GOBESSA TOWN OF SOUH EASTERN ETHIOPIA: A SURVEY OF ITS HISTORY, 1933-1991

ABSTRACT The thesis tries reconstructing the social, economic, administrative, institutional history of the Gobessa town focusing on the period between 1933 t0 1991.Gobessa towns grew from sub-kella station wcich established by Fitwurary Defabachew Dessa to collect tax. That kella station and then this sub station grewinto Market.Italian Soldiers settled around the market at 2km distant Thefrom market the town due the pressure of Italian Soldiers. The town grew from one ethnic to group in to a settlement of mult-ethnic and languestic groups. From 1974 to 1991 the town was significant social changes but there was no acrossng road through the town. A late 1960’s the town was registered due to the declaration of 1964.and deloped from the mitikel center to the center of Shirka district in 1967 when the Arsi weradas formed from 11 district to 22 weradas.from the 1974 t0 1991 the town was some increased in area and infrastructure due to the establishment of different institution such that school, church, health center and roads.these brought the opportunity for the development and expansion of the town. Religious life of the people in Gobessa was Waqaffanna before the expansion of Christianty and Islam. After the expansion of Menelik II in to the area the Arsi Oromo converted into Orthodox Christian during the Italian occupation in Arsi regions the peoples also accepted Muslims. The Italian used these gabs the peoples protest the administration of the imperial. Befeor the Administration of Imperail, peple of Arsi have their administration system such as callea Gada system. There was also Arsi have their own conflict resolution mechanism in which the people solved their problem to live within other ethnics peacefully in the regions. They have some good cultures in which the Arsi Mather used to solve problems is Sinqee, and have a good different culture. This study is generally, recognizing: Social, Cultural, Politico-economic and religious changes in comparing with the indigenous peoples of pre- existing traditional way of life with the emergence and development of Gobessa town as administration center. The study has various primary and secondary sources. The primary sources consulted by the researcher were traditional institution, cultural ceremonies, existing natural spiritual places, eye witnesses that are cross checking with the written sources relating to the topic under study. The secondary sources included such historical sources as Thesis, Journals and history books. To this end, the researcher employed different data gathering techniques such as observation, interviews, and analysis of documentary sources.