Hargiigoo (Argiigo) and notes that the ruler exercised authority over the port of Adolis (Adulis).
The name Adolis/Adulis may be compared with the name Adoolaa, although such a linguistic connection would require careful historical and comparative linguistic evidence. The Saho, who have long inhabited the surrounding region, continue to use the name Adoolaa for the area.
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B. Doba
The name Doba is well known in Ethiopian history, particularly in accounts concerning the medieval period. It appears in various forms in different historical sources.
Doba was also the name of an Oromo clan of Wollo, traditionally regarded as one of the fifteen clans of the Rayyaa. Among Wollo Oromo, members of the Doba clan are affectionately referred to as Doobbicha or Doobb'a.
Evidence indicates that Oromo groups were present in northern Ethiopia from considerably earlier periods than the sixteenth century. The Doba were not the only Oromo group associated with the northern region. Other groups mentioned in connection with the area include:
- Aannaa
- Waajjiraa (Waajjiraat)
- Waajii
- Machaaree
- Ashangee
- Daarimuu
- Dhaalantaa (Dalanta)
These references challenge the notion that Oromo presence in northern Ethiopia began only with the sixteenth-century Oromo migrations.
Beginning with the period of Yekuno Amlak, historical accounts describe conflicts between the Doba and the rulers of the northern Christian kingdom.
Francisco Álvares' account is particularly significant because he not only mentions Doba but also describes aspects of the country and environment associated with it.
He writes:
«“The country which is named Doba…”»
He describes the area as being some distance from the lordship of Lasta, with mountainous terrain and a historically significant mountain called Lamalemo. He also refers to the winter season and mentions a month called Caama, before continuing with his description.
These accounts provide evidence that the history of the Oromo in northern Ethiopia cannot be reduced to a simple narrative of a people arriving in the region after 1590. Rather, the historical record contains references to Oromo communities, territories, political groups, and place-names in northern Ethiopia that require closer examination.
Sources
- Charles Fraser Beckingham, The Travels of Francisco Álvares / works relating to the Álvares account, 20th century.
- Tadesse Tamrat, Church and State in Ethiopia, 1270–1527, particularly p. 60.
- Conti Rossini, Storia d'Etiopia, p. 139.
- Girolamo Ramusio, Navigationi et viaggi, 1550.
- G. W. B. Huntingford, works on the historical geography of Ethiopia, 1961, p. 229.
- Francisco Álvares, The Prester John of the Indies, based on his account of Ethiopia, originally published in the sixteenth century.
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Translated from Graphya's Original Afaan Oromoo Post
