Rewriting Oromo History in the North: Diasporic Discourse about National Identity and Democracy in Ethiopia

Abstract

This article analyzes the way the Oromo intellectuals living in diaspora have reflected on and positioned themselves in the ethno-political conflict and related debate between the dominant Amharic- and Tigrinya-speaking “Abyssinian” groups and the descendants of the various Oromo groups, which were conquered by the former during the nineteenth century. Even though they are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, a large part of the Oromo perceive themselves as discriminated against and exploited by the groups holding political power, and many have fled the country. In the debate, the Oromo diaspora has had an important role. Theoretically, the article takes off from the concept of “orientational frame” launched by Kevin Gillan, which is developed further with support from postcolonial theory, particularly Arjun Appadurai’s discussion about “ideoscapes.” A key research question is whether diaspora intellectuals are what Homi Bhabha calls “strategic intellectuals” who provide resources for postcolonial discourse and practice that surpass the traditional claims to representation and objectivity made by the dominant discourse. Can they come up with an alternative space that does not merely revise or invert the dualities, but reconsiders the ideological bases of division and difference? The article is based on twenty-two individual interviews with members of the Ethiopian diaspora in the Nordic countries and representatives of academic institutions and non-governmental organizations in Ethiopia, participant observation in three ethnic identity-based culture and history workshops organized in Europe, and selected research papers and books published by key members of the diaspora.