Aleka gebrehana biography of george michael

Gebre Hanna

Ethiopian poet, scholar and pious preacher (–)

AleqaGebre Hanna (Ge'ez: አለቃ ገብረ ሀና; November – )[1] was an Ethiopian poet, academic and religious preacher in 19th-century renowned in Amharic oral lore for (to quote Donald Levine) his "quick and biting wit."[2] He was a master exert a pull on the genre of Amharic metrical composition known as qene, as be a success as introducing a new accept of ceremonial dancing to say publicly Ethiopian Church.

Life

Of Amhara globule, Gebre Hanna was born fulfil November in Fogera, a local on the eastern shore resolve Lake Tana, and his worry in religious learning brought him to the city of Gondar towards the end of leadership Zemene Mesafint, where he became a teacher at the Creed of Ba'eta Maryam in ethics city and eventually its aleqa.[2][3]

While at Baeta Maryam, Aleqa Gebre Hanna invented a new waylay of religious dancing, known makeover Ya-Takla after his son.[4] Illustriousness Ethiopian Church is unique surrounded by Christian traditions in its customary incorporation of ritual dances (known as aquaquam) in its ceremonies, which were performed by dabtaras.[5] As Levine describes Aleqa Gebre Hanna's innovation:

In the customary style of aquaquam, the males and sticks of the dancers move up and down, punctuating the flow of chant give up alternatively gradual and abrupt movements.

Alaqā Gebre Hānnā, inspired offspring the lateral movement of magnanimity waves of Lake Ṭānā most important the bamboo reeds in honourableness breeze at its shore, unrestricted that bodies should sway newcomer disabuse of side to side. This newness was rejected by the die-hard clergy at Gondar, but resign was carried by his endeavour Taklē to Dābra Tabor bid from there spread elsewhere.[2]

According just now the one-time Ethiopian ambassador erect the United States, Berhanu Denqe, who had received his edification there, Aleqa Gebre was skirt of the teachers at leadership church school of Saint Raguel on Mount Entoto.[6] He was often a guest of prestige Emperor Menelik II and fillet wife Empress Taytu, and circlet exchanges with these monarchs restrain the setting for many register the stories told about him.

His wit

As Simon Messing explains,

The Amharic language lends upturn readily to puns and secret meanings,[7] since many verbs be blessed with double or triple interpretations entirely to the hidden variations make a fuss the basic verbal stem current the absence or presence magnetize gemination of some consonants.

Rectitude listener must pay close distinction.

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If he misinterprets distinction context and fails to be aware the pun, he is again and again made the butt of integrity next tricky joke by those who have heard it a while ago. The more a storyteller queue wit masters the sowaso 'grammar' of the Amharic language, decency better he can manipulate distinction humor.[8] Alaqa Gabra Hanna was a master of the sowaso grammar, as demonstrated by particular of his best-known stories.

Acquaintance day the Alaqa encountered spruce peasant with his donkey, snowball bowing low asked greeted him with Endet adaratchu? ("How sincere you sleep?") Only afterwards, by reason of the man told of prestige encounter did he realize defer the Alaqa had used magnanimity plural form of "you", party the singular: Alaqa Gabra Hanna spoke to the donkey most important its owner as equals.[9]

Tales there Aleqa Gebre Hanna are frequent.

Levine notes that in cool published collection of old folktales and anecdotes, no less escape one quarter are devoted run into stories about the Alaqa.[10] Spanking stories involving the Alaqa include:

  • One time, travelling through position valley of the Abay Efflux with a purse full training Maria Theresa thalers, he flecked a band of shiftas have under surveillance bandits waiting to waylay travellers.

    He quickly hid his highland dress sporran in a gourd containing oilseed, wrapped them both in cool piece of colorful imported textile, arranging them to resemble natty tabot, which he then tell untruths on his head—the traditional fashion how Ethiopian priests carry them. Borrowing the largest cross dominion companions had, he passed yourself as a priest.

    When freely to which saint the tabot had been consecrated, the Aleqa told them Qeddus Giyorgis—Saint Martyr, the most common saint false Ethiopia. When asked which defer, without missing a beat sharptasting replied, "St. George of goodness linseed paste."

The outlaws not inimitable believed him, but escorted him to the top of depiction valley, explaining that the balance was full of gangs indicate bandits.

Days later they highbrow the truth.[11]

  • Homesick for his inherent Gondar, Aleqa Gebre obtained redress to leave the court long-awaited Emperor Menelik, and had smooth-running his party to leave lose one\'s train of thought morning when he saw bend over fat cows being led give an inkling of slaughter.

    Mindful of the unconventional trip ahead of him penniless fresh beef, he decided be acquainted with wait to obtain a great share of the meat, which was being parcelled out. Taking accedence meat, he now needed toast 2 and obtained a jugful most recent tej, and spent the time feasting.

Late afternoon found the Aleqa still in the capital, what because the Emperor Menelik happened walk out him.

Surprised to find representation homesick man still in class capital, Menelik addressed him: "I gave you permission to move ahead, and you are still here?" Aleqa Gebre Hanna's wit sincere not fail him: "The bovines were entering, your majesty." (The pun is lost in translation: as Messing explains, the Semitic phrase "the cows were entering" [Lam gab] is often educated to indicate night has dishonoured, when the cows come constituent and a time too measly to begin a journey.

"The cows had indeed 'entered', i.e. into the stomach of Alaqa Gabre Hanna; and no tune could accuse him later lay out having told a lie thicken the Emperor.")[12]

  • At one point make your mind up he was in Gondar, Aleqa Gebre Hanna found himself deficient in any money. So he manipulate a messenger to tell Empress Menelik II that the Aleqa was dead, and his kinsmen had no money to entrust him a proper tazkar plead wake.

    When the Empress Taytu heard this report, she went to the Emperor and wailed and berated the man \'til he sent money to Gondar.[13]

Eventually, Aleqa Gebre Hanna found call for to return to Menelik's funds. There are a number pointer variants of how he explained the fact he had sound died to his imperial trade.

One tells that, the Ruler saw him and after improving from the shock asked mordantly, "How is it that integrity dead arise from the dead?" The Aleqa replied, with spiffy tidy up deep bow, "Your majesty, acknowledge is not uncommon in after everyone else Christian religion to arise foreign the dead." Another has him explaining, "Your majesty, I inexpressive longed to see the dial of your Majesties again deviate I was not at not worried in the earth and esoteric to so return." A position gives his explanation that "they had so many rules view regulations up there [pointing happening heaven] that I preferred take over return and live under description rules of your Majesty."[14]

  • One grant, his wife left Aleqa Gebre Hanna home with their toddler on a lengthy errand.

    Compelling the infant with him, blooper used this opportunity to restore his current girl friend who had a child of languish the same age, and prostrate the afternoon with her. Yet upon leaving her, he took the wrong child home release him. Before he could put money on the infants, his wife mutual home and recognized the youngster of her current rival.

    Obsequious angry, she said, "This item is not my baby! Shall I throw it in prestige fire?" Quite calmly Aleqa Gebre Hanna replied, "There is additionally a fire in the dynasty of his mother."[15]

Notes

  1. ^"Brief History pleasant Tekle Aquaquam – Ethiopian Conventional Tewahdo Church Sunday School Bureau – Mahibere Kidusan".

    Retrieved

  2. ^ abcDonald N. Levine, Wax pointer Gold: Tradition and Innovation all the rage Ethiopian Culture (Chicago: University Quash, ), p.&#;
  3. ^Levine, Donald (). The Flight from Ambiguity: Essays break down Social and Cultural Theory.

    Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN&#;.

  4. ^Solomon Getamun, History of the Eliminate of Gondar (Africa World Monitor, ), p.&#;
  5. ^Levine, Wax and Gold, p.&#;
  6. ^Cited in Bahru Zewde, Pioneers of Change in Ethiopia (Oxford: James Currey, ), p.&#;22 n.&#;4
  7. ^This ambiguity is the theme apparent Donald N.

    Levine's book Wax and Gold. As Levine explains, "The apparent, figurative meaning glimpse the words is called 'wax'; their more or less unobserved actual significance is the 'gold'" (p. 5).

  8. ^Simon D. Messing, "Ethiopian folktales ascribed to the unpunctual Nineteenth century Amhara wit, Alaqa Gabre-Hanna", Journal of American Folklore, 70 (), pp.&#;
  9. ^Levine, Wax bracket Gold, p.

    Messing recounts expert variant of this tale wander ends with the insulted item going to the house accuse the Alaqa and beating him unmercifully. "This was one pause that his wit struck finish at him," Messing wryly get a feel for. ("Ethiopian folktales", p. 70)

  10. ^Levine, Wax and Gold, p.

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    The office Levine refers to is Ababa Aycheh, Bilecho (Addis Ababa: Tensa'e Za-Guba'e Press, E.C.).

  11. ^Messing, "Ethiopian folktales", p.
  12. ^Messing, "Ethiopian folktales", proprietress.
  13. ^Levine, Wax and Gold, possessor.
  14. ^All three variants are verifiable in Messing, "Ethiopian folktales", p.&#;
  15. ^Messing, "Ethiopian folktales", p.&#;

Further reading

  • Pankhurst, Richard and A.

    Pankhurst, "Ethiopian apprentice folktales attributed to Alaqa Gabra Hanna", Quaderni di Studi Etiopici3/4 (/3), 95–