>
>
> **** To contact Dehai-Admin, send mail to: dehai@universe.digex.net ****
>
> merHaba seb bahlna:
>
> It has been a while since we talked about new Eritrean songs. I wish
> we could keep on reviewing new songs and books written in Eritrean
> languages. This way we can get an idea on how much our literature is
> growing. As an music (Erirean) junky, in the past 12 months alone, I
> have acquired about 32 new tapes. Some are from 1994, majority from
> 1995 and 1996, three from 1997. I will try to give the whole list of
> these tapes later and I will mention my favorite tapes. For now let me
> focus on one of those 1997 releases. It is by memhr Alamin Abdulatif;
> his Vol. 3. If you remember his Vol. 2 was released around 1987/88. It
> was the one that had the Tigre song "yma" (mom) and his Tigrigna song
> "nafqot" (nostalgia). For those of us who admire Alamin as a singer
> this release is long over due. I might had also it is a tape much
> worth than its $5.0. I got mine from the ECCC.
>
> The title of this newest tape is "Nastahl" (we deserve it). It is the
> title of a song he sang immediately after liberation. In fact we had
> the full text of the original version of this song when we released
> our (Dehai) interview with him in the fall of 1995. Here are some of
> the words of the earlier version (translation, courtesy of Omar M. Kekia):
>
> ====================
> na'stahl
>
> Hna mn enferH If we feel joy
> wemn ntHaben wemn nastaQr And feel pride and hail,
> nastahl! We deserve it !
> weHna mn naHale If we sing,
> wemn sesE wemn berj And dance,
> na'stahl We deserve it!
>
> na'stahlo lferaH We deserve the joy
> wenastahlo lHaben and we do deserve the pride
> admay qali defaEna For it is precious blood we paid
> egl nKber wonshnen So as to be respected, and to be proud.
> shAb Hadr badi tu A whole population perished
> embl Qebr woKefen With no coffin nor a marked grave
> woshebab Qali defaEna We sacrificed our precious youth
> emal edinya ytemen Whom no wordly wealth can buy.
>
> Those who are interested in the complete lyrics of this can check
> Omar's Tigre Home Page from Dehai links page.
>
> http://mjosa.stanford.edu/rmr/edin/links.html
>
> "Rumana" (name of a woman) another famous song of his is also in this
> cassette. Those who are familiar with the Bologna Festival video
> series might remember "rumana" from 1988. It has been a crowd favorite
> ever since. I am glad it is out in an audio tape. This way we can
> carry it with us in our cars. Here are some lines from "Rumana"
>
> Rumana
>
> Rumana welat Barka SaEda Ruman Daughter of the wonderful Barka
> sefalelkina we long so much for you
> moday kofo hala aKbar hebina Come tell us the news of the times
> ab zhale thaleki tbSHaki selamie Greetings to you wherever you are
> selam msl sefelal ketebkwa ab'mbaye With tears of longing
> edl wlawl ll'ka egl tshfeg eglyie I entrust my greeting to the wind so
> it reaches you rapidly
> welwal amsuy wobrud akanatki yQewie Hoping the cold breeze of the
> evening might know where you are
> ___________________________
> (Translation by Omar Kekia)
>
> Those who got the chance to attend Alamin's "30-years in Music"
> celeberation in Washington, D.C. or those who watched the video of that
> occasion c.1992 will also remember his Tigrigna song "Hdri suw'at"
> (appeal of martyrs). This one too is in this new tape.
>
> It has the words:
>
> niertrawyan nAna znger An appeal to be told to us Eritreans
> Abi Eda alona Eda mhnaS hager We've a huge a debt, a debt of
> nation building
> bdem zteSaHfe nay Hatnan yeHwatnan [an appeal] written in the blood of
> our sisters and brothers
> Hdri alona Hdri swu'atna:: The final words of our martyrs
>
> In addition to these, the tape has five new songs: Three Tigre (keren,
> gashayt, and selma) and two Tigrigna (elm-elm, and iertrawi iKa). More
> on these songs later.
>
> AKWay gedim
>
> --
> Ghidewon
> Ghidewon@vcu.edu
>
>
> ** Workshop by Prof Sondra Hale, UCLA. March 15-29. "Gender Concerns After **
> ** the Liberation Front Becomes the State: The Case of Eritrean Women". **
> ** **
> ** To join the workshop, send mail to: majordomo@primenet.com with the **
> ** following in the body of your mail. subscribe dehai-ws your-email-address **
>
Hello Ghidewon & Dehaiers,
I am also an avid listener of Tigrinia and Tigre music, I will admit
I don't understand all the words in Tigrinya and maybe a little bit in
Tigre but it has been a great tool for me to learn my culture as well as
the language by paying attention to Eritrean Music.
As Ghidewon pointed out this tape by Alamin is excellent and I do
recommend it to all who like music. It truly is a joy to listen to Eritrean
music. Again Ghidewon! Thank you for translating the two songs along with
Omar Kekia.
See You soon
Your Friend Mike Seium.
** To (SUB/UNSUB)SCRIBE from dehai, send mail to: majordomo@primenet.com **
** with the following text in the body of your mail: **
** subscribe dehai your-email-address **
** unsubscribe dehai your-email-address **