... And the prize? Each judge chooses her champion and may take him as her lover - even if both already have partners - and the winners are celebrated for years to come. Nor is the potential for match-making limited to judges and winners. Djao dressed to impress, but didn't win. He and Tembe stayed together "You dance Gerewol to try to win a lover, even if it means stealing someone's wife," says contestant Djao, who met second wife Tembe at a previous Gerewol. "You can marry her, or have a fling with her." She, too, is on the look-out. "I've spotted three men here that I like." No stigma is attached to setting aside one's marriage vows at Gerewol whether temporarily or permanently, says Human Planet director Tuppence Stone. "The initial marriages in Wodaabe culture are arranged when the bride and groom are very young, so Gerewol is the chance for a love match," she says. This is not a polygamous culture - marrying a new partner means leaving the old. ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12215138 How does one make link to the source?

1- Tall and athletic: Ostrich plumes and pompoms emphasise height 2- Narrow face: Decorated with red ochre 3- Wide eyes: Black eyeliner made from charred egret bones 4 - Facial symmetry: Enhanced with black, yellow and white patterns 5 - Aquiline nose: White clay arrow stripe to look more streamlined 6 - Long braids and cowrie shells: Symbolise fertility and wealth 8 - White and regular teeth: Bared and emphasised with black lipstick 9 - Good dancer: Beaded necklaces and bodices jangle against chest in time to the beat

Make-up, flirting, bling outfits. But this beauty contest has a twist - the men dress up, the women pick the winners. What does the Wodaabe people's pageant tell us about male beauty? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12215138

Carab iyo balanqaad - miyeeysan ogeyn in Illah carrabkooda ku cadaabayo - haddaysan ka midho dhalan balamahooda. Has one else also noticed that there is always an event or another that over shadows the Somalis predicament - this time it was the Tunisian alleged revolution. What else is there other than to tie the old good gunta and keep good old hope alive.

*Ibtisam;688883 wrote: Oh well. I'm off, Sayid tell the girls I said hello iyo mac mac (but not give them Mac yourself yeah, faraah uu uga sheek) W Salam. :D Haddaan faraha uga sheego - bac bac - bey noqonaysaa farintaadu Are you back from Denmark yet?

^^come in with your guns blazing why don't you

An uncalled-for defence becomes a positive accusation.

cynical lady;688877 wrote: I will go mental if everyone around me is Somali and all I see is Somali Somali Somali. So nuune no, only mental people go to Somalia in my books. And i would like to believe Juxa is not one of those... Classic example of schizotypal disorder.

From what i heard - everyone knew you were coming from miles away - you remember that 'War ha na sawirin baan ku idhi" guy you met on the way to Burco - he phoned a head and by the time you got there - there was name and honour guards waiting for you - hence why legged back to Hargaysa

^It is known to everyone including Faroole that you bought shares in Range Resources - hence the little dramas to make you panic and sell those shares before July 2011

Barwaaqo - i am absolutely livid that you would even entertain the idea of combining in a sentence the words 'lost', 'doubt' and the ultimate Somali poetry powerhouse Sayidka. In my last lines of dispersal order that i sent through out the bandwidths of SOL - even had line in it mentioning Buhoodle in honour of you and here you are with such nonsense as "if"....'lost' - ooh the cheek of it :mad:

what you mean - heh@Sayid? maxay adiga kuu bixiyen - to have you ran only after two hours of being there? one can only imagine, i guess

NGONGE;688645 wrote: Peace Action , My true feelings about Faroole have been expressed on here countless times, saaxib. You are far too sensitive to 'get' valid analogies dee. Naga daa dee. I was sure that you would find an excuse for all his disputes with EVERYONE . I was also certain that your blind defence would blinker you from seeing how bad all this appears. Lakin this thread was never about you, saaxib. Adigo you get paranoid when I praise PL, never mind criticising its president. This was for the gallery (but if some of it could seep through to you, all the better). Here is how it works; Politics and diplomacy work on stated principles and goals. PL has always claimed to be part of Somalia, it always claimed the people of SSC and Makhir as part of its population and it always painted itself as being one of the few peaceful and progressive parts of Somalia. The policy it followed to achieve and sustain these claims involved the wooing of the people of SSC & Makhir, the subtle distancing of itself from TFG affairs (whilst, most certainly, working with/against them in the background) and the vehement insistence that it is and will always be a Somali (federal) state. As plans go, this was the best of the lot. It was better than SL because it allowed PL to be part of Somalia whilst also having the right to make its own decisions for its own future. It allowed PL to make use of the Somali name for its own goals and also gave them the option of having some of their own people contesting the presidential and prime ministerial posts in Somalia. It was all win/win . Now previous PL presidents may have fallen out with the Somali state in the past, yet (to my knowledge) none came out with the daft statement of cutting off relations and not cooperating with the Somali government of the time (at least never openly). Add to that the fact that this president is already falling out with his own (supposed) citizens, the ONLF and (understandably) Somaliland, any outside observer would get the impression that PL (despite all its positive progress) is a hindrance to eventual peace in Somalia rather than being an aid . Impressions and perceptions in politics are important, saaxib. Some die-hard PL supporters may believe that Imam Faroole's mad (is it foreign or domestic) policies are just what the doctor ordered and may even support him in every last decision he made on those fronts. But what they (choose to) ignore is that the more enemies you accumulate the more potential trouble you get. Yet, some would still argue that none of this matters, since PL is already having direct dialogue with the international community and is getting help from (unnamed) Muslim countries. But the International community (meaning America in this instance) is not blind to what goes on in Somalia. And even if they were, it is now certain that SSC, Makhir, ONLF and the TFG (not to mention Somaliland) will make sure they are aware of PL's transgressions. The bad publicity is also sure to follow. But is this some conspiracy to bring PL down or is it self inflicted? I think most people will agree that other than the eternal dispute with SL, the rest of the fall outs were all needless political faux pas by the fumbling Faroole. Why in the world does he choose to employ this aggressive stance when one of the main plus points for PL was always about its peacefulness, progress and (outwardly at least) its avoidance of conflict? It is not a great secret that one of his sons runs that infamous Growe website and the recent rant on it about the UN (and the world in general) gives any passerby ample confirmation that PL's prime reaction to any political disagreement is to aggressively fight back and crush all who oppose it (regardless of how trivial the dispute is). Now, let us be clear that adopting an aggressive stance is a valid and legitimate tool in politics. Let us also be clear that it is the best option at times. However, PL does not use it as a tool in its political armoury ; it actually uses it as its one and only policy . Problems are not to be solved in Faroole's world; they are instead wiped of the face of the earth. Dissenters are not wooed; they are labeled as terrorists and agitators. It is just not politics it's playground bullying. Always remember that Imam Faroole started his reign by falling out with and threatening to sue a cartoonist ! LOL@ the guru touches First, you are much more civilised then your alleged guru. Second, if i did't know you better, i would have deduced from your above critique that you were patriotic PL citizen exercising his God given right to question the shenanigans of his leaders - but alas - i am forever reminded of your mantra ("clan is everything") third, you are wrong this is the not the first time PL has cut ties with TFG, TNG, and many other acronyms - and that it has paid off - however this is the first time that many were fall out with at the same time.

Thankful, ar boowe nimanka ha fogeyn - dagaalka hoose ee aad ku wadid ka taag. Kolloy anigu horaan ugu sheegay reer waa gonay in ixtiraafkoodu in uu Qardho yaalo, balse waxaan ka kariwaayey - 'kalay soo doonta' Apparently they were awaiting for the Xabashi/Tigireniya to tell them bleeding obvious - although not according the JB, who knew all along, but just preferred banging his heat against the wall to the extent that he even once posted a picture of him eating raw meat on FB as proof to the original raw meat eaters that he was genuine and that they should reconsider stance. (although credit to him - the pictures did not actually show him eating/munging the raw meat - just that - afkuu u kala hayey

wyre;688358 wrote: :D I Knew akhiiran inaad la imaneysaan waxaan:p mid carabi baan kuu hayaa dhageyso:D doohayaa dooha wilkacba banooha Wizzamzam shirbooha Sayidi safar makkah So ma ogid in aanan af carabi ku hadlan sido kalana fahmin - marka warkaaga cadday - maxaad ka sheegaysaa safarkaan damacsanahay in aan ku aado Makka?

Juxa;688479 wrote: Sayid horta why always tell me the obvious bal? yaad imoodey? ninyow it is for 14/15 year old and the work placement has been left too late. how would i know it had to be done 3-6 month prior to the placement date. anigu 14kids maan dhalin you know. anyways ngonge, CL, and you,,,,atleast midkiin is bound to be useful soo wax soo sheega 14 ma aad dhalin - balse 14 iyo ka badan baa wax u tahay - wax tartaa - hence you should have known the obvious 6 months applications in advance. Another obvious one - if the young man is interested in sports and is running out of time - he might not mind firing couple letters to his local primary schools - offering his services as assistant coach/PE teacher - pointing to his talents in varied sports and qualities of leadership etc etc

Lol@ngonge - you reminded of this guy who was sent back to Burco because he got involved in one to many trouble with the police - the children of Burco dubbed him Nabi Aadan because in their view - he was kicked out of paradise

Holding the football tournament in the manner it was held - undoubtedly was tangible achievement in it own right - having said that - I strongly disagree with its politicisation as i believe it runs counter to the principle of not mixing sports with politics. I agree with you there are many other achievements to point. Last i was here - i was reading with chuckles your spat with duke over the lack of press statements over the infamous bounty plane stranded in hargaysa - faroole's advisor might have been right on their silence over the issue - although i read much later a statement of sorts to my disappointment - essential the man is learning on the job and we hope he fares much better - as he does now - compare to his first year on the job - when i actually thought that his name might as well be Fumbler instead of Faroole. Fingers crossed he will end up being known as the great Farsameeye. As for me and the time invest in Qardho - wakhti lumin ma ahee waa wax lagu liibaanno

Juxa, Alxamdullilaah all are well and well are all - adigina sido kalaan ku rajeynayaa. As for the work experience - depends where one wants to work or what type of career they be interested in finding more about. if its the former, i always encourage my pupils to find work in a place where they would be able to apply for part time job after the work experience whilst they continue with their education - but if it is the later - then firms that specialises in their chosen careers is best to apply and preferable three to six months in advance. Wyre - Saxiib kuli waan ku durdurmay oo kala diray - wax qarsoodi iska dhaf ba - ee xata kuwaan weli SOL ku soo noqon

^^ :D adiguna Faroole aa far u tagaysaa!

^^Sow tan Ngonge iyo xuluftiisi u dhamaystidhay meshaad joogtit gaadiid guud maleh miyaa?

Subxanallaah!, Allah ha unaxariisto marxuumada. I fear for our communities when it comes to mental illness - it is something we have culturally always never fully understood nor of its treatment apart from the Quran saarka - i think there should be awareness raised through the BBC & VOA and other well received media outlets in Somalia about the dangers of the ignorance surrounding mental illness and the fact that it is an illness just like any other medically recognised illnesses and there are treatments which is not limited to either Quran saaris or heavy medication, but that there a combination of many holistic treatments that can include both of the aforementioned as well as caring and nurturing environments that reduce the inducing stress and ailments associated with the triggers of mental or emotional paralysis.

Haye dumaashi, iska waran - ma wakhtigii aad maagijidhay baa la gaadhay?