''According to Oromo and Somali traditions of origin the earliest home of both the Oromo and the Somali was South Arabia until both of them migrated to Somalia. As a matter of fact, one version of the origin of the word “Oromo” is said to have been derived from the name of a tribal leader who was the son of Omer of Ghellad from Arabia, who crossed the sea to Berbera and settled in Africa. The Somalis, too, somehow trace their origin in Arabia. An important Somali tribe, the Ishaak, for instance, claim that they are the descendants of an Arab Sheik, Ishaak Ibn Ahmed, who arrived in Somali land between the 11th and 15th century. He married an Abyssinian woman and had four children who created the Habr Toljaala, an important Somali confederacy. The sons of the Abyssinian woman who established their own clan were Mohammed Abokr (Ibran), Ibrahim (Sambur), Musa Abokr (Jaalo) and Ahmed (Toljaalo). Thus in the veins of one of the most important Somali tribe flows a drop of Abyssinian (Tigre/Amhara) blood.
Regardless of whether the Oromos and the Somalis had migrated to Somalia from Arabia, it has been established by scholars that both of them had found themselves together in Somalia one time or another be it as friends or foes until the Oromo were driven from there under the pressure of Islam at least by the 12th Century. Both the Oromo and Somali had to live together in Ethiopia as well. As a matter of fact, the Arsi and Borena Oromos intermixed with the influential Somali tribe, the Geraa or Garre. The Bah Girei, one of the two tribes of the most important family of Southern Somalia descends from an Oromo mother. The Oromo and Somali now live together mainly in the Ethiopian provinces of Harer, Bale and Arsi sharing the same religion, economy and culture, using the same tools, and wearing more or less the same dresses, ornaments and hair styles as those of their Afar and Saho relatives and neighbors.
The Oromo did not mix and live together only with the Somali and the Afar the past 500 years. They also mixed with and influenced the Amhara, the Sidama, the Bale, the Gafat, the Hadiya, the Gurage, the Damot and many other peoples. Their impact particularly upon the Amhara religion, language, culture, politics and history was immense. The Oromo outnumber every ethnic group. The Amhara are next to the Oromo in number. Nevertheless, almost every Amhara has some Oromo lineage way down her or his genealogy. In Gojam, a person without an Oromo lineage is considered to be not a “real” Gojame. This holds true even for the Gojame nobles. Dejazmach Tulu, the governor of Damot around 1700, who was married to Woizero Welete Selassie, one of the daughters of Atse Iyasu I, was an Oromo, Dejazmach weld Abib, who was appointed as the governor of Gojam in 1745 during the reign of Atse Eyasu II, was another Oromo. His son, Dejazmach Yosedek, married Princess Welete Israel, the daughter of Etege Mentewab and Grazmach Iyasu. She mothered Ras Hailu and Ras Goshu, the two prominent rulers of Gojam. The Oromo rulers of Gojam claimed Abyssinian royal blood lineage through her.''
Regardless of whether the Oromos and the Somalis had migrated to Somalia from Arabia, it has been established by scholars that both of them had found themselves together in Somalia one time or another be it as friends or foes until the Oromo were driven from there under the pressure of Islam at least by the 12th Century. Both the Oromo and Somali had to live together in Ethiopia as well. As a matter of fact, the Arsi and Borena Oromos intermixed with the influential Somali tribe, the Geraa or Garre. The Bah Girei, one of the two tribes of the most important family of Southern Somalia descends from an Oromo mother. The Oromo and Somali now live together mainly in the Ethiopian provinces of Harer, Bale and Arsi sharing the same religion, economy and culture, using the same tools, and wearing more or less the same dresses, ornaments and hair styles as those of their Afar and Saho relatives and neighbors.
The Oromo did not mix and live together only with the Somali and the Afar the past 500 years. They also mixed with and influenced the Amhara, the Sidama, the Bale, the Gafat, the Hadiya, the Gurage, the Damot and many other peoples. Their impact particularly upon the Amhara religion, language, culture, politics and history was immense. The Oromo outnumber every ethnic group. The Amhara are next to the Oromo in number. Nevertheless, almost every Amhara has some Oromo lineage way down her or his genealogy. In Gojam, a person without an Oromo lineage is considered to be not a “real” Gojame. This holds true even for the Gojame nobles. Dejazmach Tulu, the governor of Damot around 1700, who was married to Woizero Welete Selassie, one of the daughters of Atse Iyasu I, was an Oromo, Dejazmach weld Abib, who was appointed as the governor of Gojam in 1745 during the reign of Atse Eyasu II, was another Oromo. His son, Dejazmach Yosedek, married Princess Welete Israel, the daughter of Etege Mentewab and Grazmach Iyasu. She mothered Ras Hailu and Ras Goshu, the two prominent rulers of Gojam. The Oromo rulers of Gojam claimed Abyssinian royal blood lineage through her.''
