Before their great expansion of the sixteenth century the Oromo lived only in southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya (H.
S. Lewis); they probably originated round Lakes Chew Bahir and Chamo, and by the fifteenth century were established in the southern highlands. They governed themselves through the gadaa system of generation classes with leaders elected for eight-year terms, which is older than the sixteenth century. The first written mention is the 'Galla river' south of the Awash on Fra Mauro's map of 1460.
Drawn on the Borana plateau and in Liban, on linguistic and oral evidence.
Who holds it
- Title
- Elected leaders of the generation classes (gadaa), as in later times
- Since
- Not pinned
- Confidence
- low
What it holds
- The Borana plateau
- Liban and the Dawa and Genale valleys (western part)
How things stand that morning
Self-governing pastoral and farming communities; no record.
Customs
Gadaa generation classes with elected leaders and assemblies (later evidence).
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Linguistic and oral evidence; first written mention 1460.
On the map: Very rough; the eastern part toward the Ogaden and the south toward Kenya are left open.
Sources and studies
- Wikipedia, 'Oromo people' (homeland before the sixteenth century, after H. S. Lewis; Fra Mauro 1460)
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.