Hadiya, also spelled as Hadiyya, is an ethnic group native to Ethiopia in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region who speak the Hadiyyisa language.
The Hadiyya of Ethiopia are numbering 2,100,000 (Peoplegroups.org, 2024),
According to a popular etymology, the name 'Hadiyya," sometimes written in the versions Hadya, Hadea, Hadija, Hadiyo, Hadiyeh, Adea, Adia, means "gift of god".
A historical definition of the Hadiya people based on the old Hadiyya Sultanate included a number of Ethiopian ethnic groups currently known by other names. Currently, this historic entity is subdivided into a number of ethnonyms, partly with different languages and cultural affiliations. In his book "A History of the Hadiyya in Southern Ethiopia," Ulrich Braukämper reported that Leemo, Weexo-giira (Baadogo, Haballo, Bargaago, Waayabo, Hayyibba, Hoojje and Hanqaallo), Sooro, Shaashoogo, Baadawwaachcho, and Libido (Maraqo) Hadiyya, Endegang subgroups remain a language entity and preserved identity of oneness, the Hadiyya proper.
The term Hadiya specifically designates the Qabeena people. Other ethnic groups such as Siltʼe, Wulbareg, Azarnat, Barbare, Wuriro, Wolane and Gadabano profess that they're the seven Hadiya clans. Ancient Hadiyans are distinguished by their Muslim heritage however these populations have decreased in the following centuries. Clans of Hadiya origin in Oromia, Sidama, Wolayta, Gurage, Tigray (Rayyaa, Azaaboo, and Ashaange), and Afar were completely absorbed by these nations. They were initially all inhabitants of a single political entity, a sultanate, which in the four centuries following its break-up in the mid-16th century fragmented into separate ethnic groups.
Historical definition of Hadiya people includes a number of Ethiopian ethnic groups currently known by other names according to ethnologist Ulrich Braukämper, who lived in various parts of southern-central Ethiopia for over four years during his research. In his book titled A history of the Hadiyya in Southern Ethiopia, he established linkages to the ancient Hadiya Kingdom. Currently, Hadiya is not a homogeneous ethnic group but is rather sub-divided into a number of ethnonyms, partly with different languages and cultural affiliations. They were initially all inhabitants of a single political entity, a Sultanate, which in the 4th centuries following its break-down became remarkably diverse. The Libidoo (Maräqo), Leemo, Sooro, Shaashoogo, and Baadawwaachcho remained a language entity and preserved an identity of oneness, the Hadiya proper. The term Hadiya specifically designates the Qabeena people. Other ethnic groups such as Siltʼe, Wulbareg, Azarnat, Barbare, Wuriro, Wolane and Gadabano profess that they're the seven Hadiya clans. Ancient Hadiyans are distinguished by their Muslim heritage however these populations have decreased in the following centuries. nHadiya are related to the Harari. During the military campaigns of Emir Nur ibn Mujahid, a troop contingent of Somalis reached the slopes of the Gurage Mountains whose descendants have preserved the name "Barbare" which is said to have derived from the port-town of Berbera. This origin was affirmed by the Barbare in the Gurage zone.
The Hadiya nation is divided approximately into 16 sub-clans. Each clan traced its lineage to a single male ancestor. The clans were not restricted to any particular geographical area; they lived side by side. Some clans had a recognized leader, others did not. However, in either case, real political power was exercised by the ruling council of elders for each clan. Each clan then forwarded the leader of its council to the apex council of elders for the whole community. The overall council of elders representing all the clans was then led by a headman or the nation's spokesman.
The Hadiya Zone is named after the Hadiya people, whose homeland covers part of this administrative division. The 2007 Ethiopian national census reported that 1,269,382 people (or 1.5% of the population) identified themselves as Hadiya, of whom 150,087 were urban inhabitants. The Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region is home to 93.9% of this people.
The area occupied by the Hadiyya proper and groups of Hadiyya descent extends from the upper Gibe in the west to the bend of the Wabi Šäbälle in the east. Transferred to the administrative map of Ethiopia of the 1970s, the area comprises southern Šäwa, the entire General Arsi and the north of Bale. On today's map it covers the Hadiyya Zone and parts of the Gurage Zone in the north of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional State (SNNPRS) and some central-southern parts of Oromia. The geography of this region is characterized by a division into an eastern and a western zone by the Ethiopian Rift Valley, which is a part of the great East African Rift System. The main areas inhabited by the Hadiyya, who have preserved their original ethnic identity, are situated on the western edge of the Rift Valley; east of the axis there are only parts assimilated by ethnic groups who are known by other names. The Rift Valley extends in a north-north-easterly direction from approximately 6° north latitude as a rough estimate, and continues through the Awaš depression towards the funnel-shaped Afar lowlands. Within this massive rupture zone, which came into being in the middle tertiary period, there is a difference in altitude of between 1,250m (Lake Abbayya) to sometimes well over 2,000m.
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