MIX Jan 5, 1973 - 40A Pokwo

Recording Series B 1A

Place of Recording: Pokwo

Date of Recording: January 5, 1973

Performance: Odiel

Informant: Agwa Alemo

Date of Transcript: April 21, 1973

1 000 Obero.

Information: Strong male voice. Took the chief as the treasure. When the people brought the chief, they brought him like a governor to us. (He was in the 4^th grade and didn’t want to be chief so he escaped to Gambela. Agwa and Cham advised him to go to school and get an older man to replace him. When he went to Pokwomo the people there said no you will never return to school the people need you as chief so they took him to Illea as chief. Agwa was his teacher) (That is the system in that area. When you reach 4^th grade you have to teach. In a village that you like.) Odiel also advised Obung Cham to show love equally to all and not to a favored group. Then disagreements would break out. This is not found in this song. But he has given this advice.

Text: You better live in the village of your father quietly. (Because the son of the chief is needed by everybody, they like his leadership) Those who are I need of you they are those whom you can talk with. (Means those who are against you they are people you can say bad things to also) this large village, who can make himself destroy this large village. The grandson of NYIGWO which is our treasure at the same time. This is my luck that I am still begging you. He took one man called OMAN in the village. (Oman means a boy who has many sisters) Mentions another man who is helping the chief with the leadership. Don’t support those who are saying bad words to you because you are the foundation of this village. This may be my bad luck, because the singer who were having the same rank as I became very rich, got much money already. There is a man who is helping the chief in leadership. This is my request to you that you can give me a cow. The talk of ILLEA must not be done secretly but you can do it in public. Request the prime minister by saying that those generation who are after you are those who want the village to be destroyed. As a newcomer to the village he was invited to go and drink beer. When he entered the house, some people looked at him from the corner of the house, staring at him. When they looked at me, staring at me, I laughed at them. That made me leave the house immediately because I was afraid. I walked from Illea to Etung and I ignored my hunger. When they walked together, he didn’t request him for something to eat, but he was in need of something like a price from him. Admiring the chief, praising after animals of him or his grandfather and uncle. Praising a man after animals of him or his grandfather and uncle. Praising a man with his wife telling them that what have I done. What bad thing have I been doing in the village. I’m informing all of you if you agree on one point, to give me something. I was also hoping that God will help me in any way, that he likes. Telling what happened to his friend, look what my uncles are doing. When I first entered the village, everybody will be very glad to accept me in their village. Repeats. When you raise your hand in the village that is expose your arm, keep your arms down. Don’t mix freely with them. Say only that which is true. Repeats the song.

2 231 Like Dudbul.

Information: (Odiel singing without accompaniment his own songs.) (There is a pre-echo on the tape which is disturbing but does not interfere with the clearness of the singing.)

Text: Praising the chief of Illea after his father’s animal. Took him as his father. Animal may be giraffe. A man whose named after catfish because of his bad luck it may be from God that I missed many prices from the chiefs. The son of chief who is also fit to be the chief where will I be supposed to go to have some prices. Answered, it may be if I can go to my own village. To beg my own chief. My begging is similar as I’m crying for those who died it is not as if I were begging for the price. I’m tired of asking for something from the chiefs. Praising a person who has given him a price. After his grandfather. Praising a group of his friends by asking that don’t be angry because I’m still facing the chief, not you. (He’s still begging the chief and not his own generation) Praising an active lady who is working very hard in the village. After her grandfather. When you see this animal, you repeat it many times. (May be an animal or alcohol) this may be my bad luck or there may be some secret, some agreement with some other people with the chief not to give me a price. I didn’t know what I had done to the chief not to give me a price. I didn’t know what I had done to the chief. Every village I used to go there will be agreement between my enemies and the chief so that the chief will ignore me the first time and when he sees that I am not guilty according to what had been reported he could give me something. Praising a person named after a fish (A certain fish when it wants to get air will jump over the water) You got the last chief of our village. Or God of your village. OBUNGCHAM. Repeats.

3 475 Dudbul.

Information: In August, the people mostly suffer, they cannot catch fish and corn will not be ripe. It will be about 2 weeks left for the new corn to be ready.)

Text: Being very far away from the village, it is not given to only few people but I am common to everybody. I swear in the name of OBUNCHAM or NIQUARNYIGWO Obungcham’s grandfather. When I cry because of my poorness, I’ll cry against you. Because, of the raining season, I’ll cry against you. (Mostly August. The flood will come and thee will be nothing to be done at that time. My missing some price is not from the son of chief but my own. (Considers the people along the Baro who are chiefs, to be the son of chief) Requests Obungcham by saying, if you have seen some mistake from me why don’t you tell me so that I can realize it. One boy called OCAN GORA (Agwa’s classmate) when he failed the national exam of 6^th grade, was employed in the clinic and made friendship with Odiel (Odiel included him in the song) Saying, he became like a brother because he has solved some of my problems. Those who don’t have parents can help themselves and God will help you also to have a brother like you who don’t have parents. (Ochan has no parents, neither does Odiel) Praise the chief, Obungcham what can I do with my bad luck. (Some parts sung in Somali sounds, like a question answer – the grandson of NYIGWO, you are the chief, repeats.

4 611 Obero.

Information: (When you want to inform all people, what can I do now because of my bad luck. (doesn’t mean exactly bad luck. If a person catches a good amount of fish and carries them home, the odor of the fish will cover him. The people then will not like to go near him. When you have many wounds on your body, people will not want to go near you because of the odor. Name for airplane is sky canoe. As above, Odiel singing without accompaniment his own song. There is a preecho on the tape which is disturbing but does not interfere with the clearness of the singing.

Text: That is why he says, because of his bad luck, people though he made a very important song for the people, or the chiefs they still dislike him. There is a man whose name GOY: Goy is a dove, a bird. How are the people going to ask me? This is your village which its name had been written in front of canoe or boat or airplane (Uncertain) (Name for airplane is JARMAL; Canoe. Jarnam. Name is after a lion, as pictured on an airplane. I am still begging you the son of chief. Praising the wife of chief according to what she has done to him. (Women have been feeding him by giving him food or beer to drink.) I came from my own village called EBAGO and if I had been a girl, I would have married from PUMOLI. Praising the elders of the village because of their sympathy for him. A man named after Nile perch: It would have been your tiredness of me to let me go back to my own village. (this man is one of the elders of the village) If you mean to chase me away from your own village there is no doubt it is your decision. He can leave anytime. Explaining about his bd luck. To his friend who sympathies and who helps in small prices. Praising the wife of the chief and some other elders who he is going to live in the village. (What will make him happy to live in the village) Because he used to sing songs always, he sang in front of the people and he is complaining about his tiredness to the people. He has mentioned a person in Illea he will become rich. There are those who are angry because of their lost brother. I will never blame you for something or for a gift because you ae in bad condition. They are angry over their lost brother. One boy named after buffalo praising him and his wife. (One word, OTEEO, the chief or king) He took Obungcham as Oteeo. Repeats

5 955 Dudbul.

Text: A man named after an animal, not identifiable, the son of OKEMJWEL which side is better, is it better on that side. (Means which side of the river. Between the chiefs is it Ebago or illea. Which side would it be better for me to get some prices? Praising his friends and their wives after their grandfathers. I will like to greet our chief, our treasure I my song. In the form of begging. There is a man named after a lion and tells him that your village becomes as Addis Ababa or Asmara. One man who is named after buffalo said that the song that I’m collecting are for you and for the bodyguards who live with the chief together. Praised another man after pelican. Told him that you are having a large village which I can get a number of spears, going to collect from different people. I trust that you will accept my song by giving one spear each. Explains his bad luck to a known lady o girl she is the wife of the chief. When he was on the way to Illea people were discussing about his poorness. Praising groups of his friends after their fathers’ animals and OCWIERMAYA. Another way of naming pelican. (Means that a pelican is white. Because the water washes dirt away.) Illea is divided into 2 villages, there is one down away from the river, and one on the river. He is praising the ones away from the river with their wives. (another town Illea is far down river) One-two (In English) what a surprising thing, means the girl he was praising was very beautiful and she walks very nicely)

6 1208 CORO

Information: Means another form of dancing (When people are jumping. Without drum, Coro)

Text: The village which is led by the grandson of Oligoether your village became known. It is like Addis which is appreciated by many people. what is it I would like to beg the son of chief,

7 1250 Agwaga.

Information: (When a chief wants peace in the country and doesn’t want war, he will not say anything about war unless people say bad words against him.

Text: In the song he says, if some people come to attack him, God will help him to defeat those who are against him. When he comes to dance in the circle, he looks like Amhara, the generation of giraffe have not started any war with the neighboring villages (the leader of that generation is named after the giraffe) (Looks like Amhara. Looks proud, fearful, like he is going to kill people) the village of the son of ONGONO will not be attacked by any village and your name is known because of your behavior. Something is said always will never turn him from that thing. He always goings ahead like AMHARA. L (Like those who are commanders, in the forefront of command in war) tape runs out without the song being completed.)

ANUAK Project: FIELD NOTES – January 5, 1973

Retyped: July 4, 2019

10:30 Go to Pokwomo and visit the chief.

11:05 Pokwo

Work with Odiel Okelo a singer from Illea, Anyele and sometimes Ebago. Heard him singing yesterday from across the river. He sings with his hands over his ears, sitting forward, looking through eyes that appear not to be well. He is from Ebago village.

1 000 Obero by the singer written in 71 from the Chief of illea. He repeats the song.

2 122 General dancing by the singer written in 72 in Illea. Repeated.

3 192 General dancing by the singer written in 71 in Illea.

4 251 General dancing by the singer written in 72 in Illea. Notice the Somali influence.

5 323 Obero for the chief of Anyele in 1971. The chief is still alive. Written by the singer. Repeats. Anyele is down and across river from illea.

6 502 General dancing from Anyele. Written in 70 by the singer.

7 634 General dancing from illea written in 72 by the singer.

8 658 Agwaga from Ebago in 69 written by singer.

We work till 12:30 and pay him $2.00.

3:30 We arrive in Tierlul find the tree by Ningyoni’ s house where the beer making place was before.

Side B

1 000 General dancing from Ebago. 69-70 Written by singer and repeated.

2 091 General dancing from Ebago 71 Written by singer and repeated.

3 112 General Dancing from Ebago 70 Written by singer.

4 144 General Dancing from Ebago 71 Written by singer.

5 239 Obero from Ebago for the previous chief Ongoing Obae.

6 327 Obero from Pinymala in 71 for the present chief Opodho.

7 492 General Dancing from Pinymala. 72 All of above songs by the singer.

8 602 General Dancing from Anyele 71 By the singer.

9 631 General dancing from Anyele and for himself alone.

Photos as follows:

9 F2.8 Singer

10 11 Crowd watching

11 8 Street

12 4-2.8 Singer

13 5.6 Tele Girls smashing corn.

14 5.6 Tele

15 5.6 Tele boy listening to tape.