Werji people

Werji
Total population
13,232 (2007 census)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Ethiopia
Languages

Oromo, Gurage languages

Religion

Sunni Islam, Sufism

Related ethnic groups

Jebertis, Tigray, Gurage, Argobba, Amhara, Sidama, Afar, Agaw, Hadiya, and Beja

Werji (or Worji; Ge'ez: ወርጂ [wɔrdʒi]) is an ethnic group living in Ethiopia numbering 20,480 according to the 1994 Ethiopian census (carried out by the Central Statistical Agency). They are located primarily in Southwestern Ethiopia and may have originally spoken an East Gurage language, but today primarily speak Oromo (14,066 in 1994). They are one of the few ethnic groups of Ethiopia (along with the Beta Israel, who once spoke Qwara, and the Weyto, whose Weyto language is extinct) without their own language. They are primarily Muslim.

Notes

  1. ^ "Census 2007", first draft, Table 5.

References