Companion to Chapter 4

Singing the Gospel: Oromo Christian Tradition of Storytelling through Song

by Samuel Deressa

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

From Oral Oromo Songs to Written Sources

English translation of Oromo songs collected by previous researchers (e.g., Tutschek and Onesimos)

Sumner, Claude (ed.). Oromo Wisdom Literature, vol. 2: Songs: Collection and Analysis. Addis Ababa: Gudina Tumsa Foundation, 1997. [View online]

[p. xx] Edme-François Jomard

Jomard, M. (Edme-François). Notice sur les gallas de Limmou. Paris: Imprimerie de Bourgogne et Martinet, 1839. [View online version at HathiTrust; on Oromo songs, see p. 20-24]

[p. xx] Karl Tutschek

Unpublished manuscripts

Tutschek, Karl. Goma, Hambo & Sibu. Kad՚ad՚af wedud՚af odu kan Akaféd՚tetif kan Aga kan Aman walliti bue. Tutschekiana 1: Manuscript with Oromo songs, etc. received from his resource persons. [View online version at Münchener Digitalisierungsentrum]

Tutschek, Karl. Hafuri kan Aga’f Akafede’f Amana’ti. Tutschekiana 28: Dictated correspondence between Tutschek’s main Oromo resource persons. [View online version at Münchener Digitalisierungszentrum]

Posthumous publications

Tutschek, Charles [Karl]. Dictionary of the Galla Language / Lexicon der Galla Sprache; part 1: Galla-English-German / Galla–Englisch–Deutsch. Edited by Lawrence [Lorenz] Tutschek, München 1844. [View online version at Münchener DigitalisierungsZentrum]

• On Tutschek’s Oromo resource persons, see the Introduction and K. Tutschek “Über die Galla, mit Rücksicht auf Tumale Darfur und Dar Denka,” Gelehrte Anzeigen, no. 55-58 (March 18-23). Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1841. [View esp. no. 56]

Tutschek, Lawrence, comp. Dictionary of the Galla Language; part 2 [English–Galla]. Munich 1845. [View online version at Münchener DigitalisierungsZentrum]

Tutschek, Charles [Karl]. A Grammar of the Galla Language. [Posthumously] Transl. by M.J. Smead; edited by Lawrence Tutschek. München 1845. [view online version at Münchener DigitalisierungsZentrum, esp. the 3 prayers and 2 letters in Oromo by Aagaa and Akafedhee on p. 84-91]

[p. xx] Philipp Paulitschke / Franz Praetorius

Paulitschke, Philipp. Ethnographie Nordost-Afrikas. 2 vols. Berlin: Reimer, 1893, 1896. [View book excerpts]

Praetorius, Franz. Zur Grammatik der Gallasprache. Berlin: Reuther & Reichard, 1893. [View online version at HathiTrust; esp. the translation of Ps. 3 and 120 and the texts from Ocu Aagaa and the texts from Aman Gonda on p. 303-10]

[p. xx] Onesimos Nesib / Aster Gannoo

Onesimoos Nasiib and Aster Gannoo, eds. Jalqaba Barsiisaa: The Galla Spelling-Book [and Reader]. Imkullu: Swedish Mission Press, 1894. [View book]

Hylander, Nils. Letter to EFS. Missions-Tidning no. 21a (1891), 162-63 [on Aster Ganno; view online]

Onesimos Nesib. Letter to EFS dated 28 July 1893. Missions-Tidning no. 19 (1893), 149-50 [on (Oromo) Spelling-Book; view online]

[p. xx] Enrico Cerulli

Cerulli, Enrico. “Folk-Literature of the Galla of Southern Abyssinia,” Harvard African Studies 3 (1922), 9-226. [View online version at HathiTrust]

Hylander, Fride. “Onesinus [!] Nesib, Some Remarks on Cerulli’s ‘The Folk-Literature of the Galla’,” Journal of Ethiopian Studies 7, no. 2 (1969): 79-87. [View online]

[p. xx] Martino M. Moreno / Kurt Reinhard

Moreno, Martino Mario, ed. & tr. Favole e rime Galla. Rome: Tip. del Senato, 1935. (Studi storici e linguistici 1) [View excerpts online]

Reinhard, Kurt. “Die Musik der Borana,” in Galla Süd-Äthiopiens, edited by E. Haberland, 721-61. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 1963. [Engl. translation in progress]

[p. xx] Johann Ludwig Krapf

Krapf, Johann Ludwig. An Imperfect Outline of the Elements of the Galla Language. Preceded by a few remarks concerning the nation of the Gallas […] by C.W. Isenberg. London: for the Church Missionary Society, 1840. [View online]

—. Vocabulary of the Galla Language. Edited by C.W. Isenberg. London: for the Church Missionary Society, 1842. [English – Galla vocabulary, based on the German – Galla list submitted by Krapf in 1841; view online]

—. Krapf, Johann Ludwig, ed. and tr. Tentamen imbecillum translationis evangelii Johannis in linguam Gallarum [Imperfect attempt to translate the Gospel of John into the language of the ‘Galla’]. London: R. Watts, 1839. [View online]

—. The Book of Psalms, Translated into the Galla Language. Printed at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible-Society. St. Chrischona (Switzerland): Mission-Press, 1872. [View online]

—. The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Translated into the Galla Language. Printed at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society. St. Chrischona (Switzerland): Mission Press, 1876. [View online]

Hymns

• [p. x] Galata Waaqayyoo (‘Praise God’). Mimeographed melody hymn book. Addis Ababa: Mekane Yesus Seminary, 1980.

• [p. xx] Faarsaa fi Weedu (‘Hymns and Songs’). Edited by Onesimos Nesib. Imkullu (Massawa): Swedish Evangelical Mission, 1886. [View book] [View music book (publ. 2022)]

• [p. xx] Galata Waaqayyo Gooftaa Machaa (‘Praise God, Lord of hosts’). Edited by Martin Nordfeldt. Addis Ababa: Swedish Evangelical Mission, 1935. [View book]

• Galata Waaqayyo Gooftaa Machaa .2nd edition. Addis Ababa, 1959/60 (1952 AM).

• [p. xx] Sagalee Lubbuu Galata Waaqayyof (‘Words from the soul to praise God’). Mimeograph, edited by Lammeesa Bato. n.p., 1970. [View book]

• [p. xx] Galata Waaqayyoo (‘Praise God’). 1st edition. Addis Ababa: Yemisrach Dimts, 1976/77 (1969 AM). [View book]

• [p. xx] Galata Waaqayyoo. 2nd edition. Addis Ababa: Yemisrach Dimts, 1990/91 (1983 AM).

• [p. xx] Macaafa Faarsa (‘Hymn Book’). Addis Ababa: Bethel Synod Mekane Yesus, 1967 [2nd ed. 1980 ??].

• [p. xx] Macaafa Faarfannaa: Galata Waaqayyo (‘Hymn Book: Praise God’). Edited by the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus. Addis Ababa: Bole Printing Enterprise, 1998. [View book]

• View Catalog of Oromo worship songs (lyrics, etc.)

“Words of Life” Audio Recordings (before 1974)

• Arusi (Arsi Oromo)
  Words of Life, vol. 1 (2 long tracks with songs), © 1967

• Borana (Borana Oromo)
  Words of Life (about 7 songs), © 1966

• Guji (Guji Oromo)
  Words of Life (about 8 songs), ©1959

• Oromo: Wellega
  Words of Life (about 7 songs [cf. “Galata Waaqayyoo”?]), © 1967

Profiles of gospel musicians

• [p. x] Onesimos Nesib, 1855/56–1931
• Lamessa Bato (Rev), 1932–2018
• Caalii Fufaa (Rev), * 1936
  • View Overview of Sources of Rev. Caalii’s melodies
    

Music videos ft. Oromo storytelling

• Kuullee Koo (by Haacaaluu Hundeessaa):

• Belba (by Jamboo Jootee):

• View other Traditional Oromo Songs [Vignette]

Further readings

ON TRADITIONAL OROMO ORATURE

Andrzejewski, Bogumil Witalis. “Literature in Cushitic Languages other than Somali,” in Literatures in African Languages: Theoretical issues and sample surveys, eds. B. W. Andrzejewski, S. Piłaszewicz, and W. Tyloch, p. 408-25. Warsaw: Wiedza Powszechna; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.

Eshete Gemeda. African Egalitarian Values and Indigeneous Genres: A Comparative Approach to the Functional and Contextual Studies of Oromo National Literature in a Contemporary Perspective. Wien, Berlin: Lit Verlag, 2012. [esp. chapter 6; view online version (Google Books)]

Griefenow-Mewis, Catherine, and Tamene Bitima (eds.). Oromo Oral Poetry Seen from Within. Wortkunst und Dokumentartexte in afrikanischen Sprachen 20. Cologne: R. Köppe Verlag, 2008.

Van de Loo, Joseph, with the collaboration of Bilow Kota. Guji Oromo Culture in Southern Ethiopia: Religious Capabilites in Rituals and Songs. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer Verlag, 1991.

ON OROMO STORYTELLING THROUGH SONGS

Kena Abdii. “Hachalu Hundessa’s Kuullee Koo: In-depth Analysis into the Lyrics and Wollo History.” Article on Medium.com, September 27, 2021. [View online]

Tatek Abebe. “Storytelling through Popular Music: Social Memory, Reconciliation, and Intergenerational Healing in Oromia/ Ethiopia.” Humanities 10, no. 2 (April 2021): 70. [View online]