The Cultural Expression of Xunduu (Coupling) in Oromo Knowledge of Gender

Abstract

The paper has aimed to propound the conception of femininity and masculinity in the traditional expression of gender in the Oromo mainstream culture, the xunduu (coupling) Synopsis. Xunduu is a bipolar means of expressing female and male overall organizations and relationships in the universe in pairing order of corresponding arrangement. Xunduu is gada born Oromo knowledge of gender which states about the general organizational arrangement, the overall power relationships, responsibilities and roles between husband and wife. The research was conducted in Oromiya. Data were mainly collected from literature and through systematic interview of female and male elders, observation of their cultural landscape and ethnographic objects. The finding indicates that, Xunduu is a manner of expressing a wife-husband relationship in replicating to biological sexual beings, non-biological and non-sexual things which are essential and respected, ordered in pairing and corresponding arrangement in their culture. The result also shows that from the nature of objects replicating gender and the methods of presentation, xunduu was a means to pursuing the practices of gender bipolar in the egalitarian gada ethos. It is recommended that as the culture is under strong pressure from internal and external forces, it needs to work towards preserving and enhancing such thoughtful wisdom towards gender empowerment.