The poem describes the brother as the "pillar of the father's house" ( Utubaa mana abbaa ) and a "natural shield" ( Gaachana dhalootaa A Source of Light:
If you listen to a recording, pay attention to the background. You might hear the sound of a woman pounding grain—the rhythm of life continuing against the rhythm of loss. Walaloo Obboleessa
In Oromo pastoralist culture, a cow is life. In Walaloo Obboleessa , the deceased brother is often compared to a prized bull ( Sangaa ) that has strayed into a hostile forest. The sister sings: The poem describes the brother as the "pillar
Through Walaloo Obboleessa , the handless find their grip. The voiceless find their cry. And the brother, though gone, walks once more among the cattle and the stars. In Walaloo Obboleessa , the deceased brother is
"My brother, the shade of our father's homestead, The one who carried the spear to the river bank. Who will now answer the enemy's call at the border? My brother, the milk pail is heavy without you, And the hyena laughs at our broken fence. Come back just to see your sister's tears, For a cousin's hand is not a brother's shoulder."
Notice the parallel structure: The river (life) continues, but the brother does not. The gold (wealth/promise) becomes a tomb. This duality—nature’s indifference vs. human memory—is the engine of Walaloo .