When I was still working in The Beer Store, one night I discovered a CD left behind by the conveyor rollers used to ferry people’s empty beer-bottle containers to the point where they could be checked, counted and their deposit value reimbursed. I took the CD home and listened to it.

The artist was Tekle Kiflemariam and the album Chiru Bereka Krkre (1998). Of the ten tracks, I liked the one called Adanoy (to my ears: ah-dá-no-eh) best. It’s difficult to find biographical information on the singer, better known perhaps as Wedi Tukul. I understand that his Eritrean music was “crucial in mobilizing support” for the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front.

There are several You-Tube videos of Tekle performing: for example, [Heads Up: the upcoming link will take you to a You-Tube video that starts playing automatically. Your volume-default will probably be too loud. Click the pause-button (the II underneath and to the left of the video frame) as soon as it appears, then turn the volume way down before continuing] a poor-audio version of Gobez Teshamo, the first track on my CD. It’s worth reading the comments: Amidst the kudos, there is flaming that evidences the ongoing inter-tribal animosity.