Ali Birra

Ali Mahammed Birra was born on September 29, 1950, in Ganda Kore, Dire Dawa. Joining the Afran Qallo cultural ensemble at age thirteen, his electrifying performances of Oromo poetry earned him the permanent surname Birra ('Spring/Dawn').

Singing in Afaan Oromoo, Amharic, Harari, and Somali, Birra modernized Oromo traditional rhythms by blending them with acoustic guitar, accordion, and brass instruments. Songs like Ammalelee and Karaa Manii Hin Qabnu became anthems of linguistic survival and democratic aspiration during decades when indigenous languages were banned from public media. Conferred an honorary doctorate by Jimma University, he is revered as a cultural prophet.