This song is dedicated to my aunt, to Oromo women, and all the families of people involved in political struggle or insurrection. War is often discussed only through the lens of the combatants, and not the people who care for them; the multiple people who are effected by their decision to take up arms. My family and others are dealing with the multigenerational consequences of war, and I know what the consequences of war look like inside our homes.
Addey is a word in Tigrinya that means mother, but is also used in many languages in the Horn of Africa as a term of profound respect for a woman who raised you, but is not your biological mother. Kiyya means 'mine' in the Oromo language.
lyrics
Verse 1
Cargando el agua
Carrying the water
Por la loma
Over the hill
Colinas de obra
Hills of work
Son su vida
Are her life
Es el papel
This is the role
De la niña
Of the girl
Hermana mayor en su familia
The oldest sister in her family
Debajo el árbol se queire sentar
She wants to sit under the tree
Donde mujeres no pueden estar
Where women aren’t allowed to be
Es el papel de la niña
This is the role of the girl
Que no le quiere más
That she doesn’t want anymore
Chorus
Adey Kiyya 8x
Verse 2
El lunes se levanta en la ciudad
On Monday she wakes up in the city
Con niños comadres la casa llena
With a full house of children and god parents
Su esposo se fue
Her husband left
Pa la selva
To the jungle
Con armas pa’luchar por su entia
With weapons to fight for his ethnicity/people
La lucha consuma a todo igual
The struggle consumes everything the same
Su tiempo, su espalda, la felicidad
Her time, her back(strength), her happiness
El mismo papel
It’s the same role
Que en el campo
As in the countryside
Que no se eligió
That she never choose
Chorus 2
Addey Kiyya 8x
credits
from Biyya Chonta,
released April 2, 2021
Lead Vocals--Kumera Zekarias
Chorus Lead--Margarita Redondo
Chorus--Margarita Redondo, Larry Ararat, Kumera Zekarias
Marimba de Chonta--Larry Ararat
Bass--Kumera Zekarias
Guitar--Kumera Zekarias
Shakers--Maria Pacifico
Bombo--Maria Pacifico
Cununos--Maria Pacifico
