|
Dynamic people of Eritrea
By Petty La Duke
|
| |
TSAADA WEDI LAMZAIT
Tsaada Midhan Tesfa Gebru (Gebru of Bet Gebru) was a famous person in his tribe.
He was
called wedi Lamzait because his mother was from the Lamza people. He lived in
the 1600s I
have assumed, because he is the brother of my 13th forefather. The renowned
Eritrean
historian, Abba Fiseha Tsion Barnabas helped me trace the lineage and we
calculated him to
be from that time. Also the Gonder monarchy was strong at that time, until its
fall in 1769. He
is a frequently mentioned man by the elders of his tribe.
A few centuries ago, the Mai Ila clan of the Tsena Degle tribe and their Saho
neighbours
called Asalahida became bitter enemies. The Asalahida took advantage on the
other clan.
They herded together to grass land when the Mai Ila went to Bahri to farm, and
when parting,
the Asalahida demanded more animals than they owned demanding to be equally
divided.
Likewise when they harvested together, the Asalahida put less cereal collected
and demanded
half.
In those days justice was sought far away to the Gonder kingdom. Kentiba Mikael
had gone
to the emperor in Gonder to be given soldiers. The emperor did not attend court
with the
Kentiba and came empty handed back home. A person could stay for months or years
waiting
for court attendance.
After Kentiba Michael, the Tsena Degle had difficulty electing their chief.
After long and
tardy discussions and no Kentiba appointed, the post was given to an outsider
who nominated
himself. The exhausted elders threw leaves at him as was custom, electing the
man called
Hadegembes as their chief.
Shortly after he was appointed, Kentiba Hadgembes started become unfair and
cruel to the
people. He was feared and nobody dared confront him. Hadgembes felt powerful and
whenever a cattle was slaughtered, he demanded the tongue be given to him. The
tongue used
to be considered food for elders. When he saw people cooking tongue, he would
break the pot
and take away the tongue.
One day he demanded all cattle and goats brought to him. He was given them and
the
people waited to be returned to them. He did not return them that some men went
demanding
them back. Hadgembes refused to talk to the men and demanded that the women come
to ask
him. When the women came, he said, "To get back your animals, you have to make
the
animals sounds". The women agreed and made moo sound for him – “moo moo”. He
said,
"Now you have become cattle, go home cattle", to the women. The people had
enough and
started intriguing his downfall.
Soon Hadgembes was travelling to another village and men awaiting him on the
road. A man
called Drui (perhaps the renown Drui Fegaga) struck Hadgembes from his mule that
he fell
dead.
There was a brave man among the group called Tsaada wedi Lamzait. Named so
because
his mother was from the Lamza tribe. The men agreed to elect Tsaada as their
Kentiba and
threw him their leaves on him. In the village it was believed that Hadgembes
fell from a cliff.
When a chief is elected those consenting throw him leaves to his feet.
When Tsaada wedi Lamzait took power, the Asalahida were troubling them more and
more
that it was decided that Tsaada himself should convince the Gonder emperor to
send him
soldiers.
Tsaada had a good friend from the Asalahida people and had seen the injustice
done.
Tsaada went to his friend's village and the man slaughtered a goat for Tsaada's
honour. The
people despising Tssada said even the goat being grilled smelled foul. Tsaada
told his friend
of his plan to ask the emperor for help. He said when the time comes he will
send the friend
warning that he moves away from here with his family.
Tsaada knew it was very difficult to meet the emperor that he thought of a
clever way to be
received. Tsaada went to the seacoast and brought fine beads for the queen.
Beads were
regarded as precious ornaments. He was not successful to hold court with the
emperor.
The queen was very glad to receive the beads and asked Tsaada what he wanted and
he told
her his people' troubles. She knew that his people had come to the emperor
repeatedly with no
success. She told Tsaada she would help him. The queen arranged her maids bring
her water
to churn. When the emperor entered the chamber he was surprised to see his queen
churn. She
was chanting, -
"Mai zi haqone-n
Tsaada Negus zi Amene-n"
Meaning, he who churns water
Tsaada believing in the negus.
Milk churned produces butter, not water and Tsaada believes in the emperor in
vain.
The emperor's attention was drawn hearing it that the queen repeated it. He
understood his
negligence to Tsaada's people and immediately sent for Tsaada.
After Tsaada told the emperor of his reason coming to him, the emperor then
asked Tsaada
how he would feed the soldiers accompanying him. Tsaada answered, "We have two
Injera"
meaning they harvested twice yearly, both the highland and Bahri season. "We
present milk in
large gebela" Gebela or the bowl is filled with milk and then stirred with a
large fork that
foamed and looked more than it was. "We have the Errer bird leading us to
honey". It is a
similar way to saying we are a land of milk and honey.
Tsaada with the soldiers returned home. They camped nearby and Tsaada sent a
young boy
to warn his Asalahida friend to get ready. Fearing that the boy would be caught
and made to
tell, Tsaada sang the words "Ya Ali Golo, Ya Ali Golo" several times and sent
the boy. The
boy did not understand the message and coming to the friend, he sat down. The
friend asked
what Tsaada said. The boy answered, "He said nothing". The friend was getting
anxious and
asked the boy again what Tsaada said. The boy getting fed up answered, "He told
me nothing,
but sang 'Ya Ali Golo' only, nothing else!".
The friend understood the warning message and took his family far away to a
place called
Ali Golo and was thus saved from the emperor's soldiers. The soldiers attacked
the Asalahida
and drove them away.
Narrated by sisters Adei Kedusan and Adei Negisti Habtezghi and Aboi Hagos
Shifta,
Asmera 1993.
ERER the honey finding bird
Errer is a bird that farmers meet as they go to the Bahri to farm in its season.
It is small as a
fist and grey in colour.
There are two rainy seasons for the inhabitants of eastern highland Eritrea. The
highland rainy
season being June-July-August and November-December-January in the Bahri side
which is
more towards the Red Sea. As people lived in farming mostly, they farmed twice a
year. The
highlanders too far away from the sea farm only once a year, June-August. The
highlanders
farming twice yearly are from Hamassien and Akele Guzai provinces. They build
provisory
homes staying there for months until harvest.
It usually takes them several days to reach their Bahri farming lands. They
sleep in the open
ground sometimes rain pouring at them. Some groups travel as only men and some
with their
whole families and animals.
That is also the time young men see young girls and there are songs recorded
where the
men sing or whistle songs in the mountainous areas that it was heard from far
away.
The farmers see the bird Errer when they travel and look for honey. When the
bird finds
honey hive, it hops on the ground and makes the sound "Ir Ir". She has led them
to the honey
that the men start looking for honey there, and they look under stones, as there
might be water
nearby, or a tree to find the hive. They smoke out the bees and take the honey.
* * * * *
|
