Gebreyesus Hailemariam is the father of the Guragigna alphabet. He has modified the Ethiopic script and made them represent the basic sounds of Guragigna. In doing so, he has transformed Guragigna that had been used only for spoken language for centuries into a written one in the mid-twentieth century.
In the same way, his great contribution has made the language to shine high in the sky, connecting the past to the present reality seeing that documenting civilization of the people has been made possible. What is more, he managed to modify 53 letters and prepared the Guragigna alphabet. His first book accompanied by the new characters was able to see the light of day in 1958.
He had successfully served in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) for thirty solid years. At present, he is a pensioner.
By the same token, the author is the first person to publish a book in Guragigna language making use of the Amharic and the modified Guragigna alphabet. As far as this, he has authored sixteen books in Amharic, English and Guragigna languages that revolve around the culture and traditions of the people of Gurage and other related issues.
As a matter of fact, he was able to prepare the newly formed Guragigna alphabet without the help of anyone. But after the successful invention of the alphabet, finding the right person who could type the characters was not easier said than done. However, as luck would have it, he found somebody who was excellent at typing and made his dream come true.
The Ethiopian Herald has sat down with Gebreyesus. Excerpts are below:
What inspired you to write your first book?
At the outset, the way how I got myself involved in writing books never ceases to amaze me. The thing was, one fine day, as I was not feeling myself, I headed straight to Dejazmatch Balcha Hospital to undergo a medical examination. At that specific juncture, I was working at the UNECA. After the medical examination, the doctors informed me that I should undergo an operation in two weeks.
This time, something sprang into my mind. As a room with one bed cost five Birr a day, I made up my mind to stay there doing at least something meaningful. I reached into a conclusion not to go anywhere. Hence, I was able to write a book in Amharic entitled ‘Kentu Nuro’ (Meaningless Life) in two weeks comprising ninety-five pages.
How did the idea of writing a book in the Guragigna language spring into your mind?
To start with, some time ago, the only language I used to speak was Guragigna given that there was no much exposure to the Amharic language in the place where I was born and raised. Aside from expanding my native language, I was making an effort to save the language from extinction. If truth be told, everything was not easier said than done. There was no stone I left unturned to save the language making use of a wide spectrum of techniques. As I am not the kind of person who easily gives up hope on something, I kept on fighting time and time again.
As time progressed, I came up with the idea of writing a book in Guragigna for materializing my dream and taking the language to a new chapter of success. That was the reason why I was able to set my pen to paper. The biggest challenge was book censorship that used to tie authors hands and feet.
What was book censorship like?
Words fail me when I attempt to express the seriousness of the situation. They were giving a hard time for all authors. The situation was going into uncharted water time and again. The whole lot was getting off the track now and again. We were not able to exercise our rights as wished. The process was long.
Back in the day, the only publishing enterprise was Berhanena Selam Printing Enterprise. The Guragigna book was able to pass through quite a lot of ups and downs to see the light of day. Getting permission to publish the book was very challenging. However, after I passed through quite a lot of twists and turns, I was able to make my dream come true.
What was the problem?
About the issue when I went to the Ministry of Information, they did not give me the green light. They said, “As we and most people do not speak Guragigna, the book will not be published.”
I told them that as there are quite a lot of Guragigna speakers, the book could be evaluated by them with no trouble. However, the Ministry of information kept on turning a deaf ear and thus all my efforts went for nothing at that point.
While on the subject, I was asked for seven thousand Birr for the book. It was a huge amount of money. I did not have that amount of money. However, as luck would have it, I got someone who was excellent at typing and agreed to pay seven birr per page.
How did you get to the bottom of the problem?
At a loss of what to do, I headed straight to Fisseha Desta [Col. Fisseha Desta was the vice-president of the then People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (PDRE)] and told him the case in black and white. He was my neighbor. When I finished narrating the problem I encountered, he said, “Give me a week and I will let you know everything after discussing the matter with Col. Mengistu Hailemariam.” However, after a long struggle, the Guragigna book was able to see the light of day. The cost of the book was seven and ten Birr.
Was the book business lucrative?
The book business was not that lucrative. I was fully addicted to writing. I was not a lover of money. As my target was promoting the culture of the people of Gurage, I did not place emphasis on making a profit. At that point, most people were not interested in reading books. As most people were not interested in purchasing or spending money on books, a single book was read by quite a lot of people.
While on the subject, what were conflict resolution mechanisms in the past?
In the past, the whole kit and caboodle under the sun were properly respected. Everyone respects each other. They used to attach importance to respect, unity, and respect. For them, life is empty and incomplete without the aforementioned elements. In the absence of fulfilling these elements, they used to feel like a fish out of water. Almost all of them were logical and reasonable. They used to love their country more than anything under the sun. But nowadays things are missing the intended target and turning upside down.
What do you think should be done to resolve the existing problem?
To the best of my knowledge, I have the nerve to say the major source of peace is the general public. Peace is at their disposal. At the time when Emperor Haileselassie was in power, the population of Ethiopia did not surpass ten to fifteen million. But when he was toppled; the population of Ethiopia had climbed to twenty-five million.
Be that as it may, after TPLF [EPRDF] came into power, the whole thing began missing the desired goal seeing that they broke for nearly three decades the strong bond of the different Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples of Ethiopia. I would say, the policy of divide and rule has poured cold water on the strong bond of the general public. Besides, the mindset of the people regarding their country has been fully changed and negatively impacted.
To my mind, there will not be anything the government can do alone regarding the issue without the concerted efforts of everyone. It needs a unified effort of every person. Everyone is responsible for the solution. Unfortunately, the educated ones are seen getting off the track and getting themselves involved in pointless things. Everybody should be able to separate the sheep from the goats.
We should learn life lessons from Rwanda, Syria, Libya, Yemen, South Sudan, and others. We should be able to do everything wisely. If we keep on going this way, the country that belongs to all and sundry today will not belong to anyone tomorrow. As God helps Ethiopia, nothing will happen.
It is said that you had played a major role in the Gurage Development Association. How much is it true?
It is very true. When the Gurage Road Development was established, I had given my all. I did not distance myself from the project for several years. I was getting myself involved in the project free of charge. I used to go there on foot and horseback. I did praiseful works. I was a successful person in everything I partook but there is still something that makes me feel irked.
Could you elaborate on that?
I was dreaming of opening the Gurage Cultural Center. Having passed through many ups and downs, we all reached into a conclusion to embark on the process. One fine day, we invited people who were born and raised in the Gurage region to toss around ideas regarding the issue. This being the case, I was elected as chairman. Then, accordingly, I kept on working hand-in-glove for the realization of the program.
Having served there successfully for six months, I became seriously sick all of a sudden. As I had to leave for South Africa to receive medical treatment, I handed my position temporarily to a friend of mine. I thought the treatment would not take more than two weeks. However, as the operation failed, I was urged to stay there for three months. I had a desire to serve more even after I came back here, but for some unforeseen reasons, things went off the track.
What was your upbringing like?
I was born in Sebat bet Gurage Gumer Woreda and grew up there until I reached the age of fourteen. As a child, my full-time job was herding cattle. Nobody had a plan to send me to school. It happened by chance. At that point, the most pressing challenge was I did not have enough clothes to wear. I was struggling with different life challenges. Be that as it may, one fine day when I got dog tired, I headed straight to a certain house to ask for a glass of water. I was not thirsty. The thing is, in our culture, if people ask for a glass of water, they will be served with a small piece of food.
When I approached the house bearing this in mind to ask for a glass of water, I saw a dog standing by the door and a woman, the owner of the house. There was a lamb too. The woman was about to slaughter the lamb but later she changed her mind when I showed up. Then she said, “Please slaughter this lamb for me until I bring a glass of water for you.” I agreed with the idea and began getting myself ready. However, out of the blue, the dog bit me severely. In the fullness of time, I went to the area where my mother was residing. It took me a long time to recover.
What was the next move?
When I embarked on feeling myself, I overheard that there was a teacher schooling Amharic alphabets for first graders. In a little while, I set in motion attending school devoid of problems. I turned out to be infinitely happy and kept on attending classes with full interest. My stepmother heard the news and begged my dad to bring me back home on the pretext that she loved me with all her heart. Thus, I was forced to interrupt my studies and started living under the same roof with them.
I turned out to be very angry. Whenever my stepmother insulted me over a little thing again and again, I embarked on answering back. As time went by, I came up with certain strategies that could convince my stepmother and my father and left the house on the spur of the moment. I was excellent at all subjects.
Gebreyesus is a nonagenarian and blessed with nine children and eighteen grandchildren.
The Ethiopian Herald Friday 14 February 2020
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
