28/06/2022
Hachalu Hundessaâs posthumous album, âMaal Mallisaaâ, is a versatile album that is full of euphonious tracks for music lovers. From a numbers and promotions standpoint, the album had truly impressive weeks on the charts, topping many Hollywood artistsâ works that were released around the same time. âEessa Jirtaâ and âGoota Kooâ tracks from the album have become part of the musical canon for his fans and Oromo people in general. However, the third track in the album, âKuullee Kooâ, is a ubiquitous song that seems to stay relevant endlessly. Besides the musical arrangement, structure, and stunning instrumentals used, the song is novel in its story-telling format, purpose, and meaning of the lyrics. The track composition is electrifying in nature, and the lyrics condenses stories from hundreds of years ago with a superjacent message of love, making it fascinating not only for music lovers, but also for historophiles like myself.
In the song, Hachalu makes references to 19th century stories of the Oromo people in the Wollo region specifically. The Wollo region, located to the eastern part of the Amhara regional state, today is one of the culturally diverse places in Ethiopia, with its capital city at Desse(Dessie). Yet, it is one of the places that is historically claimed by different ethnic groups such as the Amharas and the Oromos. The references Hachalu makes in the song, in return, trigger the history of the Wollo Oromos and the political culture of Ethiopia from hundreds of years ago. The song is generally interesting, but it would be an even more commendable one within the understanding of the Wollo region and its history, especially during the early phases of the formation of the current Ethiopian state. As such, I seek to explore the meaning behind the lyrics of âKuullee Kooâ and the history of the Wollo region prior to the formation of the present-day Ethiopia.
A Sense of Belonging
Music has long been used as one of the greatest mechanisms to express powerful stories about a society that struggles to preserve its identity, history, and culture in an increasingly hostile political environment. Most poets and musicians use lyrics, instruments, and melodies to