Fuel for Perpetuating Struggle: Analysis of an Oromo Resistance Song

ABSTRACT

For the Oromo, music remains a means of expressing political repression. This study is an exploration of linguistic choices subsumed in an Oromo Protest song, “Maastar Pilaanii” by Caalaa Bultume. In this research, I explored the textual instrumentality of the lyrics of the song as a form of political discourse. To this end, I adopted Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework to identify the discourses. The study has made it evident that the selected music has tremendous underlying messages meant to raise the political consciousness of the citizens. The results showed that the functions of coercion, legitimization-delegitimization, resistance, opposition, and dissimulation have been used to convey the embedded messages. The findings of the study also demonstrate that music goes far beyond simply reflecting and describing situations; rather it also serves as a platform through which discursive spaces are contested and opened.

KEYWORDS:

• Oromo protests
• Ethiopia
• political discourse
• Maaastar Pilaanii
• resistance music

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The Dergue regime abolished the serfdom system. The Dergue came to power following popular revolution of the Ethiopian masses which ended the monarchical system in 1974.

2 The Maastar Pilaanii was a very ambitious project. The project was meant to expand the city into the surrounding Oromia region and avail land for different types of investments. However, the magnitude of land to be taken by the project was very vast. It was planned that the city would expand between 100 and 150 kms on each side into very fertile arable land on which “teff” the crop for Ethiopia’s staple food “injera” was predominantly grown. The reason why the Maastar Pilaanii became a rallying point for the Oromo was because it could affect millions of people if it were to be implemented.

3 Tufa was an Oromo who used to rule Finfinnee before it was fortified by Minlik II and became the capital city.

4 The Gada system is a system developed from the wisdom of the Oromo people that regulates political, economic, social and religious activities of the community dealing with issues such as conflict resolution, reparation and protecting women’s rights and democratic system of governance. In the Gada system, rulers are selected every eighth year and there is separation of power and responsibility among the leadership leading to check and balance.

5 The artist refers to Oromo politician who conspired against the Oromo. The evictions of Oromos from Finfinnee and other parts of Oromia were facilitated by Oromos who conspired with the powerful groups.