Daamuu: Indigenous Oromo Ecology and the Planetary Future of Stingless Bees
Daamuu: Indigenous Oromo Ecology and the Planetary Future of Stingless Bees Series: TC Press Cultural Ecology Series — Dhidheessaa Corridor Edition Author / Contributor: Temesgen Muleta-Erena Abstract This essay examines the ecological, cultural, and planetary significance of Daamuu —the indigenous Oromo stingless bee—and its rare, highly prized medicinal honey, damma daamuu , across the Killoo–Kombolchaa–Guftee–Hacaacii-Dhidhessaa corridor of Arjoo, Oromia. Employing a hybrid methodological framework that bridges contemporary Meliponini science with Oromo oral epistemology, the study argues that local ecological guardianship has safeguarded stingless bee habitats amidst centuries of political, cultural, and culinary marginalization. The paper situates Daamuu alongside global stingless bee variations, evaluating its taxonomy in relation to documented species such as Meliponula beccarii , and delineating why it remains scientifically distinct yet ecologically congruent. Further...