galbeedi Posted May 10, 2014 The colonials who came to the shores of Somalia at the end of nineteenth century described the Somali people different ways. I am not going to indulge the outright racist or the small minded colonial officer or writer making a judgement, but there are certain descriptions that seem to fit the Somali behavior. The most eminent English literature writer and historian among Somalis, Prof. Sad Samatar, described few adjectives that colonial writers coined on Somalis, mostly inconsistencies and independence. I also added some of my own descriptions and narrations as usual. 1- They are constantly consistent ( Waligood wax ma daaimaa). Ku ogow in aysan wax Daayimin. This one mainly pertains about appointments and tasks that need time and space. Professional developers had concluded that to perform a Job (Shaqo), there must be a place to do the job and there must be defined time to be finished. Otherwise it could became talk and more talk or the Somali way of " Faanoole fari kama qodna". Since 2006, the day C/laahi Yusuf government entered Mogadishu and the two governments that followed, everyone is talking about the formation of Somali National Army. If you put aside all the political talk and flying around the globe by the leaders, the main issue is " ceelkii yaa qoday xoolihiina yaa Waraabiyey". there is a Somali saying " Ninkii dhalaalayaba, cidbaa Dhoobada Ugu jirta". Well , we all want to shine, without any body dirting his clothes. Change, can only come through painstaking work, patience and hard work. The treasury must be guarded, the salary must reach the soldiers and all the leg work must be taken in a dangerous environment. Extraordinary times need extraordinary men and women who are willing to do things differently. You want to contribute to the well being of the Somali stalk,?, keep your promises. In my own town here in the Diaspora one of the "parasitic unproductive", communities were organizing a Somali week festival some six years ago. They advertised in fliers about their incoming activities, which included children's "jungle Jim's, soccer tournaments, barbecue and food, and other indoor performances. Verbally, they asked us to help them organize physically some of the jobs. the Fliers said , the festival will start from 10am to 7pm. Me and my buddy went there at 10am to help. No one was there. THe first one among the principal organizers showed up just before 11am. None of them brought anything. The barbecue grill oven was brought around noon and it did not work. They have to find another one. we were lucky enough to set up things around 2:00pm. These are the people who are paid to conduct these matters. Rather than start Six in the morning and get ready for the big day, they just took their time. Imagine some of these types of individuals taking charge back home, or , if the man who has food on the table, roof in his head and have comfortable live here in north America, is not doing his duties toward his communities, what you expect from the soldier who is not paid his salary. 2- They are Republicans , who are fiercely and independent. They say the Americans are the most freedom loving and independent people. I will add that we Somalis are known throughout the ages by two main characters just like the Americans and even more, " We are people of faith and freedom" ( Xoriyad iyo Iimaan). These two characters are our foundation. " Dalka malihid anigaa ku idhi Dooroolaha e. A Somali poet by the name of Mohamed Nuur Laangadhe( Ahn), was asked by the British in 1945, in Hargeisa, to make a poem describing the and praising the victories achieved by the British in the second world war. He was given some money and taken to the Radio. Mr. Laangadhe, did not know the ideologies of the combatants, the Holocaust committed by the Nazis or the battle between totalitarian and democracy. For him it was a battle among feuding european powers. His poem became one of fiercely independent Somali way of life, " Maxaa iiga gidiisha". I do not care. gidhligaanka gariiriyo Garnayl loola tagaynin Iglan baa gubanaysa Maxaa iiga gidhiisha Gudaha ceelka hargeysa Weligay gees uma dhaafin Bal maxaa laba gaal oo abtirsiimo gudboon Midkood aan u gumayn Midna guusha u siin Maxaa iiga gidhiisha Gudaha ceelka hargeysa Waligay gees uma dhaafin Inta aan wax gasiintiyo Intaan gaajo ku seexday Hadii aan isu geeyo Mala waa isku gow e Mar haddaan ka gabyay oon go'aygiina ka qaatay Maxaa iiga gidhiisha After that they arrested him " The great composer (ahn) C/qaadir Xirsi Yam Yam, said it best in the heydays of Somali Republic. Waqtiyada socdaalka ah Ayaamaha silsidda ah Xilliyada bal suuree Soojire haddaad tahay Sadarrada dib ugu noqo SOOMAALI WAA KUMA? Sinnaantaan la magac ahay Sanku-neefle ma oggoli Inuu iga sarrayn karo Anna garasho sogordahan Sooryo ruux ugama dhigo SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY Ninna madax-salaax iyo Kama yeelo seetada Sasabada ma qaayibo Sirta waxaan iraahdaa Saab aan biyaha cellin SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY Dabayshaan la socod ahay Salfudeydna uma kaco Waabay sunaan ahay Marna samawadaan ahay Samir baan hagoogtaa Soomaali baan ahay Inkastoon sabool ahay Haddana waan sarriigtaa Sacabada ma hoorsado Saaxiib nimaan nahay Cadawgayga lama simo SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY Socdaalkaygu waa meel Sahaydaydu waa dacar Soohdintaydu waa caan Seeftaydu waa cudur Naftuna geedka iga suran SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY Nin i sigay ma nabad galo Nin i sugayna maba jiro Libta weli ma sii dayn Gardarrada ma saacido Nin xaqlana cid lama simo SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY Nabaddaan u sahanshaa Colaaddaan ka selelaa Sooma jeesto goobaha Ninka nabarka soo sida Gacantiisa kama sugo SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY Ninkaan taydu soli karin Uma yeelo suu rabo Sida dunida qaarkeed Ninna kabaha uma sido SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY Ninka iga sed roonow Siintaada magaca leh Ogow kaama sugayee Hana oran “sasabo bedow” Dareen seexda ma lihiye SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY Saan la kala jaraan ahay Summadi ay ku wada taal Rag baa beri i saanyaday Anoo xoolo soofsada Xil midnimo anaa sida (SOOMAALI BAAN AHAY)... 3- They are up to no good, they do not have a leader (waa Kaligood Suldaan). One of the first colonial writers and officers to pass east Africa was exploring the land with some Kenyan Swahili natives. Suddenly a caravan appeared from the distance. As they got closer, the officer noticed that these men were different from the kikuyo and others in their clothing and physical features. He enquired , Who are these guys?. One of his swahili men said " They are Somalis, they up to no good, each one of them is his own chief". They have no leader. A leaderless society is doomed. When the British Empire was ruling around the globe, the foundation of their success was the rule of law and the undisputed supremacy of the King Or Queen. Things were done for King and Country. Wherever these British has settled, they are well known to the supremacy of the law and leadership. A friend of mine, few years ago, traveled from Dallas, Texas to visit Mexico. While he was speeding to the border to beat the rush hour , he was stopped by a Texas trooper. The usual, north American standard questions were asked, like : can I see your driving licence, insurance and registration?, He gave them all, and was given a speeding ticket. Have a nice trip. He proceeded and crossed the border to Mexico. . While inside Mexico, he was stopped by some of their local police without speeding or doing any traffic infraction. He gave them all the necessary documents and they went inside their car. He waited for twenty minute which then turned to forty five minutes. When he asked what takes so long?, they told him amigo stay in your car. after waiting more than an hour, some african American passers by asked him what is going on?. He told them his ordeal. They told him, give them one hundred dollars, and soon you will be in your journey. He did, as they said , he proceeded to his journey. . Well, welcome to the over two hundred year old Republic of Mexico. It is a latin country. The rule of law can't take hold even after two century of existence , just like most Somali territories, especially in Mogadishu. We did not keep or modernized d our traditional leadership and hierarchy, nor we fully implemented the western system of modern leadership. If a person of great stature visits a city, the leadership of the community will be led by the Mayor, the business community, religious leaders, civic organizations and those who achieved success in their field. There are no tribal chiefs or other useless characters. Sometimes due to cultural tradition, an old man who have done nothing in life, may take the microphone because he is an elder. Here in North America, there are no legitimate leaders among any community. Just like the warlords back home, they keep the community hostage. Non of them, I mean not one single of them was elected by their communities, yet they claim to represent the diaspora communities. We do not have leaders. Some even suggest that one of the biggest obstacles of rule of law in Mogadishu is the people their left the traditional Suldaan and Mallq leadership, at the same time did not reach the modern western tradition of civic leadership which was destroyed by the military dictatorship. 4- The French said " they will never have a hero". Since the French was among those who colonized the Somali people, they had their own research in the Somali subject both during the colonial times and after the establishment of the Republic. Just last week , a fellow Dittore was arguing about the name the French coined to Djibouti. After the uprising of 1967, De Gaulle, decided to change the name "French Somaliland, and changed to " the territory of Afar and Issa", in order to take away the Somali character, promote certain tribes in order to defeat the Somali nationalism. The French said " since the tribal identity is the most important among them, they will not have a National hero". In their research, they said " The hero have to come from certain tribe", that alone will bring the condemnation of the other ones. Do you remember the "siira of the Prophet " in Makkah, when one of the tribes objected Prophet Mohamed (scw), on the basis of the tribe. They said we were equal in terms of power and rivalry, and now they saying a prophet was raised among them , no way. According to Dr. Omar Raabe, the French have done other secret researches in the seventies in Africa. In 1980, they said, by the year 2000, the Somali Republic will either join the middle income countries who are rinsing, or it will disappear into anarchy. The Great Darwiish. they are up to noo The Daraawiish movement was one of the oldest independent movement in the continent. The British, sent sixteen expeditions to defeat the movement. None of them succeeded. Britain, finally sent a commission to figure out the problem. The leader asked the questions: how many expeditions fought against Sayid Mohamed?, they replies sixteen, Then what makes this one different,?, They were all quite. Then he suggested that " ( Talada soomaalida waa in wax laga Siiyaa"), Somalis must be consulted. In order to save men and material, the British brought one of their new fighter planes in a ship and assembled it in Aden, Yemen. When all the logistics and the men were prepared, they asked the Somali elder what is next. He said let us move without notice. after a while they reached an empty lanscape. The british man said , we have been traveling and these place seems to empty. The Somali man said: " Ingriisoow Kanoonigaaga rakibo" Hey Mr. brit set up your cannon. He vsaid I do not see anything. " Boholahan ayey ku jiraane siidaa Kanooniga. The British then followed the Somali man and fired his cannon. after few minutes , the Daewiish came out of their dugouts. (Hadaba boobahaaga la gaadh, said the Somali man),, Now use your machine gun. After the Daraawiish retreated to their castles, the fighter plane came and bombed. One of Sayid Muhammad's companion said: Coomaadi duulayey Cadan ka keeneene, Cirkii baa is qabsaday, cararaqdoodiiye Aduguba aqlaad leedahee carrar maxaa dhaama. With help of Somali mind the great Darwiish movement was defeated after more than twenty years of struggle. Among us, he is the icon of Somali nationalism of the last century, followed by many others from the corners of the land. From Sheekh Hassan Barsame in Marka, Sheekh Bashiir in Burco and ahmed Gurey in Zaylac. I hope we can all agree on the achievements of our heroes regardless of their shortcomings. Some may reject him because of his clan, thus approving the french research. 5- Resilient and a nation of poets. The traditional pastoral culture of most Somalis needs resilient people to thrive. Most of the land is Savannah and semi desert with constant shortage of rain. A tough land for tough people. While the lands controlled by the Italians are fertile agricultural land , most Somali inhabited areas, from NFD, hawd & reserve, Somaliland and Djibouti are Pastoral nomadic land, which most of the colonials describe in their writings. . Tribal rivalry, scarce of resource and harsh climate made the art of poetry part of Somali culture. Here is the great Ismaacii Mire, in one of his poems about nature, man and beast. Guuguulayahaw haddaad, gugii u ooyayso, haddaad moodday keligaa inuu gubayo jiilaalku, Oo aad gamoorahakan maran gama’ la’aan diiday Ayna gocosho awgeed ilmadu, kaaga gobo’laysay Guumays cirroobaan ahaye war an ku gaarsiiyo Gartaa maaha keligaa inaad, gaar u cabataaye Giddigood addoomaha waxaa gaaray nabar weyne Abaar gaag ma reebaa dhacdiyo, gaatamoo kale e Geelii adduunka u adkaa, gobollo waydowye Golihii ka kici waa raggi,i gaydho hayn jiraye, Tuuladay ilgabadlaynayaan, gobol barbaartiiye Ninkii timirta goob dhigi lahaa, jiingaduu geline Ninna uma garaabeen haddaan, gaadhka laga hayne Gammaankii ka maray dhoodi iyo galaxyadeediiye Gumburigii bar baa joogsadiyo, goroyo cawshiiye Saryankii garbaha weyn lahaa, geed ka kici waaye Wuxuu gooni daaqii habsaday, gubaddadii Hawde Garanuugti iyo deeradi,i gaag yar baa haraye Gobay iyo askari geyfan baa, goodirkii jaraye Guuyadiyo jiiskii hadday, kala gol waayeene Kama guuxo aar goonlihi,i geliga toomoode Shabeelkii gabraar lagu idlee, giiro layn jiraye Oo gododka kama soo ciyaan, gabannadiisiiye Hargihiisa nimankii gataa, guuldarraw sidaye Gaadiidkii la dhaansanahayiyo, giindhaygii maraye Ahmigii la gawrici jiriyo, gaabay adhigiiye Goggii subagga laga buuxin jirey, hataan gorofaadye Basaas bay timihii uga go’een, gaaridii dumare Galowgiiiyo fiintii naf bay, giida la hayaane Gorgorkiyo dhurwaagii laftaad, galayax mooddaaye. Garaad Faaraxiyo Maxamuud Garaad, ma leh gammaankiiye Cood kama gurxamo dooxadii, garada fiicnayde, Garoowe iyo Bookh bay, harraad qaar u go’ayaane Gaajiyo rafaad bay qabaan, garow la’aaneede Ayaxii geyiga joogi jirey, guuto lagu saarye Gubniyaa hareeraha ka maray, gaariyaal wada e, Geedaha sun baa loogu daray, geerinaw badaye Wax ma galabsanine maalin baa, loo guddoonsadaye Adigaaba lagu gaadayaa, gooshkan dabadadeede Guuxiyo cabaadkiyo haddaad, gooha damin waydo Quruumahakan wada geyfan baa, baalka kaa guriye Gaagaabso oo aamus yaan, gaadh lagaa qabane!!! If we keep some of our good characters , like independence, faith, freedom and courage, at the same time get rid of the bad characters, we could be in a better position. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
