Poqallas

Poqallas serve as a lens through which the different dynamics of power, wealth and society can be understood as they are at once economic, political and cultural leaders. A Poqalla will describe his lineage as XELLA XAFFA (children of the clan), KUSSITA (younger brothers) or his SINDHA (urine)

Poqallas are priests, large land owners, landlords and clan heads. They are always men who inherit a position passed down from eldest son to eldest son. The rituals performed by the Poqalla maintain the harmony and balance between nature and man. Poqallas are associated with particular villages to administer blessings, advice, dispute settlements and as priests. Poqalla families make up around 3% of the population.

All Poqalla have three names – their given name, their fathers name and the name of the 1st ancestor from which the lineage descended. An individual Poqalla is called by Poqalla name as he embodies all the Poqalla who have gone before him.

The three most important Poqallas are Kalla, Bamale and Guufa.
Fasha = Pita Guufa
Karati = Bamalle and Kalla compete for importance
Turo  = Kalla (traditionally depended on for rainmaking ceremonies)

There are two main kinds – Regional and Local
TUMA Poqalla = Big clan heads (regional)
MUGLA Poqalla = Small lineage heads (local)

Regional Poqalla lives outside village alone and on top of hills and his descendants live in surrounding villages. They wear the Tuma bracelet (single thick band of white metal)

Local Poqalla lives inside walled villages with their descendants. They wear the Mugla bracelets (5 heavy iron bracelets)

Regional Poqallas are considered to have literally sprung from the earth (Autochtonous). Poqalla families were the first immigrants to Konso and begot the rest of Konso, therefore they represent the origin of the Konso people.

Not all regional Poqallas are autochthonous e.g. Guufa and Kalla came from outside Konso and including Bamalle are the three most important Poqallas. When they demonstrated their supernatural powers of bringing rain and healing terrible soil erosion the people showed allegiance to them.

The contradiction is that these Poqallas weren’t the first but are considered original as they are not descended from other Konso.
Regional poqallas are credited with bringing culture and therefore the authority to maintain law and order.

Regional Poqallas have links and ties to their clans but are also leaders of all the villagers under their territory, regardless of clan. Therefore these Poqallas are territorially defined positions.

Local Poqallas have socially defined positions as heads of their lineages, which have been descended from their forefathers. They are characterised as descendants of a regional Poqalla, representing them at the local level. In most cases they are descendants of younger brothers or eldest half brothers of a regional poqalla.

Local Poqallas are divided into 2 types
1.    1st settlers of the village descended from regional poqalla
2.    newly formed Poqallas descended from another Poqalla already living there.

If a lineage becomes many then a new local Poqalla should be blessed and become leader for his descendants. Strictly the new Poqalla should be the descendant of the Poqalla’s LAMMETER (2nd wife). However, this depends on an individual’s capacity to amass capital to fulfil sacrifices necessary for his inauguration and to be blessed by the original Poqalla.

Sometimes descendants of Kussita can become Poqalla but only if he amasses wealth and has a great many descendants. The main role of the Poqalla is to maintain fertility and beget a successful lineage, it is assumed that the QAARTA (older brother) is able simply by dint of birth, a Kussita must prove himself.

There exists a cycle of wealth acquisition (access to labour, land purchased at times of famine or in exchange for grain) and distribution. A Poqalla distributes wealth to non-Poqalla through:

KOTAYADA and PIYOLADA (see vocabulary)
Assistance in the form of materials, food, protection for elopers etc.

Maintaining forests to provide wood for Pafta etc.

LUGANI (breastfeeding), where the Poqalla form an indigenous welfare system especially at times of food shortage.