Waaq

Waaq (also Waq or Waaqa) is the ancient name for God in the Cushitic languages of both the Oromo people and Somali people in the Horn of Africa in the Waaqeffanna religion.^[1]^[2]^[3] Some traditions indicate Waaq is associated with the Harar region.^[4]

In Oromo and Somali culture, Waaq, Waaqa or Waaqo was the name of God in a purported early monotheistic faith believed to have been adhered to by Cushitic groups.^[2]

This religion was practiced mainly by Somali people and Oromo people before Islam came to the Horn of Africa.

There are also ancient names of villages which involve the word (WAAQ) in the Somali language and also Oromo language.

References[]

^ Thomas, Douglas; Alanamu, Temilola (2018-12-31). African Religions: Beliefs and Practices through History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-61069-752-1.
^ ^a ^b Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi, Culture and Customs of Somalia, (Greenwood Publishing Group: 2001), p.65.
^ Samatar, Said S. "Unhappy masses and the challenge of political Islam in the Horn of Africa". Horn of Africa. 20: 1–10.
^ Mohammed-Abdi, Mohammed. Histoire des croyances en Somalie : religions traditionnelles et religions du Livre. Annales littéraires de l'Université de Besançon. p. 96.

Further reading[]

Cerulli, Enrico. "Les noms personnels en somali". In: Onomastica. Revue Internationale de Toponymie et d'Anthroponymie, 2e année N°2, juin 1948. Deuxième congrès international de toponymie et d'anthroponymie (3e et dernière série) pp. 139-142. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/rio.1948.1044] ; www.persee.fr/doc/rio_0995-872x_1948_num_2_2_1044
Etefa, Tsega. (2012). "The Indigenous and the Foreign". In: Integration and Peace in East Africa. pp. 127-167. 1057/9781137091635_6.
Gascon, Alain; Hirsch, Bertrand. "Les espaces sacrés comme lieux de confluence religieuse en Éthiopie". In: Cahiers d'études africaines, vol. 32, n°128, 1992. pp. 689-704. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/cea.1992.1533] ; www.persee.fr/doc/cea_0008-0055_1992_num_32_128_1533
Geda, G.J.. (2013). Irreecha: An indigenous thanksgiving ceremony of the Oromo to the high God Waaqa. [1]
Haji, Abbas. "Pouvoir de bénir et de maudire: cosmologie et organisation sociale des Oromo-Arsi". In: Cahiers d'études africaines, vol. 37, n°146, 1997. La Corne dans tous ses États. pp. 289-318. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/cea.1997.3515] ; www.persee.fr/doc/cea_0008-0055_1997_num_37_146_3515
Kelbessa, Workineh. "The Oromo Conception of Life: An Introduction." Worldviews 17, no. 1 (2013): 60-76. www.jstor.org/stable/43809476.
Mire, Sada. "Wagar, Fertility and Phallic Stelae: Cushitic Sky-God Belief and the Site of Saint Aw-Barkhadle, Somaliland." The African Archaeological Review 32, no. 1 (2015): 93-109. www.jstor.org/stable/43916848.
Mohamed-Abdi, Mohamed. "Les anthroponymes Somalis". In: Anthropologie somalienne. Besançon: Université de Franche-Comté, 1993. pp. 177-184. (Annales littéraires de l'Université de Besançon, 495) www.persee.fr/doc/ista_0000-0000_1993_act_495_1_2875
Mohamed-Abdi, Mohamed. "Villages-maisons-parcours ou la structuration Somalie de l'espace". In: Anthropologie somalienne. Besançon: Université de Franche-Comté, 1993. pp. 137-156. (Annales littéraires de l'Université de Besançon, 495) www.persee.fr/doc/ista_0000-0000_1993_act_495_1_2873
Prunier, Gérard. "Segmentarité et violence dans l'espace somali, 1840-1992". In: Cahiers d'études africaines, vol. 37, n°146, 1997. La Corne dans tous ses États. pp. 379-401. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/cea.1997.3519] ; www.persee.fr/doc/cea_0008-0055_1997_num_37_146_3519