Oberos Jan 12, 1973 - 44A Tierlul

01 Track 1.mp3

Recording Series B 5A

Place of Recording: Tierlul

Date of Recording:

Performance:

Informant: Agwa Alemo

Date of Transcript: April 30, 1973

1 000 Obero.

Information: General idea to beg the chief including those who are known in the village not by begging them. A sort of information by informing them in another way.

Text: This is the way I am going to beg our chief. Those who are informed by him are those who are helping the chief. If his song is accepted by them who he informs there will be no doubt that he will get something. Our chief is famous along Baro river and there is no part of the Baro river where his name is not known. Informing a man named after GEESE AGIRA, the son of PURO. I am prevented by the liars not to get a price from the chiefs when it is nearly to be given to me. I’m asking our chief who is the son of NYIGWO to be a chief in our village. Tell me the son of PURO because I, I am in between, to be given, because in your Bura (meeting place) there is no peace or love. Give me special beads because the meeting place is the richest. Repeats the sentence. I was supposed to be given a price by the chief but the liars prevented me to be given by a chief in our village. Repeats. The son of PURO, give me the special beads because in your meeting place there is no peace or love. Naming APORA, the chief after his bird. Saying, don’t cry because of hunger because your chiefdom is the most famous one. Informing one-man NYIBUR (The one above the chief – advisor to the chief) Let’s take care of our village because it is destroyed already by the liars. When he fought the government all Anuaks resigned or became frightened because they thought that the war was for the Pokomo people only. When the government picked up their guns those who were newcomers from our village escaped away. You give them a chance, or give him a chance to farm and don’t let him roam about. He became a father of everybody so that I can keep begging him every year.

2 052 Obero.

Information: A new crowned or a new crowned chief: QUACKAL: Obero for all people.

Text: Everybody I am begging a new crowned chief. I’m begging then new chief who is the grandson of NYIGWO who finished the talk of price with his father’s wife together. Informing the bishop NYITOGA saying that lets keep our chiefdom to lead our village. That is the chiefdom which had been famous along Baro river. Informing AGIRA I was supposed to be given a price but the liars prevented me not to get a price from the chiefs. You better remain as a chief in our village. Informing a man named NYITHIRE: I am between to be given a price but because the meeting place has no peace and love, give me the special beads because the meeting place is the richest. AGIRA Don’t cry because of the hunger. Because your chiefdom is famous or known everywhere. Informing NYIBUR by saying let’s take care of our village because the liars can destroy the village. Informing the chief who fought the government saying when he fought the government all Anuaks afraid when the Amhara picked up their guns. Those who were newcomers in our village escaped away. Give him a chance to farm and don’t give him $10 because the people of meeting place are looking after him. Informing a man called OLAW (Olow) he took him as a precious treasure. Took the chief as a precious treasure. I’m going to beg him, he is the son of crocodile, who is acting like God. I can beg him every year. Informing a man, OGWELE bell everybody because buffalo or going to the meeting place. (Took the chief as a buffalo)

3 105 Obero.

Information: Same as above. The same song is repeated over and over as the man is teaching this to the villagers and the men in the Bura. This tape follows the evolution of a teaching of a song from its first singing to its advanced performance the singer is an older man short in stature.

4 175 Obero. Same as above.

Information: In the new songs there are those who are named after their animals. They put you in the song after your animal. Is not clear, you can tell them another way which can fit you in the song. Because they are still correcting it, after they get everything the correct part of the people, they will sing it together.

5 203 Obero. Same as above.

Information: Can begin to hear the men in Bura joining in.

Text: NYIBUR advisor: Let’s take care of our village in a good condition because all villages have been destroyed or being destroyed by the liars. (Clarification) when our chief fought the Amhara or the Government all Anuaks became frightened because they were saying that the war or Amhara tribes was against only the Pokwomo people. Those who were newcomers escaped away.

6 408 Obero – WORD FOR WORD

OBERO WARA QUACKAL QUAR THAWO WINYI NYIGWO

All people father chiefdom the grandson animal that gr fa is of Nyigwo

Named after (crock)

THWOL LOAW LULLO BUUT NYOMONYOKDI

A snake has gone to a thick forest near the gr daughter of N (crocodile)


NYTOGA GWO WAC-PAAC WARA APODHO BAAT NAAM

Bishop keep chief of the village our father is known all over the river


AGIRA WAO PURO KAYA – MAANA TWOTI

A bird the son of puro I am prevented by liars

(fish) The boy & father

Named after fish called puro


NO KANGA JAAP KWAARI

If I’m not being given something by the chief.

(If I’m prevented to be given something by the chief)


MUUC KARE OCANO YA

A gift time of giving very near (coming close) (Prep)


NYITHERI WAO CURO

Person’s name son of animal his father is named after (ants or catfish)


ANO DHEERO COON (CHONE)

I’m between just (prep)


BURA BAANG – MEERE BURA OKWER JAAK

Meeting place there is no peace (or love) meeting place rich very rich


AGIRA WAO PURO DEERI JWANO KAAC

A bird the son of Puro your body cry hunger

The son of Puro, I cry in my hunger to you (Named after the brown-black color of the bird)


NYIBUR WAO NYANG GWO PAAYO YA

Advisor son of crock keep the village

(Advisor, the son of crock, we better keep the village (in good condition is implied)


KAR PAAC WEEGO RAANYO

Don’t village give destroy

(Don’t let or give the village destroy)


MEERI COTHA TOTE

Villages destroy liars

(Don’t let the village be destroyed by the liars – because liars are the disturbers of the village)


TOTE ADAO RAANYO KWAAYO KAANY

Liars came disturb or destroy your chief here

(Liars came to disturb your chief here)


CURO WAO OGWIELE NA – KEEDE DINYOKUCA EANYWNA ALWAYO

Catfish son name of father when he fought the govt Anuaks fear

(Catfish of the son of Ogwiele, when he fought the govt all Anuaks were afraid.)


WAYO WAYO JUR MARWA KIRWA

You were saying tribe ours alone

(You were saying that Amhara tribe were ours alone)


WEEGO PUR BEEL MUC TOTE – AREO

Let him cultivate grains don’t give to liars

(Let him cultivate grains and don’t give him to liars)


BURA NETA ENI

Bodyguards looking him

(Bodyguards looking after him)


NEN NOB DIGEW KWAYO JWOK KO KWAYO KWAYO WAO NYANG

Secret name of prime minister beg God Keep begging him son of crock

NA ROON

Every year

(Digew who is named after secret beg your God and I will keep begging him every year.)


AMWONG NYO – BOK OGWELE WAO OGEIRA JOBI

Permanent thing the daughter after name son name of the father buffalo


ODWIETO NI KOM JEE JA OGWELE WAO OGEIRA JOBI

Said tell (advise) the people name son name of father buffalo

ODWIETO BURA

Said in the Bura

(Amwong Odwieto advised Ogwele who is the son of Ogira to tell the people. The chief said an article to his prime minister to tell everyone in the village.)

7 480 Repeats.

8 559 Repeats.

9 641 Repeats.

Information: (Tape recording is very poor.)

11 812 Repeats.

12 932 Repeats.

Information: The children don’t give him very much respect because his voice is not respected as being a fine voice. Not clear to everybody sounds rough to some. Children start to join in.

13 1032 Repeats.

Information: Fairly easy to learn. By repeating I can sing it with him together.

14 1152 Repeats.

Information: Becoming stronger as others join in. when the singer sees that they are tired of the song they are learning; a new singer will sing the old songs to refresh the people.

ANUAK Project: FIELD NOTES – Jan 12, 1973

Retyped: July 5, 2019

Tierlul, 3:00 P.M.

Kwot Onyinyi sings with 5 other men. Middle aged, same age group of ages 30-45. Kaga Lero composer of all songs indicated.

  1. Agwaga from Odongo.

  2. Agwaga from Odongo.

  3. Agwaga from Ajwara by Otat, 1966.

  4. Agwaga from Ajwara by Olong, 1964.

  5. Agwaga from Ajwra by Omot, 56.

  6. General Dancing from Ajwara by Kwot 52.

Tape 6, 3:30

  1. General Dancing from Ajwara by Ogut, 52 sung by himself alone.

  2. Nirnam from Ajwara by Otok, 56.

  3. Nirnam from Ajwara by Odungo, 56.

  4. General Dancing from Ajwara by Orieo, 56.

  5. Obero from Ajwara by Kwot for a dead chief who died in 49 or King from Cham.

  6. Agwaga from Peno by Ojung 64 (On Akobo river on the Border). Puts in actions of fighting in singing. Humorous comments of people running.

  7. Agwaga from Peno by Lipo, 65.

  8. Agwaga from Peno by Lipo, 63.

  9. Agwaga from Ajwara by Chief Oruth, 64.

  10. Agwaga from Ajwara by Odongo. Ajwara and Odongo were the same village. King at this time was Akway. When he died, divided the village. Ajwara given to Cham and the other to Odongo.

  11. Agwaga from Odongo.

  12. Agwaga from Ajwara by Kwot very old, incomplete.

Tape 6, Side B 4:35

  1. Agwaga from Ajwara by Kwot (Repeat from the other side. Very old.)

  2. Agwaga from Ajwara by Lipo. Made for king of Akwara. Notice shouts of men in background.

  3. Agwaga from Ajwara by Lipo.

  4. General Dancing from Ajwara by Dedung.

  5. General Dancing from Ajwara by Opolo.

  6. General Dancing from Ajwara by Kwot.

  7. Nirnam from Ajwara by girl, Ariet.

  8. Nirnam from Ajwara by girl, Ariet.

  9. General dancing from Odong by Omon.

  10. General dancing from Obodi by Nyibola.

  11. Obero from obodi for the king (Ocudho Odol.)

Conclude at 5:30. Pay $3.00.