IHMS 700 Series
BALACHU
HARARI NUPTIAL DAY
Written by Professor Abdi Khalil
[Footnotes’ meanings are placed at the end of this publication]
The season of marriage and the coming of togetherness. Sharing happiness through virtual wedding ceremony has become the new normal. COVID-19 has changed everything. Virtual meetings, classes, graduations and weddings are the new reality. With such adjustments, however, we just wanted to share our virtual presence and wish all Harari newly-wed couples worldwide, Saay Aruz.
Marriage is the most intimate communion, and the mystery of intimacy finds its highest fulfillment when intimate spiritual harmony is combined with physical link. Enjoy heavenly bond and communion.
Of you feel the warmth
The beginning
Of your dream to reality;
Of your love chemistry.
Wishing the ultimate goals,
You being eternal soul mates,
Gessi Ge’ Liji and Eled Giste Ge’Qahaat.
Of your dream –
You see yourselves
Aruzit with that Kushaa buruqq1?
And, Aruz with that Ge’y keloyta,
Satee’beq’la and Sed’ria
You can see
All the beautiful gatherings,
The gleaming complexion
On that day of happiness.
The auspicious day,
The day your true love
Made visible to all;
The joining of two entities,
The union of your hearts,
Attuned to become one soul.
You can’t wait to feel,
To see the features expanding with joy,
The radiating enjoyments
Of your parents,
Of all the relatives,
Of all your friends, and
Of all the Afocha members;
In the aura of your love,
And zeggen2 happiness.
Of you wish –
Gessi Ge’y Liji
To see the beauty queen
Seeing her feyfeyonet3,
Luko4 body
With her fenka5 twisty movement,
To that mellifluous Harari music
Among a galaxy of Harari girls.
The trilling events,
The dancing of togetherness,
The happy moment of ankeer maahta6,
She being the center of the universe.
Reciting Qur’an for qaleem masber7
Showing the love of Allah,
Promising her family life in the future.
Of your vision –
The big nuptial day,
The end of the beginning
Of a life time;
The jovial moment
With unforgettable
Memories of enjoyment;
Enjoying balachu8 and deeblan9 with zest,
The inseparable bond
Gessi Aruz and Gisti aruzit10.
Of you enjoy –
Seeing jovial aayaach11
Ululating mothers,
In cultural costume huulaa12 and Ge’eraaz13
Hearing their voices
Saying Aruzit and Aruz15;
Drumming the deff16,
Clapping kebel17 and hands,
Singing ko’otaan ko’ot18 with sweet voices,
Rejoicing the happiest moment in your lives.
Seeing all heads geared in qaa’wuq19 and kofias20
Having all the blessing and du’waa21
Saying Aruzit and Aruz;
Hearing the echoing voices of fataah22 and zeekri23
From exuberant fathers,
Aawaach24 and members of Afocha,
Elevating the joy of all phenomena
Of you feel the warmth –
Enfolding your arms into each other,
With many a meehez melaq25
And meehez melaqit26 altogether;
Along with henna gael27 and flower girls,
Gathering of all relatives and friends;
Gently whipping them all
With that aruz qeattel28
As a sociability and unity symbol,
Adding extra joy to this glorious will.
Up in the sky in the community
Galloping on majestically decorated horse;
Radiating among traditional dancers,
Accompanied by ululating and lady singers.
Glorifying the beginning of family basis.
Said Gessi Ge’y Liji
To Gesti Ge’y Qahat,
I can’t wait
For that guftaa mogged29;
Decorating you with guftaa30 and nazee31,
The symbol of your new status;
And, until I eat inaaye gebetaa32,
The special food of your gracious parents.
Isn’t that one of a kind moral technology,
And, a life-time elated soul uniting ceremony?
Said Gessi Ge’y Liji
And Gessti Ge’y Qa’hat
Of we envision –
The then after,
Life filled with eminent virtues,
Laughter and happiness.
Of we think in reality –
Solemnly we do promise,
Equalizing our decency.
Holding our hearts
Carefully as fresh roses;
Adoring each other,
Being eternal soul mates.
Said Gessi Ge’y Liji
To Eled Aruzit
Imprison me please,
Like a bee with petals of yours,
Magnetize me with the warm kisses,
Wrap me around
With those sensational arms;
Otherwise, life is incomplete,
And, without you,
It is unpleasantly meaningless.
Never do I stop
Praising you in a million little ways,
For the coming lively zillion days.
Oh, yes – forget me not,
Come with me my forever,
My eternal sweetheart,
Eled Gisti Ge’ya Qahaat.
So with true love –
Said Gesti Eled Aruzit,
Romance from the deep ocean of thoughts;
Laughter from the colorful field of delights;
Aroma from the city of sunshine;
Tears from the endless fountains of heaven.
Tied our inseparable knots,
As ordained from the heaven.
As our marriage is indeed,
Signifying heavenly bond,
Sacred indeed, fulfilling
Achieving and completing
Half of Islamic religion.
Saay Aruz!!!
