Barruulee Finfinnee/ Finfinnee Journal

In lieu of a Forward Welcoming the ‘Finfinnee Journal

Bekele Gutema Jebessa — 2025-04-30

In lieu of a Forward Welcoming the ‘Finfinnee Journal

Intertextuality and Narrative Transformation in Dhaabaa Wayyeessaa's Godaannisa: A Poststructuralist Analysis of Literary Rivision

Ashenafi Belay Adugna — 2025-04-30

This study explores how Dhaabaa Wayyeessaa’s novel Godaannisaemploys intertextuality and literary revision to deepen its thematic resonance and narrative complexity. Addressing a critical gap in Oromoo literary studies—where intertextuality and revision have received limited scholarly attention—the studyemploys a qualitative, poststructuralist,text-based methodology to analyze the 2020 revised edition of the novel.The analysis reveals that Dhaabaa extensively utilizes intertextual references to reimagine the original narrative, transforming it into a more sophisticated and multi-layered work. The revised edition integrates diverse forms of intertextuality—musical, literary, historical, and philosophical—bringing the novel’s central themes of identity, resistance, and redemption to the forefront. By weaving personal and collective experiences within broader cultural and political contexts, the revision expands the novel’s narrative scope and thematic depth.Stylistically, the intertextual elements enrich the emotional and intellectual dimensions of the story. Notably, the integration of music andliterature intensifies the emotional impact of the narrative, creating a dynamic interplay between moments of introspection and action. These intertextual dialogues also illuminate the protagonist’s internal conflicts, enhancing the narrative’s reflectiveand politically resonant qualities.Ultimately, the 2020 edition of Godaannisaredefines the boundaries of Oromoo storytelling, offering a compelling case for the transformative potential of literary revision and intertextual engagement. This study underscores the significance of literary revision as a critical practice in Oromooliterature, providing insights into how narrative reimagining can enrich both thematic exploration and artistic resonance.

Unlocking the Oromooo Translation of the Papal Bull Ineffabilis Deus: Orthographic Preference

Eba Teresa Garoma — 2025-04-30

The aim of this study is to unlock the Oromoo translation of the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus, focusing on its linguistic (orthographic) features. The papal bull was written by Pope Pius IX in 1854 and translated by unknown author/s. The study employs conventional linguistic methods, such as transcription, transliteration, interlinear glossing, and literal/free translation to analyze and present the data. The results indicate that there are twenty-eight consonant graphemes used in the papal bull, with varying degrees of frequency. Seven of these graphemes have one-to-one correspondences with Oromoo phonemes, while another seven have one-to-two, and three have one-to-many correspondences. The remaining graphemes have digraphic and diacritic representations. On the other hand, five vowel graphemes are identified for short vowels, while long vowels are inconsistently represented by grave and acute accents, and occasionally by digraphs of short vowels, totaling twelve. Comparisons with official Oromoo, Italian, and Latin languages, as well as earlier Oromoo writings, such as Krapf (1840; 1842) and Tutschek (1844; 1845), suggest that the papal bull's orthography is similar to the Italian system, particularly in its use of diacritics, digraphs, and special symbols. This study establishes the papal bull as an important historical source for further comparative and philological investigations of Oromoo.

The Speaking Fauna, Flora, and Phenomena: Personification in the Oral Literature of the Walisoo Liiban Oromoo

Dejene Gemechu Chala — 2025-04-30

This article discusses personification in oral literature among the Walisoo Liiban Oromoo in Oromia (Oromiyaa). The paper explores the social and natural basis of personifications among the target community in cultural, historical, and environmental contexts. It also analyzes the structures and functions of personification among the target community. The paper employed a qualitative research method for data collection, mainly through interviews. The findings of this study reveal the existence of a range of personified items in the culture of the target group. These include wild beasts, natural and social phenomena, food and drink items, and domestic animals and plants. The findings further indicate that the personification of events and objects heavily relies on specific natural, cultural, and historical contexts. Personification communicates information on the social, historical, political, and economic life of the Liban Oromoo. Accordingly, the items of personification change with the changing social and natural environment. The communication entails expectations, emotions, feelings, complaints, hatred, problems, happiness, criticisms, and pieces of advice. The cultural and moral values and ecological and season-based personal preferences of some objects are also part of the communication. These communications predominantly suggest the values of hard work, attentiveness, and a more considerate life, while they discourage the opposites, such as negligence and extravagance. Finally, we recommend an in-depth investigation on the use of Oromoo oral literature in literary works, for local cultural development may serve as a base for the indigenization of literary works

An Africological Analysis of the Oromoo Theology

Dereje Tadesse Birbirso — 2025-04-30

Oromoo theology is one of the endogenous African belief systems but has been less studied from philosophical and Afrocentric perspectives. Adopting Africology as a guiding metatheory, this study aimed at analyzing the Oromoo Theology in its historical-comparative context to explain the fundamental questions of the philosophy of religion. Data were collected from elderly experts of the theology, ritual speech acts, praise songs, and linguistic and symbolic expressions of the theology; and subjected to in-depth philosophical and comparative analyses. The results indicated that the Oromoo theology is deeply intertwined with Oromoo cosmology and mythology. This theology encompasses the doctrines of Natural theology, African ancestral spirituality and moral realism. The cultural-historical analysis further shows that Oromoo theology bears the ingredients of Ancient Nile Valley sacred epistemology. The analysis further indicates that this theology corresponds—not contradicts—with the contemporary realist philosophy particularly a realist eco-philosophy. As such, Oromoo theology spotlights new insights into the origin, meaning, and function of religion in human history. Beyond theology, Oromoo theological belief system offers wholistic perspective to our understanding of peace and environment during this time of global climatic and security crises. The findings further confirm the African origin of theology and the critical role of Africology metatheory in African and Oromoo historical-cultural studies.