The Story of 'Qaraa billawni koo.."
By Jilcha Hamid
"Qaraa billawni koo gamni lachuu
khaniin adawwiidhaan halaalchu
Maalayyaa isaaniin wal fakkaachuu
Nu hin feenu isaan wajjiin jiraachuu
Lakii, bu'i narraa, yaa Injiree mataa
Hin bu'u yoo jette summiiniin si gataa
Yoom ta mataa qofaa, ta huccuu nu' jiraa
Ta dhiiga nu xuuxee nurraa fixxe coraa
Arraa Boru jechuun, anaatu fi' laafee
Tanaafiin si jalatti ukkaamamee hafee"
These are lines from the poem written and performed by Abdi Habib, one of the classical Oromo artists hailing from Dirre Dhawa. He originally performed it at the Dirre Dhawa city hall in the late 1970's in front of a jubilant audience which errupted after hearing those lines. Abdi Habib was not well known before that performance (a perfmormance which got him arrested as soon as he left the stage) but after this performance his name rose to prominence. Everybody in Dirre Dhawa was singing "Qaraa billawni koo.." . According to witnesses one of the Derg soldiers at the event even walked onto the stage to arrest Abdi during the performance, before his colleague prevented him from making such a blunder. Arresting Abdi in front of such a large and jubilant audience was only inviting trouble, so they chose to wait until he finished his performance and left the stage before arresting him.
Abdi Habib went on to rise to prominence with Hawwisoo Daawwitii Sabaa before they were shut down by the Derg. After the fall of Mengistu he was one of the leading members of Hawwisoo Caffee Gadaa where he continued to write and perform. One of his poems during the Transitional Government period was the famous "osoo madaan jirtu mudaamuddiin hin fayyitu.." which motivated a new generation in the 1990's. Meanwhile his original poem "Qaraa billawni koo.." had once again rose to prominence when it was re-performed by the little known Qamar Yusuf in Finfinne in 1991.
"Qaraa billawni koo gamni lachuu
khaniin adawwiidhaan halaalchu
Maalayyaa isaaniin wal fakkaachuu
Nu hin feenu isaan wajjiin jiraachuu
Lakii, bu'i narraa, yaa Injiree mataa
Hin bu'u yoo jette summiiniin si gataa
Yoom ta mataa qofaa, ta huccuu nu' jiraa
Ta dhiiga nu xuuxee nurraa fixxe coraa
Arraa Boru jechuun, anaatu fi' laafee
Tanaafiin si jalatti ukkaamamee hafee"
These are lines from the poem written and performed by Abdi Habib, one of the classical Oromo artists hailing from Dirre Dhawa. He originally performed it at the Dirre Dhawa city hall in the late 1970's in front of a jubilant audience which errupted after hearing those lines. Abdi Habib was not well known before that performance (a perfmormance which got him arrested as soon as he left the stage) but after this performance his name rose to prominence. Everybody in Dirre Dhawa was singing "Qaraa billawni koo.." . According to witnesses one of the Derg soldiers at the event even walked onto the stage to arrest Abdi during the performance, before his colleague prevented him from making such a blunder. Arresting Abdi in front of such a large and jubilant audience was only inviting trouble, so they chose to wait until he finished his performance and left the stage before arresting him.
Abdi Habib went on to rise to prominence with Hawwisoo Daawwitii Sabaa before they were shut down by the Derg. After the fall of Mengistu he was one of the leading members of Hawwisoo Caffee Gadaa where he continued to write and perform. One of his poems during the Transitional Government period was the famous "osoo madaan jirtu mudaamuddiin hin fayyitu.." which motivated a new generation in the 1990's. Meanwhile his original poem "Qaraa billawni koo.." had once again rose to prominence when it was re-performed by the little known Qamar Yusuf in Finfinne in 1991.
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