Borana calendar
The Borana calendar consist of 29.5 days and 12 months for a total 354 days in a year. It has no weeks. It is a lunar and stellar calendar.[1]
It is believed that the Borana of developed their own calendar around 300 BC. The Borana calendar is a lunar-stellar calendrical system, relying on astronomical observations of the moon in conjunction with seven particular stars or constellations. Borana Months (Stars/Lunar Phases) are Bittottessa (Triangulum), Camsa (Pleiades), Bufa (Aldebaran), Waxabajjii (Belletrix), Obora Gudda (Central Orion-Saiph), Obora Dikka (Sirius), Birra (full moon), Cikawa (gibbous moon), Sadasaa (quarter moon), Abrasa (large crescent), Ammaji (medium crescent), and Gurrandala (small crescent).[1]
Days
- Bita Kara
- Gardaduma
- Bita Lama
- Sonsa
- Sorsa
- Rurruma
- Algajima
- Lumasa
- Arb
- Gidada
- Walla
- Ruda
- Basa Dura
- Areri Dura
- Basa Ballo
- Areri Ballo
- Carra
- Adula Dura
- Maganatti Jarra
- Adula Ballo
- Maganatti Britti
- Garba Dura
- Salban Dura
- Garba Balla
- Salban Balla
- Garda Dullacha
- Salban Dullacha
(first two or three days are repeated during the months)
Months can be identified by moon phase in relation to seven stars or star groups. They are Triangulum, Pleiades, Aldebaran, Bellatrix, central Orion, Saiph, and Sirius star systems.
Months and Star System
- Bittottessa-Triangulum
- Camsa-Pleiades
- Bufa-Aldebaran
- Wacabajjii-Belletrix
- Obora Gudda-Central Orion-Saiph
- Obora Dikka-Sirius
- Birra-full moon
- Cikawa-gibbous moon
- Sadasaa-quarter moon
- Abrasa-large crescent
- Ammaji-medium crescent
- Gurrandala-small crescent
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Doyle, Laurance R. The Borana Calendar REINTERPRETED. Current Anthropology. Physics and Astronomy Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, at NASA Ames Research Center, Space Sciences Division, M.S., retrieved: 7 April 2010.