Oromo (Ethiopian) Singer Hachalu Hunderssa's 2013 song "Maalan Jira"? (video & comments about its meaning) with uac

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on Oromo (Ethiopian) singer/songwriter Hachalu Hundessa.

Part II of this series showcases the official YouTube video of "Maalan Jira?" and presents some comments about song's meanings from that video's discussion thread.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/07/information-about-oromo-ethiopian.html for Part I of this series provides some information about Oromo (Ethiopian) singer Hachalu Hundessa, with special focus on his 2013 song "Maalan Jira?"

Hachalu Hundessa was murdered on June 29, 2020. This pancocojams post includes excerpts from several articles about his murder and the subsequent protests in Ethiopia that have occurred after that murder. 

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

All copyrights remain with their owner.

Thanks to Hachalu Hunderssa for his musical and cultural legacy. Thanks to all those who are associated with this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. In addition, thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube. 

RIP Hachalu Hundessa . RIP all those who have been killed or injured as a result of the protests that have been held as a result of  murder.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Hachalu Hundessa - Maalan Jira! **NEW**2015** (Oromo Music)

Oromp3, Jun 4, 2015

Oromo Music
-snip-
Statistics as of July 3, 2020 at 9:43 AM EDT
Total # of views- 6,543,466
Total # of likes-19K
Total # of dislikes-3.1K
Total # of comments-4,052

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COMMENTS IN ENGLISH ABOUT WHAT HACHULU HUNDESSA'S SONG "MAALAN JIRA" MEANS
All of these comments are from the discussion thread for this embedded YouTube video. These comments are given in relative chronological order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1. Mr.B Bird, 2016

"ላልገሎቶ ጉላሌን ከንቱፋ ላልገሎቶ

ኢጋኔ ጋረሳና ጋራጂ ገሙ መሌi wish i know what he was saying. It feels like it's some kind of patriotic or revolutionary song. The melody and all the sound with the Masinko makes it classic. I don't even know how many time i listen to this. Lalgaloto....yep!

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REPLY

2. DANNY2F1, 2016
"Many LIKES for your comment  Mr. B. Bird! :)       In fact It is a love song having some emotional attachments with  what is going on around Addis/Finfine these days. It is a very touching song for the Oromos specially for those communities who used to live around Finfine but have fallen victim of  land grabbing; and that ultimately  forced them to migrate somewhere else leaving  their families and loved ones behind...etc. 

Now you can imagine what a loving young man (who went through such trauma) would sing for his love mate while he is away; . . . and that is the theme of the song.”…

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3. Tegegn Jaleta, 2017

"@brooka ape The song belongs to Oromos of Ethiopia and the language is called Afan Oromo. The singer is singing for his  cute girl friend broke up due to some one's interference in their relationship.He is telling that story in regret. It also delivers message how Oromos are being evicted from their ancestral land by dictatorial Ethiopian government in the name of investment."

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4. Aba Farda, 2018

"An Oromo and Ethiopian Hero. Keep it up. My take on the song:

The title of the song is Maalan Jirra (I ain`t living or missing you)

In his song he deals with the way Addis Ababa/Finfene has developed and still developing and the impact of that process on the people who lived there and still living to day in the surrounding of the city. He talks about the eviction of the indigenous families and what has happened to them, the Tufas, the Abichus, the Gelans etc. He shows their culture – songs, dances and interaction.

People are evicted from their properties to pave ground for what some call development. Ones development could be the destruction of others if it is not crafted carefully and equitably. One of the effects of eviction is the destruction of certain social fabrics leading to displacement, marginalization and immigration, the separation of loved ones.

In this context he sings about his loved one from whom he was separated. His and hers desire and hope to fall one day in each others´ arms on one side and the frustration and despair on the other are vocally and visually articulated.

It is a song for LOVE

It is FOOD for THOUGHT."

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5. Solomon, 2019
"I was born and raised in the heart of Oromia. My families have been hard core religious and I have been not allowed to listen to music other spiritual songs. But this music broke my heart and can't stop listening. It did bring back my old memories as  flashback. Beautiful music!! Hacalu is my hero!!!

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REPLY

6. Solomon, 2019
"@@Azeb I would have help out the what all this music is all about, if we are close enough to do so. Anyway it all about love between two young adults being separated from each other.  He ( the singer) says he did everything he could to find her but he could not which broke his heart. And it goes on........Of course his love( the girl also wants to find him but she could not as well)."

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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

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