‘The land does not like them’: contesting dispossession in cosmological terms in Mela, south-west Ethiopia

A study of the Mela people in Ethiopia's Lower Valley of the Omo reveals that their cosmological beliefs about land ownership and mythical beings serve as a form of resistance against state-led development projects. The research compares government discourses, which prioritize economic growth and disenchantment with nature, with Mela perspectives, emphasizing the importance of propitiating mythical custodians for successful land engagement. This contrast highlights how Mela cosmology provides a means to challenge state authority and assert autochthonous identity in a context where open contestation is suppressed. The study employs discourse analysis to demonstrate the significance of these belief systems in shaping agency and legitimacy perceptions among the Mela.

Buffavand, L. (2016). ‘The land does not like them’: contesting dispossession in cosmological terms in Mela, south-west Ethiopia. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 10(3), 476–493. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2016.1266194