The Anywaa Zone
The Anywaa (Anuak) Zone is one of the three administrative zones of the Gambela Region and represents the cultural, historical, and geographical heartland of the Indigenous Anywaa people of Ethiopia. Stretching along the Openo (Baro), Gilo, Alwero, and Akobo rivers, the zone is defined by fertile floodplains, forested lowlands, and some of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in western Ethiopia. Its river-based geography has shaped settlement, livelihood, political identity, and cultural continuity for centuries.
Anthropologically, the Anywaa are known for their decentralized political organization. Their communities traditionally existed as autonomous villages, each governed by lineage-based headmen (kwaro) whose authority depended on community consensus, fairness, and ancestral legitimacy. Scholars such as Evans-Pritchard and Lienhardt note that each village functioned as a self-sufficient political unit, emphasizing collective decision-making, territorial ownership, and strong cultural cohesion. These villages were strategically located along rivers where access to water, fish, and fertile land supported agriculture—the core of Anywaa subsistence and cultural life.
Today, the Anywaa Zone continues to reflect these deep-rooted traditions. It preserves:
- the ancestral territories of the Anywaa,
- some of the oldest continuous settlements in the Gambela region, and
- central sites of Indigenous cultural identity, oral history, and socio-political organization.
Administratively, the zone consists of multiple woredas—including Gambela City Administration—each containing riverside villages (kebeles) whose spatial layout mirrors historical settlement patterns. Traditionally, Anywaa villages rarely exceeded 300–500 residents, resulting in compact, tightly knit communities structured around kinship, land stewardship, and communal life.
Below is an organized overview of the woredas and kebeles that constitute the modern Anywaa Zone.
1. Abobo Woreda (19 Kebeles)
- Abobo Town (Wankak, Abaru)
- Aberi
- Chubokeir
- Dumbung
- Lumtaak
- Mender 07
- Mender 08 & 09
- Mender 011 & 012
- Mender 013
- Mender 014
- Mender 017
- Okuna
- Perbongo Omha
- Perbongo Tietkuthi
- Pukedi
- Puwatalam
- Tegni
- Tierchir
2. Jor Woreda (15 Kebeles)
- Alami
- Angela
- Chientowa #01
- Chientowa #02
- Gugne
- Lero
- Olaw
- Ongogi
- Oranga
- Othwol #01
- Othwol #02
- Ojalow
- Owello
- Towoo
- Tuwo
3. Itang Special Woreda (23 Kebeles)
Achwaa Area
- Achwaa 01
- Achwaa 02
- Achwaa 03
- Achwaa 04
- Achwaa 05
- Achwaa Ebete
Adima Cluster
- Adima Etial
- Adima PuNywaa
Adong Cluster
- Adong Anyali
- Adong Emero
- Adong Pignmala
Ajuu Cluster
- Ajuu Pukedi
- Ajuu Angela
- Ajuu Owalo
Alango Cluster
- Alango Ageta
- Alango Enoi
- Alango Pootok
- Alango Pignmoo
Other Kebeles
- Awanye (Pignmaan, Egnuagny)
- Berhane Selam (Emetho, Poojoho)
- Dorong
- Ebago (Ekier, Kier-Lul)
- Elea
- Itang Kier (Adaawok, Akugn, Ediya, Emar, Guaie, Ogungchung, Ongogi, Poogwieno, Poopiewo, Poolum, Wekaal, Ekiwer)
- Mehra
- Pilual
- Polkot
- Poldeng
- Pokwo
- Pukumu (Achula 1–3, Echimmi, Gul, Pokwo, Putok, Tierlul)
- Waar
- Watgach
- Wanki (Akula, Atuoch, Jomohol, Longki)
4. Gog Woreda (18 Kebeles)
- Abobdo
- Agenga
- Ajeringaa
- Atheti
- Cham
- Dipa
- Dipaach
- Gog-Aukoyi
- Gog-Dipaach
- Gog-Jengjor
- Obuha
- Okedi
- Olenye
- Otiel
- Poochalla
- Pooljayi
- Tedo
- Thatha
- Thatha #02
5. Gambela Woreda (13 Kebeles)
- Abol Town
- Abolkier
- Bonga
- Cholan (Solan)
- Elay-Echway
- Gambela (Jewi)
- Jewi
- Kobon
- Nyikewo
- Opagna
- Pignkew (Ochom, Apan, Awiri, Ebaru, Pookari)
- Poomoli
- Pookung
6. Dimma Woreda (21 Kebeles)
- Achanya
- Akobodar
- Akula
- Bandera
- Boyi
- Chammro
- Dethhek
- Dip (Merkez / Meidan)
- Dimma 01
- Dimma 02
- Gethu
- Genibab
- Joru
- Kachana (Kasana)
- Karkenn
- Lurwaro
- Naamkado
- Ojuwaa
- Othehek
- Tuwa (Tubooha)
- Odiek
7. Gambela City Administration (5 Kebeles)
- Kebele 01 (Dhalkoch)
- Kebele 02 (Changkwaar)
- Kebele 03 (Tierkidi)
- Kebele 04 (Dojerolami)
- Kebele 05 (Looloni)
Conclusion
The Anywaa (Anuak) Zone remains the historical and cultural center of the Indigenous population of Gambela. Its settlements, rivers, and administrative structures reflect centuries of traditional governance, ecological adaptation, and cultural resilience. Despite modern political changes, population pressures, and shifting administrative boundaries, the zone continues to preserve the identity, land-based heritage, and communal traditions of the Anywaa people. Understanding the geography and administrative layout of the Anywaa Zone is essential for grasping the broader cultural and historical development of the Gambela Region.