ABSTRACT
Only large scale maps show Gurageland because it is minute in relation to the whole of Ethiopia. Officially Gurageland is termed an awraja, a sub-province. Gurageland borders the former cattle culture area' that was shaped several centuries ago by Galla migrations, and it is inhabited by sedentary agricultural Maca and Tulama Galla. Movement within Gurageland is contingent upon the seasons of rainfall. In general, the entire plateau has a single rainy season from about mid-April to mid-September. The people inhabiting Gurageland call themselves Gurage, and are known by that name to others. The Gurage are a tall people in comparison with other Semitic tribesmen in Ethiopia, hardy and resilient, and not afraid of hard work. Gurage chiefly follow their traditional religious calling, but some of them are Muslims and Copts, and there are some 2,000 Roman Catholics. The Sudan Interior Mission, which combines religious teaching with education and medical services, is the sole Western Protestant missionary body in Gurageland.
