The Genres and the Uses of Oral Literatures in the Utterances of Sayyid Haji Ali Wale and Sayyid Roba Garbi in Bale Zone, Oromia

Abstract

The major objective of the study was to find out genres anduses of oral literatures in the utterancesof Sayyid Haaji Ali Wale and Sayyid Roba Garbi in Bale Zone, Oromia.The study was conducted in Goro woreda of Bale zone since the two famous persons had been living in different areas of the woreda for a long period of time. To achieve the research objectives, qualitative research approach was employed, for it can guide the researchers to collect qualitative data. From the woreda, 8 kebeles were selected purposively.In this manner, five elders were selected from each kebele by using snowball sampling technique; therefore, 40 elders were selected and five elders were taken from Goro town. Totally, 45 elders were involved in the study from whom the data was collected through semi-structured interview and focused group discussion. Besides, oral literatures of the two famous persons were collected from related written materials usingdocument analysis. After that, the collected data were carefully transcribed, and analyzed critically according to their aspects. Thus, the results of the study show that the oral literatures that the two famous persons used have different genres and short structures with broad matters. Genres such as short stories, short sayings, proverbs, blesses, curses and songs are the majors. The study reveals that they used these oral literatures to create the awareness of youngsters to wardseducation, hardworking, truthfulness, patience and future wish.Thus, different stake holders can use this indigenous knowledge in various aspects.

Keywords: Genres, use, Oral literature, Utterances, Oromo, Bale.

DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/62-03

Publication date: November 30^th 2019