Mission in ACTION
Vol. XVI
No. 9
OCTOBER 2004
Now
Is The Hour
by Giacomo Bellini, mccj
AT THE FRONTIERS OF EVANGELIZATION IN SOUTH-WEST ETHIOPIA
Comboni Missionary Fr Giacomo Bellini reports on a new Gospel outreach to a little-known people.
The new constitution of Ethiopia created a federal system of government, and in 1994 established the Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State comprising various ethnic groups in the country’s south-west.
One of these, the Gumuz, are estimated to count more than one hundred thousand - or a third of the total indigenous population of the State.
Abandoned land
The incumbent State governor, Yaregal Aysheshim, has appealed to various Christian denominations both abroad and in Ethiopia for the human promotion and evangelization of the Gumuz population.
In his words, the area now under his jurisdiction has long been a truly abandoned land. The people, whose standard of living is 1000 years behind that of their fellow countrymen, and nearly 2000 years behind that of the average citizen of the northern hemisphere, cannot be helped to face the future without the assistance of Church organizations or NGOs.
Owing to financial limitations, religious denominations in Ethiopia have not until now been able to respond to this cry for help.
Former Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia, Silvano Tomasi, and the archbishop of Addis Abeba, Berhaneyeasus, took this cry to heart and appealed to various missionary societies already present in the country for their cooperation in such a vast and promising field of first evangelization.
New challenge
The Comboni Missionaries - already known in Ethiopia for their activity especially among the Sidamo people to the south -, in spite of a shortage of personnel, have taken up the challenge, in a way which is genuinely in harmony with the charism they received from St Daniel Comboni himself.
It is about a year now since the first two missionaries, myself and a brother, took up residence in the vicinity of the Metekel zonal capital. Our lodgings consist of a mud house with corrugated iron roof, and a donkey supplies us with water from the nearest river.
The construction of a kindergarten, a hall for literacy classes and a small church is now well underway.
For the time being our main occupation is the study of the Gumuz language and the culture of a people who have remained virtually unknown even to experts in things Ethiopian.
History and tradition
The author of many books on the history of Ethiopia, Pankhurst, includes the Gumuz among the indigenous population, classified by some anthropologists as “Pre-Nilotic”. The Ethiopian highlanders have a pejorative name for these peoples - “Shankilla”, which is also the term for slaves. In fact, the Gumuz areas were the slave reserves of the Negus and other chieftain or of the Amhara and Agaw Christian Ethiopians.
All the ethnic groups inhabiting the lowlands bordering the Sudan were the victims of both the Moslems, who made frequent incursions into Ethiopia from the Sudan, as well as of the Ethiopians of the highlands. To escape enslavement the Gumuz took refuge in the valleys of the Dinder, Dabus and Beles rivers where they are presently settled.
Nowadays historical events and the political reshaping of Ethiopia have made it possible for the Gumuz to reassert their identity and rights. However government authorities have generally ignored, and marginalized the Gumuz population in their policy and development schemes. Little has been done by way of development projects, education and health care.
Socio-economic aspects
Most Gumuz can still be classified as hunters and gatherers, depending on rudimentary farming, or shifting cultivation. Much of their territory is below 1500 meters of altitude, which means that the climate is torrid and cultivations restricted to a few crops. Malaria is a deadly enemy to the population and the tze-tze fly hinders cattle raising.
For survival many Gumuz depend on herbs, roots and wild berries they collect in the wooded areas. Among them many know the secret of possible food resources that their terrain affords. Making use of their bows and arrows they practice widespread hunting of wild game, including monkeys, rats, snakes and crocodile along the large rivers.
Gumuz adults are known for their ability in craftsmanship. Practically every adult person is skilful in making his own tools with iron or wood. Women are particularly resourceful in making pottery for their household or for sale at the market. Many women and young girls also practice fishing with large nets of their own making.
As in many other parts of Ethiopia going to market is a social event that marks the whole week. On market days women travel long distances from their village to the nearest town carrying heavy loads and in many cases their babies strapped to their back.
The only money they can dispose of is the little cash they make in the selling of some domestic animals, chickens, eggs, charcoal, or pots. This can be spent on indispensable purchases of salt, soap, and on the traditional ornaments like beads and necklaces, and rings.
Age-old values
One striking characteristic of the Gumuz is their egalitarian society. Elders and healers are highly respected but have no particular authority in the village or society.
All command respect in so far as they contribute their skill or traditional knowledge to their people.
Women have the same social status as their male counterparts. This social condition does not, however, change the traditional distribution of work in the family or between male and female adults. Observers point out that actually women are very influential in matters regarding their own family and even the village at large. All that can be said is that to outsiders life seems to be harder for women than for their male counterparts.
Traditional worship
The Gumuz are typical followers of African traditional religions who practice nature worship in various forms. Described as sun worshippers by foreign travelers, the Gumuz identify the sky and the sun in particular with the supreme being. But their world is populated with good and bad spirits or “sheitan” or demons. Few mention “Musa” as the creator and few ever heard the name of Jesus.
Their beliefs are difficult to define and to explain. What is known is that fear of evil spirits drives them to offer frequent sacrifice, which consist mainly of chickens and goats that the witch doctor, usually a woman, will divide in equal parts for the spirit, the offerer and themselves.
Informants and observers confirm that fear of the former dominant Ethiopian Amhara has kept the Gumuz away from embracing the religion of the Orthodox Ethiopian Church.The same can be said of their relationship with the Moslems whose raids in search of slaves have been impressed deeply in their psyche.
But in recent years political changes and outside contacts are influencing the Gumuz.
In view of these changes one can say that the historical moment for the Gumuz turning to the Gospel is right now.<WMCopyright © World Mission Magazine