Shinasha
Encyclopedia
The Shinasha, also known as Bworo or Boro, are an ethnic group of Ethiopia
. Their language
belongs to the North Omotic family (see Omotic languages
). They live north of the Blue Nile
in the Metekel Zone
of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region and number around 33,000 individuals. Their neighbors in the area include Gumuz and Oromo
peoples.
Oscar T. Crosby encountered a group of 600 Shinasha in 1901, living in "a few villages between the Durra and Wombera [rivers]." He described their houses and dress, and claimed that they made their living through "claiming great powers of necromancy, by menace of rain or drought, they force the Shankalis
to yield up to them a part of their scanty store of grain, or meat, or honey."
They may be identical with the Sientjo people, who are the subject of an article in the Encyclopædia Britannica
Eleventh Edition of 1911. If this identification is correct, then according to Juan Maria Schuver
(who visited the Sientjo in 1882), they are a people with a lighter complexion "than Europeans would soon become in this climate" Schuver noted, which he described as a "yellow skin". Their unusual complexion led him to speculate that "all the region to the North of the Blue Nile was once inhabited by a white or yellow race and that the blacks, who have penetrated it, did so at the time they were fleeing their country from the Galla invasions?"
The Sientjo lived in villages perched on the top of rocks in what is now western Wenbera
woreda
for protection from slave raids from Sudan; while Schuver was allowed access into one settlement, the inhabitants were obviously uncomfortable with his presence and repeatedly asked him "to remain content with my first visit to their mountain, as they were afraid of the Arabs following my example." Their women never intermarry with the neighboring peoples, who were of darker complexion. The Sientjo in Schuver's time were an industrious people, skillful weavers and smiths.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Their language
Boro language (Ethiopia)
Shinasha, also known as Boro is a North Omotic language spoken in western Ethiopia by the Shinasha people. Its speakers live in scattered areas north of the Abay River: in the Dangur, Dibate and Wenbera districts, which are parts of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.-References:* Lamberti, Marcello ...
belongs to the North Omotic family (see Omotic languages
Omotic languages
The Omotic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic family spoken in southwestern Ethiopia. The Ge'ez alphabet is used to write some Omotic languages, the Roman alphabet for some others. They are fairly agglutinative, and have complex tonal systems .-Language list:The North and South Omotic...
). They live north of the Blue Nile
Blue Nile
The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...
in the Metekel Zone
Metekel Zone
Metekel is one of the three Zones in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, named after the former Metekkel province. It is bordered on the south by Kamashi, on the southwest by Asosa, on the west by Sudan, and on the north and east by the Amhara Region...
of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region and number around 33,000 individuals. Their neighbors in the area include Gumuz and Oromo
Oromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
peoples.
Oscar T. Crosby encountered a group of 600 Shinasha in 1901, living in "a few villages between the Durra and Wombera [rivers]." He described their houses and dress, and claimed that they made their living through "claiming great powers of necromancy, by menace of rain or drought, they force the Shankalis
Shanqella
Shanqella is an Ethiopian term used to refer to a number of ethnic groups residing primarily in the western-most part of Ethiopia and who constitute about 5% of Ethiopia's population...
to yield up to them a part of their scanty store of grain, or meat, or honey."
They may be identical with the Sientjo people, who are the subject of an article in the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
Eleventh Edition of 1911. If this identification is correct, then according to Juan Maria Schuver
Juan Maria Schuver
Juan Maria Schuver was a Dutch explorer who was a native of Amsterdam....
(who visited the Sientjo in 1882), they are a people with a lighter complexion "than Europeans would soon become in this climate" Schuver noted, which he described as a "yellow skin". Their unusual complexion led him to speculate that "all the region to the North of the Blue Nile was once inhabited by a white or yellow race and that the blacks, who have penetrated it, did so at the time they were fleeing their country from the Galla invasions?"
The Sientjo lived in villages perched on the top of rocks in what is now western Wenbera
Wenbera
Wenbera is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Metekel Zone, it is bordered on the south by the Kamashi Zone, on the west by the Asosa Zone, on the north by Guba, on the northeast by the Beles River which separates it from Dangur, and by Bulen on the...
woreda
Woreda
Woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia , equivalent to a district . Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia...
for protection from slave raids from Sudan; while Schuver was allowed access into one settlement, the inhabitants were obviously uncomfortable with his presence and repeatedly asked him "to remain content with my first visit to their mountain, as they were afraid of the Arabs following my example." Their women never intermarry with the neighboring peoples, who were of darker complexion. The Sientjo in Schuver's time were an industrious people, skillful weavers and smiths.