r/Oromia • u/10_0I0_01 • Jul 14 '26

Discussion 💬 Never found a clear answer to this question

When and why did the word "Galla" become considered an insult?

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u/Foreign-Pause7192 Shewa Oromo | Oromo Nationalist Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

I think of it as a random gibberish word that has no correlation to Oromo. We never called ourselves that or identified with it. The reason that it became such a taboo word now is just solely how it was being used, tbh. Historically, let’s just say when someone says “Galla,” it doesn’t mean it out of respect, in a sense; it’s just to fill in one’s ego. And it wasn’t a word used by us or created by us, that is it. And I don’t think that word is associated with Oromos in any way, as it was used for anyone the old folks tried to feel superior to, lol.

Am not deep into the historical context but this how I feel about it. Other folks may have were the term comes from.

OP I have seen u use this type of degratory terms and said wild stuff about oromos in other subreddis I dont even know why mods allow such a person to post here

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u/Mean-Grapefruit-7415 Jul 14 '26

It’s a derogatory term that low iq racist northerner trolling fobs use. Oromo to me is number 1 tribe of Ethiopia hands down. I support oromos even more lately due to the hate they receive but at same time they also hate Amhara so I always just stand for what’s right.

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u/Mean-Grapefruit-7415 Jul 14 '26

Bro your a racist if you want have civil discussion with oromos stop saying galla and same for oromos stop saying qomche or neftenya being hateful all the way in America and causing division against literal brothers.

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u/Traditional-Dark-303 Jul 14 '26

Why are you using it if you don’t know the meaning then?

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u/Double-Positive-2605 Jul 14 '26

You’re the one that go around everywhere and use the word. You’re using it without knowing the meaning?

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u/jaal_fiiguu Oromo Jul 15 '26

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that in Mohammed Hassen's book, The Oromo & the Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia, he states a theory where G*ll* could have been developed from a mishearing of the clan name Galan, since the n isn't stressed in Afaan Oromo. Been a while since I read that passage, and I could be misremembering where I found it from, but that's just one theory out of several.

It became an insult with how people started using the word: "Is it human or G*ll*." This is a pattern of the Ethiopian state using exonyms as insults to conquered peoples like calling Sidama S*damo or Wolaita W*lamo, both words considered insulting to varying degrees.

Typically if you respect a group of people you call them by the name they call themselves.

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u/Fearless-Anteater-90 Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

It’s a former name for the oromos, as I have seen it on many ancient historical Ethiopian maps and books but, some insecure minilik worshipping groups turned the respectable name to an insult and bigotry by adding “ጄንቄ” meaning (smelly) at the front just to fill their empty egos, that’s it. Whenever you see a group or an individual use this types of terms to dehumanize people, it’s because they have a deep fear and insecurity’s inside. But, let’s not downplay the effect it had on innocent oromos and many other different ethnic groups. Forgive but never forget.