DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0107
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA
91
Arussi village, with their chief, the son of Lokko Gucco (v. 15-18). After stating that
Menilek sends others to' war while he remains in ambush in Shoa (v. 19-22), the minstrel
appeals to Gobana, hoping that he will remember his Galla origin and stand by the
Arussi. Why does he trust the Amara rather than his compatriots (v. 23-30) ? Then the
retreat of Dargie is described (v. 31-35); verse 35 alludes to Daggac Tasamma Dargie.
Verse 36 alludes to a warrior, Gullibla about whom Loransiyos knows nothing. Ras
Dargib, to avoid the discouragement of the people in his domain, had forbidden his
soldiers to give any news to the civilians about the outcome of the expedition. They were
merely permitted to announce to the families of the dead soldiers the death of their kins-
man without any details concerning the engagements. The families also were forbidden
to celebrate the tazkdr of the dead soldiers, i.e. the solemn obsequies. An officer of Dargie,
“ the son of Agemi ” violated this order and therefore was removed and exiled on the
ambd (v. 37-46). “ Only the door may speak,” says verse 46; that is, without tazkdr,
only the absence of joy in the families of the dead soldiers may announce their death.
The singer then asks how many girls the mothers of the Arussi had brought forth to
counterbalance the birth of such valiant warriors (v. 47-48). The verses 56-60 invite the
Galla auxiliaries of Dargib, the natives of Salahe, who fought against their compatriots,
the Arussi, to desert. And after mentioning again the casualties of the Amara (v. 61-63),
the song ends by challenging Dargie to another combat after the season of the rains. Note
the abbreviated form of the personal names in this song: Gobib = Gobana; Fitib Taklib -
Fitawrari Taklib (which itself is the abbreviated form of the name Takla Giyorgis); Dallib
= Dallansa; Miku = Mika ’el. Similar abbreviated forms are very common in all Galla
songs; I have not mentioned them explicitly each time, as they may be found passim
throughout the article.
54
The soldiers of Dargie answered the song of the Arussi with the following verses which
announce the arrival of Menilek to aid Ras Dargib:
ydgga birrdnis barite
Arussi mdl malatetta
garumto disaf indisu
atis dufunke kutteda
5 kdn hunduma yd gzesse
yd Wdlze sila^nankdku
maqan farddsa Dattodd
afarfatdmd gagndti
yd Wallo sila sobdmi
10 yd Gobzen sild^nankdku
Arussi wa qabamtetta
Nurukie nuratt'dbdtu
fidi gabbdta cimdida
gurbzen saddzetamni dulte
15 Arussi mdlfa kagqlta
fidi gomfd mdnakzena
gdnnd sild mdnd^mbdnu
gdnnd dakdtti gaw "wdmu
Gurdgze bisdn inndtu
20 Bacci Sabdsa gamafd
baccisi w.drqze^sa dima
Ddno sild si ^nankdku
dkka sild si^nankdkne
Maryam gede kakaterd
91
Arussi village, with their chief, the son of Lokko Gucco (v. 15-18). After stating that
Menilek sends others to' war while he remains in ambush in Shoa (v. 19-22), the minstrel
appeals to Gobana, hoping that he will remember his Galla origin and stand by the
Arussi. Why does he trust the Amara rather than his compatriots (v. 23-30) ? Then the
retreat of Dargie is described (v. 31-35); verse 35 alludes to Daggac Tasamma Dargie.
Verse 36 alludes to a warrior, Gullibla about whom Loransiyos knows nothing. Ras
Dargib, to avoid the discouragement of the people in his domain, had forbidden his
soldiers to give any news to the civilians about the outcome of the expedition. They were
merely permitted to announce to the families of the dead soldiers the death of their kins-
man without any details concerning the engagements. The families also were forbidden
to celebrate the tazkdr of the dead soldiers, i.e. the solemn obsequies. An officer of Dargie,
“ the son of Agemi ” violated this order and therefore was removed and exiled on the
ambd (v. 37-46). “ Only the door may speak,” says verse 46; that is, without tazkdr,
only the absence of joy in the families of the dead soldiers may announce their death.
The singer then asks how many girls the mothers of the Arussi had brought forth to
counterbalance the birth of such valiant warriors (v. 47-48). The verses 56-60 invite the
Galla auxiliaries of Dargib, the natives of Salahe, who fought against their compatriots,
the Arussi, to desert. And after mentioning again the casualties of the Amara (v. 61-63),
the song ends by challenging Dargie to another combat after the season of the rains. Note
the abbreviated form of the personal names in this song: Gobib = Gobana; Fitib Taklib -
Fitawrari Taklib (which itself is the abbreviated form of the name Takla Giyorgis); Dallib
= Dallansa; Miku = Mika ’el. Similar abbreviated forms are very common in all Galla
songs; I have not mentioned them explicitly each time, as they may be found passim
throughout the article.
54
The soldiers of Dargie answered the song of the Arussi with the following verses which
announce the arrival of Menilek to aid Ras Dargib:
ydgga birrdnis barite
Arussi mdl malatetta
garumto disaf indisu
atis dufunke kutteda
5 kdn hunduma yd gzesse
yd Wdlze sila^nankdku
maqan farddsa Dattodd
afarfatdmd gagndti
yd Wallo sila sobdmi
10 yd Gobzen sild^nankdku
Arussi wa qabamtetta
Nurukie nuratt'dbdtu
fidi gabbdta cimdida
gurbzen saddzetamni dulte
15 Arussi mdlfa kagqlta
fidi gomfd mdnakzena
gdnnd sild mdnd^mbdnu
gdnnd dakdtti gaw "wdmu
Gurdgze bisdn inndtu
20 Bacci Sabdsa gamafd
baccisi w.drqze^sa dima
Ddno sild si ^nankdku
dkka sild si^nankdkne
Maryam gede kakaterd