Dirk Bustorf, “É ndägan ethnography”, in: Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, vol.
2: D-Ha, Wiesbaden 2005, 294-96
Éndägañ ethnography
The É. (also Šadgär) are a member group of the
Säbat Bet ÷Gurage confederation. Their
settlement area is situated in the southern part
of today’s “Énnämor and Énär [or Gunóure]
wäräda” of Gurage zone. It is bordered by the
÷Énär in the West, the ÷Énnämor and ÷Geto
in the north and the Azärnät-Bärbäre (÷Sélte;
÷Énnäqor) in the east. In the south the
neighbours of the É. are the Leemo
(÷Hadiyya). Until the 1990s most of the É.
territory was part of the “Kontäb [today
Miišaa] wäräda” of Hadiyya zone and even
before the É. were affiliated with Leemo in one
awragga. Small groups of É. are to be found in
Hadiyya, Sélte and Kambaata territories.
The É. conduct a mixed farming system with
a significant importance of ÷énsät. Since
generations many É. leave their lands for
seasonal or constant labour migration, and
nearly every family has relatives outside of É.
country.
The oral traditions of the É. say that they
migrated from GuraŸ (in Akkälä Guzay) to the
th
south with azmaó Sébhat in the early 14 cent.
(cp. BeckHuntAlm lxvi, lxix). The ancestors
Éndägañ (also Bädägañ) and his “grandson”
Šadgär are said to have led their people into the
area. The É. claim to have brought the tabot of
Maryam from the north. Its sanctuary was at
the early É. settlement of Bušurro on the slopes
of the Mugo massive. The tabot itself is said to
have been hidden in a cave while the church
was destroyed during the war of Ahmad b.
th
Ibrahim al-Ëazi (Grañ) in the 16 cent.
As a relatively small group the É. for the most
part of their history were dominated by other
th
groups. Since the beginning of the 17 cent. the
Sooro subgroup of Hadiyya was the dominant
power in the area which according to historical
remembrance “suppressed” the É. by raids and
collection of irregular tributes. After the Leemo
reached Énnäqor at the end of the 18 cent. an
th
alliance of Leemo and É. was established. The
alliance was based on strong ties of intermarriage
and mutual military aid. The Sooro were pushed
to the south of today’s ÷Hossäyna until the
th
second half of the 19 cent. and the Leemo
became protecting partners of the É. Leemo and
É. continued their alliance in the many conflicts
they had with different Gurage neighbours, the
Azärnät-Bärbäre and in the fight against
Ménilék II’s troops.
The tradition counts twelve houses of É., but
the real number of subdivisions (téw) is much
higher. The social system resembles that of the
other Säbat Bet Gurage (cp. ShGurage ch. 4,
5).
The high-priest of the É. folk-religion is the
Saýamar dam, a spirit medium representing
Saýamar (also Awaqa), the ÷Waq of É. who
was syncretized with Archangel Gabréýel. The
Saýamar dam has some significance for the cult
of the ÷Boïïä spirit in other areas of the Säbat
Bet Gurage country as well. He also had some
authority among the Leemo, ÷Mäsmäs and
Énär.
The É. folk-religion lost its influence after
Ménilék’s conquest. Today a great majority of
the É. are Orthodox Christians and the
memory of the old cults has faded. The recent
Saýamar dam Gärammo defines himself as an
Orthodox Christian who blesses his people and
prays for the well-being of the country.
Src.: ms. BN Éth. 342/Griaule 38; BeckHuntAlm lxvi,
lxix.
Lit.: BrHad 201–04; ShGurage ch. 4, 5; DIRK BUSTORF,
Leemo-Hadiyya und Indagayn-Gurage: Zur Geschichte
und Gegenwart ihrer interethnischen Beziehungen, M.A.
thesis, Georg August-Universität Göttingen 2002, passim;
ID., “Oral Traditions on the Inter-ethnic Relations of the
Leemo-Hadiyya and Éndägañ-Gurage”, in: PICES 15,
48-57; GETAHUN WATUMO, Land Tenure System in
Konteb Warada (Shoa) 1893–1975. B.A. thesis,
Department of History, Addis Ababa University 1988;
BEDRU AHMED, The Relationship between the Western
Gurage and the Konteb CA 1850-1973, B.A. thesis,
Department of History, Addis Ababa University 1984;
WORKU NIDA, The Revitalist Movement of Hassen
Enjaamo, B.A. thesis, Department of History, Addis
Ababa University 1984; JEAN-FRANÇOIS PRUNET –
BERHANU CHAMORA, “A Sky-god Cult of Gurage”, in:
PICES 13, vol. 2, 559–64; DÉNBÄRU ALÄMU et al., QQMz
YL=Oy -h:A-y K<ly +Ws!y <#< (Gogot. Yägurage
béòeräsäb tarik, baòélénna qwanqwa, ‘Gogot, the History,
Culture and Language of the Gurage People’), Wälqite
1987 A.M. [1994/95 A.D.], 105–07.
Dirk Bustorf