Land Expropriation
As the region fell under the Ethiopian occupation in the late 1800‟s, Oromos lost their lands to the Ethiopian ruling class and state that took control of Oromia‟s rich grasslands. Oromos were forced to submit to colonial settlers ( Neftagnas) and serve as semi-slaves. They were to comply with these obligations or they would be removed from their lands. Sometimes theywere evicted without real reason. For over a century, Amhara-Tigrayan colonial settlers have occupied Oromia andexploited its economic and natural resources. The northern Ethiopians, due to years of exploitation, could not guard theirresources and as a result suffered from soil erosion, which has left them with few fertile lands. Furthermore, the governmentof Ethiopia seized Oromo lands under Emporer Menelik II in the late 19th century and continued under Emperor HaileSellasie during the earlier years of 20th century. They took Oromia lands and distributed it among government authorities, military officers and emperor‟s families as a reward for conquering the Oromo people. In this way, the successive Ethiopian governments have increased and controlled the flow of agricultural products.The Ethiopian government put itself in charge of the cash-crops and natural resources, an act which enabled them to do business with international corporations, without profit- sharing with the lands original owners. The Oromia‟s rich l and is the home of coffee; an abundance of gold, and natural gases and similar resources. These have been the spotlight of Ethiopia‟s economic success in the international markets.Over time, many men and women revolted by organizing themselves in villages determined to reclaim ownership over theirland and resources. Within their given space to maneuver, movements of groups and individuals began to organizethemselves secretly, to assess their situation as citizens denied of their rights to land ownership. As these political uprisings began to unfold, individuals sang songs of expression that coalesced into a message of awakening for Oromos, heighteningtheir social consciousness level and instilling in them a desire to resist. To describe the situation, singer Umar Suleymansang songs, which fueled mass protests against the Ethiopian regime. It also motivated people to bear arms to fight forfreedom or join liberation army forces, creating controversy and stirring fear within the government. Opinion became a veryimportant form of expression, among varies sectors of society that face censorships of freedom of speech and expression.
Artist Umar Suleyman found inspiration in this idea in the early 1990‟s by singing , “Dinnee didaa ufitti hinfuunuu hinfuudhin idaa (2X), madaabaraa shame gurgurachuuf fidee, ittiin facaafnan ree lafti baasuu didee,” which means, „we refuse to use any kind of fertilizers to grow our crops because it is expensive, expired and can’t be used to grow anything,thus it ruins our soil an
d can put us into debt.‟ This expressed the frustration of farmers who had been forced to grow their crops using goods that did not produce but destroyed their land, and mired them in poverty. Similarly, other nations haveexpressed social discontent in ot her ways, such as in “Rai” music. “Rai” means “opinion” in Arabic, and “Rai” music spoke out against the censorship of freedom of speech and expression by non-democratic Arab governments. Currently, “Rai represents an alternative mode of protest for liberation,” (Al-Ta‟ee, 2).
Imprisonment and Systematic Killings
To put Oromo music in world context, its revolutionary music has become creative model for other forms of politicalexpression. Tibetans have been singing songs of protest against Chinese occupation for decades, resulting in theimprisonment and torture of many Tibetan people. In 1993, those who sang patriotic songs were arrested and detained.Similarly, in the Philippines, during the Spaniard occupation revolutionary songs mobilized the Indo uprisings, and in late 19th century Kundiman (love song) was a precursor to subversive and revolutionary lyrics. The Chimurenga
resistance songin Zimbabwe, the Maumau song in Kenya was the key to creating solidarity among the people in coping with colonial abuseand slaughter.
Similarly, music‟s aesthetic and linguistic appeal has been a vital tool in the Oromo people‟s political struggle to further their political quest. As Tibetans sang patriotic songs in the past to protest the jailings and mass killings perpetrated on their people, Oromos have been singing similar songs to shed light on the brutal acts being committed on their group. Many artists were sentenced to prison for life or killed for singing songs that objected to the Ethiopian government‟s acts of
cruelty.As a victim of the jailing and torture by the current Ethiopian government, a remarkable singer named Usmayyo Mussa sang that the `Wayanes‟ are manipulating tools of violence to dehumanize Oromos. The lyrics of late Usmayyo Mussa urged his
people to keep faith alive and know that their use of jailing, torture and mass killing were used to eliminate any sense of hope amongst their people. They did this also by bribing released prisoners to turn backs on their own people just to be ableto make a decent living for their families. He sang, “…
hidhaa fi ajjeechaan hamilee nu cabsee dubatti nu hin deebisuu,hamman bilisummaa kiyya galmaan gayuuf falmataa hinlakkisuu …,”
which means, “…the imprisoning and killings that shattered our hopes shall not hold us back until our struggle for freedom is achieved…” Similar lyrical messages were shared by Ilfenesh Qanno who was also imprisoned on multiple occasions for singing songs that expressed the acts of tortureOromos faced, and she deeply wanted Oromos to rethink their situation to determine their own fate by singing, “Oromoo maal wayya? Lammii koo maal woyya? Bilisomuu woyya ?” In these words, she asks, “what is better for the Oromo? Whatis better off my nation? Perhaps freedom?”
Oromo Culture
The other role music has played in Oromo political resistance is restoring the near complete loss of identity and culture thatresulted from the Abyssinian invasion. One of the most significant aspects of their cultural identity which Oromos nearlylost because of Ethiopian subjugation was the Gadaa System (the democratic governing system of Oromos). Gadaa is asystem of generation that organizes the Oromo society into age groups that have different responsibilities in the society,which changes every eight years. Gadaa has eleven age grades (Gadaa class) of developments, where each grade hasdifferent levels of power. This has guided their social, political, economic life of the Oromo people. Gadaa system has also played a role in the Oromo peoples philosophy, astronomy, art, history and method of time-keeping. “Gada is the heart of the political-military organization. So deep is the people‟s valuation this institution that it stands at the core of the Oromo cultural identity. Gada serves as the Oromo national emblem even in areas where the institution has lost functions under the weight of colonial rule, cultural assimilation, religious pastoralization and communist revolution,” (Legesse, 103). The legendary musician and singer Ali Bira, who introduced the Oromo art and language on various international community in the 1970‟s through his popular lyrics sang about the Gadaa, “karaan mannii Abbaa Gadaa eessaa?” which asks, “where is the pathway that leads to the Gadaa hall? He taught his people the responsibility they should carry to learn about the Gadaasystem and write about it so that it could be handed over to the next generation. Ali also sang about the importance of cultural preservation of the Oromo language, “Afaan Oromoo hundee Oromummaa,” “Afaan Oromo the founding root of Oromo’s identity.” Ali‟s work paved the way for the contemplation and the study of Gadaa system in particular, as well as Oromo culture in general.
Oromo Students Movement
Perhaps one of the fiercest and greatest uprisings out of the Oromo community that occurred and spread extraordinarilywithin short period of time was amongst the dedicated Oromo students. Early in 2000, a group of Oromo students inFinfinne (Addis Ababa) University began to organize demonstrations in protest of the current regime and its acts ofgenocide on the Oromos. Since then, there has been growing numbers of incidents in which many students stood up against the undeserving acts of dismissal of honor students from schools for discriminatory reasons and the disappearing of many students across Oromia. In some cases, students weren’t allowed to enter certain universities because they were expected to do better than non-Oromo students when they graduated from high school by taking the Ethiopian School Leaving Certificate Examination (ESLCE), a standardized test that measures students‟ ability.Classmates, teachers and others disguised as spiritual practitioners arrived on campus to spy on these students. Those Oromo students considered to be well-informed and educated were put under surveillance, as many of them were activists protesting the Ethiopian government and were considered a threat. Some students were put in prison or killed because they were accused of being affiliated with Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Many artists sang about the actions of these fierce studentsand teachers who sacrificed their lives by standing up and speaking out against the cruelty of the Ethiopian government. Thesongs Oromo artists sang expressed the actions of the courageous efforts of the Oromo students who shed their bloods for believing and promoting the Oromo national cause. Artist Adnan Mohamed sang, “Abaaboowwan kaleessaa, barattoota alma irratti wareegaman, dhiigni isaani xinniqee, nan lallabaa gadoota, waamicha isaanii awwaadhaa!” “The flowers of yesterday, the students who sacrificed their lives, the blood they shed, I will speak out my sorrow, and answer to their call.”
Conclusion
Through their music and inspiring lyrics, Oromo artists have played an important role in explaining the oppression andexploitation of the Oromo people. They have also motivated and mobilized different sectors of Oromo society by raisingtheir political and cultural consciousness and by encouraging them to join the national struggle for self-determination,emancipation, and liberation. In order to overcome the oppression and exploitation of Ethiopian colonialism, Oromomusicians have been leading the way as dynamic and creative political activists.Oromo music has proven useful as a means to further the oral recording of history, conquering ignorance, and educating andleading the way for the liberation of the Oromo people who have been torn apart by civil war and famine. Oromo activistmusicians have played a positive role in restoring lost Oromo identity due to the years of oppression. We have to recognize that music in the Oromo political struggle can be seen as a liberating force which has been used to uplift, to inspire, and tolight pathways for the people, driving them to take part in the struggle against the inequality and injustice that have been imposed on them by the Habasha rulers.
Works Cited
Echo: Al- Ta‟ee Nassir. Music_Centered Journal Volume 5 Issue 1. (Spring, 2003)
Legesse, Asmarom. Oromo Democracy: An Indigenous African Political System.Trenton, N.J.:Red Sea Press, 2006
Oromo Artists and Musicians: Ali Bira, Umar Suleyman, Usmayyo Mussa, Ilfenesh Qanno, and Adnan Mohamed.
*Special thanks to Salahadin (Daga) Abdulle, for his guidance and support in making this paper a success. Mostimportantly, I would like to thank Umar Suleyman, Ali Bira, Usmayyo Musa, Ilfenesh Qanno, Adnan Mohamed and all otherOromo artists and musicians who shared similar inspirational lyrical messages with the Oromo people. Their great contribution that has strengthen the struggle of the Oromo people by restoring great hope in them will continue to be remembered.
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*Demitu Argo was born in Adama and came to the U.S at the age of 7. She obtained her BA in June 2008 from University ofWashington and is currently working and residing in Seattle, WA. Her interests are reading and writing in qubee Afaan Oromoo.