Tadesse Jaleta Jirata
Biographic Data
| ID | 3612232 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Tadesse Jaleta Jirata |
| GIVEN NAMES | Tadesse Jaleta |
| FAMILY NAME | Jirata |
| SIGNATURE | JIRATA T J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Addis Ababa University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0864-2601 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 10 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 23 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 10 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Holistic development in Sidama children through the indigenous game Qale Qasi’ra
This article examines Qale Qasi’ra, a traditional children’s game of the Sidama people in southern Ethiopia, as an indigenous pedagogical tool that nurtures holistic child development. Using ethnographic observations and interviews with children aged 6–12, the study demonstrates how the game cultivates cognitive precision, patience, emotional resilience, fairness, and social cooperation. By situating Qale Qasi’ra within decolonial and cultural-hi…
Decolonizing early childhood education
This study explored the Affini, an indigenous conflict resolution practice of the Sidama people in southern Ethiopia, as a pedagogical process contributing to children’s emotional, linguistic, and moral development. Using a critical ethnographic design, data were collected from 12 elders, 20 parents, and 20 children through focus group discussions, interviews, and observations. Although some child participants were older than eight, their reflect…
Indigenous knowledge and its contribution to early childhood numeracy development
Studies depict that early childhood programs which are based on indigenous knowledge are more valuable than the Western traditions for young children. Keeping this all-in mind, the present study is aimed at exploring the role of IK in early childhood education, particularly in numeracy development. It aims to fill the knowledge gap in indigenous early childhood education and contribute to the literature and policy on the subject. The study uses a…
Our children are neither here nor there’
Knowledge about how social changes affect children’s access to education in Africa is still limited. Intending to bridge this gap, this article discusses the effect of the emerging social changes on children’s right to indigenous knowledge and formal education among the Guji people− the agro-pastoral society in Ethiopia. The article demonstrates how children’s present realities deprive their right to not only school education but also the indigen…
Peace Is Not a Free Gift”
Indigenous African knowledge of building and maintaining peace is not well known and has not been much used in the dominant modern mechanisms of conflict resolution. With the aim of addressing this limitation, this article analyzes the broader conceptualization of peace and peace building among the Guji-Oromo in southern Ethiopia. The Guji-Oromo are keenly aware that their existence as a society depends on the maintenance of peace (nagaa) among t…
Folktales, Reality, and Childhood in Ethiopia
This article examines how Oromo-speaking children in Ethiopia construct social values in multiple ways through their participation in storytelling and the subsequent meaning-making discussions. By presenting children as actors in the re-contextualization of folktales, the article argues that participation in a folkloric performance is not a mere play practice for children, but is a social and artistic forum through which they acquire survival ski…
Oral poetry as herding tool
African societies attach great value to folksongs but the literature on African verbal arts has so far paid little attention to the role of children in performance oral arts. Similarly, the existing body of literature on Oromo folksongs places its empirical focus and analytical emphasis on the role of adults, neglecting the role of children in the performance and utilization of folksongs. In this article, based on empirical data from the Guji-Oro…
Intergenerational Continuity and Change in Conceptualization of the “Child” Among Guji People of Ethiopia
The rapidly growing globalization that embodies new technologies has greatly characterized intergenerational difference by fostering change and hindering continuity of values and traditions. However, the effects of cultural change on intergenerational continuity and change in less technologically developed societies have not been documented adequately. This article presents change and continuity between adults and children in conceptualization of…
The place of children among the Guji of southern Ethiopia
This article explores everyday life among Guji children in southern Ethiopia and the place of children in an intergenerational social order. Based on data generated through ethnographic fieldwork among the Guji, we show that work, school and play are significant and intertwined social practices. Local knowledge and skills of importance for sustainable livelihood are acquired through children's participation in these different social practices. Or…
Learning Through Play
Although the educational value of African oral traditions, particularly folktales, has been discussed widely in social studies of children, education and folklore, riddling is not commonly investigated as a part of children's everyday social practice. In this article, I present riddling as a part of children's expressive culture, through which they play together and learn about their local environment. I generated the data through ten months of e…
Oral poetry as herding tool
African societies attach great value to folksongs but the literature on African verbal arts has so far paid little attention to the role of children in performance oral arts. Similarly, the existing body of literature on Oromo folksongs places its empirical focus and analytical emphasis on the role of adults, neglecting the role of children in the performance and utilization of folksongs. In this article, based on empirical data from the Guji-Oro…
Learning Through Play
Although the educational value of African oral traditions, particularly folktales, has been discussed widely in social studies of children, education and folklore, riddling is not commonly investigated as a part of children's everyday social practice. In this article, I present riddling as a part of children's expressive culture, through which they play together and learn about their local environment. I generated the data through ten months of e…
The place of children among the Guji of southern Ethiopia
This article explores everyday life among Guji children in southern Ethiopia and the place of children in an intergenerational social order. Based on data generated through ethnographic fieldwork among the Guji, we show that work, school and play are significant and intertwined social practices. Local knowledge and skills of importance for sustainable livelihood are acquired through children's participation in these different social practices. Or…
Folktales, Reality, and Childhood in Ethiopia
This article examines how Oromo-speaking children in Ethiopia construct social values in multiple ways through their participation in storytelling and the subsequent meaning-making discussions. By presenting children as actors in the re-contextualization of folktales, the article argues that participation in a folkloric performance is not a mere play practice for children, but is a social and artistic forum through which they acquire survival ski…
Peace Is Not a Free Gift”
Indigenous African knowledge of building and maintaining peace is not well known and has not been much used in the dominant modern mechanisms of conflict resolution. With the aim of addressing this limitation, this article analyzes the broader conceptualization of peace and peace building among the Guji-Oromo in southern Ethiopia. The Guji-Oromo are keenly aware that their existence as a society depends on the maintenance of peace (nagaa) among t…
Our children are neither here nor there’
Knowledge about how social changes affect children’s access to education in Africa is still limited. Intending to bridge this gap, this article discusses the effect of the emerging social changes on children’s right to indigenous knowledge and formal education among the Guji people− the agro-pastoral society in Ethiopia. The article demonstrates how children’s present realities deprive their right to not only school education but also the indigen…
Intergenerational Continuity and Change in Conceptualization of the “Child” Among Guji People of Ethiopia
The rapidly growing globalization that embodies new technologies has greatly characterized intergenerational difference by fostering change and hindering continuity of values and traditions. However, the effects of cultural change on intergenerational continuity and change in less technologically developed societies have not been documented adequately. This article presents change and continuity between adults and children in conceptualization of…
Learning Through Play
Although the educational value of African oral traditions, particularly folktales, has been discussed widely in social studies of children, education and folklore, riddling is not commonly investigated as a part of children's everyday social practice. In this article, I present riddling as a part of children's expressive culture, through which they play together and learn about their local environment. I generated the data through ten months of e…
The place of children among the Guji of southern Ethiopia
This article explores everyday life among Guji children in southern Ethiopia and the place of children in an intergenerational social order. Based on data generated through ethnographic fieldwork among the Guji, we show that work, school and play are significant and intertwined social practices. Local knowledge and skills of importance for sustainable livelihood are acquired through children's participation in these different social practices. Or…
Intergenerational Continuity and Change in Conceptualization of the “Child” Among Guji People of Ethiopia
The rapidly growing globalization that embodies new technologies has greatly characterized intergenerational difference by fostering change and hindering continuity of values and traditions. However, the effects of cultural change on intergenerational continuity and change in less technologically developed societies have not been documented adequately. This article presents change and continuity between adults and children in conceptualization of…
Oral poetry as herding tool
African societies attach great value to folksongs but the literature on African verbal arts has so far paid little attention to the role of children in performance oral arts. Similarly, the existing body of literature on Oromo folksongs places its empirical focus and analytical emphasis on the role of adults, neglecting the role of children in the performance and utilization of folksongs. In this article, based on empirical data from the Guji-Oro…
Peace Is Not a Free Gift”
Indigenous African knowledge of building and maintaining peace is not well known and has not been much used in the dominant modern mechanisms of conflict resolution. With the aim of addressing this limitation, this article analyzes the broader conceptualization of peace and peace building among the Guji-Oromo in southern Ethiopia. The Guji-Oromo are keenly aware that their existence as a society depends on the maintenance of peace (nagaa) among t…
Folktales, Reality, and Childhood in Ethiopia
This article examines how Oromo-speaking children in Ethiopia construct social values in multiple ways through their participation in storytelling and the subsequent meaning-making discussions. By presenting children as actors in the re-contextualization of folktales, the article argues that participation in a folkloric performance is not a mere play practice for children, but is a social and artistic forum through which they acquire survival ski…
Our children are neither here nor there’
Knowledge about how social changes affect children’s access to education in Africa is still limited. Intending to bridge this gap, this article discusses the effect of the emerging social changes on children’s right to indigenous knowledge and formal education among the Guji people− the agro-pastoral society in Ethiopia. The article demonstrates how children’s present realities deprive their right to not only school education but also the indigen…
Indigenous knowledge and its contribution to early childhood numeracy development
Studies depict that early childhood programs which are based on indigenous knowledge are more valuable than the Western traditions for young children. Keeping this all-in mind, the present study is aimed at exploring the role of IK in early childhood education, particularly in numeracy development. It aims to fill the knowledge gap in indigenous early childhood education and contribute to the literature and policy on the subject. The study uses a…
Holistic development in Sidama children through the indigenous game Qale Qasi’ra
This article examines Qale Qasi’ra, a traditional children’s game of the Sidama people in southern Ethiopia, as an indigenous pedagogical tool that nurtures holistic child development. Using ethnographic observations and interviews with children aged 6–12, the study demonstrates how the game cultivates cognitive precision, patience, emotional resilience, fairness, and social cooperation. By situating Qale Qasi’ra within decolonial and cultural-hi…
Decolonizing early childhood education
This study explored the Affini, an indigenous conflict resolution practice of the Sidama people in southern Ethiopia, as a pedagogical process contributing to children’s emotional, linguistic, and moral development. Using a critical ethnographic design, data were collected from 12 elders, 20 parents, and 20 children through focus group discussions, interviews, and observations. Although some child participants were older than eight, their reflect…
Sociology (8 works) · Anthropology (6 works) · Ethnography (5 works) · Gender Studies (5 works) · Gender Studies (5 works) · Geography (4 works) · Indigenous (4 works) · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare (4 works) · Psychology (4 works) · African history and culture analysis (3 works)