Abstract
Even though the concept of counseling in the modern society and indigenous community vary vibrantly, the purpose of counseling is the same globally. Counseling is a serving approach for individuals ‘within the system’. Oromo as a larger community in Ethiopia, Africa, has its own wisdom and way of living which is not studied well. Accordingly, this study was intended to analyze the efficacy of indigenous counseling approaches ever practiced among Oromo community. Five districts/zones/employing indigenous counseling services in their intervention were covered utilizing purposive sampling. Qualitative study method employing semi-structured interview, observation and focus group discussions were used to gather information. The study result discloses that counseling is the tradition among Oromo community in Ethiopia even if there was no attempt made by higher institutions and the government to incorporate the cultural values of counseling in the education curriculum of the country. The indigenous counseling system was mistreated area prone to alteration from the usual business. Moreover, cultural invasion by alien religious denominations, high intrusion of the dominant ruling classes through times and displacement of the local natives by the pseudo-urbanization has a moribund effect in stunting indigenous counseling systems. The methods employed, techniques and procedures used by indigenous counselors are well organized aided by the rules and regulations of Gada administration enacted on the general assembly (Gumii Gayyoo). Integrating the indigenous counseling system to the education curriculum of the country and adaptation of the modern counseling methods to the level of harmonizing and pertaining to the local community custom was recommended as key component.
Highlights
Rogers (1961) defined guidance and counseling as an optimal helping relationship created by a person who is psychologically mature to facilitate the growth of others who are vulnerable
Counseling is a course of life among Oromo community since it begins right from the date of birth through developmental periods though the amount bestowed on the coaching may vary depending on the age and the situation one may encountered
Contrary to the Western system, indigenous counseling is understood in the sense of teaching, guiding, directing, advising, coaching, and assisting guided by customary rules and regulations pertinent to the community
Summary
Background: Rogers (1961) defined guidance and counseling as an optimal helping relationship created by a person who is psychologically mature to facilitate the growth of others who are vulnerable. Perez (1965) suggests that it is an interactive process co-joining the counselee who needs assistance and the counselor who is trained and educated to give this assistance the goal of which is to help the counselee to deal more effectively with himself and the reality of his environment. Africans in general have not received the need for systematic application of psychology and its principles. Yusuf (1977), for example, suggested that traditionally Africans had their own crude ways of collecting team members for hunting and cattle herding assignments. They had their own wise men with the ability to heal the physic problem of their sick.
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