Guest Talk Gemechu Bekele Lemu

13 July 2026, 16.15
Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology
Oettingenstraße 67
80538 München

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Gemechu Bekele Lemu, M.A. (LMU):

Speaking for Nagaa: Navigating free expression in Oromo linguistic and cultural spaces

Abstract
Anthropology has traditionally overlooked freedom of ex-pression as a subject of study. Recent pioneering studies propose a comparative lens to reposition freedom of ex-pression within broader historical and cross-cultural frame-works. However, such studies often retain the Western lib-eral conception of freedom of speech as their primary refer-ence point, perpetuating an ethnocentric view that margin-alizes non-Western democratic cultures. Consequently, al-ternative views within African indigenous democracies like the Oromo Gada system remain unexplored.

This ongoing work examines how freedom of expression is lived, practiced and conceptualized among the Oromo by situating it within the Gada system. It explores their linguis-tic and socio-cultural world through Oromo proverbs and in-sights from sages, using techniques of ethnography of speaking and anthropological-philosophical approach based on qualitative in-depth interviews. Preliminary findings of this ongoing study indicate that free expression is realized among the Oromo through speech (dubbii), poetry (weed-duu) and symbolic acts, serving as an instrument to protect peace (Nagaa) and harmony with oneself, others, nature and the Creator (Uumaa).

This study adopts a decolonial perspective to challenge the coloniality of power that marginalizes indigenous knowledge system and practices regarding free expres-sions. By centering Oromo proverbs and the insights of Oromo sages, the study is expected to enrich the compara-tive anthropological analysis of freedom of expression with new epistemic and ethical insights.

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