GAAFA JIRUU UUNJARRAA GATANTARRE

AADAA FI DUUDHAA TEENYA DHABNE

Bara har’aat faarsina nuti, 1kan fooyyen itti qimiraa, hiriyoota koo wajjiin dukkoo gaaddisa qe’ee jala tetteenyee osoo taphannuu. Edaan jaarsi gaaddisa jala gara achi aanun, dhagaa boraafatee, wayaa fuulatti uffatee ciisu, ni 2hochise malee hin rafne. Wayuma fuula 'rraa gad-deeffateet;“Badaa joolle asii! Maal asii 3mununuqa yaafti tun uf keessaa! Silaa bara saalat dhalattee 4ija–fuutii motiitii…,5Saal-gabboota joollee ammaa(baraa)! Bara isi’iit; ilmi abbaaf ergama didee, niitin 6eemaraa dhirsa ufitti buluu dhabdee, bakka funyaan isi’ii fedhan deemtee raaw'attu akkuma garaan isi’ii fedhe qofatti ooltee bultii. Gadaa isi’iit; 7gadaada fii 8gadadama malee, sa’aa namni quufaa 9ukata dhabee; dareemon hundeen baddee, mukni hundeen buqqa’ee, horiin bobba'u dheeda, ciisu 'mmoo ciciisa dhabee! Bara maal kun; bara garaan Waaqaa 10gunnubee , duumessi waaq ol-kontoonfatee, Hagayyoodhan ganni-walaabuu caamu, Furmaatni 'n 11diiramtoofne, Afraasan tif hin…” je’ee, akka waan himansi fiixa 'n baasuu dubbi’ii 12dinniinuu, 13guguunguma’aa, 14halcha qubsiisa dubbi’ii, ta waa namatti kuttu takka, nuu afaan banee dhaggeeffatu, 15“Jette 'n je’in, Kolkolool!” je’ee, hafuura walkeessa deeffatee raaw’annaan, manuma dubbii tanaa keessa, inillee ‘n tarkaanfannee, xiqquma miila uf dura 'kka 'chi siqfatuu tahee, raaw'annaan, “Akeekkadhaa mee joolle, lubuun duutuu jirtu’uu, ‘Bubbulan waa argan,’ jechaan dhuga‘a. Kunoo, 16jennee–jenneet, bara ilmi abbaa gorsu, kan dubri ufiin heerumu, ka rakkataan irkoo dhabee, deegaan 17hirphaa 'n kajeelle. Kan firri, rakkatan 18dabaree namaaf hin laatne, fuudhanis 19dhahii namaaf hin dhoofne, kan aanan 20argaa nama dhoowwatu, dabrii 'mmallee abbaan ilma ufii; qooda waakkatee 26gaara gamaa bu‘u, 27Meeqaatamin hima si! Nu haa hanqisu malee, hoo 'kkanaan taate 28raagni cileenuu dhalatuuf ta'a…gosumtuu 29gumaa wal bituu diddee…” je’ee, eddu’uun inni hafuura fudhachu’uu afaan walitti deeffanaan, an, “Si aabbiyyoo, abbaa jaaloyii kiyyaa, barri keessan hoo?” je’ee gaafadhe. Akkana jechuudhan naaf tarreesse akka waan duraan katabatee kurfeeffatetti, takkaa 'mmoo, yaadee qomarraa qabutti, aabbiyyoon kiyya;

“Barri keenya moo? barri keenya way akkanaa 'bboo! 30Halkaniifii guyya’aa maalin isiinii hima. Barri akkaakoo keessanii silaa 31Caalee haa miliqu!. Roobee hin caamu, 32orfoon bonaa ganna raafamti, aannan dhuguu malee, dhadhaa nyaatuu malee namni midhanuu hin shammatu, 33Daana’oo ni tuffata.Baaduu, tuffi'iif nama dhugu dhabanii dallaa jalatti 34dhibaasanii Arraagessi soorata gaafas. Saawa 35dhalti–taadhi’i, namni ayaa-kabajaa qaba. Deegaa itti hirphan, kan 36aannoo dhabes, dabaree ambaa fi firaat qaba. Intalti heerumtu ammoo 37hidda 'rraa 38tirmaadhan galatteet, galtee warra geessu 'mmoo, ejjetaa hori’ii ka warra dhirsarraa argaadhan argattuun mooraa si guutti. Oollan, qalatee wal biratti hin nyaatu, elmatee walbiratti hin dhugu, raafatee wal biratti 'n dibatu, tokko dibatee cululuqee; kuun biratti 39addeenyanis shaakarraayee ol’oleen itti hin galtu. Tan gara fuudhaa-heerumaa yoon laalle 'mmoo, fuudhaa-heerumni 40diluu deema. Fuudhaa waddeessa qajeelchitu jira. Heerumtu siinqee 41 nu wayyitu jira. 42Intala siinqen ala ejjette, abbaan maqaa badaa ‘haftuuu intala baluu san,’ je’u haadha isi’ii 43lagu’uuf jecha 44hagaan bakka itti laalee heerumsiisa. Yoo gara ilma dhiiratii, Qajeeltu (hireen toltu) namuu, niitii mana qaqa’aa, tan rakoon itti kufte, tan randaan dhayaa ganamaa… ta je’an san qabaachuu fedha malee; ufiin deemtuu miila awwaaraa tan coqorsarra deemtee, hiddirraan tarkaanfattee, loon uf dura galchitee, isiin duubaa faana hin galin, tan laga qaxxaamurtee dhufte, tan afaan kulli bartee, mala nyaataa quunqumatte, dabrii immoo intala, ‘Maxxannee afi, maxxanii rafi,… ibiddi ‘n dhaamin, gandaa si ‘n yaamin…’ jettee haadha gorsaan heerumsiiftu niqabdi hinbeekne, fuudhuu dhisii namni gara–galeetuu laalu hin jiru. Fuudhaa yoo ka’anis, 45gabbarri akka qaba. Soddaan ulfina, ulfina aana’a. Ka Soddaa wajjiin haasaya fedhe jaarsan hoo taate malee kophatti deemun heddu 'n jirtu.

Tana keessaa, 46Tarii-maji yoo caamee, bonaaye, 47biriitidhaan uf falu. karra Qaallurra/ulfinarra kufaniit hoggasuma roobsifatan, Bokkuu uf dura kaayaniit malkaa-biyyotti bahanii araara Waaqaa kadhatan, odoon isaan achii 'n kaane hoggasuma 48Dirsaa bakaatti itti fura, kan hanga tufaa hancufaa hin turre. Yoosuma, 'mmoo ka takka deebi'anii, roobni rooba nagaa tahuu kadhatan akkana jeu'un: ‘Fororoo, rooba nagayaa, ka qabbanaa, ka mukarraa baala 'n buufne, saayyorraa rifeensa 'n buufne nu godhi!’

Silaa, gaafa dur angafa Qaalluu Karrayyu‘uu, Rabbiifii isa jidduu 49maqni wahiituu hin jirre san, kan gaafa du’ellee reeffa nama sanii mooraa loonii keessa 50ruufan maranii kaayan, achii Waaqni 51hoggasuma duumessa irra qabee, hurree lafatti uwwisee, gara ufiitti fudhatu,” sun sun, nama keessa hin beeknetti hoo odeessan dhara fakkaatti. keessafuu isin joollen bara ammaa, kan xiqqaan guddaarra beeku, kan jaarsi isin biratti joollee quba hootullee hin egeenye! Taanii an yaada kiyyarraa dubbadhuu baadhus, tan duraan 52dhiichisa doori’ii keessatti je’amtee tarte, tanuma lafa jirtu yoon nutti himi jettan, akkana fa’a je’an:

‘Hayyuu Suunee baddaa, gaarii waaqan obboleessaa,

Ammajii roobsitee, yaafte bishaan, laga gogeessaa.

Gaarii Suunee badda, handhuraan waaqatti 'jjettaa,

Maa 'rraa dhabda.’ ”

Eddu‘uun kutee, isaa gorora tambo‘oo gurra jalaa fudhatutti jiruu, nuyi gaaffii ‘tti aantu achi ‘tti darbanne, ‘mmaas, “Si aabbiyyo, maalif ree barri keessan, kan abboota keessanii, keenya immoo keessan, hanqata’aa; jireenyi akkanatti 54dhawaatan hammaacha’aa deeme?” je'een tokko nu eddu' uu. Innis deebisee,

“Meeqaatam sababni! Gaafa ulfinni Waaqatti 55maqee gooytan itti dallane, erga angafni qaalluu biyyaa akka ummataatti 56biyyee uffatee, Ummatnis 57goodaa qaallu'uu kabajuu dhiiserraa, dabrii 'mmoo gaafa mootummaan Karrayyuu bituudhaf 'baalabbaata’ itti moosisee uf jalatii gadi qaberraa, ka dheedaa godaansi mariidhan maletti tahuu jalqaberraa. Mataan rakkoo kana maraatuu, qaamolii adda addaatin lafa teenyarraa dhiibamnee, qabeenya isirraa kan uuman nuuf horatte kan jireenyi keenya irratti gad-dhaabbaterraa qarqaramuudha. Fakkeenyaf, Lafa dheeda tan bona jabaaf nuuf toltu, malkaa obaa saawaa tiifii kan waraabaa kan laga Hawaas irra laba galee jiru, fi kkf. Gaafa karrayyuun, lafa isi‘itti abbaan heddate, kan akka mootummaa, kan godaanee qubatu, magaalaa, shankoora, ‘killilii/faarkii’ kkf la farraa nidhibun daranirralleeaadaa fii duudhaa nuti ittiin walbulfannu ittiini dheednee waldheedsifannu harkaa nu qancarsan. kanumaafuu, erga jireenya uunjarraa baaneee sabbuma kanaan ammoo hanguma harka qabnu sanillee, aadaa fii duudhaa teenyatti buluun keenya qofti, akka dur san lafaafii uwwisa isi‘ii, uunjadhaan itti fayyadamu‘uu fi dabreetis ammoo badi‘irraa nu eewwalu‘uuf toluu dhabee fi dadhabee asoodha, sanumaa as! Maalif yoo jenne, bakka kan itti namaaf hin bullee nama keessa guutetti, haala fi akkaataa takkottii buluun waan hindndayamneef, ammallee ammoo, bakka wanti walii galteeedhan irratti bulanii jiraatan sun harka nama hin jirretti, waliigalteen sun hanga dubbiii qofa taatee waan haftuuf jecha, jechuudha. Irratti 'mmoo, gaafa Islaamumman babal’ata’aa, aad‘aafii gadaa keessatti wanteen bal ataman heddata‘aa dhufanirraa, gaafa waldhabbii maccuu ganda keessalleen, ‘Biiroo’ malee gaaddisatti foramen dhiifterraayi aadan teenya walfaana harka keessa nu mucucaatun.Har’a maqaaaf jirra malee, akka keenya dhabne joolle. Badaa gorsaan yakkanii deebisuun hin jirtu, 58bushaayan kottee namaa baqatee biyya gad–dhiise. Saphansaa, qottoon muka lafaarraa dhabamsiifte. Asfaaltirra gadoo asiif achi waat fe’ama. Ka ‘tti gurgurataaf fe’an Karrayyuudha, ka ‘tti faayyadamu kan biraati. Kun Haraqeedha, diina aadaa fi haaloo teenya qancarsu keessaa 59muummee. Wanti akka isi‘itti biyya balleessaa jirtu hin jirtu. Isii wajjiin karraayyuun wal ajjeeftee, nama harka tayuun nutti baate, 60akkaa uraa. ka dur 61gadaa dhuftu dabartuu keessatti nutti hin taahin. Ar’a warra saphansaa dabe,kan muka affeelee–Cilee ykn muree qoorsee–Qoraan karaa taankirrattiin bahu, irra guddeessi odoon gurguree faaydarra oolchee, bultii maatii ufii ittiin tin’ifatelle’ee Yoom garaa nunyaatti silaa, Akka bade, namni maallaqa akkasitti akka ufii itti gatee, danfa meeqan argatu san kan itti facaasee galu Haraqeedha. Akkuma baaso fii Ituunis gamasiin maallaqa harayyuttuu argatan magaalaatti 62'baala mudhugurree’ee)ratti gadi naqaa oolan sanitti. Kuni gaa, lafaa fii biitti ‘saawa tikii hin qabne’ taate jechuudha. Mukni dur ka biyyaati, amma biyyuma sanuu abboomaf heddu’ut falma, bad’ii badada dhabuun tun kajeella wal–saammata lafaa tahittii akka kiyyaa? Ammaas immoo heetessaa waliitis nifakkaatti…Lafti immoo edduu tanatti seedalloofte. Gara tokkoon ammoo, badiin lafaafii uwwisa isi’ii, kan muka hunde’een mancaasee hidda buqqise kun, uuman badhaadhaa, badhaadha uuma’aa kana abdiin; ‘Borus kiyyuma, gaaf tokkon 63kara’aan dabra,guyyaa jabaatten 64itti–oola, bara hamaaten Maatii–Waatii 'tti baasa…’ jechu’uu nama keessa jiraatuu dhaburraayi. Akkuma tisseen saawaa 'bbaa qabuu, ta hegeree mataa isi’iitif jecha, ni badan jechuudhan sobdee maayeessoo kuttee biyya dabarfattu,takkaa ‘mmoo, beela malee qalattee nyaattu san. Lafa dane’ee teenyaa, ammaa 'mmoo maqa’aa teenyaa tanas kan itti gaaduu ammallee guyyuu ittuma jira. Ka abbalatu akka waan ufii horee! Nuti silaa haguu bulla,isintu beeka kka tayu. ” je’ee irraa baye akaa nama gorboo walii dabarsuu–dubbirraa. Ana 'mmoo ba’aan takka natti dabarte, akka waan imaana’aa taatee. Anaa, bodorree kana ka dubbadhu hanga isa 'n qajeelchine, ka qalbisee hanga isaa 'n akeekkanne. ka wahayyuunnu mul’ii isaatii gadii kana, 65Oolii, Farringoo.

Tun odoonuma tanaan jirtuu,yaadni sammuu too labee,gargaggala’aa, hasaasaa ufumatti tokko, qalbii gadi–qabee,waarii itti dheereffadhee yaadnaan dhuguma walitti–hidhanni Karrayyuu(aadaa isiitin wajji) fii biyyaa isi’ii(qabeenya uuma’aatin wajji) jidduu jiru kan bu’uureffame jaalalaafii 66leellisa 67haleelamaatin tahee turuu anumti ufii 68balballoomse.

Karrayyuun uumaa jaallatti ,ni leellifti tanaaf maqaa ilmaan moggaafti. Lafa dheedaat jaallatti,tanaaf ilmaan moggaafti.Fanttalle,Bulgaa,Arroolle,Eddoo,Boosat,Leedii,Gobbu,Summaa,fi kkf. Karrayyuun bosona jaallatti,

muka kunuunsiti, tanaaf maqaa mukaatin ilmaan moggafti: Qurquraa, Leedii,Rukeessa,Dhaddacho,Waddeessa, Saphane, fi Jajjabaa fa’a. Burqaa fi laga leellifti,tanaaf Burqaa,Hawaas,Bulgaa, fa’a moggaafti. Ammaa malee

dur Karrayyuu biratti Muka akka malee muruun salphina,uumaa midhu’uu,Waaqa dallansiisu’u,jibba Waaqat irraa sodaatu.muka jiraa tahee gubanii gurguruun silaa hooda, kolkolummaadha namuu nilagata.uumaa Waaq, Mukaa Bineenyyii gahuun, hubuun, badi’i, maqa. Maqa sa’aa namatti hin tolle,kan moora nama barbadeessu,kan jibba ulfinaa namatti dhalu,laalchaa jibbi ulfinaa immoo gidiraadha.Ibidda dikee seene. shanyii nama balleessa, badhaadha nama deessa.Hanqatan halaalatti,taanii immoo falli biriitidha karra ulfinarra kufanii araarfachu’uu bayimni namaa sa’a ufii,je’ee odoonin hin fixin ka obboleessa du’aa fudhatee naan qole.

Dhuguma, akka dhabatu 69nu-daga fa’a malee, jireenya kaleessa tare kan har’aatin walcinaa qabanii laalun ,tan hegere’eetif dawooma qabdi. “Garaan dabra, gurri 'n dabru,” jetti Karrayyuun. Gadaa ilma ufiitif 70guduunfaa buroo qabdu, ciicoo aadaa fii duudha’aa- ayaa, beeggii, ulfina, kaaya fii faaya kabajjaa namoominaaf 71leemmon quudhee ganama dabarse san, irratti 'mmallee, malaa fi fala horannoo taligaa jireenyatiin wajji akkuma ufii ’tti bulaanii fi horan san 72miju’uun dhala ufii dhaalchisanii yoon du’an, duuti sun du’a sheenaa fii gaabbii hin qabne taati. Maqaa gaaritu nama duubatti hafee, du’a gam-lachuu san du’uu nama laga.

Si aniin kun ka dhaloota ammaa, badadee 'kka abbaa kiyyaa himu hin maxxansin, reebu hin ardaallomin, arjoomee tola namaa 'n oolin, ittisee lafa abbaa kiyyaarratti hin abboominiitii; hanguma fi akkuma aabbo'oo sanuu balfuun kiyya maal ree? Moo 73folloqqee tanan 74waa-jabo godhe? Baree maal ufii tareetan, aabba ka waa naa taretti taree, wallaala isaa...“Godaantee baddaa hin jirtu, ooltee baddana hin jirtu, ufjajjuu joollee ammaa, ijaa cirmiin barana,” jennu tahaa, xiqqo areerree mammaaksicha. Yoon ka waa nuu taru taate, achi ufii ol lallaburra 75gurra achi qisuu barra silaa. Tan aabborraa fuudhe jabeessee, ta ormarraa bitadheen akka isiin itti wal fudhattu milaanmilchee, mala ilma dhiiratiin dagalfadhee, walitti 76waldeessee yoonin jiruu ittiin faladhe wanti hin taaneftammeedha? Malaan wayyiifuu warri adaadin nudura tlluuu caalaa ardii birorra bayeehuu gad-dacha’ee, aabba ka nuti tuffi’ii, waan inni je’u hin dhageeffanne milammilchu’uun,afaan gossaa.silla ro’oo 'kkasii dhandhamee, copha isii idiggilee elmadhee, raasee suurre 'rraa naqee, dhibaayyuu aabo’oo miilan lafarra dhiituu guddinaatti hin herregu.Qoonqofuu agabee,obbol too tiruun aayyaa, qerranso’oon bishaan afaan nabuusuu,ka gurmuun irra sololiitu,qarbata jiilcha baattee gala'n taane, tirata, ciniinnata man-geesse, naaf jecha onne’ee 'n cittuu? Akka waan ilma abbaan, durii, baaduu dhibaasee,ilmoo binoo'n quubsinii, quubsee 'n bachacheessinii!

77“Nan ofadhe” hin je’u! dabreetan koonnisa kale-dhuftee,bar-fidee haala baraa,namaa 'mmoo bor-yaanaa,helarraa taatu; machii mirqaana 78saada.Dhaltii gurgureetan al-magaalaa bubbulee,fixadhee duwwaawa.duwwaawee oso qullaa qulqulluu galee 79fiiga hin baane silaa!Takkaaretan bar-baruu didee, mataa bar-fidee dhukkuba saalaa uf cuuphee,miila 80toora gala 'n qabne kaayee,galee warraan karraafa! kolkolool!jechuun nama hin hanqiftu,hanqatan halaalumatti.Tun battala- irree taatee, na qofarrattillee hin haftu, gogeessatti tarkaanfatti,jala-baati,marii biyya guututi.kan jaarsa fii laajimaa, keessumattuu nuyi, kan dhiira maraati. Aabbon, “Ana taatee,odooni aabboo taatee…” je’eet 81Dambalee guyyaa/gaafa 82 gur-uraa dhahatu keessatti, 83gurra fi guuutun godoo galiitii, abbaa isaatif quudha. Akka abbaan isaa, isa caalu qooqa ol-fudhee hima'aa. Nuti 'mmoo dabrineetuu tuffanna, tan dhaalle niwaakkanna, hin-jirree 84ni aalanna. Horsiifnee hin mul’ifnuu, kan hore nyaannee fixna. Akaakoo dheedni diiida, dagaagaa gorbaati ol, hora sama’aa gadi,…! Aabbon ciqiletti hafe, an 85fiinxedhan harkaa qaba. Tatanarra tamtu baasa ree? An aabboo jilbaa gadi, aabbonis 86akee mul’ii gadi. Gad-shokokaata dhawaatumaanii!

“ Uleen Leedii,

Saayya Uleen Leedii

Aabba dhugaan teetii,

Nutti araarami!”

( Weedduu dubartii karrayyuu keessaa kan ergifatame)

Galatoomaa,

Rukeelluu.

Disrupted Wholesome Living that

Nullified Culture and Tradition

( A translation of an Afan Oromo essay based on facts of the lives of the Karrayyuu Oromo, Mataharaa, Fantaallee.)

Shaded with a green big tree, I was talking of the merits of these days together with my friends unnoticing the respected elder man who rock-pillowed his neck lied down on/under the other side of the tree. “‘Get lost! ’ he shouted. ‘What a nonsense are these talking. Don’t feel ashamed at all! Children of the time. Indeed, the time beset with difficulties which a son is disobedient to his father, the wife being reluctant to accept the order of her husband, instead pursues what she feels under taken. It’s in their era that we encountered confusion and misfortune, our livestock got hard finding pasture, and shelter. What an odd era it is! The God denied us rain, the cloud hang away of bright, the august (usually the major rainy season) with no rainfall, the February (short rainy season) lack any shower, never the December … ’ Murmuring, as if he wanted to show the need to make a limit the issue as is apparently inexhaustible told. He uttered, ‘May God’s mercy be on us!’ ”

Having a sort of resting pause, he then continued getting some what deeper into the issue. He continued “Listen carefully boys! Man being mortal to pass1.As the proverb goes, ‘The long you live, the more you happen to learn,’ We, In the course of time indeed encountered an utter upheaval when the son advises his father, the girl commence marriage at her own will without the consent of her parents, the needy is denied support, the poor is never shared, the kin never lend lactating animal to who lack nor contribute live stock for one required to pay wed presents, and fathers deny, regardless of our custom, the worth of his son at his wedlock. In fact a number of facts can be mentioned. Come may not, one’s clan, I am afraid may refuse to pay the life insurance of a person murdered by their member…”

while he is to break for rest, I asked “ Daddy, and Dad of my peer, what about the conditions in yours time ?” He replied, unhesitatingly from his reminiscence in order, as if he had it scripted, exclaiming, “our time? Time of abundance! Where should I begin?. In our time, the rainfall is ceaseless, milked and skimmed irrespective of the season, milk and butter constituted our entire consumption, and we seldom, if ever purchased the consumable ’the rubbish grains’. Believe you may or not, the skimmed milk is seldom consumed. It served as feed of the animals flooded out homestead. Cows gave birth year after year, people full of courteous, the short handed are helped, those lacking lactating cows are lent. A marrying girl adds to your livestock holding with those she obtains from the kin’s plus with those she is presented from the kin’s of her husband. A household never consume its animals slaughtered with out sharing with neighbors as neither does the one with milk yielding animals.

In general, a household would never fall short of resources or facilities possessed by any one of one’s neighbors though one may have none to share in turns. Marriage takes place in compliance with culture and tradition. Furthermore, Due consideration is given to facilitate the marriage link and to harmonize the wedlock. If a girl reaches her marriage age, her father apparently makes sure that she is married and married to the right person. He does so, in order to safeguard the values and reputation of the girl and thus that of her mother from being blurred due to the girl’s remaining in parent’s home despite her reaching marriage age. With regard to men, every one ensures getting engaged to a girl whose lineage is culturally acceptable to get married to the person, and the girl should be one that has neither been engaged to another person nor is a widow. She should be a courteous, virgin girl well-bred-culturally, and be from a family with traditionally sound background. One never accepts to get married to a girl with concealed background, who crossed rivers and arrived there and may have exposed herself to any premarital or extramarital relationship with other men. At wedding, there certain duties the family of the bride needs to fulfill like cows given to the girl family, and others. More over the brides family should make sure a favorable relationship is built and maintained over the years, beginning from the time of engagement, and all contacts between both families are carried out in a respectful manner and in conformation with age old norms, like sending respected and honored community elder whenever negotiation is required.

Generally speaking, unlike these days we lived a better life in compliance with our culture and traditions without facing drought and famine. In case occurs drought, lack of rain fall resolution ways made through appealing to the honored cultural and spiritual leaders. As soon as the public appealed to such honored leaders, and these transferred the appeal to God. It yielded rain from God with out waiting for another hours. These prayers to God were under taken with such respected persons in different posts, like nearly the river points on hills etc…

On occasions of heavy rainfall, we prayed saying “may the rainfall be, that which never harms the nature, that doesn’t cut off a leaf from a tree, and a single hair from the livestock, a cool and peaceful rainfall etc…

In our grand father time, the relationship between God and our nation was in order, when the body of respected spiritual leader was never buried, but was just garment-rolled put in the middle of cattle barn when after is taken away by God in a miraculous manner with minutes accompanied by clouds, such mysterious realities seems a folktale when narrated these days. In particular to you, the present generation to whom we never know any thing better than an infant. Yet, though I don’t say more on this, let me just recite what was articulated by ‘Gada’ singer on an occasion. It is said,

‘The honored Sune of the plain,

Gracious brother of the god,

Due January prayed you yielded rain

Flown wet come the dry gully

Gracious of the valley, you Gods descendant

Appealed to him, ever, denied you not.

We threw to him the next question while he was collecting his once used tobacco bolus from underneath his outer ear making a short break. We asked, “Daddy, so why have things gone ever worse generation after generation?”

He replied, “‘ Myriads of reasons.’ he exclaimed. Since and ever since the smooth relationship between God and our spiritual leaders disrupted, and the subsequent loss of the ritual leaders the special privilege they had apart from the ordinary people and met the fate of ordinary people, and the deterioration of the harmony between the ritual leaders and the ordinary people. More importantly, the grand factor is our eviction from our ancestral lands and denial of access to the critical environmental resources(dry productive and dependable grazing lands, numerous Water points on the Awash river etc)that retreated us to the periphery and ever shrinking resources by the government and its different campaigns aggravated by the subsequent expansion of urban towns, lake ‘Nogoba,’ and new nomads entrants to our land etc. These beyond impairing our livelihood as pastoralists gradually plunging us deeper in to an increasingly diminishing productivity and increasing impoverishment, languished our traditional governance system and nullified our customary grazing mechanisms for resources management system and much more. Therefore, if at all these mechanisms were to be thought of, it is impossible while all the retreat able lands are at hands of the government and its campaigns, and yet the meager left is abounded by non-native inhabitants. Therefore our mere abide by our culture and custom could no more function as a system to properly and fairly utilize our land and its resources, as well as properly manage its resilience, ever since and afterwards the borne of these counter forces. Moreover with the expansion of Islam and its unmatched principles with the elements and constituents of our traditional ‘Gada’ values and cultural assets, the introduction of the government judicial system- the public issues instead of resolving In a usual manner, begun addressed to the government court, etc had a significant bearings in curtailing the rest perspectives of our customary institutional system.

He further went on, ‘Lost we do our identities today, you children!’ He exclaimed. The traditional clan system to control misbehaving of its members has fade away. Today, in part of our land, Axes are clearing away trees. Brought are things which are contrary to our development, where the benefactors are outsiders. To wit, the “Arake ”-the local alcoholic liquor, the leading predator of our culture and tradition, as a consequence of which murder between Karayyu has come a recurring coincidence.”

To worse the matter off these sullied component of the multitude took as their resort for generating cash for such a rubbish purpose, the clearing of forest and provide for sale in the form of fuel wood or­­/and charcoal. It would have been less regrettable had the money generated in such an environmentally hazardous way served to support the household's insecure livelihood. Moreover clearing of forests is similarly adopted throughout the entire community, whereas the “JImaa ” consumption instead of the “ Arake ” (consumed by the ‘Dullacha’ clans federation settled north of the highway.) is common in dwellers on the other side of the high way..

Generally this leads to a conclusion that the people are getting irresponsible to their actions on their land. In the past, land was considered a collective property of the multitude. where as at present who possess the land now and in the future remains a question and is thus seem to be the cause for irresponsible intensified competition over its use. Analogous to a hired herder who never hesitate abusing the livestock he keeps whenever possible at any possible means. so is our land. Numerous are planning to grab as they or others did while others demanding to own it to put to their use. My children, I may pass away any time, it is therefore you who is answerable to the fate of our fatherland, and the generation now onwards.”

I then begun contemplating the validity of the issues raised. still, I conceived myself lazy, inarticulate and with minimal intelligence, and any other Personal qualities, call whichever you may, less than my father and much less than my grandfather regardless of the evolutionists theory as to the mental and physical developments of human being over years. I groaned to my self, Dwarf!

Reciting of what I heard and relating it with the practical world so far I know, I lastly came to a conclusion and told to myself that –practically true is all, the karayyu used to be nature lovers, nature nurturers. That is why they are naming their children with the names of their grazing land, trees, rivers, and so on. To wit the names Arolle, Eddo, Hawas, Fantalle, Bulga, Dhadacho, Lugo, Summa, Qurqura, Bosat,Ledi,Saphane, Rukessa, Wadessa, Jilo, Jajaba, Burqa, etc each corresponding to either of the mentioned natural resources category.

In the past, an Unfair use of natural resources is conceived as offending God, with a consequence of bad fates to one‘s family (people and livestock),and was a prohibited practice. Tree clearing caused a loss one‘s social image while putting him in to the rituals curse with a consequential loss soon or after. If in case one happens to make similar faults one is required to spend some stock expenditure to be forgiven by the ritual leaders…such I was reciting, when I fell asleep.

This being naked truth making an analysis of changes in livelihood status over years helps to make a valid and meaningful attitudes thus shaping ones actions in the future. Making use of resources without compromising the next generation’s share is what does normally un irresponsible being, where as make use of and manage resources in a way that safeguards and secures the fates of following generation is what a responsible being commences. succeed to the next generation, a comprehensive asset kit–A kit containing the cultural elements, the constituents of custom, humanity, graciousness, human respect, and all qualities that human being is bestowed to be a full person, plus the know how by which one enlightens his/her aspirations in economic and social development, so far as ,if not more so than what one acquired is a big leap to rescue vanishing in vain. That way one leaves his benign deeds and title aback.

So, We the present generation criticized may not for not keeping abreast of our parents in all accounts, But why do we ever then despise their status? Are we taking for granted being able to read and write, where as our education is indeed nothing to write home about and if at all, for the very sacrifices made by them?

“Moved to the highland, you reached not there, remain home not stayed in the lowland, the present boasting generation, these years will be found out your shame.” This is to mean that one has to master to a given field of life rather than leaping to two at a time thus no yielding achievement in either while confusing in between-like the current karayyu generation who is detached from the original lifestyle to and still not catching up with the other school of life-education based economic sustenance.

wish to realize progress, better we learn from parents than tempting to tell. What if we acquire the art of relating and integrating our purchased knowledge with the practical to be gained from our fathers, then use our intuition further to further organize, reshape and replenish them in an insightful manner so as to better utilize them in influencing the future? Here, it goes without saying that the very advanced foreigners knock our doors assessing knowledge from such people we look down on. had we not been immature, we would have followed the same track and would have not kicked off our traditional base while seeking to be seen intellects. We, who lack bread and to whom provide water, our starved sisters traverse miles back-carried reach home and fall sick, as if whom fathers apart from feeding and saving themselves did not spare for the beasts! Unsavory we being, involved in unwholesome practices like exposure to HIV-AIDS, various addictions, extravagance, etc. and to worse off, spoiled our families with all these acquired ills. So, cursing you never escape these unless you keep yourself aloof noticing that these and their deadly effects are not limited to you, nor are limited in space and time. Their threat, pass to generations to come unless are publicly fought- by the adult, the youth, and in particular by men.

We need to learn from our fathers acknowledging the successes of the predecessors. They do it on all occasions. Among, as articulated in one of the “Gada” celebration songs called “Dambale,”

“ Had lived my ancestors in place of me, my land would not have shrunk to so a … ” admitting being surpassed. Where as we deny what we inherited, allege the intangibles. We are not productive yet, consume up what is saved. In the era of our grand fathers, they kept a splendid mass of grazing land, where as our fathers a sole part of it, and at our hand now remained only a tip of it-implying that grand fathers are by far better than our fathers, as our fathers do than we.

“The riding stick of the cattle is made from the ‘Ledi ’ tree,

God, the truth is at your hands, may you forgive us !...” (As translated from verses some karrayyuu ladies' traditional song.)

Thanks,

Rukeelluu.