SUMMARY

The Arbore (also called Ulde, Marle and Hoor) is an Ethiopian ethnic group comprised of between 3000 and 5000 people. The group inhabits the Rift Valley north of the lake Chew Bahir, close to the Kenyan border, in present-day South Omo zone of SNNP (Southern Nationalities, Nations and Peoples) region. This is a lowland area with hot and open plains, covered only by shrub grassland. The main source of water is the Woito and Sagan rivers, which meet some 50 km north of Chew Bahir.

The group has a mixed economy, based on a combination of flood-retreat cultivation and animal husbandry. The former provides the two main staple foods, sorghum and maize, whereas the latter, apart from being central to the group’s subsistence also plays an important ritual role in Arbore culture. The Arbore also practice fishing to supplement their diet.

The Arbore population is concentrated to four large villages, with each village made up of 10 to 20 exogamous clans. These settlements are all located in the vicinity of the arable flood plains and the only Arbore not residing in them are some boys and young men who live in mobile camps where they look after the cattle.

The relationships with neighbouring groups have changed significantly over time. In the past the Arbore had a good relationship with many of them. They practiced so-called bond-friendship, an inter-ethnic network of relations under which individual Arbore teamed up with e.g. individual Hamar and Borana and subsequently both helped and could receive help from their bond-friends in times of need. However, even though such ties still exists on an individual basis, overall inter-group relations have generally deteriorated. There is an exception to this, though: the relationship between the Arbore and their northern neighbours the Tsamai has remained stable throughout the conflicts of the past decades. The two groups have at times also joined forces to fight common enemies.

The Arbore has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.