Yemane Baria

Yemane Ghebremichael (commonly known as Yemane Baria) was a well-known Eritrean songwriter, composer and singer. He became one of the most renowned Eritrean artists(a Tigrinya singer).^[1] Not confined to musical pursuits, he was also heavily involved in Eritrean politics. He died of natural causes in 1997.

Biography

Yemane's songwriting strove to reflect what he perceived to be Eritrean experience during the Eritrean War of Independence. His songs were dotted with stories of love, journey, hope, immigration, and liberation. In 1975, he was jailed for the perceived political interpretation of one of his songs.^[2]

A few years after the declaration of the independence of Eritrea, Yemane moved to Asmara and continued to release albums that reflected the new era of hope and national prosperity, with a mixture of Eritrean and Latin melodies. He also sang about the people involved in the movement towards Eritrean independence, and the sacrifices of that movement.Yemane's songs are special in a way that they have a pattern with a recurring melancholic piece of melody.

Yemane was also known as the 'Eritrean caretaker',^[3] due to his reputation as being of a generous, down-to-earth nature, and for sharing his place with newly arrived Eritreans. He is known for having helped many Eritreans adjust to diaspora life in Sudan and move to better places in the Middle East, America, Europe, etc. He was also reputed for his artistry and mastery of Tigrinya, the most widely used language in Eritrea.

Albums

Yemane's albums included:

• Wedebat Adey (ወደባት ዓደይ)
• Asmera, (ኣስመራ)
• Zemen, (ዘመን)
• Meskerem, (መስከረም)
• Natsenet, (ናጽነት）
• Delay Selam, （ደላይ ሰላም）
• Aykonen Oromay, （ኣይኮነን ኦሮማይ）
• Wegihaya Meriet, （ወጊሓያ መሬት）
• Mesob-Ade. （መሶብ ኣደ）
• Ab Kulu Gobotat （ኣብ ኩሉ ጎቦታት）
• Nay Mekabir Bitsotey （ናይ መቃብር ብጾተይ）
• Tezkoneley, （ተዝኾነለይ）
• Anbibeyo Debdabeki, （ኣንቢበዮ ደብዳቤኺ）
• Ab Sidet Zeleka, （ኣብ ስደት ዘለኻ）
• Kemeleki Zefkireki, （ከሜለኺ ዘፍቅረኪ）
• Yikielo Eye Ane, （ይኽእሎ ኢየ ኣነ）
• Gual Hagerey, （ጓል ሃገረይ）
• Bisirah Tegedide, （ብስራሕ ተገዲደ）
• Chira Feres, （ጭራ ፈረስ）
• Mealtat Newihuni, （መዓልታት ነዊሑኒ）
• Emo ke dea hiji entay ygeber,አሞ ኽ ደኣ ሕጂ አንታይ ይገበር

References