About three hundred years ago, a group of Jews left the Gonder area of Ethiopia to seek their fortunes in Ethiopia's North Shewa area and later in Addis Ababa, where they settled in the Kechene neighborhood. Like their Gonder cousins who have since migrated in large numbers to Israel, this group consisted mostly of craftsmen, known especially for their beautiful hand-built pottery and woven cloth. But as the years passed, times became difficult and beginning in the 18th century, they experienced periods of extreme repression.
Eventually the community's leaders felt that the only way to survive was to go underground - literally. Much like the Anusim of medieval Spain and Portugal, they practiced Christianity on the outside while secretly following Judaism in hidden synagogues, often in caves that are located hours away by foot from the nearest town.
Fifteen of these secret synagogues still exist today, concentrated in the North Shewa area about 80 miles north of Addis Ababa. In the largest, called Mugar, about 300 men and women live permanently, their numbers swelling further at least twice a year when other community members join to commemorate their martyrs and celebrate their festivals. As with other Ethiopian Jews, their tradition consists only of pre-Talmudic practices.
The elders believe that the caves will take you to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). Sintayehu said that he and Demeke once walked for 15 minutes inside the Mugar synagogue-cave and there was no end. Their torch, a candle, eventually burned out.
The traditional songs you hear in this album come from these secret synagogues, passed down from generation to generation.
Within the last few years a group of young men emerged from this community and, thanks to Ethiopia's new constitution that guarantees freedom of worship, they decided to openly practice their religion once more. Much had been forgotten with regard to Jewish practice, but they opened a small synagogue in the Kechene neighborhood of Addis Ababa and learned anew. Although not yet recognized by the state of Israel as eligible for immigration under the Law of Return, in their songs they yearn for Jerusalem and for Israel - the land of their ancestors. Demeke and Sintayehuexplain that this music, which the members sing after their regular Friday evening worship service, carries you spiritually to a different time and place. They are certainly right about that.
All the singers on this album remember their grandmothers and grandfathers singing these traditional songs in the secret synagogues. Demeke ben Engda, who moonlights as a professional singer and regularly leads the Friday evening Sabbath worship service in Kechene, has composed several modern songs in the traditional style. (Another synagogue member, Daniel Desalegn Firku, is a part-time collaborator.) Yet all members realize that, with increased exposure to the outside world, the danger lurks that all these songs may become irrevocably lost or changed. Hence the decision to make this CD -- the first of its kind. We are grateful to everyone who contributed.
01 - Beta Avraham 'Kechene' Community - Miseker (Witness) (6:56)
02 - Beta Avraham 'Kechene' Community - B'yerusalem (In Jerusalem) (5:05)
03 - Beta Avraham 'Kechene' Community - Min Alu Dawit (What David Said) (4:04)
04 - Beta Avraham 'Kechene' Community - Kiber New (It Is an Honor) (5:44)
05 - Beta Avraham 'Kechene' Community - Senbet L'yuna (Sabbath Is Unique) (4:49)
06 - Beta Avraham 'Kechene' Community - Temesgen (Thanks to God) (4:08)
07 - Beta Avraham 'Kechene' Community - Zimare (Song) (4:18)
Gashaw Adal was born in Ethiopia’s Wollo region. He stepped in to the music world when he joined the “Black Lion Band” which was owned by the famous singer Ayalew Mesfin. He worked in the band as a dancer. After a time at the “Black Lion Band” Gashaw worked in several night clubs with the famous singer Ali Birra.
Gashaw has a talent of singing in various languages both local and foreign. Amharic, Oromo and Somali as well as Afar were the local languages he sang in and of the foreign languages. Arabic is the one in which he sang Sudanese songs.
Apart from singing, artist Gashaw was very good in playing bass guitar. His idol was the famous oromo language singer Ali Birra.
In 1970 (EC) Gashaw left Addis Ababa headed for Asmara, a city which was then part of Ethiopia. He joined “Bengol Band” that was affiliated to the Nyala Hotel in Asmara. He became famous by singing Ali Birra’s Oromo songs as well as songs of other Amharic singers and Sudanese ones.
Gashaw was a guest singer in Asmara Police Orchestra for a long time where he forged a strong friendship with singers of the orchestra like Aklilu Seyoum, Seyoum Tilahun also with Yishak Banjaw, who was the music arranger of the orchestra.
He released his first album when he was later working in Yishak Banjaw’s “Lula Band” in Asmara. Songs like “Kolel Bey” were instant hits and won him immense admiration all over the country. Arguably it was true.
Gashaw came back to Addis and released his second album “Bemin Awekshibet”. Soon famous band in the city who saw the great talent in the singer began inviting him to work was them.
Gashaw Adal suffered from Vitiligo, a condition which involves complete loss of melanin - the primary skin pigment, and many speculate his late entrance into music was because he preferred obscurity to escape the harsh judgement of a superstititious society that considered those suffering from this skin condition as wicked and cursed.
But when he finally and courageously took the stage, parallels with the greatest was made. Some even declared a new Tilahun Gessesse was on the making. Gashaw's second name is not Adal; Adal or Afar is the name of the cushitic people in North East of Ethiopia. He is named Adal because he was from the Afar region - An Amhara who lived there.
1994 was when he released "Abay, ye bahay". This Afar song rocked Addis, and the Ethiopian TV crew seemed to not get enough of it. The world cup in USA was on and the games made more sense, because Gashaw's incredibly melodious voice was aired for hours before and after the matches.
Gashaw Adal released a total of four albums, produced or took part in over fifty song lyrics and never parted with music till his early death.
Besides his immense musical talent he had a very good skill in bakery, as he once said.
