Course Title: Oromoo Folklore

Course Code: AfOL 3091

Course ECTS/Cr. Hrs: 5/ 3
Program: Regular
Prerequisite: _
Status of the Course: Compulsory
Course Description (Ibsa Koorsichaa)
Folklore as a discipline is highly interdisciplinary because it uses theory and methodology from
literary analysis, linguistics, anthropology/ethnography and history, the course will provide an
ample opportunity for students from various fields to share their ideas and particular research
strategies. Interdisciplinary approaches will be fostered. Particular attention will be given to
aspects of Oromoo folklore studies. Concepts and dominant features of folklore; forms of
Oromoo folklore (Oromoo material culture, Oromoo social folk custom, Oromoo performing folk
arts, and Oromoo oral literature); functions of Oromoo folklore studies; pedagogic function of
oral literature; major genres of oral literature (oral narrative, oral poetry, short forms); survey of
the study of Oromoo folklore in A methods and approaches of collecting, classifying and
analyzing them.
Course Objectives (Gahumsa Barachuu) Kaayyoo
 At the end of the course, the students will be able to:
 Identify history and theory of folklore
 Explain the different meaning of folklore,
 Identify and describe major forms of Oromoo folklore,
 Recognize functions of Oromoo folklore,
 Acquainted with concepts and contemporary theories of folklore,
 Discuss the modes of folklore transmission, and its stylistic and cultural features,
 Collect and analyze Oromoo folkloric art facts;
 Explain the historical development of the study of Oromoo folklore
 Acquainted with methods and instruments of fieldwork in folkloristic
 Application of folklore theory and methodology in the area of Oromoo literature
Course Contents
1. History and theory of folklore
1.1. What is folklore
1.2. Historical Development
1.3. Prominent folklorists and their works
1.4. Characteristics folklore
1.4.1. Social basement
1.4.2. Occasional
1.4.3. Popular
1.4.4. Transmission
1.4.5. Customary
1.4.6. Participatory
1.5. Schools of thought and movements
1.5.1. The Evolutionism
1.5.2. The Early Philologists
1.5.3. The Solar Mythology Theory
1.5.4. The Difusionists: Theory of Borrowing
1.5.5. The Anthropologists: Polygenesis
1.5.6. The Functionalism
1.5.7. The Comparative Method
1.5.8. The Psychoanalysis
1.5.9. The Formalism
1.5.10. The Oral Formulaic Theory
1.5.11. The Structuralisms: Syntagamatic and Paradigmatic Approaches
1.5.12. The Contextual theory
1.5.13. Intersectionality
2. Nature and scope of folklore
2.1. Definition of Folklore (as discipline and content)
2.2. A working definition
2.3. Scholarly definitions of folklore
2.4. Central problems of discipline
2.5. Anthropology, Literature, History: Folklore Concepts
2.6. Defining folklore beyond genre labels: texts and contexts
3.Geners of Folklore
3.1. Oral literature
3.1.1. Oral Narratives
3.1.2. Witticisms
3.1.3. Oral Poetry
3.1.4. Study of Oromo Oral Literature
3.2. Material Culture
3.2.1. Folk crafts (subsistence and household)
3.2.2. Folk arts (sculpture, painting, musical instruments, etc.)
3.2.3. Folk architecture
3.2.4. Folk medicine
3.2.5. Folk cookery
3.2.6. Study of Oromo material culture
3.3. Social Folk Customs
3.3.1. Definitions
3.3.2. Folk beliefs (supernatural and non-supernatural)
3.3.3. Rituals, Festivals and Celebrations
3.3.4. Recreations and games
3.3.5. Folk Medicine
3.3.6. Folk Religion
3.3.7. Customs (rites of passage, etc.)
 3.3.8. Gestures, hand signals, folk semiotics
3.3.9. Folk ideology and folk view
3.3.10. Anointments, Libation, Sacred place
3.3.11. Dynamic and conservative elements of traditions
3.3.12. Study of Oromo folk customs
3.4. Performing Folk Art
3.4.1. Definitions
3.4.2. Folk drama
3.4.3. Folk dances
3.4.4. Performances
3.4.5. Folk ceremonies
3.4.6. Folk preaching
3.4.7. The study of performance
4. Folklore Fieldwork
4.1. Principles of field work
4.2. Methods of folklore Field works
4.3. Preparatory works and activities to field work
4.4. Collecting data and taking field notes
4.5. Annotating and Transcribing
4.5.1. Protection: Physical
4.5.2. Protection Ethical
4.5.3. Protection of Occupation
4.5.4. Protection of Ritual Secrecy
4. 5.5. Folklore Archives

Teaching and Learning Methods

• • Interactive Lecture,
• • Group paper work, presentation and discussion,
• • Individual assignments and presentations
• • Academic field work seminar presentation
• • Designed academic filed trip and field work reports.
• • Team teaching methods
Assessment and Evaluation strategies:
• • Continuous assessment (tests, paper work presentation 30%)
• • Field work attachment report 40%
• • Final exam 30%
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