Honouring Oromo Traditions and Community Spirit

The Oromo nation is an indigenous people in Northeast Africa. It is the largest group in Ethiopia, making up more than half of the population. 

The Oromo language, Afaan Oromoo, is the third most widely spoken language in Africa. 

The Oromo nation lived in Northeast Africa, which includes most of what is now known as Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, and Kenya.

The Oromo nation is diverse socially, economically, and religiously. They have maintained their cultural identity and language despite Afaan Oromo being forbidden for much of the 20th century by the Ethiopian government.   

An indigenous democratic socio-political system of the Oromo, Gada system

Gada is a system of governance of the Oromo nation. It is an effective democratic system. It also serves as a mechanism for enforcing moral conduct. It is organised into five classes. Each class has its own functions and authorities.  The leadership changes every eight years. The classes are taught by oral historians about the Gada system. 

Meetings and ceremonies take place under the Odda tree, which is considered by the Oromo nation as a symbol of the Gada system. The knowledge of the Gada system is introduced to children at home and in school.  

 About Oromo Community in the UK (OC-UK)

The Oromo Community in the UK (OC-UK) is a self-help association founded in 1986 by the Oromo settled in the UK. The organisation OC-UK is based in London.
As a registered self-help association, it is governed by a constitution and run by a management committee elected every two years at the Annual General Meeting.
According to the constitution, “The association  is established  particularly for the benefit of Oromos  in the UK.”
OC-UK offers services to the Oromo and other nations from the Horn of Africa who reside in the UK. The services include cultural and social events.

Our Mission

Organising Oromo cultural and social events, seminars on life in the UK,
and Afan Oromo lessons (Oromo mother tongue).