BY KFLEEYESUS ABEBE
Newyear is about having hope in hard times even when things aren’t likely to change. And, who knows about hope than those who emerge from hard times and living the life. Ethiopian poet Nebiy Mekonen is among such people who had seen the test of life; talk about it and spread hope among generations.
Nebiy was a member of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Party(EPRP) and was imprisoned for nearly eight years, from 1977 to 1985. But he wasn’t defeated. He rather said, “Tomorrow Is Another Day” with his translation of Margaret Mitchell’s novel Gone With the Wind into Amharic. At the time of its publication, it was one of the longest books ever published in Amharic. Nebiy made some concious changes during his translation of the book. He said the translation is as close as he could get to Mitchell’s words, except for one conscious change. He named his translation Negem Lela Ken New, which are Scarlett’s famous last words, “Tomorrow is another day.” In an interview with an American Scholar, he said, “There is some hope in this title. Hope for us prisoners, hope for Ethiopia.”
The translation process of the book itself is telling that Nebiy is very optimist and a devoted person as he translated the book in uncomfortable environment. He translated the book using three thousand cigarette-paper pieces while he was in prison. Writing then was a source of hope and a solace of his pain as he once said, ‘When I am sick inside, I cure myself of the illness by writing’. The American Scholar narrates how Nebiy translated Negem lela ken new or “Tomorrow Is Another Day” as this: “Nebiy started translating the novel from English into Amharic when he began reading it the fourth time. He used the only source of paper available—the lining torn from empty packs of cigarettes. At first he tried to work discretely in a corner, afraid that prison informants would accuse him of pen- ning subversive messages.
Equal or maybe more, Nebiy’s optimism and patriotism are also visible in his poems. One of his poems “It is this, your Ethiopia,” urges the youth that it is only when they wake up themselves, their country could be upto their expectation. It seems that Nebiy shares the views of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,”
This is Ethiopia
It is this, your country
In this sphere,
Let it not get dark but if it is dark,
the night along the moon
The awaken won’t sleep
The sleeping won’t wake up
This is it,
Your world
slept alone,
hiding from the rest of the world!!
‘cause its fate turned upside
“Sleeping beauty”
Your constant
What will you do then?
It is this, your country
Don’t trouble its heart
Stop nagging her!
Either sleep together
Or wake up with her!
Nebiy shows every life aspect of Ethiopians is closely interwined with this land, his/her country. It is true somebody’s world perspective are shaped by the people he lived with and the land he/ she grown up. For a country that is tradition, custom and religion still plays a big role, this is very sensible. This is what Nebiy showed in his work of art. In one of his poems, Nebiy says he find himself within his country.
You are within me
A retreat to pray but with you
Looking for myself but in you
A dialogue with self
To find myself that is in you
If the self is lost, what is there for a man?
Laugh inside your laughs
Cry inside your tears
I will find myself
For you are my native land, I find you nowhere but in myself
Nebiy through his life has obsevered that the Ethiopian society being hardliner. Beginning from his youth, he had witnessed the society resolved things with conflict and violence. That may have given birth to his poem ‘Tinish bota’ or a tiny space. In this poem, he insisted people to have a moment of rethinking their decision. He asked what if we gave
Tiny space
This year;
In case we fight so we use it to make peace
Or to pick quarrel in time of peace
Just a small place to shelter
Just a small place to take refugee
Why not
Why not, we left a space for just in case
‘cause we can’t be absolute
We shall agree
to leave a small place in our good hearts
For our brains to sleep on
We shall leave a tiny place
We would use just in case
Like the previous year for this year too
In case we fight so we use it to make peace
In time of peace to pick quarrel
When we get jail to take amnesty
When we forgive to keep words
We shall leave a tiny empty space
There isn’t a state of absolute work or absolute rest
In our good heart, we shall look for empty space
A small place Like pagumen
For this New Year
Nebiy is also famous for writing observations. His series published in Addis Admas entitled Yegna Sew Beamerika (An Ethiopian in the U.S.) were a well-read series that was eagerly anticipated every week on his paper. He is also a journalist and playwright. He is also the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper Addis Admas. His series of articles Yegna Sew Beamerika (An Ethiopian in the U.S.) has attempted to point out things Ethiopians could emulate from the outside world particularly from America in terms of adapting technology, adjusting culture, modernization, democracy and other pertinent issues. The series also showed things Ethiopia and Ethiopians are in better state and should be proud. The articles usually have satirical nature. They create humor through irony and other literary devices but ultimately send strong messages to the readers.
Nebiy has recently republished his books all in one and organized book signing ceremony. The compliation and coming of Nebiy’s work to printing gives a chance to young readers and anyone who missed Nebiy’s ideas and literary works.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER 2022
