ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the Sebat Bet Gurage and their traditional institutions of governance. Regarding religion, the Sebat Bet have experienced for centuries co-existence of various faiths, including Christianity, Islam, and traditional belief systems. The centralized nature of the organization of the religious system differs notably from that of the political system, which will be discussed below, as the authority of the ritual representatives spans over the entire Sebat Bet groupings. The social structures of the Sebat Bet Gurage exhibit features that are "typical of those found in many small-scale 'segmentary' societies in Africa". The political system and authority structure of the Sebat Bet Gurage is characterized by its segmented and fragmented nature. Two Gurage traditional conflict resolution mechanisms: Yajoka Kitcha and Gordena Shengo, have been in existence for centuries and are still widely used by the local population. The Yashoka customary law determines the punishment in case of breach of the rules.
