The place of children among the Guji of southern Ethiopia: school, work and play

† This article is a revised version of a paper presented at the ISSBD Congress, Lusaka, 18–22 July 2010.

Abstract

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. Oral tradition represents a key element of local knowledge and social practices in everyday life. However, political and social changes, such as settlement policies and the introduction of schools, affect the dynamic interconnectedness of these practices, as well as relations between different generations. These changes also have implications for local knowledge and local livelihoods.

Keywords:

• children
• work
• play
• learning
• social change

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU) for funding the fieldwork for this study.

Notes

† This article is a revised version of a paper presented at the ISSBD Congress, Lusaka, 18–22 July 2010.

1. Folktales and riddles as children's play and learning practices have been discussed in Jirata (2011a, 2011b, 2012).

2. Duqo is a tradition count and capture game that two individuals play with each other.