MIX Jan 8, 1973 - 43A Tierlul

Recording Series B 4A

Place of Recording: Tierlul

Date of Recording: January 8, 1973

Performance:

Informant: Agwa Alemo

Date of Transcript: April 27, 1973

1 000 Marching Song.

Information: From village of OCWINY on the Sudan side. There are some tribes named ORAGE in Ethiopia. They compare themselves with this tribe because this tribe takes everything seriously. They fought very strongly.

Text: Telling one of his friends that what we boast for must be repeated 15 times. We cannot compare it as we are drinking beer but we can take the killing of an elephant can’t be compared when we are drinking beer, but when we are dancing. (they can kill the animal when they are happy, not when they are sad). The bullets that we shoot will be heard from far villages. Something we boast for if we miss it, rumors will be around and people will be against us. When we went to hunt the elephant, we didn’t sleep at all we were dreaming of killing an elephant and we the lion people and the elders. We are not compared to any generation. (Solo man singer joined by people in the circle) When the ladies heard that your generation didn’t kill an elephant yet, they replied to the ladies that you leave those who tell likes and used to drink beer only. Repeats.

2 069 Flute part.

Information: When he plays flute, you cannot identify the words. Sounds like they play on the radio. (For himself he can identify the words but those who are listening they cannot identify it.)

3 086 Marching song from OKADI.

Information: The leader of their generation is named after a fish (has many horns). Much shouting after by the women in Bura.

Text: We the generation of this man we are going to send a message or send a telegram to all the people so that they can hear what we swear for. When we shoot the bullets, we dream as God send a message to us as we are gong to kill an elephant. When we boast that we are going to kill an elephant we didn’t have any thing to eat on the way. We killed our animal immediately. Repeats.

4 116 Marching song from OKADI.

Text: Informing people when we fought or when we killed our animal they were in a group and the family of the elephant was leading their way and the male was following the female. We shot many bullets. Before we killed an elephant, people dreamed that we had caught the small one by visiting our village. (they dreamed that they came to see it) You better inform the people of AJWARA that the group of an elephant crossed the river to your side so that they can kill an elephant also. We are the first generation who killed both female and male elephant at the same time. Repeats.

5 148 Marching song from OKADI.

Information: Informing the man whose named after vulture.

Text: Spring came when we are going to kill an elephant. Those who killed a female elephant there not a brave generation – not men. They can kill their wife also. They are not compared to us who kill the big elephant. When we tried to shoot a big elephant, half of us were smoking while the rest of us were fighting against the big elephant and the elephant was just cutting the trees into pieces to throw at us. The elephant that we were fighting raised its hand to collect the smell of the people in the air. That was the end of his life.

6 166 Flute.

Information: Repeats preceding song. Repeats vocally also the song of before. All of above solo male voice except first one when joined by others.

7 201 Marching song.

Text: The generation of NYIBOL you have fought an elephant that ran away. We are going to march in TABWOR (a town near Dembi Dolo) to register their guns. When we kill our animal, we came back to the village for dancing.

8 223 Dudbul.

Text: I was greeted by the people of another side of the river. Praising the daughter of the king saying that you get married from our generation so that you can get an ivory.

9 247 Marching song.

Information: (Anuak are using buffalo skin to make shoes) That kind of shoes are very hard to beat somebody with) they are the generation who ignore the beating of this kind of shoes who fought the people of MAJI and the people in BALE province. Male soloist with those in circle joining in without accompaniment; an interesting song.

Text: The dancing that we are going to dance will be heard in the whole region of Anuak. The generation of the man who is named after giraffe raise your hand with an ivory. We are whom people are looking at. Praising the leader of their generation after the man who makes commands and leads during the war. A man who leads the people.

10 306 Marching Song from Okadi.

Text: Swear not to eat wild pig the singer informs his generation by saying what is dead there. The people answer it is wild pig who looks like a flesh of a person which is not uneatable? We control ourselves not to eat an animal that doesn’t have a good shape or head. Having many horns. Doesn’t look to the sky clearly. Those who went to OKADI might have seen our leader when he was having a pistol. Those generations who were Ethiopian at the same time when the killed an elephant it was looking like a man who was cutting grass for building hut, also looked like a monkey. Its meat is not good to be eaten (wild pig) Also elephant. The meat is the same color. (He said this song was from my village called OKADI and I’m going to be tired very soon.)

11 377 Love song.

Information: Dance in Tierlul. Tin drum. Strong drumming, girls singing. (Praising their boyfriends that they dance with, after their animals)

Text: What an exciting or surprising thing. Repeating that. What an exciting or surprising thing.

12 454 Dudbul.

Information: Girl singer (Pokwo leper girl). (Where this is located is uncertain.) (If you have a father in our area, you may always light fire for him clean wherever the men live every morning and every evening. Clean his skin where he used to sit, do everything, if he wants you to get tobacco, he can send you and you can bring it. This is the best part of Anuak culture: where you learn. If you do everything commanded by your father If you kill a person, you will run away with him together. If you get married, he will pay for you everything. The best part in our area) If you disobey his order, he will never get anything. Though he is rich enough to pay.) DHOGO (How the song was changed: Singing it as a Dudbul, can identify with the notes she is using. Dudbul notes are quicker than the marching song. Marching can sing it step by step. Dudbul: is quick in jumping style).

Text: Crying to my poorness which village is it, it is our village. Which is called Gok. Led by a chief called ONGWAC (Ongwach) You cannot see newcomers immediately (Means a very large village so newcomers are not noticed) Praising a man saying that I’m tired of being away from our village. (He was away in the gold mine for mining) Praising the wife of his friend: you are our wife who can be trusted. Praising her after a permanent thing and after her fathers’ animals. Praising one of his best friends whose named after a frog. Said there is no person which can be compared to this man in Gok village. Sometimes, when you fight somebody and say that God who curses made you fight with your friend, or Satan made you fight. Satan separated hi from his best friend. If he had some money, he would have divided it with his friend. Praising a man named after a fish. He was expecting a bead which was second to demoui from a lady of that village. When a rive flows down it will never come back, never change its direction. The people of Gok cried because of their village. Praising each group after their animals. And the chief also. Informing one of his friends saying that I have been poor for a long time so if your clan was having a meeting you could meet for m poorness. When he got married, people were asking what did OBUNG pay and the answered not even a needle or a single thing. He didn’t pay anything Informing one of his friends by saying you took what Anuaks are saying. If I go to the gold mines or anywhere that I get a job, I can get money for my marriage. Praising his wife Where is the husband of this girl I’m the one. Who is he poorest man? When I se myself we have a long distance with demoui (The distance between me and demoui is very far) If I had been there in our village I would serve or make myself a servant of a rich man by bringing wood and taking away the ashes. Praising a lady those who are going to marry my wife will drink a beer always because she makes beer anytime. Telling his friends also my bad luck will lead me to death. When people are against him by telling bad words. (If you are very poor and people are saying bad rumors against you anything bad which happens in the village will be: you started it Because he is a bad boy. Known to everybody that he is bad.) Praising his wife saying when he slept, he dreamt of her coming. There are some people who are after beer another people who are after food only. (Changes the song to a marching song – still the same song only changed in form.) Praising the leader of their generation. Whose name is When we are going to boast for the animal, we are going to kill nobody will argue with you. You the generation of DHOGO. A boy named after Pelican, saying words of war always. Those who pay beer for the marriage they are destroying their names in Gok village. (Means b giving beer to the relatives of his wife.)

13 678 Dudbul.

Text: Our leader is huge and brave whom I’m going to beg. If I’m going to beg for the special beads second to demoui, we can meet for it. Make a meeting for it. When I used to go to the village of kings, they were asking that where is ORIET and Gok because the village of Anuaks Praising the chief and his wife Praising the daughter of the chief also. Praising a boy named after giraffe saying I [m now in the middle of the people who’s going to give me a price. Praising a man who is named after a big bracelet and his wife. You bring a spear to me from our house. Praising a man who is named after an elephant. Informing a girl not to be glad of selling her away. Praising a man who has named after a bracelet and a permanent tree connected with heaven. Asking him to give 10 spears so that all Anuaks can see them Praising his group by saying the girl that you Mary which you missed because you didn’t pay enough money must not be given away. Praising each group after their animals and their fishes whom they are after Praising the boy who is named after hippo by saying why don’t you accept my song by giving a spear. Our friendship will not separate us. It is like a river. Praising his friends saying what I get or I couldn’t get it praising a lady who is active in work. Saying you work will never be finished. You can continue your work till the end of your life. Praising their chief he has become the leader of all chiefs. We will kill an elephant we the generation of your village.

14 905 Obero.

Information: Praising a man who died without children.

Text: Praising the man who died saying, when he died, we lost, we were unhappy of his death. There is a man named after buffalo, he is informing him that clean your tears and when you get another one in the future, make your hand on him. (Another chief) (don’t let him go away, keep him in a good condition) Praising the wife of the man who died saying I’m not a good singer but the death of my friend forced me to sing a song.

15 976 Obero.

Information: Solo girl Singer.

Text: People I Will cry for my father who was murdered by some tribes, who died in a known way. Praising a man who is named after the bracelet. Saying that gives me some special beads for my song. If our father raised up like a moon, we would be very glad and laughing. Don’t be proud of those who are poor and life is better than death so that I can see my relatives. When you murder our chief, why don’t you replace this small one (this small chief) (He said to the people they have murdered the chief – not by killing him, their cruelties and bad behavior in the village led the chief to die, that is what he means). Those small villages they have become a very rich because of selling tobacco which they brought from the highlands of Galla. God will help us with my uncle’s son. Because I didn’t know what is called demoui. I will like to give myself to a rich person so that he can pay for my marriage. So, people from now I’m being blamed by the people of Gok.

16 1060 Marching song.

Information: Solo girl singer.

Text: Boys and girls you wear your shoes, put your shoes on. When we kill leopard we were aiming to make a part or a marching in our village. It was only a governor who did not come to see our party. We are the head of all males in the world. Repeats.

17 1100 No definite designation. In the form of Dudbul.

Text: A beautiful girl when will you come back to our village? The girl answered, I would have come but I’m afraid of revenge. (Means not revenge – not because of the man who died but it is because the man who married her paid much money which can be compared to a revenge) (If he planned to step away from that man she might be killed and that man will pay more to her father) If I confuse my father, he will kill me. Father, let me dance and look for the one I love who is very rich.

18 1122 Marching Song.

Information: In the first part she sang as Dudbul and the last part as a marching song.

Text: We are the second and our village. Gok village is the second when we make our chief dance. This is compared to the death of the absence of our chief. (When their chief was in the parliament of Addis) When we march, we were pictured and we were unhappy because of our absent chief. We were unhappy because of NYIGWO absence (When they killed their animal their chief was not there during the party – he was in the parliament)

19 1157 Love Song.

Text: When I die who will cry for me. My girl friend or my wife will cry for me. Repeats. I’m poor which sings songs without value, without getting any gift from the songs. The rich man let me walk during the night time. (Means the relatives of his wife didn’t love him so they were looking for him to beat him so they could dismiss that boy) Praising his wife saying AQUATA. I hope the way of rich people can be shown to me. What a gladness I feel. I feel very, very glad, Repeats that part. Repeats the whole song.

20 1236 Love Song.

Information: Means he was trying to skip away from the village but one boy reported everything to the parents of his wife, that is why he is unhappy.

Text: I missed the plan that I was longing for, one liar was telling out bad rumors for my wife. People informed my wife not to love me but they advised her that she is going to be given to a rich man. She had been given to a rich man already. The girl who I decorated myself for being proud of her had been given to a rich man.

ANUAK Project: FIELD NOTES – Jan 8, 1973

Retyped: July 4, 2019

12:00 Tierlul behind Paul’s house.

1 219 Gentleman with gold colored flute, photographed and identified on first 3-4 days of previous visit. Enjoys the playback greatly. Listens intently. Agwaga by Lebo from Okade 1964. Okwot Buy, singer from Okade.

2 250 Agwaga by Okene from Okade. 64

299 Flute interludes with in the Agwaga.

3 340 General dancing from Okade by composer from Peno (recorded there)

4 513 Flute, dancing song.

5 523 Man and woman, take a while to get ready and then sing together. General dancing from Okade. Akwer, lady.

6 586 General Dancing from Okade. Duet with woman Akwer.

7 648 General dancing from Okade. Suing by himself.

4A

1 000 Nirnam hunting elephant from Ocwing. Man, and group around him 1958.

2 037 Flute.

Nirnam hunting elephant from Okade 1964. 87 flute.

3 092 Nirnam elephant from Okade 64.

4 117 Love song from Okade by Ningyoni

5 129 Nirnam from Okade many years ago. People especially enjoy this and the next song.

6 161 Nirnam from Okade. Very rhythmic.

We walk from the place recording of individual singer took place behind Pal’s house to place where young people were dancing to sound of tin drum. Beating drum with hand and batter in other hand. Dancing back and forth in 2 lines as on previous day. Non structured, simply a dance with slower songs. Young people dancing much as they would in a typical HS dance in the US. After watching, filming and taping briefly, we walk around area going to the Burra and talk with those 2 sitting there about how many in the age group, 50 approx., the settling of disputes, justice and the role of the jo Burra, succession, etc. we return home by about 4:15.

PHOTOS: Opened camera on #6

4 singer.

5 singer and flute.

7 Blank reverted back to 0

0 singer.

1 Man and woman singing together.

2 flute.