"Attam Yaa Obbo Bariisaa"

The following poem by Rev. Gudina Tumsa was first published on the Bariisaa Oromo newspaper in 1976, and it was republished on The Gulele Post on January 31, 2014, with an introduction by Oromo human rights activist Ob. Jawar Mohammed.

The following poem was composed by the late Rev. Gudina Tumsa, and published on Bariisaa, the first Oromo newspaper. Rev. Tumsa was known for his devotion to his faith and being a vocal advocate of social justice. He is credited for providing crucial material and intellectual support for the then emerging Oromo national struggle. He was an avid writer and left important manuscripts on spiritual and social issues. From reading the poem, it appears that the Reverend composed it with a dual purpose in mind; one to express his views on contemporary issues of the time, while at the same time contributing to strengthening the fledgling single Afaan Oromo news and literary outlet. The small Oromo intelligentsia of them time  seem to have made a coordinated effort in filling the pages of Bariisaa as a way to alleviate the burden from the understaffed and regularly harassed editorial team led by Mohadi Mude. As expected Rev. Tumsa led by example by placing his contribution on the second publication after the launching. His poem was published in 1976 (68 EC) just a few years before he was murdered by Mengistu’s regime in 1979.

Mr. Mude graciously re-published (in 1996) selected poems from the newspaper in a volume titled ”Walaloo Bariisaa”. In this book we find captivating revolutionary poems by prominent individuals such as Shantam Shubbisa, Alemayo Qubee, Sheik Bakri Saphalo, Mangasha Rikitu and many others. I have taken the liberty of sharing Rev Tumsa’s poem in order to invite readers to  this interesting piece, and also to attract attention to this important collection. I am indebted to Abbaa Urjii (Abdurashid Mohammed) of Toronto who provided me with the book.

Attam Yaa Obbo Bariisaa
Rev. Gudina Tumsaa
(Bariisaa Vol.1, No.2, Bitootessa 3, 1968)

Baga nagaan galte yaa Obbo Bariisaa

Koottu waldhungannaa maddi walii keessa

Walarguun firootaa  jireenya mi’eessaa

Deemtee turte jedhuu biyya fagoo keessaa

Baay’inni firootakee eessaa fi eessaa

Jedhee siif katabaa Qees Guddinaa Tumsaa

Maalif baddee turte ji’a ja’an sanaa

Firri akkas walgodhaa maali wanti akkanaa

Baay’ee si komanne yaa Obbo Bariisaa

Gar gar ba’uun keenya waan baay’ee balleessaa

Mee egaa odeessi dhoksaa garaa keetii

Nu’oo walii firaa maa sodaatte atii?

Maalif biyyaa baate ji’a ja’a guutuu?

Fira baayyee qabda maali hin himattuu?

Biyyichi fagoodhaa essa deemtee turte?

Ji’a ja’a guutuu maalif si fudhate

Maaloo natti himadhu anuu siin gargaara

Waa’ee kee odeeffataa turre fira kan keetirraa

Yaa Obbo bariisaa maal atoo hin dubbattuu

Warri firoota kee akkam si hubatu

Kiiloo meetirii meeqa deemte ji’a ja’a guutuu

Karaa dheeraa kana mukuun sin ajjeeftuu?

Fira qabda turte kan wajiin dubbattu

Natti himi biyyicha lafa dhaqxee turte

Dabali haasa’i akka itti bubbulte

Hindii deemteetta biyya rivolushinii?

Yammuu achi turte maal sitti odeessanii?

Jeneevaa bulteettaa yammuu karaa deemtu?

Si’a nama argitu afaan maalii haasoftu

Yammuu Raashaa geesse biyya dimokraasii

Haasofteertaa kan sigamsiise waa’ee birokraasii

Waa beekuun barbaada waa’ee baruumsa kee

Akka sitti hin deebine dubbiin dhukkuba kee

Baruumsa attam galteettaa akkaadaamii

Ti’oorii fi hojiidhaan akkatti adeemmii

Dhageessiftee deemte dhugaa bira geessee

Kunookaa deebitee biyya abbaakee teessee

Dhugaadhaan faradnaan Gadaa bira geenyaa

Bara seerri Gadaa uffee jennee teenyaa

Seerri dimokraasii wal nama qixxeessaa

Atoo ammayyuu ijoollee dha mugguttii bartee

Attamin muggutee afaan fudhen hima jettee

Maal jette falmatte dubadhu  na hubachiisaa

Yammuu malakee dhaga’u garaankoo na cuiisaa

Seera moofaa durii qulqulleessaa har’a

Itti lixaa jira seerri dimokraasi isa haaraa

Haxaa’aa! haraa hurgufaa kan nama cunqursu birokraasii

Jarjare haa dhaabbatu  walqixxummaan asii
Yaa birokraasii diina sooshalizmii

Ijji kee lafa haa lixu jedhii hilmii

Lallabi dhageessisi awwaala birokraasii

Hundu du’a ga’iisa haa ga’u iyya labsi

Poletikaan saba bal’aa nama hin rakkisu

Warri birokraasii garuu gad harkisuu

Burraaqi utaali gelsii ba’ii raadiyorraa

Of beeksisi sagaleen kee haa dhaga’amu biyya hundarraa

Baga nagaan galte jaala koo Bariisaa

Kan fedhe ta’uyyuu biyyiti ofii ba’eessaa

Silaa odeessiteettaa biyya ormaa dhaquukee

Maliif natti hin himtu waa’ee laga kan kee

maqaa masoon walwaamnaa haa hafu ulfinni

Biyya sooshaalizimii hinjiru wal caaluuni

Obboon nutti haa hafu sinwaammadha jedhe bari’ee bari’ee

Galuukee hin dhageenye Kumaa ilmi Ida’ee

Ceetee turte jedhu Waabee shaballee

Dakteetaa laata galaana Gannaalee

Xuriin namatti hinbaatu yoo dhiqatan malee

Wanjiin otuu jiruu Awaash xurii hin baasu yoo dhiqatanuu

Dhiqatteetta jedh bisaan qulqulluu galaana Saganuu

Omotti hin dhiqattuu Gojaboo ba’eessaa

Argatteettaa laata Dabanaaf Dhidheessaa

Hin irraanfattaa Baaroodhaafi Abbayyaan hamma kana keessaa

Walargita laataa Kiflee ilma Jootee

silaa sibarsiisaa kan Wallkaggaa nyaata hancootee

Dubbadhu yaa Bariisaa ilma eega fidii

Jabanni toleeraa guddisii gammadii

Jabeessi dha’adhu fardakee kaachisi

Qaata bira geesse Gadaa seera dimokraasii

Bariisaa, Bariisaa, bari’ii, Bari’ii, Bari’ii

Hundee wallaalummaa buqqisi ari’ii, ari’ii, ari’ii

Kophaa kee baafadhuu baadiyyaa dhaqii

Akka ijoollee mandaraa hin sodaatin laaqii

Daandii irraa maqi dhaqi gara gandaa

Saba guddaa argitaa kan dhaggeeffatan Tamasgan Gammadaa

Odeessituu  gaazexaafi radiyonaan saba Gadaa

Kan baay’atu akka tuqa gandaa

Jajjabeessi yaa Bariisaa qottuu barsiisi

Tattaffatan barri hindarbaa beeksisi

Baga nagaaan galte maal sii fidee dhufu

Qoraatii ciruudhaan akka sittintaane gufuu

nan dhufa si dubbisuu ‘hark fuudhaa’ fidee

Waa’ee kee dhageenyaan hirribni na didee

Nagaa koo naa himi warra sidubbisu

Nu gargar hinbaanu baruma baraanuu

Yoo obsaan hojjatan waan baay’etu argamaa

Ilmichi Tumsaa jedhee sitti dhaamaa