Matthew In Oromo, Tr. Haylu (1886)

Wanjeli Mateosi Afan Oromotti kan hikame. [The Gospel of Matthew in Oromo; tr. by Haylu]. Vienna: Adolf Holzhausen [for the BFBS], 1886.

Notes

Darlow & Moule, Historical Catalogue, # 4111 reads:

“St. Matthew’s Gospel, translated into the Ittu dialect, as spoken at Harar near the borders of French and British Somaliland. The version was made by a freed Galla slave of Harar, named Hajlu, who had been with the Mission of the Evangelical National Society of Sweden at Massowah […], and became servant to Professor Reinisch of Vienna, at whose suggestion the B.F.B.S. printed this edition. Just after the publication of the book, the Swedish missionaries received from the Italian Government a party of rescued Galla slaves, for whose use the B.F.B.S. at once despatched a consignment of copies to Massowah. No further portions have been issued in this dialect, and it is stated that the natives who use it can understand 0. [i.e., Onesimos] Nesib’s version in the standard form of Galla”

Coldham, Bibliography, # 765, reprints a shortened version of Darlow & Moule’s statement.

The translator of this Gospel might be the “Hailu” who participated in the second Oromo expedition in 1881/82. Cf. Arén, Evangelical Pioneers:

p. 250: “Preparations for the expedition were well under way when Onesimos returned from abroad in the autumn of 1881. In his company was Mr. A. W. Påhlmann (1852-1931), a classmate who had volunteered to go with him. Then there was a young highlander named Hailu. In 1877 Hailu had desired to accompany Nigusé Tashu to Jimma but was insuffciently trained.

fn. 9: Emelie Lundahl to Board, 1879.01.07, in SEM Missions-Tidning 1879, 35.

Now aged twenty-one, he could join the second expedition as an ordained evangelist.

fn. 10: SEM / E I 24.181: Arrhenius, 1881.11.08.

A recently baptized young Oromo, named Filipos, became its fifth member.

fn. 11: […] For the age of Hailu and of the 19-year-old Filipos, see SEM/E I 24.141: Lundahl, 1880.03.04.

The party included two women. As a final preparation for the journey, Onesimos married Mihiret Hailu from Gojam […, p. 251]. Hailu similarly married Sematu, a girl from Aksum Tsion of the same age as Mihiret.”

p. 252: “[At Khartoum] Mr Hansal, the Austrian consul, introduced the visitors to the Egyptian governor-general […]”

p. 257: “[At Khartoum] Hailu and Sematu suffered from repeated attacks of fever and had to be sent back to Imkullu as soon as possible. They left Khartoum just after the middle of May [1882], together with Påhlman.”

Notes

Further reading