The Gumuz have traditionally been grouped with other Nilotic peoples living along the Sudanese-Ethiopian border under the collective name Shanqella (Pankhurst 1977). As "Shanquella", they are already mentioned by Scottish explorer James Bruce in his Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, published in 1790. He notes that they hunted with bows and arrows, a custom that survives today.
Most Gumuz members live in a bush-savanna lowland environment. According to their traditions, in earlier times they inhabited the western parts of the province of Gojjam, but were progressively banished to the inhospitable area of the Blue Nile and its tributaries by their more powerful Afroasiatic-speaking neighbors, the Amhara and Agaw, who also enslaved them (Wolde-Selassie Abbute 2004). Slavery did not disappear in Ethiopia until the 1940s. Descendants of Gumuz people taken as slaves to the area just south of Welkite were found to still be speaking the language in 1984 (Unseth 1985).
Language
The Gumuz speak the Gumuz language, which belongs to the Nilo-Saharan family (Bender 1979). It is subdivided in several dialects (Ahland 2004, Unseth 1985).[citation needed]
Demographics
As of 2007, there were around 159,418 Gumuz in Ethiopia.[1] Around 67,000 Gumuz also lived in Sudan.
Culture
The Gumuz practice shifting cultivation and their staple food is sorghum (Wallmark 1981). Cereal crops are kept in granaries decorated with clay lumps imitating female breasts. Sorghum is used for cooking porridge (nga) and brewing beer (kea). All the cooking and brewing is carried out in earthen pots, which are made by women. The Gumuz also hunt wild animals, such as duikers and warthogs, and gather honey, wild fruits, roots and seeds. Those living near the Sudanese borderland converted to Islam and a few are Christians, but most Gumuz still maintain traditional religious practices. Spirits are called mus'a and are thought to dwell in houses, granaries, fields, trees and mountains. They have ritual specialists called gafea. Originally, all Gumuz adorned their bodies with scarifications, but this custom is disappearing through government pressure and education. All Gumuz are organized in clans. Feuds between clans are common and they are usually solved by means of an institution of conflict resolution, called mangema or michu[3] depending on the region. As it used to be among the Sudanese Uduk, marriage is through sister exchange.[4][5][6]
Many changes occurred for the Gumuz people from the 1980s through to the 2010s. There was resettlement of highlanders to their area, particularly linked to the availability of land and water. An example is that settlers were attracted to a large irrigation project along the Kusa. Often the Gumuz' lands were allocated to transnational or domestic investors. In several parts of the Gumuz area, the settlers' economy dominated by 2018. Many Gumuz became sedentary while continuing their agricultural system. Though a transit road has been built and commercial farms established in the lower basin the Gumuz people were seen in 2018 as politically "peripheral" in regard to the Ethiopian highlands that hold the power in the country.[7]
^Nyssen, J. and colleagues (2018). "Persistence and changes in the peripheral Beles basin of Ethiopia". Regional Environmental Change. 18 (7): 2089–2104. doi:10.1007/s10113-018-1346-2. hdl:10067/1541370151162165141. S2CID 158683399.
^"12 killed in latest attack in western Ethiopia". News24. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
^"Benishangul: At least 60 civilians mostly women, children killed". borkena.com. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
^"More than 100 killed in latest ethnic massacre in Ethiopia". AP. 2020-12-23. Archived from the original on 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
Bibliography
Abbute, Wolde-Selassie. 2004. Gumuz and Highland resettlers. Differing strategies of livelihood and ethnic relations in Metekel, Northwestern Ethiopia. Münster: Lit.
Ahland, Colleen Anne. 2004. Linguistic variation within Gumuz: a study of the relationship between historical change and intelligibility. M.A. thesis. University of Texas at Arlington.
Ahmad, Abdussamad H. 1995. The Gumuz of the Lowlands of Western Gojjam: The frontier in History 1900-1935. Africa 50(1): 53-67.
Ahmad, Abdussamad H. 1999. Trading in slaves in Bela-Shangul and Gumuz, Ethiopia: border enclaves in history, 1897-1938. Journal of African History 40(3): 433-446.
Bender, M. Lionel. 1979. Gumuz: a sketch of grammar and lexicon. Afrika und Übersee 62: 38-69.
Bender, M. Lionel. 1994. Comparative Komuz grammar. Afrika und Übersee 77: 31-54.
Grottanelli, Vinigi, L. 1948. I Preniloti: un’arcaica provincia culturale in Africa. Annali Lateranensi 12: 280-326.
Haberland, Eike. 1953. Über einen unbekannten Gunza-stamm in Wallegga. Rassegna di Studi Etiopici 12: 139-148.
James, Wendy. 1975. Sister exchange marriage. Scientific American 233(6): 84-94.
James, Wendy. 1980. “From aboriginal to frontier society in western Ethiopia. In Working papers on society and history in Imperial Ethiopia: The southern periphery from 1880 to 1974, edited by Donald L. Donham and Wendy James. Cambridge: African Studies Center, Cambridge University Press.
James, Wendy. 1986. “Lifelines: exchange marriage among the Gumuz”. In The southern marches of Imperial Ethiopia. Essays in history and social anthropology, edited by D.L. Donham and W. James. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: 119-147.
Klausberger, Friedrich. 1975. Bashanga, das Strafrecht der Baga-Gumuz. Ethnologische Zeitschrift (Zürich) 1: 109-126.
Pankhurst, Richard. 1977. The history of Bareya, Sanquella and other Ethiopian slaves from the borderlands of the Sudan. Sudan Notes and Records 58: 1-43.
Simmoons, Frederick. 1958. The agricultural implements and cutting tools of Begemder and Semyen, Ethiopia. South West Journal of Anthropology 14: 386-406.
Unseth, Peter. 1985. Gumuz: a dialect survey report. Journal of Ethiopian Studies 18: 91-114.
Unseth, Peter. 1989. Selected aspects of Gumuz phonology. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa, 1984: 617-32.
Uzar, Henning. 1993. “Studies in Gumuz: Sese phonology and TMA system”. In Topics in Nilo-Saharan linguistics, edited by M.L. Bender. Hamburg: Helmut Buske: 347-383.
Wallmark, Peter. 1981. “The Bega (Gumuz) of Wellega: Agriculture and subsistence”. In Peoples and cultures of the Ethio-Sudan borderlands, edited by M.L. Bender. East Lansing: Michigan State University, African Studies Centre: 79-116.
Zanni, Leone. 1939-40. La Tribù dei Gumus. Note Etnografiche. La Nigrizia. Verona.
External links
Field recordings from 1980 of traditional music of the Gumuz ethnic group in Sudan’s Blue Nile State
January 07, 2023
gumuz, people, gumuz, also, spelled, gumaz, gumz, ethnic, group, speaking, nilo, saharan, language, inhabiting, benishangul, gumuz, region, qwara, woreda, western, ethiopia, well, fazogli, region, sudan, they, speak, gumuz, language, which, belongs, nilo, saha. The Gumuz also spelled Gumaz and Gumz are an ethnic group speaking a Nilo Saharan language inhabiting the Benishangul Gumuz Region and the Qwara woreda in western Ethiopia as well as the Fazogli region in Sudan They speak the Gumuz language which belongs to the Nilo Saharan family citation needed The Gumuz number around 200 000 individuals citation needed GumuzTotal population218 000Regions with significant populations Ethiopia159 418 1 Sudan67 000 citation needed LanguagesGumuzDialectsDisoha Desua Dakunza Degoja Dukunza Gunza Ganza Dukuna Dugunza Sai Sese Saysay Dekoka Dewiya Kukwaya Gombo Jemhwa Modea 151 000 2 ReligionPredominately traditional faith minority Christianity IslamRelated ethnic groupsGule Kwama Shita Uduk Komo Contents 1 History 2 Language 3 Demographics 4 Culture 5 Conflict with highland settlers 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External linksHistory Edit Flag of the Benishangul Gumuz Region The Gumuz have traditionally been grouped with other Nilotic peoples living along the Sudanese Ethiopian border under the collective name Shanqella Pankhurst 1977 As Shanquella they are already mentioned by Scottish explorer James Bruce in his Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile published in 1790 He notes that they hunted with bows and arrows a custom that survives today Most Gumuz members live in a bush savanna lowland environment According to their traditions in earlier times they inhabited the western parts of the province of Gojjam but were progressively banished to the inhospitable area of the Blue Nile and its tributaries by their more powerful Afroasiatic speaking neighbors the Amhara and Agaw who also enslaved them Wolde Selassie Abbute 2004 Slavery did not disappear in Ethiopia until the 1940s Descendants of Gumuz people taken as slaves to the area just south of Welkite were found to still be speaking the language in 1984 Unseth 1985 Language EditThe Gumuz speak the Gumuz language which belongs to the Nilo Saharan family Bender 1979 It is subdivided in several dialects Ahland 2004 Unseth 1985 citation needed Demographics EditAs of 2007 there were around 159 418 Gumuz in Ethiopia 1 Around 67 000 Gumuz also lived in Sudan Culture EditThe Gumuz practice shifting cultivation and their staple food is sorghum Wallmark 1981 Cereal crops are kept in granaries decorated with clay lumps imitating female breasts Sorghum is used for cooking porridge nga and brewing beer kea All the cooking and brewing is carried out in earthen pots which are made by women The Gumuz also hunt wild animals such as duikers and warthogs and gather honey wild fruits roots and seeds Those living near the Sudanese borderland converted to Islam and a few are Christians but most Gumuz still maintain traditional religious practices Spirits are called mus a and are thought to dwell in houses granaries fields trees and mountains They have ritual specialists called gafea Originally all Gumuz adorned their bodies with scarifications but this custom is disappearing through government pressure and education All Gumuz are organized in clans Feuds between clans are common and they are usually solved by means of an institution of conflict resolution called mangema or michu 3 depending on the region As it used to be among the Sudanese Uduk marriage is through sister exchange 4 5 6 Conflict with highland settlers EditMain articles Metekel conflict and Metekel massacre Many changes occurred for the Gumuz people from the 1980s through to the 2010s There was resettlement of highlanders to their area particularly linked to the availability of land and water An example is that settlers were attracted to a large irrigation project along the Kusa Often the Gumuz lands were allocated to transnational or domestic investors In several parts of the Gumuz area the settlers economy dominated by 2018 Many Gumuz became sedentary while continuing their agricultural system Though a transit road has been built and commercial farms established in the lower basin the Gumuz people were seen in 2018 as politically peripheral in regard to the Ethiopian highlands that hold the power in the country 7 In the Metekel conflict starting in 2019 Gumuz militia were allegedly involved in attacks against Amhara Agaw Oromo and Shinasha civilians 8 9 10 References Edit a b Census 2007 first draft Table 5 Ethnologue SSRR No 25 www ossrea net Archived from the original on 2005 01 24 James W 1975 Sister Exchange Marriage Scientific American 233 6 84 94 https doi org 10 1038 scientificamerican1275 84 James 1986 Klausberger 1975 Nyssen J and colleagues 2018 Persistence and changes in the peripheral Beles basin of Ethiopia Regional Environmental Change 18 7 2089 2104 doi 10 1007 s10113 018 1346 2 hdl 10067 1541370151162165141 S2CID 158683399 12 killed in latest attack in western Ethiopia News24 Retrieved 2020 12 26 Benishangul At least 60 civilians mostly women children killed borkena com 12 January 2021 Retrieved 17 January 2021 More than 100 killed in latest ethnic massacre in Ethiopia AP 2020 12 23 Archived from the original on 2020 12 23 Retrieved 2020 12 23 Bibliography EditAbbute Wolde Selassie 2004 Gumuz and Highland resettlers Differing strategies of livelihood and ethnic relations in Metekel Northwestern Ethiopia Munster Lit Ahland Colleen Anne 2004 Linguistic variation within Gumuz a study of the relationship between historical change and intelligibility M A thesis University of Texas at Arlington Ahmad Abdussamad H 1995 The Gumuz of the Lowlands of Western Gojjam The frontier in History 1900 1935 Africa 50 1 53 67 Ahmad Abdussamad H 1999 Trading in slaves in Bela Shangul and Gumuz Ethiopia border enclaves in history 1897 1938 Journal of African History 40 3 433 446 Bender M Lionel 1979 Gumuz a sketch of grammar and lexicon Afrika und Ubersee 62 38 69 Bender M Lionel 1994 Comparative Komuz grammar Afrika und Ubersee 77 31 54 Grottanelli Vinigi L 1948 I Preniloti un arcaica provincia culturale in Africa Annali Lateranensi 12 280 326 Haberland Eike 1953 Uber einen unbekannten Gunza stamm in Wallegga Rassegna di Studi Etiopici 12 139 148 James Wendy 1975 Sister exchange marriage Scientific American 233 6 84 94 James Wendy 1980 From aboriginal to frontier society in western Ethiopia In Working papers on society and history in Imperial Ethiopia The southern periphery from 1880 to 1974 edited by Donald L Donham and Wendy James Cambridge African Studies Center Cambridge University Press James Wendy 1986 Lifelines exchange marriage among the Gumuz In The southern marches of Imperial Ethiopia Essays in history and social anthropology edited by D L Donham and W James Cambridge Cambridge University Press 119 147 Klausberger Friedrich 1975 Bashanga das Strafrecht der Baga Gumuz Ethnologische Zeitschrift Zurich 1 109 126 Pankhurst Richard 1977 The history of Bareya Sanquella and other Ethiopian slaves from the borderlands of the Sudan Sudan Notes and Records 58 1 43 Simmoons Frederick 1958 The agricultural implements and cutting tools of Begemder and Semyen Ethiopia South West Journal of Anthropology 14 386 406 Unseth Peter 1985 Gumuz a dialect survey report Journal of Ethiopian Studies 18 91 114 Unseth Peter 1989 Selected aspects of Gumuz phonology Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Ethiopian Studies Addis Ababa 1984 617 32 Uzar Henning 1993 Studies in Gumuz Sese phonology and TMA system In Topics in Nilo Saharan linguistics edited by M L Bender Hamburg Helmut Buske 347 383 Wallmark Peter 1981 The Bega Gumuz of Wellega Agriculture and subsistence In Peoples and cultures of the Ethio Sudan borderlands edited by M L Bender East Lansing Michigan State University African Studies Centre 79 116 Zanni Leone 1939 40 La Tribu dei Gumus Note Etnografiche La Nigrizia Verona External links EditField recordings from 1980 of traditional music of the Gumuz ethnic group in Sudan s Blue Nile State Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gumuz people amp oldid 1125102436, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
