The research that forms the basis of this book was conducted in various regions of Northern Shawa in Ethiopia. It focused on the collection, organisation and analysis of famine-inspired oral poetry in indigenous languages. On the premise that the history, culture, beliefs and practices of a people are found in folktales and various forms of oral literature, the special objective was to examine aspects of the famine of 1984/5, and work up an indigenous conception of the peasants' response to famine."