Oromo Folklore Manifested through Features of the Northern Ground-Hornbill in Ethiopia

Abstract

Human cultures are co-evolved in association with attributes of biodiversity. This suggests that loss of a given species results in corresponding loss of cultural practices associated with that species. Consequently, it has been advocated for inclusion of cultural dimension of biodiversity to biodiversity conservation initiatives. However, studies investigating such human-animal interactions have been scanty. The objective of this article was to identify and interpret Oromo society’s oral folklore manifested through various features of the Northern Ground-Hornbill (NGH; Bucorvus abyssinicus) in Ethiopia. Data were obtained from social media text posts on a Facebook community page in response to a post of questions asking the name and cultural values of the NGH. A qualitative, thematic content analysis approach was used for data analysis. Three main themes (oral folklore genres) were emerged from the data that elucidated the uses of NGH in oral literature: poetry, fable story and children word game. A total of 12 oral folklore taxonomies (7 poems, 4 stories, and 1 children word game) were identified and described. The results showed that Oromo people use oral poetry related to the birds in their day-to-day life activities to express their beliefs, attitudes, feelings and other communal affairs. Oromo people also deliver, through fable stories, important lessons about life, nature, love, friendship, heroism, and morality. These findings demonstrate that NGH has significant cultural values to the Oromo society.