Somali Culture

On the wall behind the woman is Salli or Derin. It is mainly used as a prayer mat, but it is also used to sleep on and sometimes it is spread out for the guests to sit on when they arrive. Notice that the man is sitting on one. The object on the wall where the man is leaning on is called Masarafad or sometimes called Masarafad Hilbood. Its main use was to take the large amounts of meat to the guests. The nomads often have many guests and huge quantities of meat is eaten. Receiving a guest with such generosity is often praise worthy and the theme of many verses of poetry. In the Somali culture, where families are judged by their hospitality, Sooryo (receiving guests well) is very important and so is Sagootin (seeing them off well). Now both these items are used for decoration purposes

This woman is weaving baskets known as Dambiilo (single – Dambiil). Behind her on the wall is Kebed made from threads obtained from trees and strings. The object on her right handside with the blue and white patterns is called a Masaf or Xaarin and is used to separate soil and the impure particles from maize – a process called Haadin.

These are the traditional clothes worn by the Somali women. Known asSubeeciyad, it is a one single long cloth draped around the waist and over the shoulders.

The man you see above is being drenched in milk. A rather strange thing to be doing when you consider that that milk is much needed and many children sleep hungry at night. This is called Caana Shub and the man being treated in such a manner is the Sultan, Ugaas, Caaqil, Nabadoon, a sage or a leader of a certain tribe or region

This is how older generations of Somalis dressed and kept their hair. While travelling men usually carry a Barkin to rest their head on and keep their hair from touching the ground.

Wise Old Nomads

Everything in life has its peak then its glory fades. And we are no different. After a man’s life has reached its pinnacle, having attained all the sagacity and prudence it could, it starts to wane. Soon everything he possesses will start to either diminish or disappear. Whether he likes it or not, the dreaded wrinkles begin their assault on the once handsome face and the inevitability of age becomes certain. Then he starts to walk on threes, and finally on all fours. Like a toddler learning how to walk, the old man staggers and stumbles a multitude times. Hesitant and unable to walk long distances, he becomes confined to his resting place. Rendered immobile and almost out of touch with the community, he rests under the shade of his hut or a nearby tree and awaits any passerby to inform him of the events and news around him. Despite being hungry and weak, he is unable to eat and meals become almost unpalatable to him, except for whatever he could gulp down of camel milk.

As the sun sets everyday, his uncertainties grow – unsure whether he would be fit enough to see the break of dawn. And if he makes it to the daybreak, he becomes even more uncertain of its dusk! He starts to realise that soon, like his friends, he too will share a dark and dismal pit with the insects while the soil gnaws away at his fragile bones. If he was a poet it dawns on him that his friends with whom he would have exchanged banter with are long gone, asDharbaaxo Jin said:

• Raggiise aan la maansoon lahaa aakhiro u meerye
• Raagihii mudnaa iyo Qamaan mawdkii baa helaye
• Sayyidkii murtida sheegi jirey meel fog buu tegaye

  

• The men I would’ve versed with have left for the hereafter
• Death has caught up with the venerable Raage and Qamaan
• The sagacious Sayyid too has departed to a far away place

In his feeble state, the old man become slightly petulant and develops an unpleasant disposition. The strident wails and laughter of frolicking kids annoys him. He is perturbed by loud noises and disturbances of any kind. Being in an isolated state, he often requires a constant companion to tend to his needs. And if not for a dutiful son or grandson or an unusually compassionate young man or woman to look after him, the old man if often left in his lonesome state.

When the poet Faarax Xasan Cali (farax Afcad) was in a ripe old age, he recited a poem describing the sort of woman he would marry, if he were to do so. He said:

• Caanaha cidey kama bogto oo badey gugeygiiye
• Hadba balaq midaan ii shubeyn waan ka boobsanahay

  

• Cidey’s milks I am not satiated with as my years have increased
• And she who wouldn’t readily pour me [milk] then I am wary of

It is also usual for an old Nomad in this decrepit state to completely lose his eye sight and/or become deaf or become partially sighted or partially deaf. When night falls and others are in deep slumber, he lies awake in his lonesome place twisting and turning, his groans and grunts filling the dark space. he is rendered sleepless at night and restless during the day, waiting for the angel of death to cast a shadow of gloom on his sombre existence.

Sheikh Axmad Gole was an erudite scholar, renowned throughout the Somali lands, particularly Western Somalia, for his understanding of religion. But when old age got to him, he was asked about his state and he replied thus:

 

• Indhihii mid waa jaw                  the eyes, one is completely gone
• Midna jeex yar baa haray           and a portion is left of the other
• Jaaha iyo gacantii                      the face and the hands
• waa wada jirkoodaas                  are but that mere skin
• Dhegihii waxbaa jooga               a fraction is left of the ears
• Waase sii jufmahayaan               But they are deteriorating
• Ushaa ii jifada dheer                  that stick with the steel end
• Waa jimicsigaygii                        is my tool for my exercise
• Gol hadaan ku joogsado             if one a hill is step
• Waan luqun jubaarmaa               I lose my footing and tumble
• Dhul hadaan jadi maago             if on land I decided to walk
• Waa badi jugleeyaa                    I stagger and fall on my bottom
• Jidba geeljireentana                  if on my back I lie
• Dhabarkaa I kala jaba                 my back would break
• Hadaan jimicsi doonana             if I decide to stretch & exercise
• Jiliftaa I kala baxa                      my spine splits into two
• Hadaan jeenan waayana            if nourishment I don’t get
• Sidii inan yar baan jalan            like a toddler I’d whine
• Jil hadii aan qaatana                 and if I swallow a little
• Waa jululuqeeyaaye                 my stomach starts to rumble
• Jirkaygii hufnaanjirey              my once beautiful skin
• Waa meela joolla ah                 is decrepit and old
• Jismigii madoobaa                    my once dark hair
• Hadmaa jookh cad lagu rogey   when was it encased in black?
• Naagihii aan jeelkeenay            the women that I married
• Way I jidi necbaadeen              have started to despise me
• Wiilashaan jeclaan jirey            the sons that I used to love
• Jawaab igama qaadaan             take no response from me
• Odaygu waa jinoobaa               that the old man is possessed
• Waaba lagu jalbeebtaa             they say and secretly gossip
• Jiriidow Allahayow                   Oh Allah, you are Omnipresent
• Kolba joogi meynee                 and we won’t last for eternity
• Jidkii nebig na qaadsiiyoo       guide us to the path of our prophet
• Jahanama hanoo geyn            and keep us away from hellfire

 

….To be continued