Exploring Children‟s Socialization in the Gadaa System of Borana Oromo, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study aimed at exploring children‟s socialization in the Gadaa system of Borana Oromo. A qualitative method was employed to address the research questions in detail. The constructivism paradigm and cross-sectional qualitative case study research design were employed. The in-depth interviews, key-informant interviews, FGD, observation and document review were used as techniques of data collection. The study participants were children between the age of 9-16, parents, Abbaa Gadaa, Gadaa councilsand government experts. Non-probability sampling technique specifically purposive sampling technique was employed for identifying research participants. Thematic analysis was employed for analyzing classifications and explaining themes relating to the data. The values of privacy, informed consent, confidentiality and anonymity were ethical considerations in this study. The finding of this study revealed that values of children's socialization intended to teach children about respectfulness, patience, honesty, independence, cooperativeness and love. Families, clans and all community members are the agents of socialization and they teach cultural values, cognitive skills, language, social and motor skills and gender roles. The strategies of children's socialization include advising, punishing, storytelling, riddle and practicing life situations. The challenging factors for socialization are unstable environment, poor parenting, divorce, poverty, drug addiction and early marriage. The study concludes that children are socialized according to the interest of the community. Finally, the study has a great implication for Social Work intervention in the area of exposing challenging factors for children‟s socialization, education, policy advocacy to acknowledge the indigenous children's socialization, and research in the area of parenting styles and gender socialization