Analysis of Sona Haile’s Song “Warra Boolee”
“Addis Ababa says: ‘You arrived only yesterday’?”
Good, he said it!
After all, aren’t there those who wash their eyes with falsehood and claim: “The Oromo are not natives here. They came from Madagascar and invaded us”? Well then…?
Yesterday, I sat down and listened repeatedly and carefully to Sona Takkalaa’s song “Warra Boolee” (“The People of Boolee”).
The lyrics, melody, musical arrangement, dance, and video production are beautiful. Sona is not only strong in studio recordings but is also a talented live performer.
What interested me most, however, was the song’s lyrics.
In the song, there is a recurring metaphorical line:
“The cat challenged the lion.”
Who does the cat represent? Who is the lion? Who are the “People of Boolee”? Who is “Shaggituu”? And how should we understand the refrain:
“What can touch the Oromo?”
Is the line:
“Addis Ababa says you arrived only yesterday”
true or false?
Does presenting the lyrics in this manner strengthen or complicate federalism?
I believe that if you read to the end, you may gain some understanding.
The Opening
Sona begins:
“Boolee, O Boolee (4)
O People of Shaggar (2)
Beautiful ones, O People of Boolee
O People of Boolee (2)
Shall we talk for a moment?”
At the beginning, he repeatedly addresses:
- The People of Shaggar
- The People of Boolee
and asks,
“Shall we talk a little?”
Here, “playing” or “taphachuu” means conversing or engaging in dialogue.
Who exactly are these People of Boolee and Shaggar? Why does he wish to speak with them?
The next verses provide clues.
Who Are the People of Boolee?
“O People of Boolee,
People of Bulbulaa,
People of ancient times,
Owners of the land,
People of love,
People of Borana,
People of Barentuu,
People of Gadaa,
People of Africa—
O People of Boolee (6)
Shall we talk a little?”
This is the core message of the song.
Some writers and politicians have long argued that:
“The Oromo came from elsewhere; this is not their homeland.”
Figures such as Alaqa Tayye and Abba Bahrey wrote versions of this narrative.
Some claim that the land now called Addis Ababa originally belonged exclusively to another people and that the Oromo later occupied it.
More recently, certain nationalist groups argued that Finfinnee was originally called “Berara.”
Sona’s lyrics challenge these claims directly.
He portrays the People of Shaggar and Boolee as:
- Ancient inhabitants
- Indigenous owners of the land
- People of love
- Custodians of the Gadaa system
- Descendants of Borana and Barentuu lineages
By linking these groups together, he presents them as deeply rooted in the area and connected to a long historical tradition.
He even describes them as among the original peoples of Africa.
Overall, he emphasizes that they are a people governed by the Gadaa system, a system with a history stretching back many centuries.
“A House Does Not Feel Warm Without Shaggituu”
Sona continues:
“My dear Birroo,
A house does not feel warm without Shaggituu.”
This line carries both symbolic and political meaning.
The “house” may represent Addis Ababa (Finfinnee).
For over a century, Addis Ababa struggled with inadequate infrastructure:
- Poor roads
- Water shortages
- Electricity problems
- Weak urban planning
Large parts of the city were neglected and overcrowded.
The writer interprets Sona’s statement as suggesting that the city lacked its true warmth and character when its original inhabitants were marginalized.
Today, the city has improved significantly, with better roads and urban development.
Perhaps, the author suggests, this is part of what Sona means when he says:
“A house is not warm without Shaggituu.”
“Addis Ababa Says You Arrived Only Yesterday”
Sona continues:
“Without knowing respect, you became arrogant.
Addis Ababa says:
You arrived only yesterday.”
The author argues that this line directly responds to narratives that portray the Oromo as late arrivals to the region.
Poets have the freedom to speak boldly.
When faced with people who mock Oromo history and identity, there is no need for excessive politeness.
Thus, Sona deliberately challenges those narratives.
The Next Verse
“You think it came easily because you forgot.
You came to the land of its owners and acted like a villager.
Dreaming of Arat Kilo without understanding.
Addis Ababa says:
You arrived only yesterday.”
The writer interprets this as a reminder that Oromo political achievements did not happen by accident.
Many scholars, activists, and ordinary people sacrificed greatly.
Many gave their lives.
Yet some refuse to acknowledge these sacrifices and dismiss Oromo political progress as merely the result of demonstrations or chance events.
“The Cat Challenged the Lion”
One of the song’s strongest metaphors is:
“The cat challenged the lion.”
Who is the cat?
The next verse gives context:
“Look toward Abbay (the Blue Nile),
The cat has challenged the lion.
Why preach to me?
If you want to fight, then fight,
Little one from across the river.”
According to the author’s interpretation, the “cat” symbolizes political opponents located beyond the Abbay River who have historically insulted or looked down upon the Oromo.
A cat may sneak into a house and drink milk.
It may create disturbances.
But it cannot defeat a lion.
Thus, Sona presents the Oromo as the lion and their opponents as the cat.
A Call for Oromo Unity
Another section says:
“O Walee,
O beloved companion,
Your memory troubles me.
It burns inside me.
The day does not dawn for me.
O beloved one, what should I do?”
The author interprets these words symbolically:
- Walee = unity
- Walaliituu = purity, sweetness
- Jiituu = prosperity, blessing
In this interpretation, Sona is speaking to Oromo political organizations.
He expresses frustration over disunity and longs for unity among Oromo groups.
Until that unity is achieved, he says, his heart remains troubled.
Daraaraa Kafanii and Labanii
The song continues:
“People of Maccaa,
O Ambo,
O Daraaraa Kafanii,
What do you say, O Labanii?
They enter only after agreeing among themselves.”
The author sees two messages here.
First
The verse remembers Daraaraa Kafanii, a famous Oromo hero associated with Maccaa and Kuttaayee traditions.
Second
The line:
“What do you say, O Labanii?”
contains a deeper message.
“Labanii” can also refer symbolically to a rifle or armed struggle.
The author believes Sona is calling on armed Oromo actors to coordinate and unite rather than act separately.
“They Never Fail to Find the Weak One in the Corner”
The song adds:
“What do you say, O Labanii?
They never fail to find the weak one hiding in the corner.”
The author explains that this comes from older Oromo songs.
Historically, while men were away defending their communities, opportunists would exploit those left behind.
Thus, the phrase warns against internal betrayal and opportunism.
The author believes Sona’s message to Oromo institutions is:
Unite and cooperate,
because there are still people exploiting the struggle for personal gain.
“What Can Touch the Oromo?”
Some critics asked:
“How can he sing ‘What can touch the Oromo?’ while Oromo people are still suffering and being displaced?”
The refrain says:
“Boolee, O Boolee,
What can touch the Oromo, children?
Boolee, O Boolee,
Can Oromiyaa truly be touched?”
The author answers:
Yes, the Oromo can suffer.
They can be displaced.
They can die.
But they cannot ultimately be erased or defeated.
From Menelik’s era to the TPLF era, many attempted to suppress the Oromo.
Others continue trying today.
Others may try tomorrow.
Yet, according to the author, they will never fully succeed.
This does not mean Oromo people do not suffer.
It means that the Oromo nation itself endures.
He compares this to events elsewhere:
Even in democratic America, Donald Trump was shot at.
Even powerful Russia faces conflict with Ukraine.
Being challenged does not mean being destroyed.
Conclusion
The author concludes that Sona Takkalaa’s song carries powerful historical, cultural, and political messages.
Its themes include:
- Oromo identity
- Indigenous belonging
- Historical memory
- Unity
- Resistance
- Political awareness
- Defense of Oromo history and rights
The song uses poetic language, metaphor, and cultural references to communicate these ideas.
Prepared by: Kaanenusaa Kaasaa
Published by: Bokkuu Media
“The People of Boolee” analysis translated into English.
