እቴሜቴ
(Ete Mete)
Young kids chant the first verse below. Older kids play this as a hand clapping game on the 2nd verse. We only have a partial translation of the song below and welcome help!
እቴሜቴ
(Ete Mete)
My Sister
Hand Clapping Rhyme
Hand Clapping Rhyme
(Amharic)
(English)
Ete mete yelomi shita
ya sewoye minalesh mata
Minim minim minim alalegn
tidarun feto lewsedish alegn
aywesdishim tidarun feto
milobishal gasha tor yizo.
Kebete belay qura sefro qura sefro,
yelechim bilo hedo bero hedo bero,
enen yabiregn yakinfegne yakinfegne,
ye zihon hamot yastetagne yastetagne,
ye zihon hamot merara new merara new,
ye gobez libu terara new terara new,
terara heje simelese simelese,
ahiya moto jib sialeqse jib sialeqse,
ebab angetun sineqese sineqese,
qunicha qoma siqedise siqedise...
My sister, lemon scent,
What did that person who
Came in the evening say to you?
Nothing, nothing he said nothing,
Let me annul my marriage and take you,
That's all he said.
 - - Ethiopian Children's Songs - Ethiopia - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World
"Pin It")
Game Instructions
Hand Clapping Game:
Simply stand across from your partner. Clap your left hand with your partner's right hand. At the same time your right hand should "clap" your chest and your partner should clap the chest with their left hand.
Both partners switch hands. You should clap your right hand with your partner's left hand. At the same time "clap" your chest with your left hand, while your partner claps their chest with their right hand.
Keep alternating these actions to the beat of the song.
On the last line hold hands with your partner and bow a few times.
Comments
If anyone can provide the full Amharic text and/or a translation, please email me. Thanks in advance! Mama Lisa
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
The translation is from Petraan on Reddit.
