Kenegem teweso, amna’nem adeso
Yemetal tizita gwazun agbesbeso
Outdoing yesterday, shouldering on today,
Borrowing from tomorrow, renewing yesteryears,
Tizita (var. Tezeta; Amharic: ትዝታ?," which means memory, "nostalgia" or "longing") is a type of song in Ethiopia. The term itself may serve as the name of a ballad performed in this style, or it can refer to the musical mode used in such songs.
Western sources often compare tizita to the blues. Other musical equivalent are the Portuguese Saudade, Assouf for the Tuareg people, or Dor in Romania. In Slovakia, the closest word is clivota or cnenie, and Sehnsucht in German.
Azmaris first introduced tizita. Modern Ethiopian artists who have performed tizita songs include Aster Aweke, Bezawork Asfaw, Teddy Afro and Mahmoud Ahmed.