essay

The beginnings of ethnohistory in western Wellegga: the Mao problem

Patterns in language, culture, and society: Sub-Saharan Africa (19)Published In 1975 • Pages: 125-141

By: Bender, M. Lionel (Marvin Lionel).

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This document represents the first systematic attempt to establish the phylogeny of the different language groups spoken by the Mao peoples. The discussion begins by acknowledging the problematic nature of the task because some of the Mao groups (e.g. Anfillo) show clear affinity with Omotic languages, while the languages of "Northern Mao" belong to the Nilo-Saharan linguistic family. The author ventures to resolve this paradox by drawing on written and oral sources regarding inter-ethnic relations in the wider region, while emphasizing the need for more data on different Mao groups and the processes that shaped their spatial distribution over time.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Linguistic identification
Grammar
Inter-ethnic relations
Acculturation and culture contact
Historical reconstruction
Numeration
Organization and analysis of results of research
Identification
Location
cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Mao
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2019
RegionThe area the document pertains to
Africa
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Eastern Africa
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
essay
Evaluation
Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Linguist
Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
Teferi Abate Adem; 2018
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
1968-1970, 1973-1975
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
1960-1975
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
Benishangul-Gumuz region, and West Wellega zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia
NotesAdditional notes
M. L. Bender
Includes bibliographical references (p.140-141)
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Ethnology--Ethiopia