Classic Somali literature

[SomaliPhilosopher]

"Ignorance is the Enemy of Love by Faarax M. J. Cawl is considered the first literary publication in the Somali language, which had no official orthography until 1972. The novel, whose Somali title is Aqoondarro waa u nacab jacayl, was published by the Somali Ministry of Culture and Higher Education in 1974. The translation into English is by Russian linguist B.W. Andrzejewski and was commissioned by UNESCO. Unfortunately, the English translation of the novel is currently out of print."

 

Based on the cilmi boodhari and Hodan love story

 

http://woyingi.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/book-review-ignorance-is-the-enemy-of-love-by-faarax-m-j-cawl/

 

 

translated

 

 

Please share classic Somali literature, whether fiction or non fiction. Some background would be nice.

[SomaliPhilosopher]

Publish in 1923. Title speaks for itself

 

[Safferz]

I have a file of perhaps the oldest written Somali memoir (in English) from 1928, "The Life and Adventures of a Somali," which was published by Richard Pankhurst in the 1970s. Really interesting stuff. Let me see if I can attach it here, otherwise I'll gladly email it to anyone who is interested.

[SomaliPhilosopher]

Please do Safferz. May you share how you acquired it?

[Safferz]

SomaliPhilosopher;941053 wrote:

Please do Safferz. May you share how you acquired it?

I think I may have stumbled upon it reading some of Pankhurst's other work (not my favourite scholar and pro-Ethiopian but he has some good work). I wasn't able to attach it here since the file is too big, but I've linked it from my Dropbox account so hopefully this works: Part 1 and Part 2.

[SomaliPhilosopher]

Safferz;941054 wrote:

I think I may have stumbled upon it reading some of Pankhurst's other work (not my favourite scholar and pro-Ethiopian but he has some good work). I wasn't able to attach it here since the file is too big, but I've linked it from my Dropbox account so hopefully this works:

Part 1

and

Part 2

.

How did you get the PDF? I did a quick google search after your post, couldnt seem to find it. Care to share some background on this book? Who wrote it? What script was it written in? ecttt por favor

 

Is the original Somali version available?

 

Thanks, the dropbox worked.

[Safferz]

SomaliPhilosopher;941056 wrote:

How did you get the PDF? I did a quick google search after your post, couldnt seem to find it. Care to share some background on this book? Who wrote it? What script was it written in? ecttt por favor

It was published in 1977 in a journal called Africa: Rivista trimestrale di studi e documentazione dell’Istituto italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente that I was able to access online after some digging (I first learned about the autobiography in a footnote, then found the full autobiography). Richard Pankhurst does a good job of explaining the context there, before publishing the autobiography in its entirety. It was written in English, not Somali.

[Safferz]

Oh, forgot to add the autobiography is by a man named Ibrahim Ismail from the then British Somaliland Protectorate. It covers a number of things, like his childhood in northern Somalia and Aden, and his experiences as a seaman in the early 20th century.

[Wadani]

Safferz;941054 wrote:

I think I may have stumbled upon it reading some of Pankhurst's other work (not my favourite scholar and pro-Ethiopian but he has some good work). I wasn't able to attach it here since the file is too big, but I've linked it from my Dropbox account so hopefully this works:

Part 1

and

Part 2

.

Great stuff. Thanks.

[Safferz]

Wadani;941061 wrote:

Great stuff. Thanks.

No problem. Be sure to take anything Richard Pankhurst says about Somalis with a grain of salt, the man is an Ethiopian as far as I'm concerned lol. His mom Sylvia was awesome though.

[Wadani]

Safferz;941063 wrote:

No problem. Be sure to take anything Richard Pankhurst says about Somalis with a grain of salt, the man is an Ethiopian as far as I'm concerned lol. His mom Sylvia was awesome though.

Duly noted.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

 

 

This is classic.

 

Adeegto - by Maxamed Xasan Aw Cismaan

 

READ IT HERE

[SomaliPhilosopher]

Thanks madaxweyne for the contribution. any background info on this book?

[Alpha Blondy]

Safferz;941052 wrote:

I have a file of perhaps the oldest written Somali memoir (in English) from 1928, "The Life and Adventures of a Somali," which was published by Richard Pankhurst in the 1970s. Really interesting stuff. Let me see if I can attach it here, otherwise I'll gladly email it to anyone who is interested.

technically speaking, this anthology of sorts is not Somali in origin. it was written by whites. cala kuli xaal...NONSENSE.

[Alpha Blondy]

i've got a very good collection of somali fiction books. about 30. will post list, if required.