"Teddy Afro Tikur Sew" is a song by Teddy Afro, a popular Ethiopian musician, released in 2012. The song commemorates the Ethiopian victory over the Italian invasion in 1896 at the Battle of Adwa. The lyrics are in Amharic and can be translated to English as follows:
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| Battle of Adwa oil painting (ca. 1970, Library of Congress) |
ኑ አድዋ ላይ እንክተት
Come to Adwa ready to
fight/defend
ያ ይጥቁር ንጉስ አለና
That Black King is
there and
የወኔው እሳት ነደደ
The spirit/zeal burned
ለአፍሪካ ልጆች ድል ቀና
Victory brought luck to the children of Africa
Explanation: The first verse encourages Ethiopians to come to Adwa ready to fight for their country, as the Black King, Emperor Menelik II, is there to lead them to victory. The verse also suggests that the victory at Adwa was a blessing for all Africans.
Verse 2:
ባልቻ ኣባቱ ነፍሶ
Balcha, his father is
Nefso (Balcha was a general of Oromo-Gurage origins who also fought in the
second Italian invasion)
መድፋን ጣለው ተኩሶ
He threw the artillery
after firing
ባየይ ዓይኔ ብረቱ
If I hadn't seen it
with my naked eye (implied: I wouldn't have believed it)
ያውቃል ስለ እውነቱ
He knows about the truth (the previous lines are repeated)
Explanation: The second verse praises the heroism of Balcha, a general who fought in the battle, highlighting how he used the enemy's own artillery against them, demonstrating his intelligence and bravery.
Verse 3:
ጥንድ አርጎ ሰራው የኔን ልብ
He made my heart two
complete this response
ጊዮርጊስ ፈረሱ ቆም ሳይ
When I saw St.
George's horse standing (this reference to St. George should be understood to
mean that St. George, the patron saint of Ethiopia played a decisive role in
the victory. The story is that Menelik II prayed to St. George before going to
Adwa and vowed to build a church in his honor should he be victorious. That is
the origins of Kidist Giorgis Cathedral in Addis Ababa, which was erected as
promised during Menelik II's reign. Also, Priests marched into battle carrying
the Ark of the Covenant – hence the victory is seen as not only of great
political importance but is of great spiritual significance.
ድል ቀናኝ
ሳልል ዋይ
Victory came to my side without saying "way" (way being a vocalization like "oh" uttered as a lamentation)
Explanation: The third verse describes the impact of the victory on the singer, as he was moved to his core when he saw the symbolic representation of St. George's role in the victory. He then suggests that victory came to him without any warning, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the triumph.
These lyrics tell the story of the Battle of Adwa, a significant event in Ethiopian history that took place in 1896. The Ethiopian forces, led by Emperor Menelik II, successfully defended their territory against the invading Italian army. The song celebrates the victory and the key figures involved in the battle, including Menelik II, his wife Empress Taitu, and the Ethiopian commanders Balcha, Fitawrari Habte Giorgis Dinagde, and Ras Alula.
The lyrics describe the bravery and determination of the Ethiopian forces, highlighting the role of St. George, the patron saint of Ethiopia, in their victory. St. George is said to have played a decisive role in the battle, and Menelik II built Kidist Giorgis Cathedral in his honor in Addis Ababa after the victory.
The song also emphasizes the importance of unity and cooperation in achieving victory, as the Ethiopian forces were made up of people from various ethnic backgrounds, including Oromo, Gurage, and Tigray. The lyrics incorporate phrases in Oromifa, the language of the Oromo people, as well as Amharic, reflecting the diverse makeup of the Ethiopian forces.
The proverb at the end of the song, "In order to define yourself now, you have to look at your past," serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding and appreciating one's history. By acknowledging and honoring the sacrifices and achievements of those who came before us, we can better understand our own identity and values.
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