Gidole is a town in southern Ethiopia, and is the administrative center of the Dirashe special woreda. Located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, it sits at a latitude and longitude of 05°39′N 37°22′E / 5.650°N 37.367°E / 5.650; 37.367 with an elevation ranging from 2045 to 2650 meters above sea level. The town Gidole is named after the Kitoola people with a little bit modification, an ethnic group inhabiting southern Ethiopia.

‘Kitoola’ ethnic is a large group living in and around Gardulla[1] Mountain as well as on the eastern flank of Ganjuli basin. This Kitoola ethnic comprises five large societies (viz; Dhirashaa, Mosiye, Kusume, Mashole, Dhobase)[2] and few migrants having different backgrounds. The Kitoolian speaks Cushiatic language 'Kitoolia' with different dialects.[3] They use different musical instruments for their casual holiday celebrations. “Shonqaa”, “mayra”,”kulluutot”,”Filla” and “Lollat are among many.

History

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According to Oscar Rudolph Neumann, who visited the town in 1902, Gidole was the seat of the queen of the Kitoola until the Ethiopians under Menelik II conquered them; the woman was still alive at the time of Neumann's visit.[4]

During the Italian occupation, the occupiers opened a post office in Gidole on either 11 or 17 November 1937; the sources are unclear about the exact date.[2]

In the 1950s, Gidole was the administrative center of one of the provinces, Gamo Gofa Teqlay Gizat, which was later incorporated to create Gamo-Gofa province. During the next decade, Islam won converts in the area and a mosque was built in the town. At the same time, Borana caravans supplied the market in Gidole with salt.[2]

Demographics

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Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Gidole has an estimated total population of 14,799 of whom 7,107 were men and 7,692 women.[5] The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 8,167 of whom 3,935 were men and 4,232 women.

Notes

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  1. ^ History of Events and Internal Development
  2. ^ a b c "Local History in Ethiopia" Archived 2011-05-28 at the Wayback Machine (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 13 December 2007)
  3. ^ Emiru Mulatu (resident in Gidole)
  4. ^ Oscar Neumann, "From the Somali Coast through Southern Ethiopian to the Sudan", Geographical Journal, 20 (October 1902), pp. 373-398
  5. ^ CSA 2005 National Statistics Archived November 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, Table B.4