But the starving nomad Is crawling on hands and knees His lips bleeding Ever since he bit the acacia tree Mouth-full of thorns Yet he doesn't seem to care Consumed with thoughts of his mother The teen who Once welcomed him into a crazed world With a blank stare Knowing her life would never be the same Knowing he'd etch dead forefathers Into his brain Only to call her "hooyo" Cause he'd forget her real name He knows Treacherous mines hide in wait Where animals once beat their hooves In thunderous glory Before they lowered their heads and Bade the land farewell Long before vultures Found feasts in the dead Now Hearing thunder overhead He knows The clouds above weep in despair For nameless corpses For wives turned widows And orphans At night he hears nocturnal creatures howl Because they too are hungry Their wails Filled with gloom Tell old tales of a young nation Sliding into doom Of innocence long gone He screams Tell me something new! But hears only silence

Originally posted by Ameenah: I'm a tea addict by choice. Ditto! God knows my delight when I see my favourite can of cadys among the groceries. I'm smiling just thinking about it. chubaka, SisSade gave you sound advice; it's best to gradually ease yourself off the tea and any other caffeinated drinks you might be hooked on. I often use multiple tea bags in each pot so, if you do the same, you might also want to reduce the number. On the other hand, if you ever want to try quitting "cold turkey", then maybe you should try doing so on a weekend or some other time during which you'll have a few days to recoup from the headaches. I've also heard there are some decaffeinated tea brands out there, so you might want to check your local grocery store. Be warned though, rumour has it the stuff tastes rather awful because a lot of quality is lost in the decaffeinating process, but it may still work. Good luck!

Originally posted by LIQAYE: You never need to be asked to wash my feet when I come home from a long day of drinking and singing. :eek: Liqaye, who knew you had such a twisted sense of humour? It was a delightful yet disturbing read, thanks for sharing (she says with cautious unease).

People, I have a bit of a dilemma. I have a job interview later this week, and I was reminded to bring my resume and dress in "business attire". Which brings me to my question... Exactly what kind of clothing is considered appropriate "business attire"? I posed this question to my cousin and got a rather vague answer, so please enlighten me. Thanks.

Originally posted by Honesita: would someone tell me how i can burn them from 6arab.com... Sister, burning songs from 6arab.com will become tedious and time-consuming. The reason being that the site has two types of song files; RAM (the ones you listen to) and RM (the ones you download). RM is a different format than MP3 and, once you've downloaded them, you'll still need to convert the files before you burn them because most CD burning software is designed to handle MP3 files. In order to save yourself the time and effort, I suggest you find files that are already in MP3 format. I recommend Mazika.com for this purpose. It has countless Arabic MP3s and they're free, once you register. Salaama.

If you're looking for relatively new movies that are actually worth your time, you might want to try Andaaz, Hum Tuhare Hai Sanaam, Kal Ho Na Ho, Main Hoon Na, Jism, Raaz, Khabi Khushi Khabi Gham... among others. As far as innovative films go, you might want to check out Lagaan, Asoka, and Devdas. If you're looking for atypical Hindi movies, try the independent films... Earth 1947 (directed by Deepa Mehta) would be a good start. Enjoy.

Kynda, I like Fairouz too! Have you heard these ones? I find them very soothing... Nahna Wil Amar Jiran Shadi BUT my all-time favourite Arabic song is probably this one... Amr Diab - Tamally Ma'ak Note: This link plays half the song but, if you like it, you can download the full mp3 from Mazika.com. You'll need to register, but it's worth it because the site provides thousands of FREE Arabic songs for you to DOWLOAD. Enjoy.

There are several interesting questions floating about this thread? What is culture? Do we have culture? Why do we need culture? What is my role? How can the ideals of the four groups be converged?? Which ideal can best serve the interests of the people? Nomads, I think the issues of ?what is culture?? and ?do we have it?? have been thoroughly exhausted for the most part, but I'd like to add one thing that's been overlooked thus far. Definitions of "culture" are contested and we should keep that in mind because - like culture itself - the meaning of the word (and its usage) is subject to change... and it has changed, particularly since scholarly critiques of the prevalent definition of "culture" in 1980s. Moving on... To keep the discussion going, I'll share my views on the question posed by NGONGE, namely ?why do we need culture?? I think culture helps people approach knowledge in different ways. In other words, it's not only about coming to different answers, but about asking different questions to begin with. With the use of repetition, I'm trying to stress the importance of the word "different" here because that's essentially what culture is all about... difference and uniqueness. In diverse cultures, we see and hopefully learn to understand the variety of human experience. I honestly can't imagine a world without difference. In order to get an understanding of what a 'cultureless' world would be like, we only have to ask ourselves what is the alternative to "difference"? The answer, in my view, is uniformity and to that I say no thank you. Such a world seems artificial and highly unnatural (I'm reminded of Huxley's "A Brave New World"). Positive posed the questioned ?what is my role (in culture)?? and I honestly can't say that I have an adequate answer, but hopefully someone else will be able to shed light on that issue. Moving on to the next question, namely "how can the ideals of the four groups (mentioned by Positive) be converged for the best interests of society?", I must say that I think the task of "converging" them sounds a little ambiguous. If convergence means having the four groups coexist as separate, yet relatively equal bodies in society - without the dominance of one group or another - then I think it (the convergence) may be possible. In fact, since Positive argued that there is presently a lack of dominant culture in Somalia, it could be argued that such coexistence may already be in the works and, consequently, is producing the lack of dominant culture. If the convergence, however, means having the four groups unite into a large, homogeneous body then I think the task of creating such cohesion among these particular groups would be impossible... since their general philosophies often have enormous contradictions (ex: the traditionalist vs. the Western oriented, or the Islam oriented vs. the crime oriented). Positive also asked another intriguing question, namely "which ideal can best serve the interest of the people?" Since the answers will boil down to opinion or personal preference, I'll just say that I believe the Islam oriented carry the best ideals. Moreover, I believe their dominance would best serve the interests of any society. Although I appreciate our traditions, I'm not found of the traditionalist philosophy. It's severely flawed because the traditionalists tend to be in a constant, yet hopeless struggle against time and progress. As many nomads have already pointed out, culture is not fixed in society once and forever. Well, in reality, neither is tradition. Both are complex, layered, shifting issues that are essentially subject to constant change (a necessary feature of every society). As a result, the very attempt to fix or freeze culture or tradition - a feat that appears to be the traditionalists' mission - may be unfavourable or even detrimental to its survival. The Western-oriented and the crime-oriented aren't particularly favourable in my view either. I dislike the materialism and continuously depleting morality of the former, and the self-serving mentality and seemingly inherent immorality of the latter. So with that said, I would choose the Islam-oriented group time and time again. There's simply no comparison. I must add, however, that (to some extent) there can be some integration of the ideals of some of these groups. The challenge lies in finding a happy medium. I've been rambling for far too long, and I still haven't said all I needed to say, but to anyone's who has actually read this post in its entirely - I thank you. Salaama.

Libaax, you must be psychic because I am a UofT artsci. I'll spare you our slogan, it's not engineer friendly. By the way, sister Nafisa wasn't joking. OAC has been abolished... I suspect the new policy is a remnant of the Mike Harris days. :mad: Salaama.

Originally posted by Modesty: I pray that Allah's justice comes soon, I pray that such evil people find the justice they deserve in this life and the next... I pray that Islam will rise to its rightful place to lead this world from injustice, inequality, cruelty, and greed and actions like the above pictures show. I pray that these young men, our dear brothers in Islam, although they've suffered enough in this world, will find the mercy of Allah and may Allah grant them jannah, and may Allah help the suffering Iraqis, and all muslims in the world. Amiin! Subxanallah, this is truly shocking and infuriating. In seeing this, I was reminded of an Iraqi friend of mine who actually supported the invasion. Maybe I should send her these pictures.

News flash: I've seen mentally unstable Somalis tied to trees (in Somalia)... much like that little girl is to the pillar. Mind you, the reasons were/are far different from those of the Hindus, but maybe we should try mending our own nests before we comment on those of others because all's not well at home.

Miskiin, thanks for the insightful info. I don't read the papers much; I prefer online news (mainly IslamiCity.com)? but it's interesting to know all this. Mad Mullah, the problem with the type of Somali news mediums you mentioned isn't a lack of media control. Even if a national Somali government were established, there'll always be "journalists" who will cater to tribalism and present twisted versions of reality. I think the problem has little to do with a lack of government regulations and more to do with the fact that there're people who consider the tribal junk "news". Tribal-based news mediums have found the one thing they need to survive... a market. Unfortunately, until that market evaporates, they'll continue to exist.

Ngonge, I hope you're not running a scam of some sort... Oh, that reminds me. If anyone's interested, I'm selling sea monkeys and pet rocks out of my basement, $5 bucks per packet.

I went through the whole registration process, then I couldn't find the room. Checked yesterday, not there. Checked today, not there. Where did everyone go? BTW - my nick is Yasmine08... no big change there.

To say that I didn't worry about my future school's ranking would be a complete lie. Looking back on it now, I think my anxieties were heightened even further because I was living in a small town with one college and one university... and, at times, the college was considered better than the university. I must admit, however, making the choice between the local university and the more prestigious one (several towns away) was definitely not easy. It meant having to leave my family and many of my closest friends. All things considered, I honestly don't regret my choice. I've never been one to take the easy route, but (masha'allah) I'm thankful for being accepted into my most preferred school.

Interesting info nomads, thanks for posting. Knowing a few self-defence moves can always come in handy if you ever need them, but let's always remember to apply common sense, which I think is the most important tool of all. For instance, sometimes I see women jogging alone with headphones on... very bad idea. Also, body language is important so you should always walk with confidence. If you show that you're in control, it might discourage potential aggressors.

I hate men with long nails. I also hate guys who grow long nails on their little/pinkie fingers, even though the rest of their nails are short. What's that about?!

Yet another Somali "journalist" absent-mindedly writing an editorial... opinion, opinion, opinion.

I'm assuming the nomads who frequent this tranquil corner read poetry. If do you, please post 1 or 2 of your favourite poems here. If you don't read poetry, you can post something you consider poetry... like intellectual song lyrics. It'll be great to read the different contributions and find out what your tastes are. I'll start... Thoughts In The Rain by Adebayo Olabisi It rained cats and dogs into the pots Forcing all to sit and stare in the huts; But their minds nursed different thoughts: The slave's - that the day's job was naught And the Lord's - that the morrow is for double plot.. The old cold war and rough tough tug of thought. Grief by Elizabeth Barrett Browning I tell you hopeless grief is passionless, That only men incredulous of despair, Half-taught in anguish, through the midnight air Beat upward to God's throne in loud access Of shrieking and reproach. Full desertness In souls, as countries, lieth silent-bare Under the blanching, vertical eye-glare Of the absolute heavens. Deep-hearted man, express Grief for thy dead in silence like to death - Most like a monumental statue set In everlasting watch and moveless woe Till itself crumble to the dust beneath. Touch it; the marble eyelids are not wet; If it could weep, it could arise and go.

I'm in agreement with the majority of the sisters in this thread. Personality is an individual thing and there are "good" and "bad" people in every race, religion, etc. Moreover, you'll find "bad" Somalis amongst both the men and women, but the fact that they're Somali isn't necessarily a contributing factor. I'm of the opinion that anyone who says "all Somali men/women are no good" is either lying or possesses deeper issues which have more to do with them and not others. Salaama.

In light of the new revelation, I'm a bit puzzled... Khayr, you say the woman is a Christian Kenyan, yet you talk about the Shari'ah and what it deems "haram" and "halaal" as if it applies to her. Then, you go on to talk about Bill Clinton and his affairs with interns. And for someone who's supposedly religious, you don't even bother to spare people the vulgarity and indecency of writing a word I can't even repeat. Earlier, I had simply assumed the individual being talked about was a Somali. Now, I'm utterly confused. I really don't understand what the Christian Kenyan woman, her issues; Bill Clinton and his issues have to do with Somalis. You probably meant well in giving nomads something to reflect upon, but next time I suggest you talk about something closer to the problems in our communities. The Kenyan woman isn't the only Christian who got pregnant under mysterious circumstances; such things are much more common among them. If you plan on writing a post about every Christian who gets pregnant before she's married, I suggest you get ready to devote your life to the task. In other words, this topic is pointlessly exhaustive and far off target.

Originally posted by sweet_gal: khayr being a religious person is probably just shocked...... Sorry, I'm still chuckling at that one. Lakin, the nomads above pretty much summed up what was on my mind, so I won't repeat. I'll only suggest that people start worrying about their own sins and stop watching and talking about those of others. Salaama.

Athena, there's a clear distinction between culture and religion so I don't think you should equate people who eat with their hands and those who practice FGM. The latter has no basis in religion and is grounded primarily in dhaqan, while the former has religious merits. If you haven't heard, eating with one's hands is considered sunnah in our religion. It's not an obligation, but good deeds are awarded to people who choose to do so. The keyword here is "choose" because, like I've said before, I think this whole issue boils down to personal choice. I agree with you 100% when it comes to questioning the validity and significance of cultural practices, such as FGM, but the fact that eating with one's hands is rooted in and promoted by religious teachings is unquestionable. You're right though, there are people who don't know how to eat with their hands properly... they make the task look unattractive, when it really doesn't have to be. I once read somewhere that the proper way to do it is to use 3 fingers (thumb, forefinger, and middle finger). For instance, when you're eating rice, you shape a small portion into a neat ball, pick it up with the 3 fingers, and place it in your mouth. Bariis storms should never take place. I think your sense of personal hygiene is cute... leaning towards obsession, but cute nonetheless. The rolled up canjero being eaten with a fork was a very humourous thought.

Try_Me, I like how you kept your cool throughout that ordeal. Very classy. Sadkii, you might want to be careful about using both hands to eat. Our religion tells us that we’re supposed to use the right hand only. OG G, if you don’t want to use your hands to eat, that’s fine by me. I believe this whole issue comes down to personal choice. I find it irritating, however, when those who choose not to eat with their hands look down upon others who’re showing pride in their culture. This is exactly what that guy was doing to Hibo in the restaurant and you’re basically expressing the same sentiments. Athena, eating with one's hands was not being presented under the 'presence' of culture here. It is culture. Some cultures use cutlery and others use chopsticks, but most on this planet use their hands. That's reality, get used to it. + + + + + There’s a difference between adaptation and assimilation, but I doubt most of us could agree on where to draw the line. People often put the lack-of-cultural-pride blame on individuals, but I think some of it should also be placed on the parents and communities. Most of the problems tend to be related to breakdowns in the latter two. Immigrants come to the West thinking they’ll be accepted for who they are when, in reality, from the moment they get off the boat society hammers them into looking, acting, and thinking like everyone else. Consequently, if people don’t maintain strong bases at home and build strong ties with ‘their own’, then they or their children (as is usually the case) get sucked into the vacuum of social and cultural assimilation. Obviously, there are also people who suffer from inferiority complexes (that issue stretches far beyond to Somalis by the way), but there are others who follow a more Western code of behaviour because it's all they know. In other words, for some reason or other, they've become diluted by mainstream society and don't know the beauty of their own culture. I guess what I trying to say here is that some Somalis are ‘caught up’ in these foreign societies and others are simply stuck in them. There's a big difference between the two groups, but people tend to lump them together.

When I was a kid in Somalia, I heard several weird superstitions/myths. If you took off your shoes and they landed in a certain position (ex: one shoe is slightly overlapping the other at a certain angle), it meant you were going to fly/go somewhere. Apparently, the shoes symbolized a plane. Also, if you rested your hands on top of your head, your mother would die… or so they said. After absent-mindedly putting my hands on my head, I remember fearfully waiting for the last one to take effect on more than one occasion.