Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases seven music & dance videos of the Bilen people of Eritrea, East Africa.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
INFORMATION ABOUT ERITREAN BILEN PEOPLE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilen_people
"The Bilen (Blin or Bilin), also known as the Bogo or North Agaw,[1] are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They are primarily concentrated in central Eritrea, in and around the city of Keren, and south toward Asmara, the nation's capital...
The Bilen practice both Christianity and Islam. Muslim adherents mainly inhabit rural areas and have interbred with the adjacent Tigre, while Christian Bilen tend to reside in urban areas and have intermingled with the Biher-Tigrinya.[1]"
****
Comment by Kerenian http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvFHqAdEaRc*
"Bilen nationality in Eritrea has its musical traditions and its distinctive dances, usually performed to the rhythms of intricate, locally-produced instruments. Many mark major events in life, such as birth and marriage, or celebrate important religious or community festivals. There is also a growing popular music culture in the major urban centers, which draws on and reinterprets traditional themes."
-snip-
*This comment was given as a publisher's comment in the video that is presented as Example #7 of this post.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These examples are posted in chronological order based on the date of their posting on YouTube with the oldest date presented first.)
Example #1: eritrean bilen
Welid Dekin, Uploaded on Jun 27, 2010
-snip-
The musical instruments are drums, harmonicas and sticks hitting against each other.
****
Example #2: Eritrea: Bilen traditional dance : ارتريا . رقص شعبي للبلين
Kerenian, Uploaded on Jul 7, 2010
****
Example #3: Eritrea - "jarsalam beninku" Bilen song اغنية ارترية
Kerenian, Uploaded on Jul 27, 2010
****
Example #4 bilen dance
farajatnet, Uploaded on Mar 14, 2011
****
Example #5: Eritrean Bilen by Naseh habtom Lishka
Welid Dekin, Uploaded on May 27, 2011
Wo LISHKA By new singer Naseh
****
Example #6: Regina Eritrean tradition wedding
milliontekleab, Uploaded on Aug 5, 2011
Siyoum's and Helen's beautiful Eritrean tradition wedding in Regina, Sk, Canada.
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's viewer comment thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPBE42oQdGU
"The singer is called Habtat Zerisgi and he lives in Swiszerland, he went to Canada for the wedding and he is fomous bilen singer as he has his own songs. if u type his name in youtube u will find some of his songs ....
-Micheal George, 2013
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NJAS6aiil8 for another video of this wedding.
****
Example #7: Eritrea- Bilen song by Nesah Habtom
Kerenian, Published on May 19, 2012
Eritrea- Bilen song by Nesah Habtom
Bilen nationality in Eritrea has its musical traditions and its distinctive dances, usually performed to the rhythms of intricate, locally-produced instruments. Many mark major events in life, such as birth and marriage, or celebrate important religious or community festivals. There is also a growing popular music culture in the major urban centers, which draws on and reinterprets traditional themes.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and thanks to the vocalists, musicians, and dancers who are featured in these videos. My thanks also to the publishers of these videos.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label Eritrea music and dance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eritrea music and dance. Show all posts
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Eritrean Gualya Song That Is Sung In English (with lyrics)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases a sound file of an Eritrean Gualya song which has mostly English lyrics. "Gualya" is a genre of music from Eritrea, East Africa.
This post also includes my transcription of this song. I've attempted to transcribe this song with the hope that others might add any lyrics that I inadvertently omitted and correct any lyrics that I incorrectly transcribed.
****
UPDATE June 5, 2014: Biniam Tsehaie, the composer of this song, shared its REAL lyrics in the comment section of this post and also informed me that this song is entitled "Tigri-Jam". Thanks!!
****
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
DISCLAIMER: I know VERY little about Guayla music, but I'm interested in learning more. I searched online, but couldn't find any information about the history & description of this music genre. If any readers can provide a credible link to such an online source, I'll add it to this post.
I'm African American and, unfortunately, don't speak or read any language but English. Therefore, I don't know what is being sung in the language that isn't English (and I don't know what that language is. Again, I apologize for my ignorance and I ask for help from those reading this post.)
WARNING: Site visitors to those comment threads should be aware that, unfortunately, many of the YouTube viewer comment threads of Eritrea and Ethiopian music are NSFWOC (Not suitable for work or children).
I've added this warning because all too often the intense national conflict between bloggers who identify themselves as being from one of those two nations results in argumentative exchanges & insults, many of which include profanity.
****
FEATURED SOUND FILE
eritrean guayla song in ENGLISH
kokobsemai, Uploaded on Oct 16, 2011
.....guayla sang in english.......i don't know the names of the singers but i love it anyway
****
WHY I TRANSCRIBED THIS SONG
I made this transcription because in part because I enjoy transcribing songs, and also because there doesn't appear to be any other transcriptions of this entire song that I could find online (a task made much more difficult since I don't know who composed the song or what its title is).
Hat tip to Hirut Sebat who posted the following partial transcription of that song along with a comment in 2012 on this sound file's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbZF0Wf6bVA
"It'll be alright if we just dance all night to the early light
Get your butt off your seat ..something something..
We can rock and roll ..something something.. everybody young and old
that's probably the only thing i can understand, but i really like the beat and the song overall"
-snip-
That comment challenged me to TRY to trancribe that song. I believe that in order to accurately transcribe a particular song or rhyme a person has to really know the culture from which that song or rhyme comes. Although I know next to nothing about Eritrean culture, I'm much more familiar with American Hip-Hop culture. In my opinion, the type of end line rhyming lyrics that are found in this song - which I'm henceforth referring to as "Gualya - You Ain't Goin Home Tonight"- can also be readily found in many (other) American dance songs. (I wrote "other American" because it's possible that the person or persons who composed "Gualya - You Ain't Goin Home Tonight" are of Eritrean-American ancestry). It's even possible that this song was "inspired" by an actual American Hip-Hop record because there's a 2010 Hip-Hop record by Bow Wow entitled "Boyfriend For A Night" that includes the line "you ain't goin home tonight". (I chose not to add a link to that song because I consider its lyrics to be very inappropriate for this blog.)
As I mentioned earlier in this post, with regard to this featured song, I don't know who composed it, or who sung it, or when it was released, assuming tht it was indeed released as a record. It's likely that this song was released as a record because of this comment that was also posted to that same YouTube comment thread:
"Lmao. I remember this song some Eritrean Youth were dancing to it at a cultural event in college somewhere in US."
-21mamaafrica, 2012
-snip-
Notice how that commenter wrote that "some Eritrean youth" were dancing to this song. I think that African Americans and other Americans' unfamiliarity with Gualya music's beat and how that beat changes, would suggest that this song wouldn't be part of the music play list at a party or a cultural event that was largely attended by people who weren't of Eritrean or other Eat African ancestry.
I'm not a musician & I'm having difficulty referring to what I mean by "the beat changing". I don't mean how fast the song is or isn't, but how the song sounds. What I'm trying to say is that the pattern that is used for the song's lyrics change a lot, much more that the lyric pattern/s that are used for African American or other American songs. For instance, there are no consistent pattern for the verses and there's no chorus. The song does have lines (lyrics) that are repeated. However, just when I thought that I had "gotten" the way that the song was going to continue to flow, that lyric pattern changed up on me.
This doesn't mean that I don't like the tune. I do. However, the tune is different, from an American's point of view. And I don't think that it would be a part of an Americans' party's or cultural event's music playlist unless those Americans were of Eritrean or other East African ancestry. Of course, I might be wrong about this, and I'm open to being corrected.)
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRANSCRIPTION
In this transcription, I assigned numbers to what I consider to be the lyric patterns that are found in this song (after pattern #1, this is when the way the words to the song are sung "change up".
Italic font means that I'm uncertain of my transcription of those particular word or words.
****
LYRICS - GUALYA SONG IN ENGLISH "YOU AIN'T GONE HOME TONIGHT"*
(*possible title; composer/s unknown to me)
FIRST PATTERN: Would it be alright if we just dance all night until the early light (2x)
SECOND PATTERN:
Get your butt off your seat. Make you move your feet.
This is the jam that you’ll beat.
We can rock and roll. All get down your soul Everybody young and old.
Get your butt off your seat. Make you move your feet.
This is the jam that you’ll beat.
We can rock and roll. All that get down your soul Everybody young and old.
My mama may yell, and my daddy may yell “Don’t you be a playa”.
But a pretty little girl’s like diamonds and pearls. She’s come and rock my world.
My mama may yell, and my daddy may yell “Don’t you be a playa”.
But a pretty little girl’s like diamonds and pearls. She’s come and rock my world.
Will you come and say hi. Will you leave and say bye
or will you baby be shy.
We can scream and shout and we can yell out loud.
Will you let it all out.
Will you come and say hi. Will you leave and say bye
or will you baby be shy.
We can scream and shout and we can yell out loud.
Will you let it all out.
THIRD PATTERN
[beginning at 3:35 of the sound file after the ululation]
We gonna party all night long, baby. We gonna party through the night.
We gonna party all night long, baby. We gonna party through the night.
FOURTH PATTERN:
Hey pretty lady, would you be my baby?
I offer you the phone. Let me take you home
For tonight’s the night. I want to do so right.
Hey pretty lady, would you be my baby?
I offer you the phone. Let me take you home
For tonight’s the night. I want to do so right.
RETURN TO THIRD PATTERN:
We gonna party all night long, baby. We gonna party through the night.
We gonna party all night long, baby. We gonna party through the night.
RETURN TO FOURTH PATTERN:
Hey pretty lady, would you be my baby?
I offer you the phone. Let me take you home
For tonight’s the night. I want to do so right.
Hey pretty lady, would you be my baby?
I offer you the phone. Let me take you home
For tonight’s the night. I want to do so right.
FIFTH PATTERN:
My favorite baby. She feels my way.
Love flickers in her eyes.
She’s gonna be all mine.
Tell all your friends it’s all right.
Tell’em you got a ride.
Cause you ain’t goin home tonight.
SIXTH PATTERN
My favorite baby. She feels my way.
Love flickers in her eyes.
She’s gonna be all mine.
Tell all your friends it’s all right.
Tell ‘em you gotta ride.
Cause you ain’t goin home tonight.
You ain’t goin home tonight.
Ain’t goin home tonight.
Ain’t goin home tonight
Ain’t goin home tonight.
Ain’t goin home tonight.
Ain’t goin home tonight.
Oh, you ain’t goin home tonight.
Oh, this girl is out of sight
RETURN TO FIFTH PATTERN (with repeat of the last line)
My favorite baby. She feels my way.
Love flickers in her eyes.
She’s gonna be all mine.
Tell all your friends it’s all right.
Tell’em you got a ride.
Cause you ain’t goin home tonight.
You ain’t goin home tonight.
You ain’t goin home tonight.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the sound file. Additions and corrections are welcome. I challenge others to improve on this transcription. Thanks in advance!
****
RELATED LINK
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/traditional-contemporary-eritrean.html Traditional & Contemporary Eritrean Guayla Music
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composer/s of this song, and thanks to the vocalists and musicians who performed it. My thanks also to the uploader of this sound file & the commenters who I quoted.
Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
This post showcases a sound file of an Eritrean Gualya song which has mostly English lyrics. "Gualya" is a genre of music from Eritrea, East Africa.
This post also includes my transcription of this song. I've attempted to transcribe this song with the hope that others might add any lyrics that I inadvertently omitted and correct any lyrics that I incorrectly transcribed.
****
UPDATE June 5, 2014: Biniam Tsehaie, the composer of this song, shared its REAL lyrics in the comment section of this post and also informed me that this song is entitled "Tigri-Jam". Thanks!!
****
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
DISCLAIMER: I know VERY little about Guayla music, but I'm interested in learning more. I searched online, but couldn't find any information about the history & description of this music genre. If any readers can provide a credible link to such an online source, I'll add it to this post.
I'm African American and, unfortunately, don't speak or read any language but English. Therefore, I don't know what is being sung in the language that isn't English (and I don't know what that language is. Again, I apologize for my ignorance and I ask for help from those reading this post.)
WARNING: Site visitors to those comment threads should be aware that, unfortunately, many of the YouTube viewer comment threads of Eritrea and Ethiopian music are NSFWOC (Not suitable for work or children).
I've added this warning because all too often the intense national conflict between bloggers who identify themselves as being from one of those two nations results in argumentative exchanges & insults, many of which include profanity.
****
FEATURED SOUND FILE
eritrean guayla song in ENGLISH
kokobsemai, Uploaded on Oct 16, 2011
.....guayla sang in english.......i don't know the names of the singers but i love it anyway
****
WHY I TRANSCRIBED THIS SONG
I made this transcription because in part because I enjoy transcribing songs, and also because there doesn't appear to be any other transcriptions of this entire song that I could find online (a task made much more difficult since I don't know who composed the song or what its title is).
Hat tip to Hirut Sebat who posted the following partial transcription of that song along with a comment in 2012 on this sound file's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbZF0Wf6bVA
"It'll be alright if we just dance all night to the early light
Get your butt off your seat ..something something..
We can rock and roll ..something something.. everybody young and old
that's probably the only thing i can understand, but i really like the beat and the song overall"
-snip-
That comment challenged me to TRY to trancribe that song. I believe that in order to accurately transcribe a particular song or rhyme a person has to really know the culture from which that song or rhyme comes. Although I know next to nothing about Eritrean culture, I'm much more familiar with American Hip-Hop culture. In my opinion, the type of end line rhyming lyrics that are found in this song - which I'm henceforth referring to as "Gualya - You Ain't Goin Home Tonight"- can also be readily found in many (other) American dance songs. (I wrote "other American" because it's possible that the person or persons who composed "Gualya - You Ain't Goin Home Tonight" are of Eritrean-American ancestry). It's even possible that this song was "inspired" by an actual American Hip-Hop record because there's a 2010 Hip-Hop record by Bow Wow entitled "Boyfriend For A Night" that includes the line "you ain't goin home tonight". (I chose not to add a link to that song because I consider its lyrics to be very inappropriate for this blog.)
As I mentioned earlier in this post, with regard to this featured song, I don't know who composed it, or who sung it, or when it was released, assuming tht it was indeed released as a record. It's likely that this song was released as a record because of this comment that was also posted to that same YouTube comment thread:
"Lmao. I remember this song some Eritrean Youth were dancing to it at a cultural event in college somewhere in US."
-21mamaafrica, 2012
-snip-
Notice how that commenter wrote that "some Eritrean youth" were dancing to this song. I think that African Americans and other Americans' unfamiliarity with Gualya music's beat and how that beat changes, would suggest that this song wouldn't be part of the music play list at a party or a cultural event that was largely attended by people who weren't of Eritrean or other Eat African ancestry.
I'm not a musician & I'm having difficulty referring to what I mean by "the beat changing". I don't mean how fast the song is or isn't, but how the song sounds. What I'm trying to say is that the pattern that is used for the song's lyrics change a lot, much more that the lyric pattern/s that are used for African American or other American songs. For instance, there are no consistent pattern for the verses and there's no chorus. The song does have lines (lyrics) that are repeated. However, just when I thought that I had "gotten" the way that the song was going to continue to flow, that lyric pattern changed up on me.
This doesn't mean that I don't like the tune. I do. However, the tune is different, from an American's point of view. And I don't think that it would be a part of an Americans' party's or cultural event's music playlist unless those Americans were of Eritrean or other East African ancestry. Of course, I might be wrong about this, and I'm open to being corrected.)
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRANSCRIPTION
In this transcription, I assigned numbers to what I consider to be the lyric patterns that are found in this song (after pattern #1, this is when the way the words to the song are sung "change up".
Italic font means that I'm uncertain of my transcription of those particular word or words.
****
LYRICS - GUALYA SONG IN ENGLISH "YOU AIN'T GONE HOME TONIGHT"*
(*possible title; composer/s unknown to me)
FIRST PATTERN: Would it be alright if we just dance all night until the early light (2x)
SECOND PATTERN:
Get your butt off your seat. Make you move your feet.
This is the jam that you’ll beat.
We can rock and roll. All get down your soul Everybody young and old.
Get your butt off your seat. Make you move your feet.
This is the jam that you’ll beat.
We can rock and roll. All that get down your soul Everybody young and old.
My mama may yell, and my daddy may yell “Don’t you be a playa”.
But a pretty little girl’s like diamonds and pearls. She’s come and rock my world.
My mama may yell, and my daddy may yell “Don’t you be a playa”.
But a pretty little girl’s like diamonds and pearls. She’s come and rock my world.
Will you come and say hi. Will you leave and say bye
or will you baby be shy.
We can scream and shout and we can yell out loud.
Will you let it all out.
Will you come and say hi. Will you leave and say bye
or will you baby be shy.
We can scream and shout and we can yell out loud.
Will you let it all out.
THIRD PATTERN
[beginning at 3:35 of the sound file after the ululation]
We gonna party all night long, baby. We gonna party through the night.
We gonna party all night long, baby. We gonna party through the night.
FOURTH PATTERN:
Hey pretty lady, would you be my baby?
I offer you the phone. Let me take you home
For tonight’s the night. I want to do so right.
Hey pretty lady, would you be my baby?
I offer you the phone. Let me take you home
For tonight’s the night. I want to do so right.
RETURN TO THIRD PATTERN:
We gonna party all night long, baby. We gonna party through the night.
We gonna party all night long, baby. We gonna party through the night.
RETURN TO FOURTH PATTERN:
Hey pretty lady, would you be my baby?
I offer you the phone. Let me take you home
For tonight’s the night. I want to do so right.
Hey pretty lady, would you be my baby?
I offer you the phone. Let me take you home
For tonight’s the night. I want to do so right.
FIFTH PATTERN:
My favorite baby. She feels my way.
Love flickers in her eyes.
She’s gonna be all mine.
Tell all your friends it’s all right.
Tell’em you got a ride.
Cause you ain’t goin home tonight.
SIXTH PATTERN
My favorite baby. She feels my way.
Love flickers in her eyes.
She’s gonna be all mine.
Tell all your friends it’s all right.
Tell ‘em you gotta ride.
Cause you ain’t goin home tonight.
You ain’t goin home tonight.
Ain’t goin home tonight.
Ain’t goin home tonight
Ain’t goin home tonight.
Ain’t goin home tonight.
Ain’t goin home tonight.
Oh, you ain’t goin home tonight.
Oh, this girl is out of sight
RETURN TO FIFTH PATTERN (with repeat of the last line)
My favorite baby. She feels my way.
Love flickers in her eyes.
She’s gonna be all mine.
Tell all your friends it’s all right.
Tell’em you got a ride.
Cause you ain’t goin home tonight.
You ain’t goin home tonight.
You ain’t goin home tonight.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the sound file. Additions and corrections are welcome. I challenge others to improve on this transcription. Thanks in advance!
****
RELATED LINK
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/traditional-contemporary-eritrean.html Traditional & Contemporary Eritrean Guayla Music
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composer/s of this song, and thanks to the vocalists and musicians who performed it. My thanks also to the uploader of this sound file & the commenters who I quoted.
Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Traditional & Contemporary Eritrean Guayla Music
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcase five examples of Guayla music from Eritrea, East Africa. "Gualya" is a genre of music.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
DISCLAIMER: This post in no way claims to present a comprehensive samplying of Guayla music. I know VERY little about Guayla music, but I'm interested in learning more. I searched online, but couldn't find any information about the history & description of this music genre. If any readers can provide a credible link to such an online source, I'll add it to this post.
I am African American and, unfortunately, don't speak or read any language but English. Therefore, I don't know what is being sung in these videos.
WARNING: Site visitors to those comment threads should be aware that, unfortunately, many of the YouTube viewer comment threads of Eritrea and Ethiopian music are NSFWOC (Not suitable for work or children).
I've added this warning because all too often the intense national conflict between bloggers who identify themselves as being from one of those two nations results in argumentative exchanges & insults, many of which include profanity.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS (TRADITIONAL GUAYLA MUSIC)
Example #1 Berhe Meshesh: Eritrea Guyla song
asmarino5, Uploaded on Apr 26, 2008
Eritrea Music - Berhe Meshesh sings an Eritrean Guyla/ Kuda bahli song from Asmara, Eritrea. Eritrea is located in E. Africa. (Africa Music)
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's viewer comment thread:
"Typical MAYCHA'EDA traditional play. Thats what a typical Adiquala guayla song would sound. Perfect rythm, good krar. good Job Berhe. Keep it up. Thank you Asmarino5"
-funynile, 2008
****
Example #2: Bereket Mengisteab "Zew Zew:" Eritrea Guayla/ Kuda Music
asmarino5, Uploaded on Jun 15, 2008
Eritrea Music - Bereket Mengisteab sings from Asmara, Eritrea (Tigrigna Music) . Eritrea is located in E. Africa. (Africa Music)
-snip-
Here are two comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
"He is the best and he is our legend. No one will question his talent.
-bmeasho. 2009
**
"In my opinion, this is the best ever tigrigna guayla song."
-Muller Gheb, 2010
****
Example #3: Fyori Tsehaye -ERITREA GUAYLA - Heza Mezey (TRADITIONAL)
TubeExpression, Uploaded on Jul 15, 2010
****
FEATURED VIDEOS (CONTEMPORARY GUAYLA MUSIC)
Example #1: tigrinya guayla
BandB09. Uploaded on Oct 28, 2009
new release, hot tigrinya song. Learn to dance the right way from this video. Check it out.
****
Example #2: Eritrea 2012: New Hot song, guayla
Erinews,Published on Jul 1, 2012
By "Segud" Zeresenay Grmay
****
RELATED POST
A post of a contemporary Guayla song in which the vocalists sing in English will be published ASAP. That post will include that video and my transcription of that song.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and thanks to the vocalists, musicians, and dancers who are featured in these videos. My thanks also to the uploaders of these videos.
Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
This post showcase five examples of Guayla music from Eritrea, East Africa. "Gualya" is a genre of music.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
DISCLAIMER: This post in no way claims to present a comprehensive samplying of Guayla music. I know VERY little about Guayla music, but I'm interested in learning more. I searched online, but couldn't find any information about the history & description of this music genre. If any readers can provide a credible link to such an online source, I'll add it to this post.
I am African American and, unfortunately, don't speak or read any language but English. Therefore, I don't know what is being sung in these videos.
WARNING: Site visitors to those comment threads should be aware that, unfortunately, many of the YouTube viewer comment threads of Eritrea and Ethiopian music are NSFWOC (Not suitable for work or children).
I've added this warning because all too often the intense national conflict between bloggers who identify themselves as being from one of those two nations results in argumentative exchanges & insults, many of which include profanity.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS (TRADITIONAL GUAYLA MUSIC)
Example #1 Berhe Meshesh: Eritrea Guyla song
asmarino5, Uploaded on Apr 26, 2008
Eritrea Music - Berhe Meshesh sings an Eritrean Guyla/ Kuda bahli song from Asmara, Eritrea. Eritrea is located in E. Africa. (Africa Music)
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's viewer comment thread:
"Typical MAYCHA'EDA traditional play. Thats what a typical Adiquala guayla song would sound. Perfect rythm, good krar. good Job Berhe. Keep it up. Thank you Asmarino5"
-funynile, 2008
****
Example #2: Bereket Mengisteab "Zew Zew:" Eritrea Guayla/ Kuda Music
asmarino5, Uploaded on Jun 15, 2008
Eritrea Music - Bereket Mengisteab sings from Asmara, Eritrea (Tigrigna Music) . Eritrea is located in E. Africa. (Africa Music)
-snip-
Here are two comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
"He is the best and he is our legend. No one will question his talent.
-bmeasho. 2009
**
"In my opinion, this is the best ever tigrigna guayla song."
-Muller Gheb, 2010
****
Example #3: Fyori Tsehaye -ERITREA GUAYLA - Heza Mezey (TRADITIONAL)
TubeExpression, Uploaded on Jul 15, 2010
****
FEATURED VIDEOS (CONTEMPORARY GUAYLA MUSIC)
Example #1: tigrinya guayla
BandB09. Uploaded on Oct 28, 2009
new release, hot tigrinya song. Learn to dance the right way from this video. Check it out.
****
Example #2: Eritrea 2012: New Hot song, guayla
Erinews,Published on Jul 1, 2012
By "Segud" Zeresenay Grmay
****
RELATED POST
A post of a contemporary Guayla song in which the vocalists sing in English will be published ASAP. That post will include that video and my transcription of that song.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and thanks to the vocalists, musicians, and dancers who are featured in these videos. My thanks also to the uploaders of these videos.
Also, thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Seven Examples Of Contemporary Tigrigna Music (Eritrea & Ethiopia)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post presents seven videos of contemporary Tigrigna music from Eritrea & from Ethiopia.
The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Editor's Note:
I know nothing about these vocalist or songs except for what is written in English by the video's YouTube publisher & commenters to the video's viewer comment thread.
Information about these vocalists, including their nationality, and information about these featured songs, including the meaning of the song's title would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
****
GENERAL INFORMATION
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigray-Tigrinya_people
"Tigray-Tigrinya are an ethnic group who live in the southern, central and northern parts of Eritrea and the northern highlands of Ethiopia's Tigray province. They also live in Ethiopia's former provinces of Begemder (Gonder) and Wollo, which are today mostly part of Amhara Region, though a few regions (e.g. Wolqayt, Tselemti, Raya, Humera) were incorporated instead into modern Tigray Region. Their language is called Tigrinya. They make up approximately 96.6% of the inhabitants of the Tigray Region,[3] and are 6.1% of the population of Ethiopia as a whole, numbering little more than 5.7 million.[4] Tigrinya speakers are 55% of the population in neighboring Eritrea[5] at about 3.4 million people."
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Eritrea
"Traditional Eritrean Tigrigna dancing involves two main styles of dance. In the first which is called 'quda', the dancers form a circle and slowly circumambulate or move around in an endless circular motion to the rhythm of the music. Then, they cease the circular musical flow/motion and dance in pairs or 3's facing each other for a short while before resuming the circular motion in a file again. During this time, they shuffle their feet to the beat of the music and bob their shoulders in a rhythmic fashion. Female dancers usually move their shoulders more than the male dancers. Towards the end the musical tempo increases and the drum beat quickens to signal this musical crescendo. The dancers round off their dancing by facing each other in twos and threes and moving their shoulders faster - this can also involve jumping and bending your knees and going down to the floor to sit in a squatting position while bobbing those shoulders and moving the head sideways to the strong drum beats.
In the second style of dance, two groups (often a group of men and a group of women) line up and face each other. The dance features a skipping step to the music. Periodically, the two groups will change places, dancing across the floor and passing each other in the process."
-snip-
Examples of the circle dancing mentioned above can be found in some of the videos featured in this post.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in chronological order of the date of their posting on YouTube, with the oldest videos presented first.)
Example #1 "Fiyori" by Aziz Hagos
wediagame, Uploaded on Aug 10, 2008
Ethiopia- Tigrigna clip
****
Example #2: Tsegazeab Gebreslasie - Tealem - New Tigrigna music
Honeyethio, Uploaded on Jul 21, 2010
****
Example #3: Mahlet GebreGiorgis Haneta Ethiopian Ethiopia Habesha Tigrigna Music dvd Quality Tigray Derfi
.
Sirak Zenebe, Uploaded on Oct 18, 2011
****
Example #4: TIGRIGNA SONG NEW Fana Negash
Africa4141, Published on Mar 31, 2012
****
Example #5: Gezu Araya Best Cultural Tigrigna Song
Efitlove, Published on May 11, 2012
****
Example #6: Eden Gebreselassie - Swnwano
Kamesamy Published on Jun 20, 2012
Swnwano - Eden Gebreselassie, new Tigrigna song!
Eden is a gifted Ethiopian singer.
She has the following Tigrigna songs so far.
[Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56df1moOFcA for hyperlinks posted by Kamesamy to other YouTube videos of this singer]
****
Example #7:. Feven Tsegay "Habibi" - Eritrean Music
EriTVnetwork Published on Sep 11, 2012
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and to the vocalists & musicians who performed on these featured videos. Thanks also to the uploaders of these featured videos.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post presents seven videos of contemporary Tigrigna music from Eritrea & from Ethiopia.
The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Editor's Note:
I know nothing about these vocalist or songs except for what is written in English by the video's YouTube publisher & commenters to the video's viewer comment thread.
Information about these vocalists, including their nationality, and information about these featured songs, including the meaning of the song's title would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
****
GENERAL INFORMATION
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigray-Tigrinya_people
"Tigray-Tigrinya are an ethnic group who live in the southern, central and northern parts of Eritrea and the northern highlands of Ethiopia's Tigray province. They also live in Ethiopia's former provinces of Begemder (Gonder) and Wollo, which are today mostly part of Amhara Region, though a few regions (e.g. Wolqayt, Tselemti, Raya, Humera) were incorporated instead into modern Tigray Region. Their language is called Tigrinya. They make up approximately 96.6% of the inhabitants of the Tigray Region,[3] and are 6.1% of the population of Ethiopia as a whole, numbering little more than 5.7 million.[4] Tigrinya speakers are 55% of the population in neighboring Eritrea[5] at about 3.4 million people."
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Eritrea
"Traditional Eritrean Tigrigna dancing involves two main styles of dance. In the first which is called 'quda', the dancers form a circle and slowly circumambulate or move around in an endless circular motion to the rhythm of the music. Then, they cease the circular musical flow/motion and dance in pairs or 3's facing each other for a short while before resuming the circular motion in a file again. During this time, they shuffle their feet to the beat of the music and bob their shoulders in a rhythmic fashion. Female dancers usually move their shoulders more than the male dancers. Towards the end the musical tempo increases and the drum beat quickens to signal this musical crescendo. The dancers round off their dancing by facing each other in twos and threes and moving their shoulders faster - this can also involve jumping and bending your knees and going down to the floor to sit in a squatting position while bobbing those shoulders and moving the head sideways to the strong drum beats.
In the second style of dance, two groups (often a group of men and a group of women) line up and face each other. The dance features a skipping step to the music. Periodically, the two groups will change places, dancing across the floor and passing each other in the process."
-snip-
Examples of the circle dancing mentioned above can be found in some of the videos featured in this post.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in chronological order of the date of their posting on YouTube, with the oldest videos presented first.)
Example #1 "Fiyori" by Aziz Hagos
wediagame, Uploaded on Aug 10, 2008
Ethiopia- Tigrigna clip
****
Example #2: Tsegazeab Gebreslasie - Tealem - New Tigrigna music
Honeyethio, Uploaded on Jul 21, 2010
****
Example #3: Mahlet GebreGiorgis Haneta Ethiopian Ethiopia Habesha Tigrigna Music dvd Quality Tigray Derfi
.
Sirak Zenebe, Uploaded on Oct 18, 2011
****
Example #4: TIGRIGNA SONG NEW Fana Negash
Africa4141, Published on Mar 31, 2012
****
Example #5: Gezu Araya Best Cultural Tigrigna Song
Efitlove, Published on May 11, 2012
****
Example #6: Eden Gebreselassie - Swnwano
Kamesamy Published on Jun 20, 2012
Swnwano - Eden Gebreselassie, new Tigrigna song!
Eden is a gifted Ethiopian singer.
She has the following Tigrigna songs so far.
[Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56df1moOFcA for hyperlinks posted by Kamesamy to other YouTube videos of this singer]
****
Example #7:. Feven Tsegay "Habibi" - Eritrean Music
EriTVnetwork Published on Sep 11, 2012
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers of these songs, and to the vocalists & musicians who performed on these featured videos. Thanks also to the uploaders of these featured videos.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Dancing Carrying An Object On Head (Videos)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases selected videos of people dancing while carrying a basket or some other object on their head. This post also provides general information about this custom.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, educational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
OVERVIEW
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrying_on_the_head
"Carrying on the head is a common practice in many parts of the world, as an alternative to carrying a burden on the back, shoulders, and so on. People have carried burdens balanced on top of the head since ancient times, usually to do daily work, but sometimes in religious ceremonies or as a feat of skill, such as in certain dances...
There are several traditional dances of West African cultures that include balancing an object on the head as a skillful feat. Ritual dancing among worshippers of the thunder deity, Shango, sometimes balance a container of fire on their heads while dancing. The Egbado Yoruba have dances that include balancing "delicate terracotta figures" on the head while the arms and torso are moving.[11] This tradition continued among Africans taken to America during the Atlantic slave trade. African-Americans in the 19th century had a popular type of dance competition called "set the floor" ("set de flo'"), during which individual dancers would take turns dancing. Competing dancers would try to perform complicated steps given to them by a caller (usually a fiddler), without stepping outside the bounds of a circle drawn on the ground. To add to the challenge, some dancers would compete while balancing a glass full of water on top of their heads, trying not to spill the water while they danced.
[11. Source: Welsh-Asante, Kariamu (1996). African Dance: An Artistic, Historical, and Philosophical Inquiry. Africa World Press. pp. 107.]"
-snip-
From Tap Roots: The Early History Of Tap Dancing by Mark Knowles (McFarland & Company Jefferson, North Carolina, 2002, Page 33)
"The Shango cult, brought to the Caribbean from Nigeria, was similar to Voodoo in that its main function was to induce possession. In Shango, the skill and aptitude in dancing was especially valued. During the ritual, dancers circled single file as they bent and straightened their knees rapidly with bouncing steps, becoming more and more animated until they were possessed by the deity. Anthropologist Melville and Frances Herskovits observed one female Shango dancer who danced while balancing water on her head...
Balancing water on the head while dancing was a common practice during jig and buck and wing contests in the United States and was often used in minstrel and vaudeville specialty acts to demonstrate a dancer’s skill."
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shango
"In the Yorùbá religion, Ṣàngó (also spelled, Sango or Shango, often known as Xangô or Changó in Latin America and the Caribbean, and also known as Jakuta) (from '=shan, 'to strike') is perhaps one of the most popular Orisha; also known as the god of fire, lightning and thunder. Shango is historically a royal ancestor of the Yoruba as he was the third king of the Oyo Kingdom prior to his posthumous deification. In the Lukumí (Olokun mi = "my dear one") religion of the Caribbean, Shango is considered the center point of the religion as he represents the Oyo people of West Africa, the symbolic ancestors of the adherents of the faith"...
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in no particular order.)
Video #1: This is the best tribal dancing group of Botswana Africa
Uploaded by el T Morales on Jan 20, 2011
It really is! They won countless awards! I miss you guys ...
****
Video #2: Zambezi Express - The Amazing New African Dance Musical... [Zimbabwe, South Africa]
Uploaded by gypsiiboy on Oct 6, 2009
Highlights from this amazing new show. The story follows a boy named Zilli, born in the slums of a township in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe who dreams of becoming a top-flight footballer. His adventures on the Zambezi Express - the train that leaves Bulawayo for South Africa once a week - and his struggles in the big city have created this extraordinary, pulsating new show straight from the heart of Africa. Pounding, multi-layered African beats and powerful acapella vocals alongside jumping, jiving, and acrobatic dance numbers by a 30 strong company. A soccer-based musical for the approaching World Cup in South Africa 2010
-snip-
[Women dancing with objects is shown at .034-1.18]
****
Video #3: Rwandan women dancing with baskets on their heads [Rwanda]
5cense | November 12, 2007
Women dancing with baskets balanced on their heads, at the gorilla's nest, near Ruhengeri, Rwanda
****
Video #4: Yeni Molinet - Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba 2005 - Ochun [Cuba]
Uploaded by danzaestelar on Oct 28, 2009
-snip-
Oshun is the Yoruba (Santeria, Lucumi) orisha (goddess) of love, beauty, rivers & waterfalls. Click http://blog.onbeing.org/post/10237320823/dancing-the-stories-of-the-orishaste for information about Ochun. Here's an excerpt from that blog post:
"....orishas are revered deities who rule over different earthly elements. They are called through dance and drum rituals to interact with humans.
Oshun, for example, is an orisha associated with fresh water. She represents female sensuality and beauty. Oshun’s movement is fluid and coquettish, which is what you’d expect from a goddess of beauty. Her signature color is yellow and she typically carries a fan with her, which she sometimes wields as a weapon. When Oshun laughs, she’s preparing to punish someone. It’s only when she cries that she’s truly happy".
-snip-
Click http://www.angelfire.com/fl3/OCHUN/ for more information about Ochun.
Also, read the reference in the "Overview" section above about another orisha "Shango".
****
Video #5: Mexican Mayan Dancers, dancing with things on their head, Chichen Itza area of Mexico, Aug 09
Uploaded by devildogpackrat on Aug 12, 2009
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's viewer comment thread:
"THESE ARE MEXICAN PEOPLE ,MMM YEAH FROM MAYAS BUT THIS IS NOT A MAYAN DANCE !!!!"
-cobra87west, 2011
-snip-
This custom may have its source in the African people who were enslaved in Mexico. For information about slavery in Mexico, click http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/666-slavery-in-mexico.
****
BONUS VIDEO: BURUNDI DRUMMERS [Burundi]
Uploaded by borosjutub on Mar 5, 2008
Amazing drum show from Burundi
-snip-
Some may consider these drummers to be strutting "on stage" and not dancing. Be that as it may, I decided to add this video because their movements while carrying an object is custom is very similar to the subject of this post. Besides, these men walking while carrying drums on their head is so impressive that I wanted to share a video of it in case people here hadn't seen it before.
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqEdvkeywZg for another video of the Burundi drummers and for commentary about this custom.
****
UPDATE: 3/15/2013
ሽንግርዋ - ናይ ሳአስዒት ውድድር (9 year old eritrean girl)
goblel, Uploaded on Nov 14, 2007
-snip-
Here's a comments from that video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TavHQEZrGTs
"This is a typical ERITREAN syle. What a talent! Wonderful Guayla."
-Amche10, 2008
****
UPDATE: July 9, 2014
Afro Ecuadorian La Bomba Dance
dreaflan, Uploaded on Dec 16, 2010
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/07/examples-of-traditional-afro-ecuadorian.html to find more examples of Bomba dancers balancing a bottle on their head.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & THANKS
Thanks to all those dancers & musicians who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to those whose comments are quoted in this post, and those who uploaded the videos which are featured in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
This post showcases selected videos of people dancing while carrying a basket or some other object on their head. This post also provides general information about this custom.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, educational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
OVERVIEW
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrying_on_the_head
"Carrying on the head is a common practice in many parts of the world, as an alternative to carrying a burden on the back, shoulders, and so on. People have carried burdens balanced on top of the head since ancient times, usually to do daily work, but sometimes in religious ceremonies or as a feat of skill, such as in certain dances...
There are several traditional dances of West African cultures that include balancing an object on the head as a skillful feat. Ritual dancing among worshippers of the thunder deity, Shango, sometimes balance a container of fire on their heads while dancing. The Egbado Yoruba have dances that include balancing "delicate terracotta figures" on the head while the arms and torso are moving.[11] This tradition continued among Africans taken to America during the Atlantic slave trade. African-Americans in the 19th century had a popular type of dance competition called "set the floor" ("set de flo'"), during which individual dancers would take turns dancing. Competing dancers would try to perform complicated steps given to them by a caller (usually a fiddler), without stepping outside the bounds of a circle drawn on the ground. To add to the challenge, some dancers would compete while balancing a glass full of water on top of their heads, trying not to spill the water while they danced.
[11. Source: Welsh-Asante, Kariamu (1996). African Dance: An Artistic, Historical, and Philosophical Inquiry. Africa World Press. pp. 107.]"
-snip-
From Tap Roots: The Early History Of Tap Dancing by Mark Knowles (McFarland & Company Jefferson, North Carolina, 2002, Page 33)
"The Shango cult, brought to the Caribbean from Nigeria, was similar to Voodoo in that its main function was to induce possession. In Shango, the skill and aptitude in dancing was especially valued. During the ritual, dancers circled single file as they bent and straightened their knees rapidly with bouncing steps, becoming more and more animated until they were possessed by the deity. Anthropologist Melville and Frances Herskovits observed one female Shango dancer who danced while balancing water on her head...
Balancing water on the head while dancing was a common practice during jig and buck and wing contests in the United States and was often used in minstrel and vaudeville specialty acts to demonstrate a dancer’s skill."
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shango
"In the Yorùbá religion, Ṣàngó (also spelled, Sango or Shango, often known as Xangô or Changó in Latin America and the Caribbean, and also known as Jakuta) (from '=shan, 'to strike') is perhaps one of the most popular Orisha; also known as the god of fire, lightning and thunder. Shango is historically a royal ancestor of the Yoruba as he was the third king of the Oyo Kingdom prior to his posthumous deification. In the Lukumí (Olokun mi = "my dear one") religion of the Caribbean, Shango is considered the center point of the religion as he represents the Oyo people of West Africa, the symbolic ancestors of the adherents of the faith"...
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in no particular order.)
Video #1: This is the best tribal dancing group of Botswana Africa
Uploaded by el T Morales on Jan 20, 2011
It really is! They won countless awards! I miss you guys ...
****
Video #2: Zambezi Express - The Amazing New African Dance Musical... [Zimbabwe, South Africa]
Uploaded by gypsiiboy on Oct 6, 2009
Highlights from this amazing new show. The story follows a boy named Zilli, born in the slums of a township in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe who dreams of becoming a top-flight footballer. His adventures on the Zambezi Express - the train that leaves Bulawayo for South Africa once a week - and his struggles in the big city have created this extraordinary, pulsating new show straight from the heart of Africa. Pounding, multi-layered African beats and powerful acapella vocals alongside jumping, jiving, and acrobatic dance numbers by a 30 strong company. A soccer-based musical for the approaching World Cup in South Africa 2010
-snip-
[Women dancing with objects is shown at .034-1.18]
****
Video #3: Rwandan women dancing with baskets on their heads [Rwanda]
5cense | November 12, 2007
Women dancing with baskets balanced on their heads, at the gorilla's nest, near Ruhengeri, Rwanda
****
Video #4: Yeni Molinet - Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba 2005 - Ochun [Cuba]
Uploaded by danzaestelar on Oct 28, 2009
-snip-
Oshun is the Yoruba (Santeria, Lucumi) orisha (goddess) of love, beauty, rivers & waterfalls. Click http://blog.onbeing.org/post/10237320823/dancing-the-stories-of-the-orishaste for information about Ochun. Here's an excerpt from that blog post:
"....orishas are revered deities who rule over different earthly elements. They are called through dance and drum rituals to interact with humans.
Oshun, for example, is an orisha associated with fresh water. She represents female sensuality and beauty. Oshun’s movement is fluid and coquettish, which is what you’d expect from a goddess of beauty. Her signature color is yellow and she typically carries a fan with her, which she sometimes wields as a weapon. When Oshun laughs, she’s preparing to punish someone. It’s only when she cries that she’s truly happy".
-snip-
Click http://www.angelfire.com/fl3/OCHUN/ for more information about Ochun.
Also, read the reference in the "Overview" section above about another orisha "Shango".
****
Video #5: Mexican Mayan Dancers, dancing with things on their head, Chichen Itza area of Mexico, Aug 09
Uploaded by devildogpackrat on Aug 12, 2009
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's viewer comment thread:
"THESE ARE MEXICAN PEOPLE ,MMM YEAH FROM MAYAS BUT THIS IS NOT A MAYAN DANCE !!!!"
-cobra87west, 2011
-snip-
This custom may have its source in the African people who were enslaved in Mexico. For information about slavery in Mexico, click http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/666-slavery-in-mexico.
****
BONUS VIDEO: BURUNDI DRUMMERS [Burundi]
Uploaded by borosjutub on Mar 5, 2008
Amazing drum show from Burundi
-snip-
Some may consider these drummers to be strutting "on stage" and not dancing. Be that as it may, I decided to add this video because their movements while carrying an object is custom is very similar to the subject of this post. Besides, these men walking while carrying drums on their head is so impressive that I wanted to share a video of it in case people here hadn't seen it before.
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqEdvkeywZg for another video of the Burundi drummers and for commentary about this custom.
****
UPDATE: 3/15/2013
ሽንግርዋ - ናይ ሳአስዒት ውድድር (9 year old eritrean girl)
goblel, Uploaded on Nov 14, 2007
-snip-
Here's a comments from that video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TavHQEZrGTs
"This is a typical ERITREAN syle. What a talent! Wonderful Guayla."
-Amche10, 2008
****
UPDATE: July 9, 2014
Afro Ecuadorian La Bomba Dance
dreaflan, Uploaded on Dec 16, 2010
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/07/examples-of-traditional-afro-ecuadorian.html to find more examples of Bomba dancers balancing a bottle on their head.
****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & THANKS
Thanks to all those dancers & musicians who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to those whose comments are quoted in this post, and those who uploaded the videos which are featured in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)