|
|
|
|
Religion: Islam and Local Tradition
Population: 88,000
Status: 10% Christian
===================
NARRATIVE PROFILE
Location: The Borana are part of a very much larger group of about 4 to 5 million persons of whom approximately 90,000 live in north central Kenya with the balance in Ethiopia. They are related to the Oromo in Somalia also. They live in a large area of barren northern Kenya. About 44% of the Kenya Borana live in Marsabit District, into Tana River District, Garissa District and in Moyale District. The heaviest concentration live in the Sololo area of Marsabit District and in Moyale District. Those in Isiolo District are concentrated in Merti and Garba Tula.
History: The Borana are one of the resulting groups of Oromo migrants who left the southern highlands of Ethiopia in the 1500's. Most of the Borana and related peoples live in Ethiopia. The Oromo had migrated east but were pushed back by the Somali leading to a greater southern expansion. There are almost 4 million Borana people, most living in Ethiopia.
Identity: The word spelled Borana is pronounced with the final vowel silent. It refers to the people or their language and also means friend or kind person. Thus, a bad person may be told he is not Borana.
The parallel "modern" phenomena of rapid population growth and decreasing availability of productive grazing land threaten the Borana people. Contacts with other nomadic peoples lead to clashes, sometimes bloody, for land. Also they have been increasingly dependent upon relief agencies for help, which is culturally repugnant to these proud people.
Because there are several peoples who now speak the Borana language, the Borana proper may be further distinguished as the Gutu Borana. Their language has been adopted by the Gabbra and Sakuye, who originally came from the same roots as the Somali and Rendille peoples. About 8,000 of the Ajuuraan also speak Borana.
Language: The Borana speak an Oromo language officially called Borana-Arsi-Guji, after the three major peoples who speak dialects of that language. This language is in the Eastern Cushite family of the Afro-Asiatic languages. In Kenya it is usually called Borana.
Customs: The economy and life style are organized around cattle, though the formerly taboo camels are becoming more important, and they now herd sheep and goats. Young men do the daily herding while the women do all family nurturing. The homestead groups may be required to move three or four times each year, often as far as 100 km, because of the low rainfall and poor land.
Sturdy modular houses, constructed by the women, consist of interwoven branches thatched with grass all the way to the ground. This is in contrast with the Gabbra who weave mats to cover the framework. When movement of the homestead is required, the transportable portions are loaded onto the back of a camel or a woman and carried to the new location. They settle temporarily in groups of 10 to 30 houses.
Every aspect of their culture is captured in song and handed down from one generation to the next. Children are educated and enculturated through music.
Religion: Their traditional religion is monotheistic with communication through intermediary priests or "Qalla". The traditional name for God is Waq (or Wak). Islam has become influential in Borana society in the last 70 years. The Borana around Isiolo are radical Muslims. There has been some response to the gospel by Borana in Nairobi and Marsabit and in trading posts of southern Ethiopia.
Christianity: This large and ancient people have had only minimal contact with Christianity, due in part to their nomadic life style. Yet an indigenous church exists and probably with adequate support and scripture in their own language, they will be able to evangelize their own people and neighboring groups. There are about 25 missionaries targeting the Borana, and some Borana Life Ministry workers. There is one Baptist church of Borana in Marsabit. The traditional 50% of the Borana less affected by Islam seem the most likely community to target.
==========================================
BORANA STATUS SUMMARY
1. HAVE THEY HEARD THE GOSPEL?
Ratio of pastor/evangelists to population: (total pastors or evangelists--1)
Ratio of missionaries to population:
3 missionary for every
3500 persons
(25 total missionaries)
Who is Jesus Christ to them?
15% Believe
Jesus is the Son of God and are nominally Christians
10% Believe
in the Son of God and have accepted him as their Savior
15% Believe
Jesus is a prophet, teacher, a good man, but not God's Son
50% Follow their
traditional local religion
2. HAVE THEY RESPONDED TO THE GOSPEL?
Yes, some have. The church that has started among the Borana
is young, but Christianity is beginning to make headway and find a following.
3. DO THEY HAVE A CHURCH?
Ratio of churches to population: ?
Total number of communities (cities, towns, villages): ?
4. DO THEY HAVE THE BIBLE TRANSLATED INTO THEIR MOTHER TONGUE?
Yes, the Bible was completed in 1995.
5. ANY HINDRANCES TO SCRIPTURE DISTRIBUTION? Literacy Rate: 10%
The nomadic lifestyle makes teaching literacy difficult. Distribution
of scripture and audio tapes is difficult for the same reason.
6. WHAT OTHER FORMS OF GOSPEL PRESENTATION ARE AVAILABLE?
Recordings: Yes Literature: Not Much Audio-Visual:
No
Radio No Video/Films: Yes
(Jesus Film)
Seventeen tapes in Borana have been made by Language Recording International.
7. ARE THEY RECEPTIVE TO CHANGE AND CHRISTIANITY?
Those who claim to be Muslim are fairly resistant to Christianity,
while those who follow the traditional religion are fairly open to change
and to the gospel.
8. IS OUTSIDE (CROSS-CULTURAL) ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FROM MISSIONARIES?
Yes. Both expatriates and Kenyan missionaries are needed.
However, they should expect opposition from the Muslim leaders when people
begin to believe. Any missionary going to that area needs to have
a strong prayer team behind them and be well versed in spiritual warfare.
====================================
Borana Ministry Options
1. Develop scripture story songs in the Borana language and musical
style.
2. As a cultural bridge, discuss the concept of the God of Jesus Christ
as the unknown God of Borana prayer focus to "the unknown God."
3. Present the Spirit of the risen Christ as protection against the
"evil eye,' spirits of the dead and other spiritual oppression and fear.
4. Present the miracles of Jesus in story and song, focusing on His
spiritual power and authority.
5. Emphasize the New Testament concept of adoption into the family
of God, drawing upon the high value they place on adoption of outsiders
as members of their clans and tribe.
6. Focus on the Old Testament narrative about cattle and livestock
and Jesus' parables about animals; further make applications to the herding-culture
priorities of the Borana-Oromo.
====================================
Bibliography
Baxter, P.T.W. Social Organization of The Boran of North Kenya. Oxford, U.K.: Lincoln College, 1954.
Isack, Hussein Adan. Kenya's People: Peoples of the North--Boran. Nairobi, Kenya: Evans Brothers (Kenya) Ltd, 1986.
Kjaerland, Gunnar. Culture Change Among the Nomadic Borana of South Ethiopia. Pasadena, California: Fuller Theological Seminary, June 1977.
Schlee, Günther. Identities on the Move: Clanship and Pastoralism in Northern Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya: Gideon S. Were Press, 1994.
-----. "Interethnic Clan Identities Among Cushitic-Speaking Pastoralists,"
Africa, 55(1), 1985.
Francis Omondi
Orville Boyd Jenkins
June 1996
|
|
|
|