mˈædʒi wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd ɚɹˈaʊnd wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən wɛn ɹˈɑːz wˈɛldə dʒˈɪjoːɹɡɪz stˈeɪʃənd ɐ ɡˈæɹɪsən ˈaʊtpoʊst ʌv ˌiːθɪˈoʊpiən sˈoʊldʒɚz nˌɪɹ ðə lˈændz ʌvðə tjˈʊɹ, ɐ pˈɜːsənɪdʒ ɡˈæɹɛtsən dᵻskɹˈaɪbz æz "ðə mˈoʊst pˈaʊɚfəl ænd ɹᵻspˈɛktᵻd ɹᵻlˈɪdʒəs fˈɪɡjɚɹ ɪnðɪ ˈɛɹiə."
Maji was founded around 1897 when Ras Welde Giyorgis stationed a garrison outpost of Ethiopian soldiers near the lands of the ture, a personage Garretson describes as "the most powerful and respected religious figure in the area."