Aagee
The Sayyoo chief had two earlier wives, but still in his twenties. The senior wife was the boss of all wives. Her will was required to have additional wife. His official residence was his domicile. For this reason whenever he was to make over night or longer journeys he had to start from her house with a blessing. At first she had no child but has adopted her sister’s son.
The second wife was a daughter of the over all mootii (chief). Her marriage was more political than love based. But she brought to his home the art of home administration she learned from her father’s servants. She also didn’t bear a child but had adopted her sister’s child. Traditionally there was no difference between born and adopted children. The children will have no relation with their natural parent and would they neither be told they were adopted. This system is called guddifachaa.
Aagee was married to Leeqaa king a journey that took her over six hundred kilo meters away from Ballee. Her wedding was pompous never seen in the surrounding. It was a union of the house of Ballee and Leeqaa, an enviable relation. All chieftaincies and principalities on the way joined the procession in honor of the king. At the capital of the kingdom there was great feast and merrymaking to receive the new young queen.
She lived with him for some three years. He was an old man older than her own grand father. It was believed that young woman can rejuvenate the elderly. That was why the king’s men wanted him to have one. During her stay she had never relaxed. She was always seen depressed. No one knows the reason except the king. He was not virile. She was not attracted to him and never slept by his side. So he decided that she be sent back to her parents. That was when she was married to a young Sayyoo chief.
Guutaa’s relatives always wished him to have a child of his own making. Especially his elder sister always nagged him to have more wives. But he responded by saying that the problem could be from his own Ayyaana not the women’s. Additional wife could only be a drain on his resources, he thought. He kept on refusing to marry more for a very long time. From his point if all the extramarital relations he had and his wives couldn’t make a child for him any additional would be redundant.
Then the news about a returned queen was herd. Guutaa’s sister now called for him in presence of elders of their clan. She raised the issue and told them that she had a plan to ask the hand of that girl for her brother. The brother couldn’t say any thing he felt he was now trapped. The decision of the elders cannot be refused. So he didn’t want to debate with his sister but said if you insist there is no problem on his side.
The sister organized a group of respected elders and sent them to the parents of Aagee to give her hand in marriage to her brother. The parents were happy for getting a reliable in-law. But they had to consult the Qaalluu and the wise men of the clan before pronouncing their consent. So they sent them back with an appointment date fixed. On the appointed day the group went back to hear the response. It was positive and a day for the wedding was fixed.
Aagee and her mother were very close. They shared many secrets together. The mother already had inquired about her married life and why she was sent back. With the information she got she started to prepare for a grand wedding as if it was the first marriage. All was to make her daughter happy and respectable. They planned together how to keep the matter a secret until her first night of her second marriage.
Guutaa had prepared to make this wedding as unique as possible. Though gursummeettii she was a queen. So he wanted to raise the status of the wedding to first wedding of a virgin. His sister and every one agreed. When the wedding day came the procession extended for miles. He was followed by hundred rifle men and over five hundred horse men. It was no less pompous than her first marriage.
After reaching home he led her to the chamber. He tried to make her at home by cutting jokes about her marriage with the king and the good time she was going to have with him. Then he wanted to live the chamber and told her he would send her some girls to play with until he comes back. But she asked him to sit down and listen carefully. I am she asserted, a virgin. You have to send congratulatory message to my mother like you do for all virgins. Tell also your people that you are going to surprise them.
He was excited. He went out and sent some girls to entertain her. He told his men that he was going to treat her formally as a virgin. He asked them to prepare a midwife to witness the truth after it happened. This was heard throughout the compound and people started to joke about. They took Guutaa for a fool to believe that a gursummeettii could turn virgin. He was turning into a laughing stock even before getting a chance to demonstrate.
When the time was ready he went into the chamber and all the girls were seen out. The door was closed. Around the chamber from the outside young children were eavesdropping. They were eager to hear the sounds made inside the chamber. It was traditional for a girl not to give up her virginity without struggle. So she did. But he was a strong man he overwhelmed her and there was a moaning. He got up dressed and took his rifle and sent up a salvo. The midwife rushed in with a clean white sash.
Following his shot the whole compound reverberated with sounds of rifles, handguns and herders whips. The midwife came out with the sash stained with blood. There were more gun sounds and ululations. Aagee was a virgin! The news spread like wild fire throughout the region. The king of Leeqaa was proved impotent and obsolete. It was time that Leeqaa thinks about replacing him.
Congratulatory message was sent early in the morning to the parents’ house with the sash. The mother was expecting the event for she had already discussed it with her daughter. There was great jubilation when the news was heard. Nobility of Ballee took the happening as a miracle. They never expected the great king of Leeqaa giving away such a jewel. For this reason they sent their girl enormous gifts that hundreds of pack animals were required to be loaded.
Guutaa loved the girl so much that he started to spend more nights with her at the expense of his other wives. For her he was the first man to take into her lap and might be the last as well. She didn’t want to part from him for a moment. She was imagining a child. Like all her relatives she would like to have a child and take it to haammachiisaa (induction into the faith) to the great Maraakoo (Spiritual leader) of Ballee. She wanted to kiss her own child and hold up for the world to see her achievement. That was her dream.
Guutaa also shares her dreams. He married her for a child. Love came only after he brought her home. That was the first time they met. But he couldn’t spend more time with her for he was entrusted with guarding the boarder and so has to leave her frequently. So he goes out to the kellaa (port of entry) and spends three continuous days and nights every week. That was very hard on both of them. Otherwise they wanted to be at each others side every time. She had always bad dreams and afraid of losing him.
After their husband married Aagee the two other women started to get closer. They sympathized with each other and even entertained the idea of having lovers. But no body witnessed them doing it. They were always together for meals and coffee. Guutaa was surprised at such collusion for entertainment. Conspiracies usually take place under the guise of coffee ceremony. He had assigned trusted servants to have an eye on them. He was scared that they will do some harm to the new wife. But their encounter didn’t go beyond gossip.
The kingdom of Leeqaa had a great Qaalluu, Abbaa Caffee. Before his death the Qaalluu had foreseen that the king would marry a girl from the west. It will be this girl that would guarantee the continuity of his house. The king has since been baptized and turned the Qaalluu’s Galmaa (temple) to Church. Tabernacle of Jesus brought from Goojjam was housed there. And he had uttered so many bad words against the traditional religion when doing that. Yet it was rumored that still deep down he took his action as a betrayal of ancestral Waaqaa.
Leeqaa remembered Abbaa Caaffee’s prophesy after sending away the girl. Should they ignore him completely or go against their newly acquired faith and abide by the words of a qaalluu. It was a dilemma. Finally they decided to apologize to the ancestral spirit and request for araaraa (peace). They did the ritual required towards that and decided to get the girl back.
The chief of Sayyoo and the king of Ballee were vassals of another king and it will mean war if that was to be tried by force. A war away from the head quarters cannot be won without high cost to resources. So, all wise men of Leeqaa were summoned to the palace to find ways and means. After long consultation a decision was reached. A unit of cavaliers was to be sent without exposing their arms. As to how they were going to approach the problem was to be left to them. The leader of the deployment was named by the assembled wise men.
The leader selected the rest of the men. With them and with some other tacticians they start to draw the road map towards fulfilling their assignment. First they agreed to send trusted persons to the parents of the girl with gifts from the king. The messengers were to convince them that their daughter could make history if she returned to the palace of the Leeqaa. The old king, it should be told is going to trust the guardianship of the crown prince to her. If she refused he will curse her and get her cursed by all Qaalluu of the land. He may even send an army to fetch her.
The parents were happy for the change in heart of the king but to try to take her away from a young husband could lead to calamity. But they promised to consult with their wise men and the great Shanchi Gayii, the Qaalluu of Ballee and advise them soon. The practice of discussing issues before unilateral decision is taken was an ingredient part of Oromo political culture. The messengers know this procedure so they didn’t expect a prompt answer for such a controversial issue.
The Luggishoo of Gobbii called for a council of elders of the dukedom and laid the matter before them. After head breaking arguments one of them cited an example from the experience of Jimmaa. Once upon a time he said, the emperor had sent for the hand of the daughter of a king of Jimmaa. But the king replied that the said daughter was married. Despite that the emperor demanded that he sends her to him by any means. It was, the speaker said, an ultimatum for war.
The council of wise men of Jimmaa was called to find a solution to this awkward and strange demand. Many were infuriated by the humiliation they were subjected to and the arrogance of the emperor. Those asked to prepare for war. But a very old warrior got up and explained what a war means. He mentioned about the life and property that is going to be destroyed, and the suffering and agony that could befall. He finally became vulgar and said should Jimmaa go to war for fissure of a dame? He then said no! Get her and send to him, we will compensate the boy that loses her. All agreed and the girl was exported without bloodshed.
It was a timely and good example for the current issue another elderly said. The second husband has two wives and he is young enough to marry several more. So it will not be cubbuu (sin) if he spares this for a dying old man. By law the king is the one who slew rakoo first. That alone entitles her to him even if he was not capable of performing other things. The meeting finally came to agreement that ways and means should be found to get the girl to her prior husband without any disturbance to the countries’ peaceful life. We cannot be accused for that for it was proclaimed by the great law giver Makkoo Bilii.
As promised their decision was relayed to the Leeqaa messengers and a plan to get to her was set. The parents were to send messengers to Aagee when the husband was away on duty. They already knew his regular itinerary. Leeqaa horses were to be used for the mission though the messenger must be one known to her from Ballee.
She was to be told that her mother was seriously ill and wanted to see Aagee before her death. The messengers had to tell Aagee as ordered and hurry her to follow them. Then Leeqaa band will take over at a prearranged point. But the band has to get out of Sayyoo within two days before the husband returned from where he went.
They wanted to know when Leeqaa would be ready. The messengers promised to return with preparations soon. Then they rode day and night and reached the capital of their kingdom and relayed the message to the cavalry leader that sent them.
The cavalry band didn’t waist time. They immediately set for Ballee. It was a journey of six days. They didn’t want to seem in a hurry so they traveled only during the day. Then after reaching the agreed upon post they relayed their arrival to the girls parents. It was after that that an errand was sent to Aagee.
On hearing the news Aagee was shocked and started crying believing her mother was dead. Both Aagee and the senior wife of the Sayyoo chief didn’t suspect deception of any sort. The senior wife added two trusted servants armed with rifles to the messengers and saw her away. For her it was even good riddance if she didn’t come back.
The errands told Guutaa’s servants to advance ahead of them and check the escarpment between Siddii and Ashii, first village in Ballee. It was usually feared that robbers ambush traveler at that spot. That made the request to seem genuine. The servants did as they were requested. The girl was then taken to the opposite side and handed to the cavalry at the agreed spot, which was outside the chieftaincy of the man they fear.
As arranged other people were sent to the spot the servants were guarding. They told them that the girl has taken another route through Gobbii to her parent’s house to avoid possible danger. They then asked them to ride with them to where she was. The servants still didn’t suspect the trick. So they followed the messengers.
At the parents’ home the servants were received with honor. They told them that her mother was recovering but because she was highly disturbed by the news of her illness Aagee needs rest and privacy. Ballee was known for its special daadhii made from honey of eebicha (Bitter Leaf) flower nectar. They were given ample food and that daadhii to drink. They made sure that they were fully drunk so that they cannot get up early. The servants were given a quite dark room with comfortable bedding for the night. They woke up late the next day. By that time the girl should have crossed the Jawwee River. Jawwee was the boundary of Leeqaa kingdom and Sayyoo.
When they woke up their head was bursting with hangover of last night drink. This the hosts knew. For this reason they gave them daadhii with their breakfast. Daadhii turnover is believed to be a panacea for its hangover. After that they were given coffee and that they were fresh. Then the servants asked to see the lady and also give their sympathy to her ill mother.
Now came the time of truth telling. They took them to the mother’s room and left them with her alone. She told them all that happened. They were stunned and dumbfounded. It was too late for every thing. They have failed their master for the first time. He was like a brother to them. Any ways they wanted to leave fast before he started this way to visit his mother-in-law.
The mother-in-law sent them with a message that Aagee’s previous husband has threatened to take her back by all means. After consulting Abbaa Seera of the land and traditional leaders we were told that a wife belonged to the one who had slain to her rakoo first. That was the law of abbaa Oromoo and the tumaa (legislation) of Makkoo Bilii as well. Following the dudhaa and seera (law and tradition) of their fathers they had arranged for her safe return so that our daughter will not become a cause for fratricide. They beseeched Guutaa in the name all he respected for his understanding.
At the court of Guutaa people were waiting for him to break the news. Alas he was not surprised. His simbirtuu (informer, bird) had already told him that a unit of cavalry had arrived in Ballee. Then he was told that they had crossed Indina River with a seemingly young woman whose face was covered. And then he was informed that his wife left home in a hurry for she was told about a terminal illness of her mother.
All information fell together and he has taken that there was no reason to cry over a fallen breast bud. He rather sent for her uncle to give him his daughter, the cousin of the lost wife. He married that one and got five children proving that he was no barren. When he died he was survived by six children and two wives and numbers of grand children.
Aagee was received by the nobility of Leeqaa with great honor. Her old husband was very ill. He had tried all medical help he could find from the locality. He sent for the emperor for more help it was told, to save his life but in vain. That was done with her advice. She did all she could to make his last days comfortable. They took the holly communion from their nissabbat together sealing the possibility of her remarrying. Before his last breath he blessed her and wished her long life, prosperity and peace. Her efforts failed to save him, he died shortly after.
After his death the nobility and the clergy didn’t want her to leave the palace or have another husband. So they put pressure on her so that she becomes a nun. To be a nun she will abstain from any sort of sexual relations. That was a measure to be taken if the promise prophesied by Abbaa Caffee was to be fulfilled. They assured her of their continued loyalty to her and the family of the king if she accepted condition they suggested. The ambition to command Leeqaa prompted her to accept the ordeal of living without a man for the rest of her life. Otherwise taking holly communion alone couldn’t have hindered her.
The death of the king was transmitted to the emperor and his recognition of the son as the sole heir was requested. Her role as a guardian was also informed. His young first born son inherited his father. His authority over the land his father used to rule was recognized by the emperor and he was given a feudal title. He married two known wives. The first had a son and the second a daughter.
He had also other children by concubines probably. He became a successful beloved ruler because of Aagee and her selection of advisors, it was told. He soon learned the colonizers ways, laughing while being hurt, befriending in the morning to eliminate in the evening. He exalted the rulers in the way suitable to their taste and won their trust.
In the mean time he secretly began to question the legitimacy of alien supremacy over his people and the emperor’s over him. He then started to organize underground a national unity movement under his leadership. Rule of the empire changed hands as a result of Fascist invasion. The new rulers didn’t like his desire for independence. So they poisoned him and he died young. His movement collapsed with him. Aagee was heart broken on the death of her beloved stepson. By his death Leeqaa lost political authority over its domain for a long time to come.
The European invader was ousted by allied forces after five years of occupation. The emperor was re-imposed by the same force. Aagee lied low for a long time. Both wives were married with her consent; one for a local dignitary and the other to war hero of the fascist day. She left the daughter to her mother so that she gets better opportunity than she could provide.
In the mean time she sent her step grandson abroad for education. On his return she presented him to the emperor for his blessing. He was a very handsome athletic built boy. It was easy to see from his gaze that the emperor wished he was his own blood. To keep him close he gave him in marriage the hand of his granddaughter. The emperor was so possessive that he wanted the whole family of Leeqaa kin for himself. He married his son to the Leeqaa king’s daughter whose mother the war hero had married. Incest has no meaning in the royal circle. The house of Leeqaa had once more the glory prophesied long ago because of Aagee remaining in it.
Aagee’s second husband lived over seventy years of age and passed away. No body knew if she was affected at all. A decade after him the emperor was over thrown. The grandson of Aagee’s Leeqaa husband was imprisoned because of his relations with the emperor. His wife, the princess, died in prison. Finally with Aagee’s death every thing fell apart.
The step grandson followed her after being released from prison. Leeqaa buried its last king and lived in nostalgia for the days of Aagee. It would be farfetched to think that the royalty of Leeqaa will return to its old glory to its own nation. But the grandson of the emperor by one of the Leeqaa princesses has been nominated as emperor designate with out a realm for now. That may give them the chance to rule over the empire if things go wrong.
Aagee survived both her husbands and died with grace in the Palace of Leeqaa. Leeqaa abandoned Abbaa Caffee long ago. No body tells what they remember what he had probably foreseen before his demise. They have no prophet to tell what the future holds for them. The Coptic qaallicha at Bataskaana Yasuusii (Galma Abbaa Caffee) has no promise for them on this earth but in the second life. There is no real Qaalluu to give them hope about the possible renaissance of their past glory. Could there be prophesy left unfulfilled for Leeqaa to rise to prominence without Aagee, asked the story teller?