Walaloo Afaan Oromoo Waa 39-ee — Barumsaa

Galma dukkanaa keessa, barumsaan bariisa. (In the house of darkness, education is the dawn.)

"Afaan keetiin hin baranne, sammuun kee morma hin cee’u." (If you do not learn in your own tongue, your intellect will not cooperate.)

To the Oromo youth: When you hear the rhythm of Walaloo , know that your ancestors are speaking. They are telling you to read, to question, to write, and to return to your community bringing the fire of knowledge. "Barnootni qabeenya malee hin bade; namicha qabeessa taasisaa." (Education is wealth that never spoils; it makes a person rich.) Let the 39 verses of wisdom echo from the highlands of Ethiopia to the cities of the diaspora. Hubannoo caalaa qabeenya hin jiru. (There is no wealth greater than knowledge.) Explore the depth of Walaloo Afaan Oromoo Waa’ee Barumsaa – a 39-verse poetic tradition that uses metaphor and rhythm to advocate for literacy, cultural pride, and the power of learning in the Oromo language.

Verses 6 through 39 would continue this rhythm, covering science ( Saayinsii ), history ( Seenaa ), geography ( Lama Dachee ), and civic duty ( Toleettii ). The Role of Afaan Oromo as the Medium of Instruction A critical debate within Walaloo Waa’ee Barumsaa is the language of education itself. Many modern poems are protests against the historical marginalization of Afaan Oromo in schools. A powerful line from a famous living poet, commonly shared in the Oromo diaspora, states:

Ilma kee sooreessuu barbaadde? Barumsa kenni. (You want to enrich your son? Give him education.)