Andoodee Tumaa: A special Gadaa ritual place that deserves preservation

By Alemayehu Diro

Addis Abeba – As we celebrate the Irreechaa rituals across Oromia during the months of September and October, we are reminded to reflect on and revive our lost ritual sites, places of immense cultural and historical value that have yet to draw the attention of the Oromia government and other relevant institutions. This article seeks to reintroduce one of the oldest Oromo ritual sites tied to the Gadaa system, a site that is at risk of disappearing completely. This sacred place is called Andoodee Tumaa.

One of the most commonly recited phrases during traditional Oromo blessings is “andoodee korma ta’aa, gannaa-bona lalisaa,” which expresses a wish for continuous personal growth and development. Andoode refers to a shrub, the fruit (and occasionally the leaves) of which is crushed and used as soap to wash clothes, particularly in rural areas where the plant grows. Scientists have studied the plant for its medicinal properties, particularly in relation to treating bilharzia. The late Dr. Aklilu Lemma, a distinguished scholar at Addis Ababa University, is remembered for leading research on the plant. However, the focus of this article is not the scientific importance of the plant, but rather the cultural significance of a place named after it—Andoodee Tumaa.

In 2004, during a visit to the Gadaa law-making site known as Odaa Nabee in Akaki district, to gather data for my M.A. thesis on the Oromo conception of development, with a particular focus on the Tuulamaa Oromo, I was informed that the Gadaa law-making process which takes place at Odaa Nabee every eight years culminates at Andoodee Tumaa. Andoodee Tumaa, also located in Akaki district, is close to Akaki town. However, much has changed in Ethiopia since then. One of the most significant changes has been the systematic and dramatic expansion of Addis Abeba (Finfinne) City, which has displaced tens of thousands of surrounding poor farming households.

The decision to expand the city beyond anyone’s expectations was made by a small group of political leaders without the participation or consent of the surrounding Oromo community. The official announcement of the so-called Addis Abeba Master Plan in 2015 not only aimed to displace the farming communities but also posed a greater threat: the plan sought to divide Oromia state, making Addis Abeba a common property of all Ethiopians. Fortunately, this plan was halted, thanks to the Oromo youth movement, which forced the dictatorial TPLF/EPRDF regime to abandon the Master Plan. This struggle, led by the Qeerroo Bilisumma (Oromo youth), resulted in the loss of many lives but also permanently altered the country’s political landscape. Never again would dictators make decisions of such magnitude for the Oromo people without their consent.

One of the significant ritual sites targeted by the Master Plan was Andoodee Tumaa. Despite its immense political and cultural importance, the area has been encroached upon by various actors and reduced to a fraction of its original size. One of the water supply facilities for Addis Abeba was constructed in this sacred location. Today, Andoodee Tumaa is no larger than the average farmer’s compound. The encroachment appears to be a deliberate effort to make the site untraceable over time.

The mythology surrounding Andoodee Tumaa is such that a heifer, without any human accompaniment, once travelled from Madda Walaabuu in Bale zone to the northwest, arriving at Odaa Nabee, where it gave birth to its first calf before continuing on to Andoodee Tumaa, where it finally dropped its placenta. This event was interpreted by Gadaa leaders as symbolic of the law-making process, where ideas from across Oromia are deliberated and, once consensus is reached, declared at Andoodee Tumaa. 

Although Odaa Nabee has been somewhat preserved by the local government and people, the preservation of this site is incomplete without Andoodee Tumaa. The Gadaa law-making process that occurs at Odaa Nabee is closely tied to other ritual sites, including Andoodee Tumaa. There are other important locations along the route from Odaa Nabee to Andoodee Tumaa that are essential to the law-making process. One such site is Malkaa Bulchaa, a riverbank along the Aqaaqii River where prayers are offered as the Abbaa Gadaas (traditional Oromo lawmakers) make their way to Andoodee Tumaa. Tragically, Aqaaqii River is now polluted by factory waste, plastic, and other toxic substances.

Local farmers, facing limited options, divert the contaminated river water to irrigate crops, primarily vegetables, which are then sold to residents of Finfinne. Alarmingly, the potential health risks posed to consumers by these vegetables have gone largely unnoticed. Domestic animals, including cattle and small livestock, that drink from the river often suffer from severe illness or death as a result.

The lawmakers then arrive at Abdaarii Kushuluu, a sacred tree where two sheep are slaughtered as part of the process before reaching Andoodee Tumaa. This sacred tree is now encroached upon by a newly constructed church nearby. 

At Andoodee Tumaa, a large stone known as Dhakaa Tumaa stands in the center (see index picture), where the laws deliberated at Odaa Nabee are proclaimed to the public by the Abbaa Gadaas. These laws govern the Oromo for the next eight years until the following Gadaa Assembly convenes. Andoodee Tumaa thus is a landmark in the Gadaa system of governance as the wider public get to know the governing laws from this place.

A tree known as Dambii Guduruu marks the final stage of the ritual, where a coffee ceremony is held to conclude the law-making process. Dambii Guduruu is a name derived from two elements: Dambii—a type of tree that releases white sap when cut, and Guduru—referring to a child’s tuft of hair, twisted and left loose. The origin of this name remains unclear, as none of the people I interviewed were familiar with its history. Sadly, the Dambii Guduruu tree is now part of a farming household’s compound.

Malkaa Bulchaa, Abdarii Kushuluu, and Dambii Guduruu were once integral parts of Andoodee Tumaa, and by extension that of the Tuulamaa Oromoo Gadaa system, before being divided and claimed by different parties. The abandonment of high-value Oromo ritual sites was a common practice under previous regimes, but the limited preservation of these sites has been due to the efforts of local residents.

The Oromo people have never accepted the abandonment of their sacred ritual sites, despite facing heavy suppression. Hora Harsadii Irreechaa, now recognized as the center of the Waqeeffana (thanksgiving ritual), is one such site that was safeguarded by the community long before its revival in the past two decades. The Oromia government, especially the Oromia Tourism Commission, is obligated to preserve and protect these sites, including Andoodee Tumaa, which holds significant cultural importance within the Gadaa system.

I would like to extend my gratitude to those who helped trace this sacred site and identify key local informants for this assessment. AS

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Alemayehu Diro studied Economics and Social Anthropology, with extensive research experience on development and civil society issues.