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