CLANSHIP IDENTITY FORMATION AMONG THE KONSO OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Among the Konso people, clan organization is a claim to identity based up on patrilineal line mainly founded on maintaining through observing its basic principle of regulating procreation and family creation. However, clan organization is strongly maintained in other domains of the culture that contributed much for maintaining it untill recent. Thus, clanship is key kinship organization for the Konso people but the emphasis given to it is less and as a matter of this fact it is less dealt with. Main objective of this thesis is to find out identity formation processes and practices, both individually and in group, association of self and the group with clan organization. Institutions of clan leadership, family and village organization are characterized with clan organization and identities if individuals are visible in these institutions. The finding of the clanship identity in these institutions has great contribution to maintain the clan identity and its purpose. The search to the knowledge in the clanship identity formation has methodologically followed selection of two rural villages and with in these villages key informants are targeted along with participant observation and review of relevant literature. The values and principles of the clan organization are maintained to the recent and the impact of the beliefs on the values has resulted in observation of the values by the people. As a matter of this fact, incestuous marriages are not common among the Konso people. Principally the regulatory role of clan identity in determining the sexual relationships and family formations are taken as rules to be followed and maintained. However, the modernization, degradation of natural environment, migrations and introduction of Christianity to the area since 1950’s have resulted in the lessening and omit of clanship identity formation practices of the people. The less attention of the scholars and of the development actors need to be at hand so as to keep and utilize the values and principles of social organization in replicating to other domains of the culture and beyond.