Original R Research
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ISSN: 2226-7522(Print) and 2305-3327 (Online) Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal Jan-Mar 2013, 2(1): 86-94 www.starjournal.org Copyright© 2013 STAR Journal. All Rights Reserved Original Research A Hi story of Oromo Cultural Troupes (1962-1991) Tesfaye Tolessa Bessa Department of History and Heritage Management, College of Social Sciences, Post Box No. 395, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia Abstract Article Information Article History: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the struggle of Oromo cultural troupes in creating Received : 16-072012 consciousness among the Oromo to reconsider their lost rights. The study draws up on Revised : 20-032013 primary and secondary sources, which had been collected in the summer of 2008. Accepted : 22-032013 Primary sources are securitized from archives and ininterviews.terviews. Informants were selected Keywords : only on the basis that they had been direct participants of the events. Printed material as Cultural troupe both primary and secondary sources are utilized with critica l scrutiny. Many of these Afran Qallo sources are indicators of the situation the Oromo had been forced to bear in those days. Ayubi Abubakar Oromo song From the analysis of these sources, the paper is able to reveal how the Oromo troupes brought hidden grievance of the Oromo to the light und er unbearable situations. It also *Corresponding Author : shows how these troupes brought unstructured way of cultural resistance and rural Tesfaye Tolessa Bessa social banditries into the modern form of organized struggle by attracting many minds of E-mail: bureaucrats, military officers, students, professional groups and the business classes. [email protected] INTRODUCTION The beginning of song in a society is as old as attract many listeners, speakers and authors to the beginning of the language itself. Song is one use the language for different purposes (Tuohy, part of language expression by which people 1991). reflect what they feel . Song and in gradual development theatre are the expression of Since the Amhar a conquest of Oromo in the sorrow, inconvenience, grievanc e, objection, second half of 19 th century, the Oromo were anger, conflicts, achievements, victories, denied free cultural space and political voice. For observation, pleasure, and affection (Echeruo, the emperors’ policy of one language, one 1975). They are the reflection of the life situation religion and one nation, the new settlers designed of the society the period they were composed. systematic and organized cultural destr uction and They have existed in any culture specially repression of the Oromo. The Oromo were influencin g political movements and ritual forbidden and given no opportunities for activities. Since overt opposition to injustice and developing their own institutions, and system that support for free thought had bee n unusual, song they used to hand over from generation to and theatre had been used as the main outlet of generation. Land confiscation, property revealing the facts (Tuohy, 1991). The song of extraction, cultural undermini ng and political Oromo language is typified w ith such reflection. marginalization were some of the conditions the Among t he Oromo, singing is not used for Oromo were forced to bear. This life situation had ordinary communication. It needs special been reflected by different Oromo cultural songs occasions in which the singer wants to express on the basis of individual until the Afran Qallo his or her internal feelings. The singing took over cultural troupe was organized in 1962 in D irree or covert expression, most of the time covert Dhawaa to rally their opposition songs against (Asafa, 1993). The contribution of music, dance, the then oppressive government policy (Asafa drama and theatre to the development of political Jalata, 1993; Mohammed Hassen, 1999) . consciousness is unquestionable. They also 86 Tesfay Tolessa Bessa Sci. technol. arts Res. J., Jan-Mar 2013, 2(1): 86-94 The movement of Oromo Cultural Troupes Afran Qalloo musical and cultural band, which under the Imperial Regime was established in Dirree Dhawaa in the early In the history of their political struggle, the 1962, was the first Oromo troupe to appear in an Oromo made courageous attempts to perform organized manner for preserving Oromo culture music, drama and theatre in their language to and reflecting multifaceted subjugation of the withstand the assimilation policy of the Ethiopian Oromo ( Ibid .). Name Afran Qallo was to refute the government (Bariisa, 1991). Although there were pejorative name “Qottu” given to them by the informant reports reflecting religious drama and newly Amhara settlers for the four sons of Qalloo: singing of psalms on the bases of written themes Alaa, Babbillee, Dagaa and Oborraa (Badir Kabir, by Protestant Christian Missionaries in Wallagga 1995). Afran Qalloo began the opposition against (Informants: Admasu Birehanu, Hailu Disasa, the Oromo with the early naming of the cultural Kebede Firrisa), the written secular music and band itself. The band posed their objection to this drama for the purpose of cultural movement were name “Qottuu” by the following songs composed presented on stages by the Afran Qalloo cultural by Abubakir and later on presented by Halloo and musical bands (Bariisaa, 1991). Dawwee on the Oromo cultural show of 1977 in Addis Ababa (Alfia, 2007). It reads as follows: Oromo Gloss Gariin ilma namaa yaada gabaabbataa Some people are narrow-minded Qottuu jechuu se’aa arrabatti fudhataa Consider farming as insult Waa arraba mitii maqaa tarkaanfataa Not insult but advancement Ummanni wabaree qonnadhaan dhadataa Civilized people take pride in farming Dafquma isaa nyachuuf hojiidhaan bututaa Strive hard to live on his work Hojjetee mullisee bilchesse oomishaatee By showing practically and working exhaustively Dinagdee ol kaasuf qutudhaa hidhatee For development has to farm without reservation Halkanillee hirafuu hojidhaan bututee Never slept even in the night being exhausted by work Akkasumaan naminni itti dhaadatee People roared at him without reason Roorroo keessa darbe yoom irranfatee. He never forgets the tyranny passed through The song dictates the ignorance of the people (Asafa, 1993). However according to Bariisa on who called Afran Qalloo Oromo pejoratively the marriage ceremony of the Oromo the Harare “Qottuu ” (Farmer) forgetting the importance of and Somali musical bands were invited with farming for the sustenance of the life of the compensation. The then privileged band playing people and for the development of the country. in Amharic was not willing for they had low honor For the learned and those who have understood for the Oromo. It was on this circumstance that the world, farming is the bedrock of development certain Hassan Omar Tarree forced to advice the for those who used to live on their products which Oromo youngsters to establish their own cultural is achieved not through dependence but through band. The advised youngsters were Ismail hard work. The song also taught people to Mohammed, Abdulhaji Mohammed, Abubakri recover their displaced names in the process of Musa, Abdurrahman Yusuf, and others. the imperial assimilation policy. Consequently, Afran Qalloo Musical and cultural band was established by eighteen members in Nonetheless, according to Asafa Jalata, the 1962(Bariisa, 1991). Whatever the argument is immediate cause for the establishment of the the immediate causes for the establishment of cultural band was the refusal of Harare musical Afran Qalloo Musical and cultural band was in band on certain marriage of Oromo couple response to the Oromo subordination to the responding that their musical instrument could Harare language. The Afran Qalloo musical and not produce Oromo language musical tone. The cultural band responded to the Harare band by its entire group of the nuptials who requested for the first song as follows. Oromo songs was Oromo language speakers. Oromo Gloss Ka’aa hirribaa kottaa walbarrannaa Wake up, let us understand each other Dardara alagaa if cina hingartaanii Why you do not see the alien youth Ameta sadii dura maaliin wal faarsanii Three years before in what they sang? Ameta sadii dura walleen Afaan keenyaa Three years before, our language song saan nijijjirratan nut immoo inteenyaa They changed but we quitted Durbumaan keenyallee kan karaa yaatulleen Our girls who travel along the road Wanuma wallisan tan jaraati walleen B Sing the songs of the others (Harari and Amharic) (Bariisaa,1997) 87 Tesfay Tolessa Bessa Sci. technol. arts Res. J., Jan-Mar 2013, 2(1): 86-94 The song indicates that while the Harare has Jaalalaa ( love for Unity) Biiftu Ganamaa resumed their songs against the assimilation, the (Morning sun) and Mascob (Alfia, 2007). Oromo were kept quite. The Oromo youth themselves even began undermining their own All the members of the groups made division vernacular and began singing in others language. of labor among themselves based on their It informs the Oromo the decisiveness having abilities. Those who were good singers were their own cultural bands. Thus, it clearly shows assigned to sing, those who had good that the main objective of the Afran Qalloo composition ability were assigned to compose cultural and musical band was to protect and songs, those who could play musical instruments preserve the Oromo language. It also advise were assigned to it, those who had good those who undermine their vernacular and knowledge in cultural elements were assigned to praised those who were proud of it. collect and write on Oromo culture. Since there was not organized training and no freedom to do The band also performed dramas that so, the division of labor was based on the natural mirrored the situation of the period. As in the gifts of the participants. Adaptation to modern drama both the male and female representatives ways of dancing, singing, playing musical had to be represented in order to reveal the instruments, writing suitable poems and mixing situation in which both genders were living, the were acquired through trial and error.