Oromo Research and Studies Institute: Preserving Heritage, Advancing Knowledge

Established in 2022 to reclaim Oromo narratives and foster democratic scholarship

1. Mission and Establishment

• Founded in 2022 in Seenessa Oromia, the institute is a groundbreaking initiative to:
  • Research and document Oromo language, history, culture, and arts freely.
  • Counter historical distortions imposed by past regimes.
  • Promote democratic values and Pan-African solidarity.

2. Key Objectives

• Truth-Telling:
  • Uncover suppressed Oromo histories (e.g., pre-colonial governance, resistance movements).
  • Debunk colonial-era myths that marginalized Oromo identity.
• Academic Collaboration:
  • Partners with universities and scholars globally to produce peer-reviewed research.
  • Publishes books (21 titles to date) on Oromo epistemology.
• Youth Empowerment:
  • Trains young Oromo researchers in critical scholarship and cultural preservation.
  • Hosts annual conferences on Oromo studies.

3. Director’s Vision (Aadde Masarat Ayyaanaa)

• “Our institute ensures Oromo knowledge is no longer written by outsiders, but by Oromos themselves.”
• Focus areas:
  • Language revitalization (Afaan Oromo lexicography).
  • Artistic resistance (studies on Oromo music, geerarsa).
  • Policy advocacy (decolonizing Ethiopian historiography).

4. Impact and Future Goals

• Digital Archives: Creating an open-access repository of Oromo oral histories.
• Global Networks: Collaborating with diaspora scholars to amplify Oromo voices.
• Justice-Centered Research: Investigating crimes against Oromo civilians (e.g., Irreecha Massacre).

Why This Matters

The institute is a revolutionary tool to:
✅ Reclaim Oromo agency in academia.
✅ Combat state-sponsored historical erasure.
✅ Empower the next generation with culturally rooted education.

“When we research ourselves, we liberate ourselves.”

#OromoResearch #SeenessaOromia #DecolonizeKnowledge

Key Oromo Terms Used:

• Qorannoo = Research
• Inistiitiyuutii = Institute
• Safuu = Moral-cultural code
• Gadaa = Oromo governance system