Avohai is a neologism created by the Brazilian singer and composer Zé Ramalho, and consists of the agglutination of the words "grandfather" and "father".
According to the story published in the artist's biography – “Zé Ramalho: the poet of the abysses” – this word would have appeared during an experience with hallucinogenic drugs.
Zé Ramalho's grandfather would have played an important paternal role for the singer, who lost his biological father while he was still a child.
In Zé Ramalho's interpretation, the “grandfather” is the wisdom that can pass through generations, whether from grandfather to father, father to son, or even grandfather to son.
Avôhai lyrics
“An old man crosses the threshold / In long boots, with a long beard / Of gold the shine of his necklace / On the cold slab where it streaked / His shirt and his saddlebag / Of hunter / Oh my old and invisible / Avôhai / Oh my old and indivisible / Avôhai / Cloudy and bright fog / In my brain, sun clots / Amanita morning / And what a transparent curtain / Around me / If I say / That it's known / You say it's much worse / And worse than the planet / When you lose the sunflower / It's the diamond rosary / On my grandmother's fingers / And I was never again afraid / Of the gatekeeper / Not even of her partner / Who never slept alone / Grandfather! / Grandfather! / Grandfather! / The swamp crosses the dust / In fact there is / A lighter tone / In the pallor of these people / Pairs of eyes so deep / That make people bitter / What to stare / But who drink your life / Your soul at the time you command / It's the eyes, it's the wings / Hair of grandfatherhai / On the tourmaline stone / And in the plant yard / I raised myself / I flew at dawn / And in the crater condemned / I kept silent / And if I did, it was because of sadness / You shut up / And keep silent / You only speak when I tell you to / Pursuing my conscience / Afraid of traveling / Even the middle of the comet's head / Spinning on the tick / In the game of improvising / Chopping / I follow the straight line / I have the right word / So the doctor won't complain / Grandfather! Grandfather! / Grandfather! Grandfather!"
See also the meaning of neologism.