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Flamboyant

A tribute to Mothers...

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This is a beautiful piece of commentary by Rhoda A Rageh...Thought I share it with you since I know how the Nomads in here appreciate good work when they see it..Enjoy!

 

 

"Hooyo" By Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame Hadrawi And Sung By Mohamed Suleiman

Rhoda. A. Rageh — UAE — 19 December, 2004

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This song is a tribute to mothers, motherhood or mother earth. Some Somliland women view this highest accolade for women, motherhood as a tribute to man since mother (woman) is only remembered through the achievements of man. This otherwise touching song leaves the virtues of women remarkably untouched except after she gives birth to a powerful man, or she woes his mind. The question then arises: is that all she (woman) can be? Maybe or maybe it is what the poet desires her to be.

To give life and nurture to another human being is indeed the highest honour but then where does the composer leave the entire female race and the other qualities they share with men? My mother, before she became a mother, was a poet, a multi-talented artist of the highest form, brave, generous, eloquent, resourceful hardworking kind and physically smashing, also a stern disciplinarian after she became a mother and a mentor after I became a student. Reading this poem, the word “mother†brings to mind all her qualities as a human being. I could not separate these qualities from the fact that she was my mother. Interestingly, the composer remembers woman only in her physical beauty and only in the eyes of the man in love or as the nurturing mother. More interestingly, this intensely devoted mother is honoured only when her grown son surprises the world with his impressive qualities. He (the son of the mother) is not portrayed in his childhood frailty. Does that mean mother is only worthy of praise when she succeeds in raising him thus? What happens with all her efforts even when that son doesn’t bring any worth to this world? Isn’t that effort to raise a disable or lost soul painfully harder for a mother? Doesn’t the mother who shares the suffering of her child equally important. Is she to be blamed for the failure of nature or faulty conception? This song moves me as it does others but in close reading it leaves much to be desired.

 

As a child I was as much my mother’s daughter as I was of my father’s. My mother’s poetry sometimes surpassed that of my father. The Eden I was raised was as much of her hard work as my father’s. The gallantry, foresight, persuasive nature and creative genius qualities were all equally hers as well as my father’s. Clearly this poet’s sensitivity has generously cloaked women (mother) with his best honour; I would however be more flattered has the song brought to bear my mother the person as equally important. I still wish the poet would see my/our humanity as much as he sees my/our physical and nurturing self.

 

Hooyooy la'aantaa Oh Mother! Without you

Adduunyadu hubaashii The world would surely

Habeen kama baxdeenoo Be perpetual darkness,

Iftiin lama haleenoo. Devoid of light.

 

Dadku uma hayaameen Folks wouldn’t reach

Dayax heego joogoo Planets in heavens.

Sida haad mafuuleen, Like hawks wouldn’t

Xiddig hawd ka lulatoo Soar to looming stars.

Hawo laguma gaareen With guided ambition Hubka laguma tureen Nay, wouldn’t have aspired at

Cirka hirar ka muuqdoo Sphere in space.

 

Ruux aad hagaysiyo usha mid aad u Verily one lead by your flawless

haysaa, hilin toosan weligii, ka habaabi mayee Devotion the right path never would lose.

Hooyoy adduunku halkuu maanta Oh Mother! Where the world is today

Joogo adigow horseedoo Surely you paved the route.

 

Intaad hanad xambaartee The many valiant you have carried

Haaneedka siisee, Held dear on your bosom,

Horaadada jaqsiisee Fed from your breasts

habtay baan xisaab iyo, Are countless, and

tiro lagu heleynoo Incalculable.

 

Marka aad nin hiillo When your daring son awe inspire others,

Laga baqo hashiisiyo You give birth to a fierce knight,

Halyey diran dhashaabaa, Oh Mother! Thou are remembered.

hooyo lagu xasuustaa

 

 

Marka aad nin hoo-loo, When your charitable son

Gurigiisa habaqluhu In whose house the destitute

Isku soo halleeyoo, hayntiisa quudhoo Rely to feast freely, gives kindly to please

Hor Illaahay geystiyo lama hure dhashaabaa Allah. In the presence of indispensable man

Hooyo lagu xasuustaa Oh Mother! Thou are remembered

 

Marka aad nin himilada When your son of purpose with clear vision,

.Hilin toosan mariyoo hir markii la gaadhaba Achieving an objective sets another and leads his flock hither.

Ku labaad hilaadshoo haga maatadisoo la higsado dhashaa baa When you give birth to an envied gallant

Hooyo lagu xasuustaa Oh Mother! Thou are remembered.

 

Marka aad nin hoogiyo ka hor tago dagaalkoo When your impartial son of foresight

Garta hubin yaqaannoo xaqa hoos u eegoo Thwarts conflict through persuasion,

Halistiyo colaadaha dabka hura bakhtiiyoo When halting the perils of war, he snuffs

Ku hagoogata dhiigoo dadka kale hagaajoo Firestorm, and intercedes to lead humanity.

Kala haga dhashaa baa hooyo lagu xasuustaa Oh Mother! Thou are remembered.

 

 

Markaad hoobal caaniyo When in composition and song

Hindisa farshaxanoo hab-dhaca iyo luuqdiyo Your famous artist

Hawraarta maansada Creative and ingenious

Habadaba hannaanshiyo Transporting through poetry

Rabbi hibo u siiiyooo Reveals God given talent,

Hal abuur dhashaa baa When you give birth to an endowed instinct

Hooyo lagu xasuustaa Oh Mother! Thou are remembered

 

Dumar iyo haween baa nolol lagu haweystaa Women Surely are the founts of life.

Kuwa lagu hammiyayee Those much desired women coalescing

Sida hawd caleen weyn Like concentrated forest,

Rag u wada hammuume The clamour of all men,

Ishu halacsanaysaa These beauties

Hablahaaga weeyee Are thy daughters.

 

Marka guur la haybshee When thoughts of matrimony invade

Gabadh heego dheeroo Your poised lofty girls,

Hoobaan la moodoo Like the boughs of a tree

Karti iyo hub qaadloo Adept and stylish,

Quruxdana ka hodaniyo Splendour abound

Hufan laga aroostaa Unblemished duly wed.

Hooyo lagu xasuustaa Oh Mother! Thou are remembered

 

Hooyooy la'aantaa Oh Mother! Without you

Higgaad lama barteenoo Spelling would have been inconceivable.

.Hooyooy lan'aantaa hadal lama kareenoo Without you Mother, Expression would render unthinkable

Ruuxaad habinoo One, whom you have not indulged,

Kolba aanad hees iyo hoobay ku sabinoo Not seldom with lullabies fed

Hawshaada waayaa One,you haven’t doted upon,

Hanaqaadi maayee Surely won’t mature.

 

Hoygii kalgacalkee Thou, are the house of adulation

Naxariistu hadataay Thy abode is of compassion.

 

Hooyo dushaadaa Oh Mother! On your back

Nabad lagu hubaayoo One attains peace.

 

Hooyooy dhabtaadaa Oh Mother! On your lab

Hurdo lagu gam'aayoo Sleep is pure.

 

Hooyooy taftaadaa Oh mother at your hem

Dugsi laga helaayoo Shelter is most secure

 

Waxaa lagu hal maalaa Grandeur! Oh mother

Hooyo ababintaadee Thy cultivation is.

 

 

Hayin lagu badhaadhaay Resilience and richness and

Hogol lagu qaboobaay Tranquil Downpour.

 

Gogol lama huraaneey Thou are boundless delight

Dugsigii hufnaantaay Thy school is of moral rectitude.

Hidda lagu arooraay Thou are root of ritual.

 

Intaad hooyo nooshahay In thy existence, Oh Mother!

Hambalyiyo salaan baan Compliments and salutation

Hanti kaaga dhigayaa I impart upon thee.

 

Hamrashiyo xaq-dhawr baan The cape of distinction

Dusha kaa huwinayaa I drape around thee Oh Mother!

 

Hooyo dhimashadaaduna Oh Mother! Your demise

Hoogeyga weeyoo Is my eternal woe.

Weligay hoggaagaan I will forever

Ka dul heesayaayoo Sing on your tomb

Hiyiga laabtaan In my head and heart

Kugu haynayaayoo I will embrace thee prized

Hengel baan u xirayaa I will bewail thee with every

Inta haadka duushiyo giddi habar dugaaggee Winged and wild beast

 

Ifka hibo ku noolow Live resplendently here.

.Akhiro halkii roon Prosperity in the hereafter.

Hooyoy akhiro halkii roon Oh! Mother Prosperity in the hereafter.

 

 

Translated and commented by Rhoda. A. Rageh

Rahmaa@yahoo.com

 

Link:

http://somaliland.org/ns.asp?ID=04122000

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Caveman   

Sxb thnx for translating that wonderful song now I can “Cut & Paste†for my soon to be Vietnamese mother in- law.. :D

 

 

Salam!

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Wiilo   

Ooh thanks Flamboyant that is my FAVORITE song of all time, waan ku seexdaa habeenkii this song and Careys "Hooyadu waa lama Huraan" thanks again...

 

 

Go figure:..............

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juba   

beatuiful poem!! i can't wait to copy and paste this and share with freinds and family. This the only somali poem i could understand with your helpful translations. smile.gif

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Blessed   

Beautifull!

I remember when I was kid, she used to play this song as she cooked qado. I miss my mummy :(:(:(

 

 

Thanks Flamboyant, hoyadu waa lama huraan, indeed.

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Wiilo   

Originally posted by Simply_the_Best:

^ juba aaka aaka shololob!

Alla maxaad niikisay simply waan kaa Qeyliyay :D

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Hey just to let you guys know, I am afraid I am not the one responsible for neither the translation nor the commentary, this is solely the work of "Rhoda". I posted so you could appreciate this poem with me…

 

I wish there were more Rhoda’s out there who could bring these precious poems to life for those of us that can not completely comprehend it in Af Somali..

 

By the way, I am glad y'all enjoyed it!

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