Mereja Forum

[Naga Tuma]

A while back, I came across a recording in this forum in which somebody said: ሰቦተ ከነ ሁንደ ወጅን ፍሮምነ በርባነ። The expression sounded that of an Afan Oromo speaker from Hararghe. It roughly means: we wish to be in good terms with all these people. Ever since I heard it, I couldn't forget this politically far sighted expression of someone I do not know personally.

When I was young and in school, it felt like that it was every young Ethiopian's wish to visit Addis Ababa, Asmara, and Dirre Dawa, in that order. የሀረር/ሀረርጌ ልጅ was often invoked as classy, rich, and sociable. በብርትኳን ጭማቂ ያደገች የሃረር ልጅ was used often as a snobbish line. It felt a time when about every young person elsewhere in Ethiopia wished to be in good terms with የሀረር/ሀረርጌ ልጅ (ፍሮምን ሀረር/ሀረርጌ ከን በርባደሙ ቱሬ።) Somehow, it felt like the California of Ethiopia.

Bilingualism of Amharic and Afan Oromo in Hararghe also felt one of the most prevalent among young people from there that I came across when I was young and later in college. Amharic speakers from Hararghe also spoke Afan Oromo fluently. In art, Hamelmal Abate was a symbol of that bilingualism through here folklore in both Amharic and Afan Oromo. So was the late Bizunesh Bekele.

I heard the above expression when I also came across some news, which I tried to avoid because of its graphic nature, that portrayed Hararghe as a hostile place. It was during the widely reported unrest, including in Hararghe, a few months ago.

So, I keep wondering how things changed from ፍሮምን ሀረር/ሀረርጌ ከን በርባደሙ to ሰቦተ ከነ ሁንደ ወጅን ፍሮምነ በርባነ። In other words, how did it change from others in Ethiopia wishing to be in good terms with Hararghe to a Hararghe man wishing to be in good terms with others in Ethiopia.

My first physical impression of Hararghe was after the fall of the Dergue and before the signing of the Transitional Charter in Ethiopia. It was when I had made a short-lived determination to pick up arms against the TPLF as it was marching to Addis Ababa after forming the OPDO and if it failed to bring about peace in the country. After the signing of the Charter, that determination's trajectory of outcome became a peaceful resistance.

After hearing the formation of an organization out of POW, after knowing that the area where I grew up became a battlefield between Dergue's army on one side and the POW on the front line on the other side, after hearing from my late in-law that the commander of Dergue's army who was later ordered to go to that battlefield for reinforcement was a known officer who was born in the same area, it became clear to me that the battlefield and front lines on both sides were the most affected. It made the determination easier.

It didn't matter to me whether I went to Wallaga or Hararghe to pick up arms during that short-lived determination; the signing of the Charter made that path short. There were several young people who were equally determined and then there were others who talked against what was coming but weren't ready to pick up the fight. It was at that time when I heard an expression from a colleague that I hadn't heard before or ever since: ትግሬ ነት ፈካተ ቱሬ። It was like mistaking my looks for those I was ready to pick up arms against, the army, not the people, and revealing that to me after I approached him to join me.

The initial plan to go to Wallaga was unsuccessful and the alternative to go to Hararghe became easy. It was as easy as hopping on a train from Addis Ababa to Dirre Dawa.

One of my first physical impression of Hararghe after crossing the Awash river was when I saw in a distance a caravan of country folks flocking in mass. In fairness, it was a time of unrest in the country after the Dergue fell and before the TPLF/EPRDF was in full control of the country. When I asked why the country folks were flocking in mass, I was told that they were running away from the Issa people. Then, I followed up with a quick question of why they don't fight back instead of running away from their homes. The simple answer I got was that the Issa are fierce fighters. I don't remember saying much more after that. However, my first surprise about the power dynamics in that area stays with me.

After Dirre Dawa, I arrived in a small town to pick up arms in a future fight against TPLF's army. My surprises during a training for a future fight kept adding.

One day, rumor reached the town where there was training that the TPLF army was coming to attack it. Before a single bullet was heard, commanders of the trainees ordered their trainees to evacuate to a more remote and smaller town. We obeyed. To their credit, two of the leaders stayed behind.

As we were evacuating, we saw a caravan of country folks in a distance. The evaluation of the caravan by the commanders was that it was a ቆረጣ by a TPLF army that they had heard about and that we should evacuate faster. We had an advantage for any hostile encounter as we were in the country side of Hararghe on a hill while the caravan was in a valley below us. That was my simplistic assessment from what was visible. But we were ordered to evacuate faster and we obeyed.

When we arrived in the small town and our commanders met the commander who was there, they talked about the rumor of attack coming, in front of the evacuees. The first reaction of the commander there, in front of the evacuees, was to say that he had heard about the benevolence of TPLF's army, which was clearly suggestive of fear from a commander in front of other subordinates. He was saying this in a remote town in Hararghe. Even if it were true, I thought it was a wrong message to say at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

When the next morning came, the rumor died down and we were later ordered to return. After we returned, we found out that there was no attack at all on the town.

The expression ሰቦተ ከነ ሁንደ ወጅን ፍሮምነ በርባነ brought back memories and made me ask the above question in good faith, especially in light of the ongoing demand for federal states in Ethiopia.

I understand the demand for local governance or administration in Ethiopia fairly well. I also think that I understand fairly well the rights and responsibilities of local governance or administration. Furthermore, I think that it is easier to demand rights than practice the administration of rights just as it is easier to call for fighting than be on the ground in a fighting. Perhaps, the Amharic expression ከበሮ ስያዩት ያምር ስይዙት ያደናግር may be a fitting example about the change from ፍሮምን ሀረር/ሀረርጌ ከን በርባደሙ to ሰቦተ ከነ ሁንደ ወጅን ፍሮምነ በርባነ።

To be in good terms with all the people in your country Ethiopia means to be in good terms with all the people from Borana to Gonder to Axum and from Asosa to Gode while also demanding for a local governance.

I have a fairly good understanding of the long struggle for local rights. That long struggle was also one that lacked clarity about democratizing Ethiopia and destabilizing it in order to form smaller countries.

It now appears to be that more localities are demanding local administrations, or federal States, in a democratic Ethiopia. It appears to me that at this stage in Ethiopia's political history, it is more likely to see demands for federal States of Horro, Leqa, and Qellam, and so on than a destabilized Ethiopia. I have read in at least one publication the name Ambo State invoked. If I am not mistaken, some from Arsi were even entertaining an idea of Arsi as an independent country. Now that Sidama has become a federal State, I think that it is only a matter of time before Arsi also demands the status of a federal State in Ethiopia.

It goes without saying that the politically far sighted expression of ሰቦተ ከነ ሁንደ ወጅን ፍሮምነ በርባነ fits in a democratic Ethiopia.

So, can this vision lead to Hararghe pulling off about one or two federal States sooner than later, which is what I am trying to point out in good faith and in reaction to the expressed thought process?

The battle of Chelenqo is often cited as a symbol of resistance. What I have come to understand recently was the agreement signed between Atse Menelik and the elder leaders of Harar/Hararghe after that battle. It was posted on this forum a while back. I found it to be one of the best political agreements that I have ever come across. It brings in sensibility to the sensitivity about the battle of Chelenqo.

Can that agreement serve as a blue print for a balanced local and national governance? I think so. I wish to be proven wrong and wish to see a better form of political document than that agreement for this balancing exercise between local and national governance. Some people continue to criticize Atse Menelik outright. Yet it seems to me, at least in hindsight, that it is easier to look for his spirit in a Boeing flight than underestimate his determination to lead the fight against Italy's colonial force at Adwa in the late 19th century. Sensibility demands asking what could have happened to all, including the people of Hararghe, if he wasn't determined to lead that fight, notwithstanding what has happened to many.

[Naga Tuma]

yaballo,

I stand to be corrected if I misquoted the expression, which I do not wish to do at all. It is probably still on the net and I will try to find it if I can.

I don't think that I am that bad understanding Hararghe accent. It has been my understanding that መረ is the right word. Those from Hararghe can correct us both, my Borana friend.

Also, I would have thought በቀላ instead of ባቀላ or ከበዳ instead of ካባዳ and so on are correct pronunciations in Afan Oromo.

[Naga Tuma]

yaballo,

I think you are taking your scholarship on Afan Oromo too far. Are you sure that ሁንደ and ሁንዳ are both not correct and can be used in different contexts? Take a break from being always self-righteousness about being the authority on Afan Oromo.

Let me also ask you the same question that I asked Masud recently: አመ እጆሌን ቻይና መለቶ ቡድሃ ያደተን እጆሌን ኬ ፍደለ ፋረኦ ያደቹ ህን ደንደአን ጄቹ ኬቲ?

One more question: Is the Borana man not as wise as the Welayita man who is using ፍደለ ፋረኦ and African musical instruments like እዩ ጩፋ here.

Naga,

That is Ok. Remember that since Qubee Afaan Oromoo lessons have started to be taught in schools in Oromia, the same has created more opportunity for people from different parts of Oromia to borrow & use expressions that use to be confined to a specific Oromo sub-region or dialect of Afaan Oromo. Hence, it is quite possible that, that Hararghe person you were quoting used "ሁንደ/ሁንዳ" instead of "ማራ". But, I also wanted to highlight how even your "ሁንደ" is incorrect & is better/correct written/spelt as "ሁንዳ". That is all.

Jabaadhuu. Nagaatti.

yaballo,

I stand to be corrected if I misquoted the expression, which I do not wish to do at all. It is probably still on the net and I will try to find it if I can.

I don't think that I am that bad understanding Hararghe accent. It has been my understanding that መረ is the right word. Those from Hararghe can correct us both, my Borana friend.

[Naga Tuma]

What I am trying to highlight to you is that, as a rule, Oromo words rarely start with the first sound of the geez alphabet/letter but with the sound of the fourth geez alphabet as described above [as in Oromo words tend to start with: ላ, ማ, ሳ, ጋ, ባ, ታ, ዳ, ጃ, ቃ, ፓ, ዋ, ያ, ፋ, ዳ, etc & rarely with: ለ, መ, ሰ, ገ, ተ, ደ, ጀ, ቀ, ፐ, ወ, የ, ፈ, etc].

yaballo,

What I have been trying to suggest to you is that what you have highlighted in and of itself is more likely to be inaccurate than not. If your statement was that they rarely end with, instead of start with, the first sound of Fidel, I would agree. They generally do not end with the first or fifth sounds, to borrow your expression, of the alphabet.

A simple example for the first is በቀላ. If you were to write it in Qubee, it would be Baqqalaa. Is it not? Note the differences in the sounds Ba and laa in it, which I taught about during those days. What you tried to highlight is to say that it is rarely written as Baqqalaa and the correct way to write it is Baaqqalaa. Is it not, unless Qubee itself is half-cooked to begin with?

A simple example for the fifth sound being used rarely is ኣታክልት. If you were to pronounce it in Afan Oromo, it would be ኣታክልቲ, which would make it similar to how it is pronounced in Tigrigna. If I understand it correctly, Tigrigna is close to Ge'ez, which you may think to be so exotic even when it has features that are closer to Borana language than Amharic.

[AbyssiniaLady]

One of my first physical impression of Hararghe after crossing the Awash river was when I saw in a distance a caravan of country folks flocking in mass. In fairness, it was a time of unrest in the country after the Dergue fell and before the TPLF/EPRDF was in full control of the country. When I asked why the country folks were flocking in mass, I was told that they were running away from the Issa people. Then, I followed up with a quick question of why they don't fight back instead of running away from their homes. The simple answer I got was that the Issa are fierce fighters. I don't remember saying much more after that

lol, Hararghe oromo are very peaceful people.

[Bete Gojjam]

Shewa are Oromized Amharas Also Wollega has Semetic Ancestory “Gafat”

[EPRDF]

Bilingualism of Amharic and Afan Oromo in Hararghe also felt one of the most prevalent among young people from there that I came across when I was young and later in college. Amharic speakers from Hararghe also spoke Afan Oromo fluently. In art, Hamelmal Abate was a symbol of that bilingualism through here folklore in both Amharic and Afan Oromo. So was the late Bizunesh Bekele.

Obbo Naga Tuma,

You hardly find an Amharic speaker speaks affan Oromo in Hararghe. Those whom you thought Amharic speakers who spoke fluent Affan Oromo are Adere/Hareris. Sorry, I just can't ignore seeing wrongs and move on. You find one in hundred an Amharic speaker speaks Oromiffa.

[Naga Tuma]

A simple example for the first is በቀላ. If you were to write it in Qubee, it would be Baqqalaa. Is it not? Note the differences in the sounds Ba and laa in it, which I taught about during those days. What you tried to highlight is to say that it is rarely written as Baqqalaa and the correct way to write it is Baaqqalaa. Is it not, unless Qubee itself is half-cooked to begin with?

Naga,

Remember that qubee is a phonetic alphabet where one spells/writes words as they sound. So, በቀላ [I think you meant to say በቀለ - ] would be spelt as 'beqqele' [በቀለ]. What we are talking about is how native or un-habashanised Oromos pronounce words in general & Amharic words/names in particular.

Considering that most Oromo words start with the sound of the fourth alphabet of the geez/amharic [aka ላ, ማ, ሳ, ጋ, ባ, ታ, ዳ], then, Oromos would not say 'በቀለ' but 'ባቃላ' & the same would be spelt as 'baqqalaa' if we used qubee. .. ባቃላ' not 'በቀላ' & especially not 'በቀለ'. OK?

PS: do you actually speak Afaan Oromoo properly or you know bits & pieces of the language as most Amharnisded Oromos do? .. Nagaatti.


photo: Borana girls' traditional choir ..

Here you go again making a wrong assertion and running away from it when you are told politely that your assertion is wrong.

Afan Oromo speakers do not say ባቀላ, or Baaqqalaa, in your Qubee equivalent, as much as they do not say ማረራ, in your Qubee equivalent. They can say በቀላ, or Baqqalaa in your Qubee equivalent, and መረራ, or Mararaa in your Qubee equivalent. I also know Amharic speakers would say በቀለ instead of በቀላ.

So, this goes to show that your assertion that "Considering that most Oromo words start with the sound of the fourth alphabet of the geez/amharic [aka ላ, ማ, ሳ, ጋ, ባ, ታ, ዳ]" is wrong.

This is a simple logic that you evidently have failed to grasp in order to correct your wrong assertion. It is either that you consider both Ba and Baa to be equivalent to what you called the fourth sound of Fidel (called ራብዕ, if I remember it correctly) or that you understand that they differ and can't be called the fourth sound at the same time. So, which one is it? Don't look for the answer in the languages but in the fallacy of the logic in your assertion.

[Naga Tuma]

Bilingualism of Amharic and Afan Oromo in Hararghe also felt one of the most prevalent among young people from there that I came across when I was young and later in college. Amharic speakers from Hararghe also spoke Afan Oromo fluently. In art, Hamelmal Abate was a symbol of that bilingualism through here folklore in both Amharic and Afan Oromo. So was the late Bizunesh Bekele.

Obbo Naga Tuma,

You hardly find an Amharic speaker speaks affan Oromo in Hararghe. Those whom you thought Amharic speakers who spoke fluent Affan Oromo are Adere/Hareris. Sorry, I just can't ignore seeing wrongs and move on. You find one in hundred an Amharic speaker speaks Oromiffa.

I disagree. Haven't you met many Amharic speaker from Girawa, Gara Mulata, or Hirna, or Dadar, or Kulubbi, who were fluent Afan Oromo speakers even during the time of the Dergue?