War Chants on the Campaign Trail: When Elections Echo Patriots' Day

May holds a unique duality in Ethiopia’s modern consciousness. As Patriots’ Day commemorates the valor of those who resisted colonization, our fledgling electoral season—barely five years old—unfolds alongside it. This convergence has birthed a cultural irony: the very K’әrәrto (praise songs) and Shïlәla (heroic chants) that once stirred souls against invaders now reverberate through political rallies.

Historically, these poetic forms K’әrәrto emerged in Gojjam as vessels of resistance. Warriors recited them before battle; hunters chanted them returning from the wild. They celebrated military patriots like Belay Zeleke (Aba Kostér), immortalizing their courage in lines like:

"Ïsti bäsmam bïye lïjämïr mïsgana...

 Aba Kostér Bälay yä haymanot geta

These songs were more than tributes—they were cultural weapons. Farmers used them to rouse audacity; communities channeled grievances into revolts. The singer’s voice turned aggressive, boasting of personal prowess, family honor, and even cattle. The rhythm was one of survival, defiance, and ancestral pride.

Yet today, as Ethiopia navigates its second-ever election, a dissonance emerges. Political campaigns—whether tribal coalitions or individual parties—increasingly adopt the tone of K’әrәrto. On airwaves and street corners, candidates uplift themselves with battle-like bravado:

"My face blazes like midday fire!"
"My lineage is unstoppable!"

The problem? Elections demand policy debates—not warrior boasts. When campaigners mimic Shïlәla, they reduce democracy to a contest of self-mythology. Pragmatic discussions about water access, inflation, or education dissolve into performative hero-worship. This isn’t unique to Ethiopia—elections globally often devolve into pageantry—but here, the clash is stark. Patriots’ Day songs belong to martyrs; campaign trails need substance.

As Venus rises over Addis this May, I recall Welsh poet Gillian Clarke’s yearning:

"Something like hope begins... as if truth can speak, good men come to power, and words have meaning again."

May our new election culture learn to honor the past without weaponizing its music. For true democracy sings not of mythical heroes, but of schools built, justice served, and a people heard..