Revolutionary Music From Tigray

Part of the Global Perspectives on War and Peace Collection.

0:00Copy video clip URL While Eddie Becker was visiting Ethopia to document famine, the country was in flux as rebel groups fought the military government for control of the country. Becker shoots a band of rebels singing war songs, lead by a young boy with a machine gun.

3:43Copy video clip URL We see the performance a second time with the lyrics translated. “Be the first to fight in the front line / A hero of the People’s Army, unite, be courageous / Go to fight in the front lines / The struggle continues – we are still struggling / Be quick and advance towards the target / Destroy the enemy – and be a hero of the front / Divide and conquer the enemy then bury him / Destroy him and make him scream with fear / Let this become your habit / Make the enemy fail, beat him once again / Cut him down in the battle. Uproot him from the battle / Let the enemy say uncle, Cut him like the other day / Just like you did before.”