The Negede Woyto Minority Group in a Historical Perspective

Abstract

Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries, inhabited by different ethnic and cultural groups. One of the minority groups in the nation, the Negede Woyto of the Lake Tana Catchment Area, has been marginalised in terms of various aspects. Besides reconstructing the history of this minority group, this article strives to investigate the changes and continuities in the social, economic, and political lives of the minority group from a historical perspective. To this end, both primary and secondary sources were collected and used. Based on the analysis, the study found that communal life, low social capital, marginalisation, conflict of values, a lack of institutions that protect minorities, low political participation, and a lack of secure means of survival are identified as the main causes for the majority of the Negede Woyto Community to lead a life as subhuman with (in) dignity and chronic poverty.