The Real 'Qubee generation'
By Jilcha Hamid
Reading Dr. Abdulsemed article "History of Oromo Writing and the Contribution of Dr. Mohammed Reshad" I remembered a story my father told me about a time when the use of qubee was banned. It was used in underground publications such as the Bakkalcha. In his area the paper was circulated by the celebrated Oromo freedom fighter, Jamal Mussa (better known as "Guulaa"). In the late 1970's Guulaa was a one man army, travelling throughout the countryside from his native Baatee Haromaya, to Kombolcha and neighbouring districts speaking to Oromo farmers and students. Underneath his coat he kept a copy of the the underground paper written in qubee and in amharic. This was the first exposure many youth like my father had to the script. At the time my father couldn't read the script, but he eventually learned. Guulaa was arrested at Kombolcha by the Derg, and questioned about his activities. The Dergs appointed mayor made an agreement to release Guulaa if he in turn agreed to stop disseminating papers and stop his activities, to which Guulaa agreed, saying "I'm finished my business here. I will leave now." From then he left to the bush where he became a celebrated war hero.
Guulaa Maayaa was killed in 1978 by the Derg in a shootout in a place called Dagaagaa in Western Hararge. Today the banned script he tucked underneath his coat is used and taught officially.
So I had to acknowledge the man who introduced many youth, including my father to the qubee script. Times have change, and sacrifices have changed them. Rabbi rahmata haa godhuuf.
Reading Dr. Abdulsemed article "History of Oromo Writing and the Contribution of Dr. Mohammed Reshad" I remembered a story my father told me about a time when the use of qubee was banned. It was used in underground publications such as the Bakkalcha. In his area the paper was circulated by the celebrated Oromo freedom fighter, Jamal Mussa (better known as "Guulaa"). In the late 1970's Guulaa was a one man army, travelling throughout the countryside from his native Baatee Haromaya, to Kombolcha and neighbouring districts speaking to Oromo farmers and students. Underneath his coat he kept a copy of the the underground paper written in qubee and in amharic. This was the first exposure many youth like my father had to the script. At the time my father couldn't read the script, but he eventually learned. Guulaa was arrested at Kombolcha by the Derg, and questioned about his activities. The Dergs appointed mayor made an agreement to release Guulaa if he in turn agreed to stop disseminating papers and stop his activities, to which Guulaa agreed, saying "I'm finished my business here. I will leave now." From then he left to the bush where he became a celebrated war hero.
Guulaa Maayaa was killed in 1978 by the Derg in a shootout in a place called Dagaagaa in Western Hararge. Today the banned script he tucked underneath his coat is used and taught officially.
So I had to acknowledge the man who introduced many youth, including my father to the qubee script. Times have change, and sacrifices have changed them. Rabbi rahmata haa godhuuf.
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