Life and ministry
According to Greiner’s letter dated June 8, 1875, Yooseef Gaaluu was an outstanding pupil in his school for Oromo children in Ankober, which Greiner run from 1874 to 1879.
- We might guess that Yooseef Gaaluu was born around 1862.
Yooseef Gaaluu is mentioned as Greiner’s assistant in the Oromo translation of Barth’s Bible Stories (St. Chrischona: Mission Press, 1881). On the Oromo title page, Illuu [i.e., the surroundings of Warra Illuu?], Oromia, is given as his place of origin.
- The communication regarding the financing and printing of Barth’s Bible stories appears to have been carried out by Krapf. It is unlikely that he would have lobbied for the publication of the Bible stories if he had not been convinced of the quality of the translation.
The same letter mentions that Yooseef Gaaluu accompanied Greiner to the market in Abdul Räsul to buy the freedom of an enslaved Oromo.
It can be assumed that Yooseef Gaaluu also helped Greiner with the translation of [at least two] German hymns into Oromo before June 1875. These hymns are most probably the earliest Oromo congregational songs ever.
- These hymns were composed before Onesimos Nesib left to Sweden for theological study from 1876 to 1881.
If Yooseef Gaaluu accompanied Greiner to Balli, he probably helped him translate the prophetic books of the Old Testament into Oromo. Unfortunately, the manuscripts were stolen near Tadjoura in 1886, when Greiner had to leave Ethiopia.
Further reading
» Joseph Gallu (tr.) and Johann J. Greiner (ed.). Barth’s Bible-Stories, translated into [Oromo]. St. Chrischona: Mission-Press, 1881. [View online]
» Two Oromo hymns (ed. by Greiner)
Cross-references
» Greiner, Johann Jacob (Profile)
» Greiner, Letters published in St. Chrischona (1874‒75)