O-Dispatch 24-C - A Vision for the Oromo Nation: Education, Language, Culture, and A National Renaissance

(Published as part of the “Oromia Rising: Essays on Freedom and the Future” series. Everyone is invited to contribute. Send your contributions to bantii.qixxeessaa@gmail.com.)

By Bantii Qixxeessaa

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Introduction: Freedom Means Nothing Without Knowledge of Self Independence is not only political—it is cultural, intellectual, and psychological. For over a century, the Oromo people have endured systematic cultural suppression, forced assimilation, and intellectual erasure. Our language was silenced. Our history rewritten. Our institutions dismantled and replaced by imperial systems designed to dominate—not to liberate. Even during the so-called federal era, our schools rarely taught our story. Our children were told they were free yet were educated to forget who they were.

True freedom requires more than political sovereignty. It demands the right to learn in our own language, preserve and evolve our culture, and imagine our future on our own terms. Independence must deliver not just self-rule, but a national renaissance—a revival of Oromo identity, thought, and imagination.

I. Education as Liberation

A free Oromia must establish an education system that liberates minds rather than indoctrinates them.

1. Afaan Oromo at the Center

• Make Afaan Oromo the primary language of instruction at all educational levels.
• Ensure multilingual access to other key languages—English, Arabic, and regional languages—for global and regional integration.
• Develop comprehensive scientific, technical, and humanities curricula in Afaan Oromo to support both identity and innovation.

2. Decolonized Curriculum

Revamp curricula to include:

• Oromo history—from antiquity through resistance to present-day movements.
• The Gadaa system, indigenous knowledge, oral literature, and philosophy.
• Contributions of Oromo intellectuals, women, artists, and freedom fighters.
• Remove Eurocentric and imperial-Ethiopian narratives that distort or diminish Oromo identity.

3. Access and Equity

• Guarantee free public education through the secondary level.
• Prioritize outreach to rural, pastoralist, nomadic, and marginalized communities.
• Invest in mobile schools and flexible educational models tailored to nomadic lifestyles.

An independent Oromia must build not only classrooms, but spaces for critical thinking, cultural pride, and civic imagination.

II. Language: The Soul of the Nation

Language is not just a means of communication—it is a repository of memory, identity, and worldview. Without control of language, we lose control of our narrative.

1. Official Language Policy

• Declare Afaan Oromo the national and official language of Oromia across all public domains—government, judiciary, education, and media.
• Uphold functional multilingualism for communities that speak Somali, Sidama, and others within Oromia’s borders.

2. Language Standardization and Innovation

• Fund institutions for language development, translation, publishing, and lexicon expansion.
• Promote technological development in Afaan Oromo, including AI tools like speech recognition, text-to-speech, and machine translation.

3. Broadcasting and Media

• Ensure that national and regional media outlets broadcast primarily in Afaan Oromo.
• Invest in Oromo-language television, film, literature, radio, podcasts, and digital content to create a self-sustaining cultural ecosystem.

III. Culture: Resistance and Renewal

Oromo culture has withstood empire, war, and attempts at erasure. But survival is not enough—we must now thrive.

1. Oromo Cultural Institutions

• Establish a National Oromo Museum, Archives, and Library System to preserve oral traditions, manuscripts, and historical materials.
• Build regional cultural centers, theatres, and storytelling hubs that celebrate local diversity within a united Oromo identity.

2. Reviving Gadaa Infrastructure

• Recognize Gadaa councils and spiritual leaders not as symbolic remnants, but as living institutions of ethics, governance, and generational continuity.
• Document and modernize Gadaa laws and practices to ensure relevance and accessibility for the youth.

3. Art, Music, and Performance

• Create public arts funding for musicians, poets, visual artists, dramatists, and dancers rooted in Oromo identity.
• Host national art festivals and diaspora cultural exchanges to showcase the richness and diversity of Oromo creativity.

IV. Reclaiming Memory and Healing Trauma

A nation that buries or distorts its past cannot move forward with clarity or unity.

1. Memorialization

• Construct national monuments and memorials to honor victims of massacres, cultural repression, and land dispossession—Irreecha Massacre, Qalitti prison, Batte Urgessa, and others.
• Name public institutions after Oromo heroes, intellectuals, artists, and martyrs of the struggle.

2. Public History Projects

• Support community-led storytelling and memory preservation initiatives.
• Publish oral histories, resistance archives, and family testimonies to reclaim collective memory.

3. National Holidays and Rituals

• Institutionalize holidays like Irreecha, Yaadannoo Guyyaa Goototaa, and Guyyaa Oromoo as moments of reflection, unity, and renewal—not mere celebration.

V. Cultural Pluralism and Inclusion

Oromo culture must lead with integrity—not dominate with arrogance. Oromia is home to diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious communities.

• Guarantee all communities the right to cultural expression, language use, and religious practice.
• Protect sacred sites, traditional lands, and community identities.
• Embrace pluralism not as a threat, but as a strength—within a unifying, Oromo-led national framework.

A renaissance rooted in cultural pride and tempered by humility can unify a diverse and democratic republic.

VI. Diaspora and Global Cultural Exchange

The Oromo diaspora holds a wealth of knowledge, creativity, and lived experience. It must be a central partner in Oromia’s cultural renaissance.

• Partner with diaspora communities to archive music, literature, and historical records developed abroad.
• Create artist and academic exchange programs that allow diaspora scholars, students, and creators to contribute to nation-building.
• Use embassies and cultural centers to globally represent Oromo identity with dignity and confidence.

Conclusion: A Nation That Knows Itself Cannot Be Broken

Empires tried to erase us by silencing our language, distorting our stories, and severing us from our memory. But we endured.

Now, we must do more than survive—we must reclaim, restore, and reimagine.

An independent Oromia must not only defend its borders—but elevate its soul.
It must not only protect its people—but awaken their potential.
It must not only remember its past—but build from it—with pride and purpose.

This is the renaissance our people deserve.
Let us begin it—through language, learning, and culture.