MIX January 6, 1973 - 40B Tierlul

Recording Series B 1B

Place of Recording: Tierlul

Date of Recording: January 6, 1973

Performance:

Informant: Agwa Alemo

Date of Transcript: April 23, 1973

1 000 Dudbul.

Information: Strong male voice. Sung by Odiel without accompaniment his own songs there is a preecho on the tape which is disturbing but does not interfere with the clearness of the singing. In another way the 10 fingers can be in the hands in a prayer position. Please come and kill me.

Text: Praising a lady after her father who is named after an animal which always in the water, hippo. Advising the prime minister to keep the condition of the village in a good way. I’m asking God with my 10 fingers. Praising people after their animals. And after their grandfathers. One man, uncle’s son, what can I do of my bad luck. It will be my decision to ask God to curse people. Not the one who blesses but the one who curses. He is going to ask the God who curses to kill him or to take him (It is common in our area if a person faces many problems, he will go to a river and say why doesn’t a crock come and eat me and why don’t I die.) Praising Cham’s father when he came from prison in Gore. (He was tried) Because I don’t have relatives, God will be my close relative to help me. In any way. The man whose called OKIEW you better greet my best friend in Illea which is named OKIEW. Praising the wife of that man. Saying this will be my responsibility to ask God. If I will know the place where God lives, I would have asked him where he put my father. What can I do of my bad luck? I may be rich sometimes to ask God about it. Now what can I do? The chief became like God. Repeats. (I would like to ask God to come and kill me with my ten fingers. #1, Come and kill me, #2, come and kill me, #3, come and kill me, etc.)

2 165 Dudbul.

Information: Odiel singing without accompaniment.

Text: When you are alone in your family, no brothers or sisters, the son of a chief or a king, A very important man whom everybody likes, OTEEO. When the chief of Ebago was taken by the police everybody became very angry about him. Said our chief who was very important came back and we must salute him. You better see it with your eyes he came because he has not done anything wrong to God. (He was not guilty) when the chief was taken by the police man. People thought that he’s going to die It is better for me to go to a very far place because of my bad luck. Repeats.

3 262 Dudbul.

Information: Odiel singing without accompaniment.

Text: Took the chief as his father and said that he doesn’t have a father to look after him. Informing his friends saying our village is very nice, like Amhara villages. Said, if you think that the song, I sang is bad why don’t you give me something which can make me rich in my village. (Means, if it is not sensible to anybody who don’t you let me have something, because he has spent energy on it, he needs something to be given to him.) Praising his friend, young friend and advising the elders of Ebago saying, our village is getting worse and worse. Informing that a man who cooks for the chief saying, Ebago doesn’t have newcomers or citizens. Anyone can lie as he wants, not according to the rules or constitution which is made in the village. I’m trying myself to produce or to sing this song in our palace (Means where the chief and bodyguards live) there is a person named after that fish that jumps about the water to get air. When that man plays, he will say my fish jumped when there is no dancing. Keeps jumping when there is no dancing. A man named after crock, questioning him that I spent many years without receiving any price. A man named after frog, when frog makes noise anybody will realize that were it makes noise there is water there. Something which is said by that boy that is named after frog, it is true anywhere Even in Addis. We didn’t know that our chief is going to be alive. Praising one of his friends saying when he came from a long journey, he didn’t feel tired to me. He accepted me. Or helped me. He said also Hes being in Ebago. Hes not against anybody. Just dances and love everyone in the village. He’s praising the daughter of the king. When he was sleeping for the whole day, he was hungry and thirsty but the daughter of the king made food for him. Praising his friends and their wives. Saying when a poor person thinks a lot and doesn’t want to play or talk with anyone, the people of the village will consider him as an evil eye person.

4 431 Obero

Information: Odiel singing without accompaniment.

Text: When the father of Cham was put in jail, his son replaced him saying he is named after a bird called APORA, geese. He remains as the eye of his father. Or as the ambassador of his father. I would like to beg you because my richness or my wealth is getting increased and increased (Means some prices he got from the people are increasing) (Means though he is getting some amount of money from the people he will still need more.) It is because of the young generation are against him, the elder ones are not against him.) I will never be tired of begging our chief. I’ll keep asking him every year till he gives me a price. You are the father of the village. Who replaced the place of OCAR? (The father of Cham is named after pelican) Explaining about his poorness to the prime minister of Ebago. I didn’t know that God is going to crown me in Ebago. (can mean, 2 ways: one, because he got prices from the people, or second, God let him sing a song to the people) Advising the chief to keep his village very strong. He was still begging him till the chief sees his poorness. I informed the people of the village, though he is going to Galla highlands, I will still repeat my begging to him. Told one of his friends that our village is very good but because of the starvation, our chief stopped giving us something to be eaten. The wife of the chief is named after the fish who jumps. When it jumps it jumps to see the position of the sun. give me something so I can be very happy. I can listen to those men who are advising their sons. (If you don’t have father, when your friends are advised by their fathers, you will listen to their advice. You can get advice from the father of your friend.)

5 587 Obero.

Information: Odol, a tall very rich man, very large. Song sung for the chief of PINYMANA. Odoel singing without accompaniment. (In the older days the people did depend on the leader. He defended them and they in return gave to him) Many years ago people depended on their chief by fighting many wars then singing songs. Now when peace has come, they are singing songs only. Now they are sing dancing or love songs. Agwagas sung when a war, now no war, so Agwagas are not sung. They will sing the old ones and not have new ones. Along Baro river, they can sing Agwaga songs against the old generation because they are still fighting or practicing with a stick. Between young and old generation.) an Adongo they sang because of Anyanya fighting but now they are not singing because there is no war. If it is possible can hear new Agwagas because of the fighting between Ajiba and Anuak tribes which is now and has just taken place.) (they always take their chief as the root of the tree. The common people are the branches.) this is always done.)

Text: Consider the chief as Odol. My poorness will be seen only by God. My going to every village of the chiefs it seems that as I’m abusing or insulting them. He took the chief as his father saying, father, you better to keep me in a good safe condition and I can beg you. When I walk, I can see God? He didn’t go to every village to destroy the relationship or make everybody angry. Even though I’m being beaten I’ll be longing to get what I am looking for. I would like to beg my grandfather for my wife. If he can give me something. (Mentioning the man who is shouting in the background. Calling him his grandfather) Tired of going to every village along the Baro river. Without receiving a price. Informing his friend who is named after a fish saying that this may be my bad luck many years ago, common people depended on the chiefs. Our huge chief worked very nicely. He accepts and loves anybody who come to his village. That chief is named after catfish. I will beg you till I become rich. Repeats

6 869 Dudbul.

Information: Sung for Pinymala Chief. Named after catfish. (when a poor man is given something from the chief he will go away to a place and sit and think, I didn’t think the chief would give me something like this. He will praise him like God and desire that he led the people for a long time. When their problems solved by someone, they will take that man as their Savior. You can realize he has been given a big price from the chief of Pinymala). (If you marry Masengo girl you pay that kind of gun and no more – not worth much) (Anuaks sold these away because they are using the guns of Italians.) they have given Italian guns to Anyanyas hoping they will get new weapons from Anyanyas. But they have gotten nothing. In 1970 all Anuak agreed to join liberation movement in Sudan. But unfortunate agreement took place. So, no guns. Like what was done to Israelis. Were dispersed were growing. an Anuaks expected because their number were increasing in Gambela, if they took them back to liberate their country, they probably would have succeeded.).

Text: He’s the best friend of any person. My bad luck had been with me for a long time. I was trying my best whether I was going to get something very important from the chief of PingMala. Praising his friend after their uncles’ animals. Last friend named after uncles’ animal the crock and he said, the crock never sleeps on its back. When you see a crock sleeping on its back that means its dead. (The one he is praising in Etung is an Evangelist.) Said that when he cries, he will cry against his friends who are very close to him. Am man named after very small fishes. Explaining to him that it would be better for me to carry a load as a worker to get some money. (Fish move in a group. Very small moving in a group. AGAE; very small fishes. Praising his friend saying how can I miss some prices from you. One of his friends who is poor like him also, said the best thing you can do is to marry OJUNG lady (from the Masengo tribe) Which is used by the young Masengo already and has red beads around her for her to be your wife. Which you can pay an old gun for WACAGERA. Takes only one bullet. Old one from the Turks.

7 1050 Dudbul.

Information: The son of giraffe: the father of that chief was named after giraffe.

Text: I will like to beg you or continue to be using you in my songs. Though I am very tired, I will still sing the songs for any chief. I didn’t see you yet. (He doesn’t know more about the chief yet because he is a new chief.) I got a chief who gives me something. ‘for myself I didn’t know you yet who is fit to led the village. Who looks very proud to be a chief? Try your best to lead your village you the chief of Illea. Your bodyguard will have dancing which can be heard to the whole world.

8 1097 Dudbul.

Information: Being alone is very difficult a person can die and he would have no one to help him. If you explain your difficulty to your friends you will solve it together.) By sharing ideas or by making a new plan.

Text: Forest doesn’t have relatives. You who consider demoui as nothing. Just given out.

ANUAK Project: FIELD NOTES – Jan 6, 1973

Retyped: July 4, 2019

11:00 To Tierlul where there are about 10-18 men sitting around.

Tape 2A Singer sings with not as an intense sound as others but very natural and easily. Sitting cross legged and relaxed. Continues for 25 minutes before stopping. Obulo Goc from Tedo. All of the following are his songs:

1 000 Obero for Gora from Tedo about 1962

2 079 Obero for Cam Medho from Ajwara. Made by Lero before 2 WW called by men in Tedo for help.

3 148 General Dancing by the singer. Tedo about 59.

4 264 War Song. Agwaga made for Abulla Agwa from Agat in 53. Fought the Ethiopian police in 53.

5 326 Agwaga made for a chief Kol from Tedo in 66. Repeats.

6 420 General Dancing by the singer. Tedo. Approx. 62.

7 623 General Dancing by the singer.

Side 2B

1 000 General Dancing by the singer in Tedo. He made it when he was not married. When he was a young man.

2 065 Agwaga made many years go by unknown composer in Tedo.

3 094 Agwaga made many years ago by unknown composer from Tedo.

4 150 Agwaga made many years ago by unknown composer from Tedo.

5 230 Agwaga made many years ago by unknown composer from Tedo.

6 285 Agwaga made many years ago by unknown composer from Tedo.

7 300 Agwaga made by Olok Medho from Tedo.

8 360 Obero made by singer for Kway Ocwer from Tedo. 1950.

PHOTOS:

18 4-2.8 Singer

19 2.8 Dave and singer and group.

20 8-5-6 Singer tele.

21 5.6 Tele smoker.

22 5.6 Singer smoking.