Ethiopia

Promotional video for the From the Lion Mountain album. (Courtesy of Dust-to-Digital on YouTube)
Yeha, Tigray State, Sept. 16, 2012.  David Evans (headphones) recording at the wedding of Hagos Gebreraphael (groom) and Medhin Gebretnsae (bride, under umbrella).  Tsegay Habtu, vocal and krar (lyre); unknown man, kebero (drum).  Henok Fissha (black t-shirt), himself a singer and krar player, assists with the microphone.

Every year between 2012 and 2015 Dr. David Evans travelled to the northern reaches of Ethiopia, focusing especially on the music in the village of Yeha. This town is tucked away in the mountainous region of Tigray. Its music features religious chants of Ethiopian orthodox priests and deacons, wedding songs, work songs, children’s songs, and songs for general entertainment, accompanied variously by kebero drums, the one-string masinqo fiddle, and the krar lyre, as well as the embilta ensemble of three flutes.

Much of the music in this region is monophonic, meaning that there is usually only one solo melody. There is also little to no underlying harmony to the music of this region, and instruments in this tradition are almost always subservient to the vocal melody. That being noted, the poetry of these songs is the main focus, with a variety of topics being discussed depending on the context the music is being performed in.  Historical and military themes are prominent.  Yeha is close to the site of the 1896 battle of Adwa, in which Ethiopian troops resoundingly defeated a mighty Italian army, assuring the nation’s independence into the next century.

Overall, the region explored is full of tradition and history, with the mountains enclosing it from the outside world. One of these mountains also takes the shape of a lion, giving the sense of a protective spirit overlooking the village.  An online album, From the Lion Mountain: Traditional Music of Yeha, Ethiopia, was licensed to Dust-to-Digital Records of Atlanta and released in 2022.

Dr. Evans made many recordings in other communities and regions of Ethiopia on these expeditions, which have yet to be released on High Water or its licensees.

Video and Image Gallery:

Lalibela, Amhara State, Sept. 23, 2012.  Alemu Yohlawha Wande, vocal and masinqo (1-string fiddle), at his home.  Getawe Abebe (left) and Amha Moges (right) assisting in the recording.  Their friend Salamlak Alemu, the musician's son, is on the right.  Alemu is an azmari (heriditary professional entertainer). 
Sheraro, Tigray State, Sept. 21, 2015.  Kunama ethnic group.  Three female singer/dancers with kubula (i. e., kebero) drum.  Daniel Gebremariam (assistant) on right.  Music for weddings, holidays, and memorial ceremonies.  Kunama are a semi-pastoral minority ethnic group in western Tigray. 
Lalibela, Amhara State, Sept, 23, 2012.  Sete Zebegna, vocal and masinqo (1-string fiddle); Getey Abebaw, 3-piece kebero drum set; background singers.  Recording at Bawsh Traditional Music House.  Yohannes Negash assisting with the microphone.  Sete is an azmari and was considered to be the most popular entertainer in lalibela at the time.
Mekelle, Tigray State, Dec. 4, 2013.  Guramaile Entertainment Band with their sound system.  The band performs at weddings, night clubs, hotels, festivals, and government events.  Left to right: Teklay Gebremikael, masinqo (1-string fiddle); Ashenafi Amare, krar (lyre); Girmay Hagos, electric guitar; Alexander Bruk, keyboard; Girmay Tesfay, vocalist, director; Mulugeta Kassu, electric bass; Zeray Arafayne, recorder. 
 Bahir Dar, Amhara state, Nov. 3, 2016.  Yirga Bazezewu, vocal and 5-string krar lyre with metal strings.  Yirga is unable to walk, due to childhood polio, and gets around on a hand-cranked tricycle supplied by the government.  As a young man, he moved to Bahir Dar, the capital city of Amhara state, from the countryside to the southeast to pursue a career as a professional entertainer at cafes and for weddings and other celebrations.    Here he is performing at his home made of plastic sheets stretched over a framework in a poor section of the city, while his wife prepares coffee and beer (tälla) to be sold to onlookers.  He typically performs many tricks with his instrument and plectrum to entertain his audiences.  Subsequent to this recording Yirga made a successful appearance on a nationally televised talent show and became a star.  He now lives in better circumstances, rides a motorized tricycle, and has a number of videos on Youtube.  I first met him in 2011 and recorded him a number of times for High Water in subsequent years, though no tracks have yet been issued.  
Aksum, Tigray State, Nov. 28, 2013.  Yared Band recording in their rehearsal space.  Natnael Fitsum, keyboard, manager; Andit Teklehaimanot, electric krar (lyre); Gezaei Negash, vocal and electric masinqo (1-string fiddle); Girmay Woldemichael, Berihu Gebrehiwot, and Girmay Assefa, embilta flutes.   The band performs at weddings, festivals, and night clubs.  It is named after the sixth century Saint Yared, who composed many hymns and codified hymn singing in Aksum, then the capital of Ethiopia. 
Yeha, Tigray State, Sept. 19, 2015.  "Fitewrari" Tesfaye Kebedew, vocal and 4-hole washint (flute).  "Fitewrari" is a traditional military rank, here used as a nickname.  Tesfaye sings about military heroes of Tigray in a genre known as fukera. 
Yeha, Tigray state, Sept. 27, 2015.  Boys carrying torches, singing and dancing in a circle around a bonfire, accompanied by kebero (hand beaten drum), at night on the eve of Meskel holiday.  They later go around to houses and serenade, receiving gifts of money and food.  Meskel ("Cross") is the celebration of the finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena in Jerusalem.  It comes following the rainy season and Ethiopian New Year holiday (Sept. 11).  For the main ceremony, following prayers and singing of hymns by priests and deacons, a large bonfire surmounted by a wooden cross is burned in the main plaza.  If the smoke rises, it predicts a good harvest.  
Yeha, porch of Saba Cafeteria, Tigray state, Sept. 19, 2015.  Embilta flute ensemble.  For a full description see the notes to the four embilta tracks on From the Lion Mountain.  The flutes each produce a single note and a second overblown note.  They are played in interlocked (hocket) style, a style very widespread in Ethiopia and throughout East and Central Africa for wind instruments (horns, flutes, panpipes) and vocal music, and undoubtedly very ancient.  Embilta is believed to have accompanied the Queen of Sheba on her journey to visit King Solomon and her return to Ethiopia.  It is performed at weddings and holidays, mainly in Tigray state, although other wind ensembles using this style exist elsewhere in Ethiopia.  I'm not able to identify the musicians with certainty, as a number of them kept alternating and switching flutes.  I think they are l to r: Zekiros Gebremedhin, meri flute; Legesse Woldegerima, difin flute; Paulos Zemuy, iman flute.  A kebero drum is heard off-camera, possibly played by Dawit Bsrat. 
 Lalibela, Amhara State, Dec. 4, 2013.  "Old Abyssinia" Traditional Music House.  Alemu Yohlawha Wande, vocal and masinqo (1-string fiddle); Getaye Tekeba, kebero drum set and background vocal; 2 female background singers.  See 0534. 
Sheraro, Tigray state, Sept. 21, 2015.  Kunama language/ethnic group. Uluda (stepping dance).  Music for weddings, holidays, and memorials (gila).  Women are Roman Kamati, lead singer and kubula (i. e., kebero) drum; Shawit Kiros, dancer; Alem Girmay, dancer; Letemichael Berhane, dancer and kubula; Berhan Haile, dancer.  Men are Mesfin Kegnew, vocal and gila horn - from a large "deer" (larger than an ibex), with one hole covered and uncovered with the thumb; Gidey Tsegay, Gebreselassie Kegnew, Berhane Karela, Futsum Bamba, and Bamba Kidanemariam.  The men wear waist and ankle rattles made from bottle caps.   
Yeha, Tigray state, Sept. 28, 2015.  Meskel celebration on the plaza by priests and deacons, dancing and singing with prayer sticks.  Hymn singing with two large kebero drums (played by deacons) and shaking of tsenatsel sistrum rattles.  Background ululation by women.  (See previous description and notes to From the Lion Mountain.)  Note that the singing gradually rises in pitch level and increases in rhythm and intensity.  The large kebero is used only for church music, the smaller version for secular music.  Daniel Gebremariam, himself a deacon and my guide and assistant, can be seen in the upper right holding a set of microphones on a pole. 

(All photo and video captions provided by Dr. David Evans)