Entertainment

By Make Gilo
Gambelatoday.com Reporter

USA, Febuary 24, 2005 - Songs many young Anuak adults enjoyed starting in 1980s throughout Anuakland were western African, Zairian or Highlander Ethiopian music. I remember when we were in Dimma City and Gambela City, Highlander Ethiopian music when is played, we in the club would rise up and started dancing. Some among us when they heard the song cassette played, they would even cry, reflecting on what they did somewhere the cassette being played was first released. Among the songs we enjoyed at the time were songs by highlander singers like Tseagye and Haregany.Today, however, at a party here in Minneapolis, MN one of the most important songs that when is played Anuak young adults and older Anuaks will raise up and danced with real reflections, celebration, pried and Anuak contribution to the music world today is songs like Nyanywaa amare kieny by Ojulu Pwola. Increasingly, Mr. Pwola, who came to United States in 1994, as a refugee and reside in Minnesota ever since, his many songs today are replacing the Highlander Ethiopian songs and the Western African songs. It is perhaps no aggravation to say that Mr. Pwola is increasingly becoming the sole Anuak music reviver.

Ojulu Pwola has a new song he intends to release this year, 2005. Name of the new song is Dar Racdel (Bad Luck) and this new song will be his third song. Mr. Pwola’s effort to sing perhaps can be described as an innovative effort

I sat down with Mr. Pwola in an interview recently to learn from him why he wants to sing so much. The first question I asked Mr. Pwola was when he started singing. He says, “I started singing in 2000”.Like other musicians elsewhere, Mr. Pwola was motivated by his for love music. He says,” First of all I have a great love for music to being with and I have been struggling from within side to start singing in our language.” Mr Pwola was also encouraged by Anuaks supports. Especially, he says, “After the first CD, I received a lot of comments from friends, relatives, and even some people who do not like to me before.” I ask him about his goals for his new song and he said, “I want my music to be enjoyed by our brothers and sister in the U.S and around the world. For his future, Mr Pwola told me “in simple word I will focus mostly on love song”.

Ojulu Pwola the Architect

It must also be made known here that Mr. Pwola is not only a singer. In Goge where Pwola lived for some time, he built a house still today no another Anuak being able to build. In part of Goge called Dpac, Pwola built a house with a second floor. Mr. Pwola’s house at the time became also a tour attraction. Many people from other parts of Goge and Anuaks from other Anuak cities and villages, they came to see his house built near a farm. Anuaks when they see Mr. Pwola near his house, they would asked surprising why a young boy like Ojulu was able to build a house with model no where he have seen.

During my interview with him, I asked him the reason he built the house and what he still think about, his reflection specially as he grow older and became more wise. He told me that was not the first house he built.” I built the first house in depach, but I did not like that kind of house. So I built the second houses in Jingor with two storages.” For the future he wants to build another house higher than the one he build in Gog, Jingor. His profession is carpentry, he practice carpenter at Job crop in St. Paul, Minnesota where he graduates in 1998 with diploma.

Here are the titles of the songs starting with newer ones

There will be two songs to be released in 2005, each with three songs in it and two instruments.

The first song Title, Raac Deel (Bad luck)
The songs are: Acaado ki waar, Omeer doo maadho, Reekka wangjwok, Omeeya ka kanynya, And instruments Acaado kiwaar, and Omeeya
Second, Dibwoor
An kurro, Dibwoor, Ker caae moa Raanyi, Raac Deel and instruments, Dibwoor and Raac Deel and finally, his first CD that was released in 2001.
Title Kameer Komeeya and that CD have ten songs in it
The songs are, Kameer Komeeya, Liim Palla, Acado, Jur Kaweello, Kameer instrument, Aa Baat Thuur, jur Ba Nuwoy, Jamaac, And Liim Palla instrument.

We will inform everybody when Ojulu releases his new CD in 2005 and I believe, most of us will find it very interesting and buy the CD.