THE SECRET DEATH OF ABBA GADA AND OTHER STORIES
By Teferi Tafa
As the MC of the We Are Wordsmiths literary event last month, I mentioned the fact that we are descended from kings and queens—and griots. For generations, our traditions, our history, our culture, was handed down by the griots (storytellers) among us. Today, even when fiction is written, there is an element of truth in it, and when a culture and its history is involved, who better to tell it than someone who is part of that culture? That being said, I am honored to bring to you Teferi Tafa’s The Secret Death of Abba Gada and Other Stories.
A native Ethiopian, Tafa is of the Oromo people, and he has made his mark as a professor, novelist, scholar, and movie maker. His collection of short stories gives readers a deep dive into the culture of the Oromo people, from The Secret Death of Abba Gadaa to Death Down the Street. The short stories cover the past, when the colonialists first show up with the intent to conquer and destroy the Oromo culture, as well as the present, when a detective seeks to solve the mystery of the death of a famous Ethiopian musician and discovers a far-reaching conspiracy connected to it.
We learn that Oromia was once under matriarchal rule under Gramma Manoye, until bruised male egos sought to bring her down. For the countries now known as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somali, war and political intrigue were part of the fabric of their history. Western culture clashes with non-Western culture. The role of women had a way of changing from one ruler to another. Freedom fighters, opposition, and ruling parties can switch in a heartbeat. Such are the stories that Tafa shares with us.
I give a hat tip to Tafa for his creativity and imagination in bringing Oromo culture to the forefront, and speaking an authentic truth which reminds us that there are many cultures on the African continent. When I finished the book, I wanted to know more.
The Secret Death of Abba Gada and Other Stories is available through African Light Book and Coffee Shop Books, Amazon, and the Minnesota Black Authors Expo website (mnblackauthorsexpo.com).
Thank you, Teferi, for bringing us another gem from the African diaspora. If we don’t share our stories, who will?
W.D. Foster-Graham
W.D. Foster-Graham is a native son of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received a B.A. in psychology from Luther College, and he was an original member of the multi-Grammy-Award-winning ensemble, Sounds of Blackness. He has also been recognized by the International Society of Poets as one of its “Best New Poets of 2003,” is a guest writer for journalist/author/entertainer Wyatt O’Brian Evans.
