Poet-singers on the Ethiopian Highlands エチオピア高原の吟遊詩人
There are two groups of minstrels in the Ethiopian highlands: the Azmari, who sing and play the Masenqo (a stringed instrument) at entertainment venues, and the Lalibela, who travel around and perform outside individual houses. Since ancient times, these two groups have been performing within the close ties they have with the local community. A different group who play the Begena (a ten-stringed box-lyre) offer prayers to the gods of the Christian Ethiopian Orthodox Church—the representative religion of northern Ethiopia—through singing and playing.
Azmari（アズマリ）
The Azmari are performers who make a living by singing in the communities of Northern Ethiopia. They entertain the audience with the melody of the Masenqo, a musical instrument consisting of horse-hair strings bound together and attached to a resonating body made of goatskin. Azmaris have played various social roles since ancient times. Their performances are characterized by the fact that not only the singer, but also the audience, improvises the poems and throws them to the singer. The Azmari then recite these poems.
Lalibela（ラリベラ）
Lalibela are people who sing and beg at the doors of houses early in the morning, asking the owner for money, food or clothes. In return, the Lalibela say their prayers and move on to the next house. There is a widespread superstition in northern Ethiopian society that if the group stops singing, they will contract a serious skin disease called qomata, and fear of the disease drives them to continue singing.
Begena players（ヴェゲナ奏者）
The Begena is a musical instrument, a large ten-stringed box lyre, widely found in northern Ethiopia, especially among the Amhara people. The Begena is played in churches and private homes during the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s fasting period with deep prayers to God. As one of the major religions in Ethiopia, believers recognise and proclaim during this time that they are not only nourished but also kept alive by the word of God. The origin of the instrument is said to have been played by the angel Darwit, sent by God to ease the suffering of the Virgin Mary on her deathbed.
The lyrics on the right are in Ge’ez script.
Performance opportunities for Azmari in local communities（地域社会におけるアズマリの演奏機会）
Many Azmari reside in rural villages in the Amhara Region of northern Ethiopia. From these villages, they travel and perform across Ethiopia. They are invited to sing at weddings, baptisms, Ethiopian Orthodox festivals, and family parties celebrating the New Year or children’s birthdays. They also sing during the grain harvesting and possession ceremonies.
Azmaribet（アズマリベット）
Azmaribet are a prominent feature of Ethiopian towns; these places are also known as ‘a bard’s tavern’ or ‘the house of the Azmari’ in the local Amharic language. When the curfew imposed by the military regime was lifted in the early 1990s, the number of Azmaribet increased. Many of the Azmaris, who traditionally travelled throughout Ethiopia to perform, began to work as exclusive singers for Azmaribet. Customers visit their favourite Azmaribet to listen to the singing and enjoy exchanging poems with the singers.