Gamo | |
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Languages | |
Gamo language | |
Religion | |
Ethiopian Orthodox, Traditional African religion, Protestantism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Dorze people |
Gamo is the name of the Ethiopian ethnic group. They are located in the Gamo Highlands of Southern Ethiopia. They are found in Chencha wereda including in areas of Dorze, Doko and Ochello.[1]
The name "Gamo" means a lion, which refers to their legacy and one of Omotic peoples. Along with the Goffa people, they gave their names to the former Gamo-Gofa province of Ethiopia. Goffa broke away from Gamo-Gofa zone in 2019.
They speak the Gamo language.
The 2007 Ethiopian national census reported that 1,107,163 people (or 1.56% of the ethiopia population) identified themselves as Gamo, of whom 141,233 were urban inhabitants and 965,930 Rural. The national census of 2007 believed to be incorrect, it is widely believed that the population of Gamo is over 3 million. The Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region is home to 64.5% of this people.
Arbaminch is the capital city of Gamo people.[2]
The Gamo contribute much of the fruit including banana, mango, apple and papaya, to the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.
Originally their belief system were traditional African religions that was closely tied to nature.[3] Most are members to the Christian protestantism P'ent'ay or Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.[4] The missionary activities of the Christians has brought disturbances and tensions in the traditional society, threatening the old way of life and the ecological balance.[5]
Afro-Asiatic |
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Nilo-Saharan | |||||||
Non-Indigenous |