RasGobena Dache (Amharic: ራስ ጎበና, Oromo: Goobanaa Daaccee; 1821 – July 1889) was a military commander during Menelik II's reign. He is known for campaigning against Oromo territory to incorporate more lands into the Ethiopian Empire in the late 19th century.[1]
Gobena's son Wedajo was married to Menelik's daughter Shoarega who bore him, a grandson, Wasan Seged Wedajo, whom Menelik saw as his successor, and had him raised at the court as if heir to the throne. Wedajo opposed the court education of his son and this dispute over child custody led to the divorce of his wife. This grandson of Menelik II was eliminated from the succession due to dwarfism.[2]
Ras Gobena (earlier Dejazmach Gobena) became a famed chief who was close to the Aba Mudda, a spiritual head of the Oromo. He gained support among various Oromo clans, and he led the western and southern military movement of Menelik II. According to historian Donald Levine, Ras Gobena did most of the southern expansion that incorporated more Oromo speaking peoples into Menelik's Ethiopian Empire, helped by Oromo soldiers that were led by various famous Oromo chiefs like Moroda Bekere. In addition to Oromo communities, Ras Gobena defeated the militias of southern ethnic Sidama and Kebena communities. Near the end of his life in the 1880s, the Shewan army governed by Ras Gobena defeated the forces of the Muslim Kebena leader Hassen Injamo. On 14 October 1888, the allied forces of Ras Gobena and Moroda Bekere defeated the Mahdist Sudanese invasion of the Welega Oromo at the Battle of Guté Dili.[3]
Some of the southern communities militarily opposed Ras Gobana's army throughout his campaigns, while others, particularly the kingdoms in the Gibe region, embraced the alliance with Ras Gobena and Menelik II, who later became the Emperor of Ethiopia. Despite the opposition, historian Dr. Donald Levine states that some southern Oromo supported Ras Gobana and the Ethiopian centralization was "welcomed as a way to put an end" to 'intertribal fighting' between the Oromo communities.[4] During the conquest of southern territories, Menelik's Army carried out mass atrocities against his opponents in battle including mutilation, killings and large scale slavery.[5][6]
The two most important historical figures who signify the introduction of the concepts of national boundary and sovereignty in Ethiopia are Emperor Menelik II and Ras Gobana Dache, who used guns manufactured in Europe to bring a large swath of Biyas (regions/nations) under a centralized rule.[7]
Popular culture
The sentiment of most Ethiopians toward Ras Gobana often correlates to 21st century Ethiopian politics. Ras Gobana is a controversial figure for some Oromo nationalists who think he was a traitor for allying with the Northern Ethiopians to conquer some southern regions. Mohammed Hassan translates the following song as an example of Oromo expression that Gobana betrayed his own people:
It is strange, it is strange, it is strange,
women do not raid houses; she who gives birth to a dog is strange. Relatives do not hurt each other, the haft of an axe is strange people of one stock do not sell each other
Though many Oromo communities battled and conquered each other for centuries, some contemporary Oromo politicians who favor ethno-political mobilization toward Oromo unity often associate Oromo opposition to them as a betrayal act similar to that of the 19th century Ras Gobana and other Oromo leaders who allied with the Amhara and Tigray. And those Oromos who associated with Ethiopian governments of the past, including Derg and the Selassie Monarch are sometimes labeled "neo-Goobanaas." In contrast, other Ethiopians who advocate Ethiopian unity and who oppose ethnocentric political movements often glorify Ras Gobana as an Ethiopian hero and as a unifying figure.[9]
^"Encyclopaedia Aethiopica- Google Books": Siegbert Uhlig, 2010. p. 1066.
^Alessandro Triulzi, "Trade, Islam, and the Mahdia in Northwestern Wallagga, Ethiopia", Journal of African History, 16 (1975), p. 68
^Donald Levine, Greater Ethiopia, the Evolution of a multicultural society (University of Chicago Press: 1974)
^Conquest, Tyranny, and Ethnocide against the Oromo: A Historical Assessment of Human Rights Conditions in Ethiopia, ca. 1880s–2002 by Mohammed Hassen, Northeast African Studies Volume 9, Number 3, 2002 (New Series)
^Genocidal violence in the making of nation and state in Ethiopia by Mekuria Bulcha, African Sociological Review
^"Lenco Lata Vindicates Gobana Dache’s Participation in Building Ethiopia" Finfinne Times, 9 November 2008 (accessed 23 September 2009)
gobana, dacche, gobena, dache, amharic, ራስ, ጎበና, oromo, goobanaa, daaccee, 1821, july, 1889, military, commander, during, menelik, reign, known, campaigning, against, oromo, territory, incorporate, more, lands, into, ethiopian, empire, late, 19th, century, con. Ras Gobena Dache Amharic ራስ ጎበና Oromo Goobanaa Daaccee 1821 July 1889 was a military commander during Menelik II s reign He is known for campaigning against Oromo territory to incorporate more lands into the Ethiopian Empire in the late 19th century 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 Southern expansion 2 Popular culture 3 ReferencesHistory EditGobena s son Wedajo was married to Menelik s daughter Shoarega who bore him a grandson Wasan Seged Wedajo whom Menelik saw as his successor and had him raised at the court as if heir to the throne Wedajo opposed the court education of his son and this dispute over child custody led to the divorce of his wife This grandson of Menelik II was eliminated from the succession due to dwarfism 2 Southern expansion Edit Main article Menelik s Expansions Ras Gobena earlier Dejazmach Gobena became a famed chief who was close to the Aba Mudda a spiritual head of the Oromo He gained support among various Oromo clans and he led the western and southern military movement of Menelik II According to historian Donald Levine Ras Gobena did most of the southern expansion that incorporated more Oromo speaking peoples into Menelik s Ethiopian Empire helped by Oromo soldiers that were led by various famous Oromo chiefs like Moroda Bekere In addition to Oromo communities Ras Gobena defeated the militias of southern ethnic Sidama and Kebena communities Near the end of his life in the 1880s the Shewan army governed by Ras Gobena defeated the forces of the Muslim Kebena leader Hassen Injamo On 14 October 1888 the allied forces of Ras Gobena and Moroda Bekere defeated the Mahdist Sudanese invasion of the Welega Oromo at the Battle of Gute Dili 3 Some of the southern communities militarily opposed Ras Gobana s army throughout his campaigns while others particularly the kingdoms in the Gibe region embraced the alliance with Ras Gobena and Menelik II who later became the Emperor of Ethiopia Despite the opposition historian Dr Donald Levine states that some southern Oromo supported Ras Gobana and the Ethiopian centralization was welcomed as a way to put an end to intertribal fighting between the Oromo communities 4 During the conquest of southern territories Menelik s Army carried out mass atrocities against his opponents in battle including mutilation killings and large scale slavery 5 6 The two most important historical figures who signify the introduction of the concepts of national boundary and sovereignty in Ethiopia are Emperor Menelik II and Ras Gobana Dache who used guns manufactured in Europe to bring a large swath of Biyas regions nations under a centralized rule 7 Popular culture EditThe sentiment of most Ethiopians toward Ras Gobana often correlates to 21st century Ethiopian politics Ras Gobana is a controversial figure for some Oromo nationalists who think he was a traitor for allying with the Northern Ethiopians to conquer some southern regions Mohammed Hassan translates the following song as an example of Oromo expression that Gobana betrayed his own people It is strange it is strange it is strange women do not raid houses she who gives birth to a dog is strange Relatives do not hurt each other the haft of an axe is strange people of one stock do not sell each otherthat of the son of Dacche is strange 8 Though many Oromo communities battled and conquered each other for centuries some contemporary Oromo politicians who favor ethno political mobilization toward Oromo unity often associate Oromo opposition to them as a betrayal act similar to that of the 19th century Ras Gobana and other Oromo leaders who allied with the Amhara and Tigray And those Oromos who associated with Ethiopian governments of the past including Derg and the Selassie Monarch are sometimes labeled neo Goobanaas In contrast other Ethiopians who advocate Ethiopian unity and who oppose ethnocentric political movements often glorify Ras Gobana as an Ethiopian hero and as a unifying figure 9 References Edit Ras Gobena 1821 1889 ethiopians com Encyclopaedia Aethiopica Google Books Siegbert Uhlig 2010 p 1066 Alessandro Triulzi Trade Islam and the Mahdia in Northwestern Wallagga Ethiopia Journal of African History 16 1975 p 68 Donald Levine Greater Ethiopia the Evolution of a multicultural society University of Chicago Press 1974 Conquest Tyranny and Ethnocide against the Oromo A Historical Assessment of Human Rights Conditions in Ethiopia ca 1880s 2002 by Mohammed Hassen Northeast African Studies Volume 9 Number 3 2002 New Series Genocidal violence in the making of nation and state in Ethiopia by Mekuria Bulcha African Sociological Review Lenco Lata Vindicates Gobana Dache s Participation in Building Ethiopia Finfinne Times 9 November 2008 accessed 23 September 2009 Hassan The Oromo pp 198f Neo Gobanas Derg Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gobana Dacche amp oldid 1107464510, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
