Abstract:
The paper examines a special type of riddle, called ‘hibbantee’ used for census, among the Oromo in
Ethiopia with particular attention to the Waliso Oromo. The practice is one of the ways of providing
information on basic statistics of the population within certain geographical boundaries. It is performed
as part of verbal games, specific riddles with its own peculiar formula. Primary data were generated
from the area through observation, key informant interview and FGD. The findings of this work indicate
that as part of oral literature in general and riddle in particular hibbantee has aesthetic, educational and
entrainment values; it enhances competence skills, observational skills, normative skills, memory
skills, and entertainment skills.
