Ethiopia: Abbush Zallaqaa - Fullaanneey [NEW Oromo Music Video 2016] - Burji Tradition

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides some information about the Oromo people in Ethiopia and showcases the official YouTube video of the 2016 Ethiopian Oromo/Burji song  

This post also presents some comments from this video's discussion thread that provide English definitions of the word "Fullaanneey" and provide additional information/opinions about Burji . Omoro people from that video's discussion thread. 

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Abbush Zallaqaa  for his music and thanks to all those who are associated with this music and this video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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WARNING: This video includes a scene (at around .024) of a man distraught about his father's death preparing a noose to hang himself. He stops his suicide attempt because he witnesses a group approaching his home dancing and singing this song of encouragement, 

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INFORMATION ABOUT OROMO PEOPLE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_people

"The Oromo people … are a Cushitic ethnic group and nation native to Ethiopia who speak the Oromo language. They are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and represent 34.5% of Ethiopia's population.[11] Oromos speak the Oromo language as their mother tongue (also called Afaan Oromoo and Oromiffa), which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family. The word Oromo appeared in European literature for the first time in 1893 and slowly became common in the second half of the 20th century.[12][1]

[…]

The origins and prehistory of the Oromo people prior to the 16th century are based on Oromo oral tradition.[23][24] Older and subsequent colonial era documents mention the Oromo people as Galla, which has now developed derogatory connotations,[25] but these documents were generally written by members of other ethnic groups.[23][24][26]
 

[…]

The Oromo never called themselves "Galla" and resist its use because the term is considered derogatory.[31] They traditionally identified themselves by one of their clans (gosas) and now use the common umbrella term of Oromo which connotes "free born people".[32][33] The word Oromo is derived from Ilm Orma meaning "children of Oromo",[34] or "sons of Men",[35] or "person, stranger".[36] The first known use of the word Oromo to refer to the ethnic group is traceable to 1893.[37]

[…]

The Oromos are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia (34.5% of the population), numbering about 25 million.[11] They are predominantly concentrated in Oromia Region in central Ethiopia, the largest region in the country by both population and area. They speak Afaan Oromo, the official language of Oromia.[55] Oromos constitute the fifth most populous ethnic group among Africans as a whole and the most populous among Horners specifically.[56]

Oromo also have a notable presence in northern Kenya…. There are also Oromo in the former Wollo and Tigray provinces of Ethiopia.[57]

[…]

Abuse of Oromo media is widespread in Ethiopia and reflective of the general oppression Oromos face in the country.[115]

[…]

Various human rights organizations have publicized the government persecution of Oromos in Ethiopia for decades. … These include thousands of peaceful protestors and hundreds of opposition political party members.".... 

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Pancocojams Editor's Note:Some comments below include additional information about oromo people. Political statements may be included in some of these comments.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE BURJI LANGUAGE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burji_language#:~:text=Burji%20language%20(alternate%20names%3A%20Bembala,further%20
Burji language (alternate names: Bembala, Bambala, Daashi) is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken by the Burji people who reside in Ethiopia south of Lake Chamo. There are over 46,000 speakers in Ethiopia, and a further 10,400 speakers in Kenya. Burji belongs to the Highland East Cushitic group of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family.[1]
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Pancocojams Editor's Note: Some comments below include additional information about Burji people and language. Political statements may be included in some of these comments. 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO - Ethiopia: Abbush Zallaqaa - Fullaanneey [NEW Oromo Music Video 2016] - Burji Tradition




DireTube, May 25, 2016

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Statistics as of June 26, 2020 at 3:25 PM EDT
Total # of views - 3,076,166K
Total # of likes-7.4K
Total # of dislikes-781

Total # of comments-959

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DEFINITION FOR THE BURJI WORD "FULANIYE"
Here are two pinned comments from the discussion thread for this embedded video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYaaMlQDf1Q&list=RDRYaaMlQDf1Q&start_radio=1

1. "The key word of this song "fulaniye" means "never give up" or, it urges people to "persevere" in order to overcome hardships. The word has nothing to do with the Fulani tribe in West Africa." -yaballo1, 2019

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2. "these are ethiopians not Fulani people from west africa. the name of the song is just a word in the Burji language"- F t 2020

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OTHER SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
(These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.

2016

1. esayas tezera

"what doth  it mean  Fullaanneey ?????? Mene malete new"

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REPLY
2. Addisu Alemayehu Gube

"It means "it is not too late" in Burji language!"
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2017

3. Abdissa Mengesha

"He is encouraging a desperate person saying "Never Give Up even though the situations are bad." This is from Oromian Burji people."

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4. yaballo1

..."in this song, Abush is using Afaan Borana - a dialect of Afaan Oromo spoken by the Borana-Oromos of southern Ethiopia & northern Kenya. The key message of his song is expressed via a Borana saying "baraafi furguggoo, gad jedhani dabarsani" [rough translation into Amharic: "bitirina zemen tegonbiso n'ew yemitalefut/yemimeketut" & another saying "obsani, qaallomani" [only those who have patience could become a "qaallu" - a high priest or a king]. Basically, the song exalts the virtue of patience. Though the song is mostly in Afaan Borana, those dancing belong to the Burji tribe - neighbours of the Borana - many of whom are also speakers of the Borana dialect of Afaan Oromo. The song highlights Abush's cross-cultural talents both in songs & dances. Hope that helps."

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2018

5. Amina Geldo
..."Fulaneeye is Burji song.very proud of Abush talents and creativity"

**6. Melaku Yilma

"The mean theme is "Don not give up hope" keep waiting ...be patient... like it!!...ነገ ሌላ ቀን ነውና ተስፋ አትቁረጥ......
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"Mean" is a typo for the word "main".

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7. Zakariye Ali

"I'm an Ethiopian Somali who lives in United States of America.

I love and enjoy  to listen all different kinds of Ethiopian musics.

This traditional song sounds to me  an attractive song but unfortunately I can't understand what does it mean.

can anybody tell main idea of this song?"

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REPLY
8. yaballo1

..."in this song, Abush is using Afaan Borana - a dialect of Afaan Oromo spoken by the Borana-Oromos of southern Ethiopia & northern Kenya. The key message of his song is expressed via a Borana saying "baraafi furguggoo, gad jedhani dabarsani" [rough translation into Amharic: "bitirina zemen tegonbiso n'ew yemitalefut/yemimeketut; rough translation into English: "the stick (fist) of an adversary/enemy & hard times are best tackled by keeping one's head down"] & another saying "obsani, qaallomani" [only those who have patience could become a "qaallu" - a high priest or a king]. Basically, the song exalts the virtue of patience. Though the song is mostly in Afaan Borana, those dancing belong to the Burji tribe - neighbours of the Borana - many of whom are also speakers of the Borana dialect of Afaan Oromo. The song highlights Abush's cross-cultural talents both in songs & dances. Hope that helps."

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9. Kuul Five

"Question  are burji  oromo,  am not ethiopian am sudanese I just want to know am sorry if am asking  wrong question"

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REPLY
10. Work Work, 2019
"Kuul Five hi

Burji is neibours of Oromo Borana but in this song Abush is using Oromo language wz Burji dancing"

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REPLY
11. oromo oromia, 2019
"the singer is Oromo but those people are not Oromo some of them this speak Oromo"

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12. yaballo1
...."....Burji are not Oromo but neigbours of the Oromo. Burji are one of the 'bantu tribes' of southern Ethiopia that include the Wolaita, Gamo, Gimira, Kaffa, etc. But, there are many ethnic Burji who live among neighbouring Oromo tribes such as Guji-Oromo & Borana-Oromo &, therefore, speak the Oromo language as their first or second language. Many Burji are linked to Oromos via marriage & define themselves as mixed Burji-Oromo. The ancestors of many of today's Oromo-speaking Burji fled their homeland & settled among the Oromo due to a massive slave-raid & a brutal war of genocide waged on them by the invading armies of Abyssinians/habeshas [northern Ethiopians] during the era of emperor Menelik. To learn more about this last aspect, please try this book: "The Southern Marches of Imperial Ethiopia"; by Donald Lewis Donham & Wendy James; 1986, 2002."

**13. Summerical242

"Are all Oromo dark skin? Because I don't see them often when I search for the "Ethiopian" word on google"

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14. sssssss6361

"These are the original Oromo. As they conquered Habesha and Somali inhabited areas in early 17th century, they mixed with the local ppl. In the East some Oromos look Somali, and in the North some of them look habesha."

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15. yaballo1

"ssssssss6361: No, they are not the original Oromo.  In fact, they are NOT REAL OROMO to start with but members of the 'bantu' Burji tribe who happen to speak the Oromo language. …. The 'real Oromos' are of the same origin or phenotype [physical appearance] as their Somali cousins. I said 'real Oromos' because, like among the Somalis, there are lots of bantu-looking tribes who have been incorporated into Oromo tribes. Got it? Good."

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16. sssssss6361

"yaballo1  Oromos are omotic looking people. They are cousins of Sidama people.  Have you seen what Sidama people look like? The Somali looking Oromos are in fact Issa Somalis who were assimilated into Oromo society during the Oromo expansion.  Go to Harar and you can tell the oromos as many of them look Southern Ethiopians. It is a fact."

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17. yaballo1

… "not all Oromos are similar to Shoa-Oromos you had in mind who carry sticks to dance. Oromo tribes like the Guji-Oromo & Borana-Oromo have far more in common with tribes in southern Ethiopia than Oromo tribes in Shoa or Wollega who, obviously, share a great deal with their Amhara neighbours in terms of dress, food, culture, looks, etc. The Bacho-Oromo from near Addis Ababa share lots of things with their Guraghe neighbours, including their dance style. Oromo tribes bordering on the Somalis also share many things with their Somali neighbours. The most southerly Oromo tribe is called 'Orma' & live along the 'Tana river' in southern Kenya, all the way to the shores of the Indian Ocean. Members of the Orma-Oromo tribe have far more in common with their Swahili-speaking Bantu neighbours of Kenya/Tanzania than with other Oromos or Ethiopians. The same is also true in reverse. Many non-Oromo tribes bordering on Oromo tribes [eg. Konso, Burji, Hamar, Sidama, Gedeo, etc] share many aspects of culture+language with their Oromo neighbours. Culture tends to be fluid - more so in Ethiopia & Africa… Here is a MAP showing the rough distribution of Afaan-Oromo speaking communities in Ethiopia & Kenya. There are Oromo-speaking communities in southern Somalia too but these have more or less been assimilated into Somali culture. MAP: http://ayyaantuu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/oromodia.jpg"
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This link is no longer active. 

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2019

18. bate birhanu

"Fulaaneyee!,,,,The Song actually Means,,,,"Never Give  Up",,,,,,,with Burji Culture from Ethiopia!,,all the Way to Moyale,,to Marsabit,,to Nairobi Kenya,,,,,

The Song Encourages those who are Far from their Ethiopian Home ,,,,they Should Work Hard,never give up,use time in a good way, ,,,and Remembering where they Come From,,,,,,"Fullaneyee Means the "past",,,,may be you were in a Situation where you could do nothing and in no way you can get Help,,and GOD Helps you then ,,,,,You must remember it,learn the Lessons then YOU MUST NOT LIVE IN IT!,,,,,Thanks ALOT!,,,,,,,BATE BIRHANU WATA"
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19. Subscribers Without Video
"The singer is borana but not the dancers"

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20. Bat today

"@Subscribers Without Video no difference both oromo"

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Subscribers Without Video

21. "@Bat today burjis and boranas are very different people from looks to culture and language"

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22. Xyz
…."bush himself is ethnically burji son...though was raised in a borana majority region

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23. ኄኖክ ኃይሉ

"@Baraket Ermeyas Please dont try this tribal stuff. He is Ethiopian before Oromo"

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24. Imro 9000

"First of all, he is Oromoo and second Ethiopia 🇪🇹"

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25. REPLY 

yaballo1, 2020
"@ኄኖክ ኃይሉ - NO! Abush is NOT an Ethiopian before being an Oromo/Burji! ..Being an Ethiopian is a vague & intangible concept that makes zero sense to the 80+ tribes that speak their own languages & had been forced to be part of an artificially & Amhara-created empire of permanent miseries called Ethiopia. Abush was born into an Oromo (Borana) speaking family & community. Therefore, logic suggests that he is FIRST Oromo/Burji &, then, something else. OK?"

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26. Jeremi J

"Abush said the word has a Burji origin."

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2020

27. Fantu Abadir

"It is basically a song of encouragement to those with hardship in their lives.

Specially poor farmers.

He is saying that better days will come. The sun will shine again.

So please don't give up.

I hope that helps."

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