Faarsuu Dache: In Praise of Mother Earth

This traditional Oromo poem for Mother Earth has passed from generation to generation since time immemorial. It was translated into English by Obbo Zalaalam Abarra and first published by Oromia Support Group (OSG) in Sagalee Haaraa. Obbo Zalaalam has noted that no translation can possibly do justice to the subtlety, nuance or beauty of the original.

    Afaan Oromoo                                                                English

Dache nagaan ooltee? Yaa ishee niitii Waaqa; Irri kee midhaanii Jalli kee bishaanii Du’aan sirra ciisaa Jiraan sirra fiigaa Yoo sitti awwaalani Nan ajaaye hinjettu Sirra yoo qotani Nan madaaye hinjettu Gara-baldheetti koo Ati nagaan bultee? Ati nagaan ooltee?Dache yaa dinqitu! Jaartii garaa meetii Sirra qonnee nyaanna Jiraa keenya baatta Yaa sugeessituu koo Sirra horree yaasnaa Du’aa keenya nyaatta Yaa gumeessituu koo. Sooressa abbaa shittoo Natti urgaaye jettee Ofitti fudhattee Iyeessa abbaa cittoo Natti ajaaye jettee Deebiftee hingalshitu Yaa wal qixxeessituu koo!

Greetings mother earth Thou wife of Waaqa; Above thee is grain Beneath thee is water The dead rest on thee The living run on thee If we bury in thee Thou never complaineth of stench If we plough thee Thou never complaineth of wound Our all-embracing mother How didst thou spend thy night? How didst thou spend thy day?O thou wondrous earth! Mother full of treasures We farm and feed from thee Alive, thou carry us O thou gratifier of our needs We reproduce on thee Deceased, thou devour us O thou the accomodator Be it the perfume-soaked rich With aroma and scent Thou doth take him unto thee Be it the scabies-infested poor With his bad odour Thou does not reject him O thou the leveler!

Afaan Oromootiin