ABSTRACT
In his book Greater Ethiopia, Levine discusses at some length the readiness to kill one’s enemy within the framework of the concept of gobez. He states: ‘Amhara and Oromo cultures alike, then, laid stress on military courage. Amhara …warriors were motivated by fierce desires to slaughter their enemies’ (Levine 1974:154). In another context, that of hunting, Levine writes:
Indeed, masculine aggressive prowess as displayed by killing wild beasts and human enemies represents a pre-eminent value in most of the cultures of Greater Ethiopia. The killer typically enjoys a privileged status marked by special insignia and perquisites… Many people set up formal occasions at which the killer can boast of his achievements, and they distribute rewards according to the number and fierceness of the beasts and humans he has
slaughtered. They also cultivate special genres of verse which are sung to goad the killer and celebrate heroic exploits.
