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THE PEOPLE OF WEJJERAT AND THEIR GAZ (ZEMECHA) AGAINST THE AFAR (1914-1943) [Abstract ID: 0502-16]
The article explores the history of the Wejjerat Gaz (Zemecha) tradition, which existed long ago and came to an end during Haile Selassie I’s rule, particularly in 1943. Gaz was an inter-ethnic war between the Wejjerat and the Afars and it was common before the eruption of the first Woyane rebellion. It has a long history. The Gaz tradition and its centrality among the Wejjerat people can be seen from their oral tradition, particularly in their poetry. The leader of Gaz was known among the Wejjerats as Abo Gaz (father of raid). The main purpose of the raid was to loot cattle and to enrich oneself. These conflicts seem to have been carried out in an attempt to control resources. They were also conducted as a ritualistic means through which the youth could show their abilities and capacities. They were also used for arranging marriage. On the other hand, the Afars also conducted counter-raids against the highlanders, i.e, Wejjerat, Raya Azebo and Enderta, and referred to them as “qarim”. These raids and counter-raids were evident until the 1943 peasant revolt popularly known as Gedamay Woyane. The consequence of the Gaz tradition is also analyzed briefly. These inter-ethnic conflicts had negative consequences for both the Wejjerat and the Afar people. Total human and material losses will perhaps never be known, for specific data about fatalities and damage to property are scarce. The methodology is purely qualitative since it is historical research. In writing this article, the researcher used primary and secondary sources. The article relies heavily on interviews because of the scarcity of written materials on the history of Gaz between the Wejjerats and Afars. Key informant interviews and focused group discussions were used as data collectiion methods. Forty key informants were interviewed to get information on the meaning of Gaz, its causes and repercussions. Four focus group discussions were conducted.