Marginalizing Women and tribes in Yem

Women in Yem are so much marginalized that they are forced to raise children and serve the man or their husbands. This is not of course unique to Yem. It is common practice in Ethiopia in general. However, since the majority of women in Yem are living in the rulal area , they are by far the victim of marginalization by their male counterparts. It is common to send the male to school while keeping the female at home to serve the family.
Nowadays, the people are awakening and have started sending their female children to school. House servants in neighboring cities like Addis Ababa, Welisso, Wolkite, Jimma, Agaro etc are women from Yem and they are obliged to work as house servants due to lack of education and marginalization in the main land.

On the other hand, I have come to understand that Yem has been structured into various tribes. But the major ones, based on their status, include:

1. Muwa
2.  Fuga (tanner-potters)
3. Yirfo (smiths)

This classification was based on the occupation of the people. the muwa clan or tribe supposed to rule or lead the Yem, the Fuga clan are tanners or potters in the society , and the Yirfo are the ones who work on metal....they are the smiths.
This is an old structure in Yem and it is no longer practiced these days. However, marginalization based on occupation was a dominant culture in Yem. You may see the remains of this kind of marginalization of the Fuga and the Yirfo in the main land.

I recommend you to read the following book:
Peripheral People: The Excluded Minorities of Ethiopia
By Dena Freeman  and Alula Pankhurst
page 46

Language : Does that matter?

Some people think that language is independent of the people who speak it. It is just instrument or device on which people communicate. The truth of the matter is the language and the people who speak it are one and the same. It is their identity. If they loose their language , they will definitely loose their identity. So, preserving one's language is like preserving your identity. It passed through generations. Why do we ignore and submit it to futile. I personally want to keep, develop, and transfer my language Yem to my descendants,   the next generation.
What can be done about that?

1. teaching Yem language at home to children helps in preserving the language
2. providing course in Yem language at least in Elementary schools along with Oromiffa and Amharic
3. community radio (FM) might be transmitted in Yem language
4. church and mosque service can be provided in Yem language voluntarily

Do you have any more ideas to help this language develop and preserved ?

Population Matters

Why Yem people are so few in number? There are no concrete answers for this. However, some possible explanations are :

1. centuries of war and conflict with other ethnic groups in the area such as the Oromo, Hadyia, Gurage, and Kembata results in death of the young men
2. disease such as malaria, TB and others 
3. a culture that promote very  limited number of children
4. one man for one woman (monogamy)
5. high level of tolerance to other ethnic groups and integrating with them
6. 
   

Empowering Minority- Yem

How can a minority group like the Yem people  succeed in life both individually and collectively by keeping good relationship with the Oromo, Amhara, Tigre and other communities in ethiopia? There is no silver bullet formula to success for minorities in any nation. However, one may observe some communalites in other   countries.
Grabbing government power by a  small community like Yem is hard and demand extraordinay wisdom. However, it is a waste of time and money to get a full support from the majority. Hence, the best strategy for this kind of community is to succeed in other sectors.
Succeeding in business , having money , being wealthy , controlling the economy , is the most important area to success for the minority.
Dominating in art like writing books, directing films, innovating new things help minority to get a proper place in the face of the majority.
Stand up and have your own business, innovate something different, write books, direct films promote your culture and earn your dignity. Respect will be earned and will never be given by anybody.
http://www.diversitybusiness.com/news/diversity.magazine/99200805.asp

Where on Earth Yem people live?

The  map shows the southern Ethiopia and find out where the Yem people live.

What religion do the Yem people follow?

What religion do the Yem people follow?
There is no single religion followed by these people. Some are traditional orthodox christian, some are Protestant christian, some are muslims and even you may find traditional "pagans". However, the majority is christian in one form or another.Though in a differrent religion, the yem blood makes them one. They love each other because they have the same ancestor. They are proud of being Yem. They love Yeminano.

What language the Yem people speak?

Q . 1. What language the Yem people speak?
Yem people have their own language and it is called "Yemegna" or "Yemsa". However, majority of  yem people speak both Amharic and Afaan Oromo as well. More than 50% speak Oromo language.