Can we celebrate this day without politicizing this thread? Since, however, some have started the usual iska hadal, let's reiterate the facts. Soomaaliya is a reality. It is an existing country and nation, whose territorial integrity is recognized and respected [safe Xabasho, our avowed enemy] by the international community. That is a fact, not a dream.

On Friday, Ethiopian troops accompanied by intelligence officials raided the offices of Hormud, the largest telecommunications company in Somalia, witnesses and a company official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he believed that the raid was aimed at gathering phone records, which Hormud had refused to hand over. Ethiopian troops also busted open safes and locked drawers and absconded with thousands of dollars , he said. Tuugo Xabasho ah maalin Eebbe keeno hanti dadoow dhacaayo.

Lets move from the victim mentality and blame mentality that we have become accustomed on now days. By all means we are all too familiar with the biased and power of the western media and nations. But there ought to be some collective responsibility too ,from our leaders, we can not always blame the west policies if our leaders entertained them at first and then get greedy later on. As for Mugabe he was a groomed leader by the British administration, prior to the Independence of Zimbabwe. If it wasn't the constant propaganda against him and his adminstration by the Western media, we would not be discussing this. This thread would not even exist too. I am a long-time observer of Galbeedka media, and how they behave. They can easily influence to those who cannot think outside the box. To those who cannot see their real interests -- themselves. It is a master political game enjoyed by the few who control those media empires and their governments. Mugabe is no worse than any other typical African leader. Why was he singled out since 2000? Is it a coincidence he was singled out since 2000? There are plenty of dictator African leaders out there, and no single Western media goes after them. Such dictator men like Sanaawi of Itoobiya. [sanaawi is currently another favourite puppet of theirs, since he is a tool used by them. How many times did Blair praise him and selected him to be part of his Commission of Africa?] What about the little known kalitaliye [authoritarian] in Equatorial Guinea? His name is Teodoro Obiang Nguema. Bet few people have heard him since Western media does not go after him. He is one of the worst dictators ruling currently, and not only Africa, but entire world. We don't read any smearing of him on the Western press because he is obeying their policies -- his country is rich in oil and cheaply exploited by the oil giant corporations, who lobby to their respective Western governments not to mind that dictator. So is the Bin Cali of Tunisia. The aristocrat that rules in Marooko, too. The junta rulers of Aljeeriya, who cancelled a free election because they feared the Islamist party may win power. On a sidenote, have you ever asked yourself why, in Eebbe's name, there never arose even the idea of a United Nations force deployed in occupied Falastiin, including Alqudus? Any other conflict -- minor or major -- United Nations forces are deployed quickly. They were/are deployed between the two Koreas. They were/are deployed between the two divided Qubrus [Cyprus]. Haiti, the disputed border between Itoobiya-Eritrea, East Timor, Bosnia, Kosovo, Congo, to mention just a few. All have UN deployment, though some of those conflicts arose less than a decade ago. So are any other conflict that lasted for a few years. They are now even sending to Daarfuur a UN forces. Yet, the Falastiin conflict is one of the longest and oldest conflicts the world ever witnessed, yet Western nations, led by the America, blindly ignore the fact UN forces were needed in occupied Falastiin. The Zionist, racist state, supported by the soft power America's Security Council veto, would never allow that. Now, however they are muttering UN forces be deployed in Qasa [Gaza]. Can you imagine this? Now of all decades of Zionist occupation, not a beep of any UN deployment, but now when Xamaas effectively controls it, it is 'necessarily.' The Zionist, apartheid state accepts UN deployment when it comes to their interests and the territories outside their claimed land -- such as occupied Golan Heights, inside Lubnaan as a buffer zone and the xad between Qasa and Masar. This is the double standard of West we see every day. The hypocrisy of it alone is ...

Waa kuma Soomaali? Sinaantaan la magac ahay Sankuneefle ma ogoli Inuu iga sareyn karo Anna garasho sogordahan Sooryo ruux ugama dhigo Soomaali baan ahay Inkastoon sabool ahay Haddana waan sariigtaa Sacabbada ma hoorsado Saaxiib nimaan nahay Cadowgayga lama simo Soomaali baan ahay Nabaddaan u sahanshaa Colaaddaan ka salalaa Sooma jeesto goobaha Ninka nabarka soo sida Gacantiisa kama sugo Soomaali baan ahay Nin I sigay ma nabad galo Nin isugeyna maba jiro Libta weli ma sii deyn Gardaradda ma saacido Nin xaq lehna cid lama simo Soomaali baan ahay Ninkaan teydu soli karin Uma yeelo suu rabo Sida dunida qaarkeed Sanduleynta ma ogoli Nina kabaha uma sido Soomaali baan ahay Ninka iga sed roonoow Siintaada magaca leh Ogow kaama sugayee Hana oran sasabo badow Dareen seexda ma lihiyoo Soomaali baan ahay Nina madax salaaxiyo Kama yeelo seetada Sasabo ma qaayibo Sirta waxaan iraahdaa Saab aan biyaha celin Soomaali baan ahay Dabayshaan la socod ahay Salfudeydna uma kaco Waabay sunaan tahay Marna samawadaan ahay Samir baan hagoogtaa 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

Don't despair, Daa'uud. Wax ka daran tan maanta lagu jiro ayee Soomaali soo martay. In meantime, and listen the beautiful Soomaali anthem -- the poetic and timeless Soomaaliyeey toosooy -- sung by beautiful Soomaali children at their school in Virginia. Soomaaliyeey toosoo Toosoo isku tiirsadda ee Hadba kiina taagdaranee Taageera waligiinee Idinkaa isku tooqaayoo Idinkaa isku taamahayee Aadamuhu tacliin barayoo Wadankiisa taam yeelyoo Arligiina taako ahoo Sharcigaa isku kiin tolayoo Luuqaddaa tuwaaxid ahoo Kuma kala tegeysaanee Tiro ariyo dhaxalaa Sidiin laydin soo tubiyoo Ninba toban la meel marayoo Cadowgiina idiin taliyee Tuldo geela oo dhacanbaad Toogasho u bareeraan Oo ma dhilkaa dhan ee tageybaan Nina dhagax u tuuraynee Qarankan hubkuu tumayoo Toorayad dhaafaynee Oon taar samaysan karayn Uurkutaalo weynaayee Hadba waxaan la taahaayoo Toggaga ugu gayshaayoo Nin dalkiisii cadow taaboo U tol waayey baan ahayee Hadba waxan la ooyaayoo Ilmadu iiga gubataayoo Ikhtiyaar nin loo diidoo La addoonsadaan ahayee Soomaaliyeey toosoo Toosoo isku tiirsada ee Hadba kiina taag daranee Taageera weligiinee ------------ Waa ereyo qof walba oo damiir Soomaaliyeed ku jiro kicinaayo.

Masaakiin lee ku dhamaaneyso. Eebba ha u sahlo masaakiintaas. Xabashadda in lala beegsadaa fiicneed qaraxyadaan.

hat is happening in Somalia (coast to coast) is either engineered by, approved by, instigated by, supervised by, financed by, overseen by, armed by, fueled by, exploited by, exacerbated by or directly committed by Ethiopia. Taas wax la hubo waaye, qof diidan oo damiir Soomaaliyeed ku jiro ma jirto. Ninkaas hadda Xabashadda u horseedo oo Sanaawi la leeyahay Soomaaliya inkastoo uu ku sugnaa '80s, haddana Soomaali barasheed waa u dhimaneed. There is a true, favourite story of his that he repeats to whoever tells him Soomaalis can unite. It was in mid '90s [perhaps 1994] mar uu arkay Soomalidii ku heshiin weysay Soomaali Galbeed, xataa ku heshiin waayeen magaca gobolkaas ee Xabashadda gumeysato. Markaas ayuu iskugu yeeray odey dhaqameedyadii, kuna yiri soo shira ee wax aad idinka isku raacsantihiin la imaada. Sanaawi markaas naceyb Soomaali ma qabin, oo abaalkii Soomaalida u sameysay wali ku jirtay xasuustay. Calaa kuli xaal, odeyaashii inay soo shiraan iska dhaafee, Sanaawi ayee inay u kala dhuuntaan bilaabeen, oo ku yiraahdeen balan ayaa kaaga qaadeynaa wax walba inaa kuu sameyno haddaa u dhiibtid maamulka dhulkaan qof naga dhashay. Kuwa magac qabiil in loogu magacdaro gobolka haba yaraatee waa diideen iyagoo u dhuumaanaayo u sheegay taas; kuwa kalena ku yiri magacaas wax aanan ahayn wax kale soconaayo ma jirto; they too told him that in secret. He eventually decided to name the occupied land The Fifth Region ['Kilil'] and later Soomaali Regional State. Those events truly taught Sanaawi cashar weyn about the Soomaali mentality and their qabyaalad-based, everything-for-tol [not their nation], small-thinking pysche. He still uses it as an advanced technique today as evidenced by what is currently happening in Soomaaliya.

Another victim of Reer Galbeedka hypocrisy. An African statesman vilified by both the Western regimes and their blindly following media. He was a dear child of theirs when the whites were controlling and owning the agriculture industry; he was a favourite model African leader of theirs when he followed and admistered their capitalist, free market policies and conceding to white farm owners ['willing buyer, willing seller' being such one]. Having decided to distribute the land to poor native owners of the land, which in the Western eyes, made him an overnight pariah 'dictator.' Bringing their usual threatening target along to sabotage his government: sanctioning and isolating his adminstration. Sanctioning severely distrupts the economy, making it collapse; a stagnant or worsing economy brings myriad other problems, including higher inflation. The more higher inflation, the more instability becomes a reality. It also brings corruption and corrupt officials. And that corrupted system makes people more to rise against their government. It is just a simple math. It is a favourite sabotage tool used by the West. They used it against Saadaam's Ciraaq. They used it against Suudaan, which we see the result in Daarfuur. They still use against Falastiini's democratically elected Xamaas, and want soon to use against Iiraan. The few long time survivors of this game is Waqooyiga Kuuriya and Burma; the former however is protected by Shiinaha and heavily subsized economically by them.

Castro, wax 'Reer Gedo' la yiraahdo meesha ka dagaalamaayo ma jirto. It is a myth perpetuated by some who want inay isku fidiyaan Kismaayo iyo nawaaxigeeda. Kuwaasna waa reer Cabuudwaaq, Galgaduud. Reer Garbahaareey and Reer Buuloxaawo are decent, peace-loving people. Dad dhul balaarsi rabo iyo waxaas ma'aha oo deegaankooda barwaaqeysan ku filan. Kuwaas Galgaduud ka imaaday oo caradaas gaduudan kasoo cararaayo ayaa magaca Garbahaareey iyo Buuloxaawo ku qaraabanaayo. They fought the native settlers of these two towns in '90s and are still causing trouble with; they initiated many other wars with other people in other gobols and now Kismaayo. Waa dad, it seems, dagaal qabyaaladeed iyo dhul balaarsi wax aanan ahayn wax kale garan.

the best hindi movies were those in the 80s ,,, i think i started with Disco Dancer some time in 83/84 but there was one before that ,, i cannot remember now Adiga maaba Mutun taqaanid? Kaba sii daran Disco Dancer sideedameyadii fiirsatay? Gaal inaa raaci jirtaa ku mooday waayadaas. Ayaa ma disgoo dhaansaa [the way Soomaalida ugu dhawaaqi jireen waagaas] halmar ayee Xamar wada qabsatay, runtii. Meel walba ka shidnaan jirtay. Aniga koley first time aan xasuusto inaan arkay inay ahayd 85 aan u maleynaa, anoo markaas shan jir ahaa. Wali markaas still iyadoo caan ahayd. It was even more especial to my older brother who even memorized the Hindi words that he eventually mastered, even turning the song into a whistle tune. (Sindigii meera gaaaaana[?]) Jilaayaasha ama atooriyaashii aan ugu jeclaa waxee ahayeen kuwa with the least songs in their movies, such as: Canjeex [dadka Xamar deganaa Canjeex ayee dhihi jireen; mid indha buuran ayuu ahaa oo dheer], Daraamandar iyo Faaris [Jajandara]. Kaaba laadarkii aan aad ugu heli jiray: Amjid Khaan [Mr. Butac Uusbuur]. Yuulka Disgoo ma xumeyn, waana mid, sida ka muuqato magaciis, kusoo caanbaxay filinkaas Disco Dancer. Kaaba ahaan Shakti ayaa ugu necbaa, marax uu ahaa. Yaa iloowi karo hee Mutun, whose hair style have been copied by endless boys in mid and late '80s. Koofinda ma xumeyn, too; so is Anil Kabuur. Dhanka gabdhaha Sahro Deefi [Sridevi] ayaa ugu jeclaa, balaayo indha waa weyn. Hiba Malmaliina [Hema Malini] iyo Cali Dheere ayaa ugu maraxsanaa. They were overrated.

Nafiis iyo Bishaaro, maxaa ka hadleysiin horta? Wax maa hoosta la isku gilinooyaa. Sir dumareed lagama sal gaaro aa maqli jiree, ee banaanka iskeena waxa aad qarineysiin nala wadaaga nooh. Koley ilama aha in maanta loo fiirsado suniyo madmadow iyo cududo buurbuuran iwm. Runtaa waaye, aniga shaqsi ahaanteey meel kale ayaaba fiirsan lahaa ii daran. Suniyo iyo dhaban iyo wixii lamid ah waa laga soo tagay u sheega dadkaas yaaqeey. Sug asagaa hala waydiiyee. MMA - warkaas run miyaa? Ma mid noocaasaa ka rajo qabtaa inaa heshid? Wah! Waaba heystaayee ee rajadda aad sheegeysid xee ahayd? Laakiin aniga liiskeey oo gooni ah ayaan heystaa oo dhawaan kusoo qoray inta. Aan ku celiyo mar kale. Qof madaxyar Timo qalafsan San jabsan Bishimo kala feedan Ilko miciyo Gar yar Qoor qaloocsan Garab godan Gacmo laaban Xusul xumbeysan Fara gacme madoowan Cijiyo fargeeto u eg Dhexda u buuran, [a la xaamilo] Shafka u dhuuban Sin weyn Daba yar Lugaha bararsan Jilib soo taagan Kub shuuqsan Caga balaaran Cirib fidsan Fara hoose kala firirsan Qoftaas kor ku xusan ayaan raadinoyaa, ee meel alle meel lagu arko kaalay adiga sheeg. Dacaskii aa iiga dhamaaday raadiskeeda. Taloow 'South Pole' maka soo raadiyaa?

Eraydan bold jilci xoogaa Afar ay u madowdahay: labada indhood wiilkooda iyo labada sunniyood. Afar ay deeb u leedahay: labada dibnood (bushimood) iyo labada mudane (Naasaha caaraddooda). --- Waayadaan dambe haduu mid wadaada iyo mid kale dagaalamaan, dadka waxay badankood oranayaa war wadaadka ka qabta as if wadaadka inuu dhiman yahay. I never understood where they get such perception. Maxaa la jilcinaa hee widaaygiis waaba iska cadahay nooh. Labada 'indhood wiilkooda' wuxuu ula jeedaa, saan u maleeyo, afka shisheeye waxa lagu yiraahdo 'pupils.' Reer Galbeedka dadkooda cadcad iyaga ka dambeeyo indha baluugan, Soomaalidii hore indha madoow ayee ka dambeyn jireen aan u maleynaa. Haddaan sababtana qisaaso inay la xiriirto ayaan u maleynaa reer guuraagii hore oo qoraxda aad u xakameyn jirtay. Qoraxda haddaad in badan ku dhex jirtid indhahaaga ayee dilee oo daciif ka dhigee, oo caad ayee saartaa, indhihii madoowaana saas ugu tirtirmaan, badanaa dadka saas noqdana waa dadka da'da qabatay. Marka indha madoow = 'youthfulness.' Tan labaad oo ula jeedo 'labada mudane' qofka qoray ayaaba sharxay oo uu ka wado gantaaladda. Inkastoo gantaaladda dhan uu ka wadin saan filaayo uu ula jeedo waxa mar kale af shisheeyo lagu yiraahdo 'nipples.' Waa iska qiyaas maadaama 'caaradooda' waxa uu ula jeedo aan kasi waaye. Tan ku saabsan wadaadadda sababta wadaadadda loo ixtiraamo ama Soomaalida baari inay yihiin ugu tilmaamaan ereygooda loogu yeero ayuuba kasoo jeedaa dhibaatadda. Ereyga 'wadaad' aan ka wadaa maadaama wadaada kan kasoo horjeedo ['opposite'] ah qof waranle la yiraahdo. Waranle waa dagaalyahan; wadaad waa nabadoon; waranle waa qabiil u halgame, tol jirin naftiis u huraayo; wadaad waxaas shuqul kuma laha. --------------- Originally posted by buuxo: quote:Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar: Soomaalidu waxay tiraahdaa: Hadday naagi siddeed iyo labaatan sifo oo dumar lagu raaco leedahay, asay gabar tahay, guurkeeda sina looma daayo . [ ] Maxaa laga waada? Waxaan u maleynaa liiska waxa ku qoran ayuu isku dardaray oo '28' isku noqday ka wadaa, inkastoo haddii liiska la isku dardaro noqonaayo 26. ------------ Karti & caqli kasto ha la haado wax foolxuno ku hor fadhiya ilaah baa na lehe ma dha-dhamaayo. Hadduuse beeso qabo ma'oshi Ahahahaha, ma'oshi beel. Saas maa hanti ugu dambeysaa? Iga daa hee. ------------ Kawaran hadii ay intaas oo dhan leedahay balse edeb iyo asluub iyo ashaxan midna luggu ogeyn maxaa tala ah MMA-ow? Ninka qoraalka qoray in uu ula jeedo dhanka 'physical attributes' ahaan ayaan filaa, ahna mid uu ka wadin dabeecadeeda iyo caqligeeda. Qeybtaas amuu liis kale ku jiraa dheer taloow. ------------- Interesting list though...badanaa nimanka Somaliyeed ee hore wey ku raaci lahayeen baan umalayn. Kuwa dambe maku raaci lahayn miyaa? Dad badan ayaa liiskaas aad ugu qanacsan, oo u bogay yaa og hee.

Soomaalidu waxay tiraahdaa: Hadday naagi siddeed iyo labaatan sifo oo dumar lagu raaco leedahay, asay gabar tahay, guurkeeda sina looma daayo . [ ] Sifooyinka ay tilmaamaanna waa sidatan: Afar ay u dheer tahay : labada gacmood, timaha iyo qoorta. Labay u dhuuban tahay : qoorta iyo dhexda. Afar ay dhumuc u leedahay : labada kub iyo labada cududdood. Afar ay u caddahay : labada indhood iyo ilkaha labadooda lakab. Afar ay u madowdahay : labada indhood wiilkooda iyo labada sunniyood. Afar ay deeb u leedahay : labada dibnood (bushimood) iyo labada mudane (Naasaha caaraddooda). [ ] Labay u shuban tahay : labada dhaban. Hal ay u buuxdo : shafka oo ah meesha dumarku quruxda ka sitaan, ishuna ku nasato. [ ] Hal ay u qoran tahay : waa sanka. Xigasho Bababa waxaas ayaa qurux la dhahaa inta kale been. Quruxdii hore kaliya ma'aha waxaas ee waa qurux waa walba jirto. Sax maahinoo, aqiyaareey? Soori, jaamacyaasha qurux liis lagu qoro kama muuqdo aan u maleynaa haddii kale iyagana liis ayee lahaan lahayeen nooh. NB - Qofka qoraalkaas qoray wadaad ayuu u dabeecad egyahay qoraalkiis laga dhadhansan karo, ee ka warama wadaad waxaas qoraayo, mid kistoo ugu jirto ayee ahayd markuu qoraaye aan filaa.

Adiga advertisementka aad u heysid Waqooyi Galbeed meel walba mala soo gilinaa, haddiiba xataa laga hadleynin. Mid ayaa Riyaale u eg kulahaa. Ookiyaal sideed indhood ah aa u baahantahay aan u maleynaa in laguu soo qoro.

Didn't Ernie Eves, the former Tory premier, introduce a similar legislation a couple years ago promising to fund equally all private schools the same? I think the then newly elected Ontario Liberal government killed it. Honestly, I do not trust anything from the party that made Mike Harris a premier instead of making him a pariah that he was. That fella really messed up Ontario, from its educational system to its healthcare system to its social funding to downloading maintenance of public properties to poor municipalities. It is just a vote-grabbing issue aimed at the strong minorities, though a heavy lobby is from the Jewish community, who want an equal funding to their private schools, same like the Catholics who enjoyed that more than a century. I think this has to do, beside that Tory's Tories seeking an extra enticing vote-grabbing from certain groups, it mostly has to do satisfying the Jewish community and their effective lobbying than the overall private schools.

This picture was on my PC. I took it a few years ago in Landhan, at Bush House. These two gentlemen were reading the nighty news that evening live. I vaguely think their names were Aaden hebel-hebel [the gentleman on the left] and Cabdirisaaq Xaaji Siraad [?] on the right. Anyone recognize them and know if the names match still?

Originally posted by -Lily-: LOL, last I checked 'awguriyo' it still meant congratulations, and it isn’t even Somali because I heard some Italian guy use it in a movie, to my shock and dismay. I think it was back in 2001, while watching on telafashinka that great Talyaani movie, Life is Beautiful. Then on some brief scene, the main actor utters 'awguuriyo, awguuriyo ...' to congratulate someone. Kud ayaan isku dhahay. I thought I misheard it. Up to that, I used to think awguuriyo was an authentic Soomaali word. It even seems to me still since it consists 'aw' and 'guur' -- both Soomaali words and waa la isku dhajin karaa to make a new appropriate word. Muniiro, boggaadin iyo hambalyo. Bashbash iyo barwaaqo iyo barbaar, too. Guurkaaga mid liibaano Eebbe haka dhigo -- aamiin.

Qolkaan ololka ka holcaayo banaanka ayaa laga soo dareemay. It was an informative and serious thread; unfortunately meel aan loo baahneen ayuu u leexday -- trivial, negative personalization. Hala isdhaamo, oo hala kala wareegsado, qasab ma'aha in la isku jawaabo, jawaab aan micno ku fadhin siiba. This thread is very important ee yaa lagu ciyaarin. Xaniifa, your family has my prayers. Eebbe ha u gargaaro walaalaheen Soomaaliyeed ee Xabashadda dulmineyso maalin iyo cawo -- aamiin.

Originally posted by Dabshid: ^ Ma adigii Moderatorka ahaa baa u nacamleeyey,shame on you,aflagaadadiisa iska dhaaf,ama take action! Waaka xumahay haddaa qalad iga fahantay maadaama aad u qaadatay kaftankii in aan u sacabtumaayo. Dabdamisoow [haye waa kaftamoyaa haddana si kale ha u qaadan ], kaftanka marmar waa laga maarmaan ee ogoow taas. I cautioned Kashafa and he himself admitted for his uncalled indirect insult.

Aflagaadadda meesha ku jirto looma dulqaadan karo. Baliis hala isdhowro, oo la kala xishoodo.

Try to ignore the few scenes of the Tigree collaborators[criminals] in this video. I just watched the video now. Why do one of those so-called "ciidamadda xoogga dalka Soomaaliyeed" [and I dont know whose dal with xoog they are defending since they are too busy collaborating Xabashadda, the very enemy they were supposed to defend the nation from] thugs are blaming Soomaalida dibadaha degan? Xataa maba hadli karaan kuwaas thugs ah kuwa la wada wareysanaayo oo half maankooda waa maqanyihiin, too incohorent to make a simple sentence, and possibly under the influence Eebbe knows what. Kan qeylinaayo moooryaanka u eg oo ciidanimana sheeganaayo ayaa iga yaabiye runtii ranting about Soomaalida dibadjooga and BBC Soomaali of what had befallen to Soomaaliya. Soo iskuma jeedo asaga Xabashi la safan u dagaalamaayo? NB - The song that accompanies the video ayaan ka helay. Very daljecel song. "Nin lagu seexdoow ha seexan, ha seexan. Soo jeedoow ..."

Originally posted by P: LOOOL MMA xariifka baashaalaya adi miyaa No comment.

A Soomaali women's sad plight: Anab, a 40-year-old camel herder who was too frightened, like many others, to give her last name, said soldiers took her to a police station, put her in a cell and twisted her nipples with pliers. She said government security forces routinely rounded up young women under the pretext that they were rebel supporters so they could bring them to jail and rape them. “Me, I am old,” she said, “but they raped me, too." Asma, 19, who now lives in neighboring Somaliland, said she was stuck in an underground cell for more than six months last year, raped and tortured. “They beat me on the feet and breasts,” she said. She was freed only after her father paid the soldiers ransom, she said, though she did not know how much. Ambaro, 25, now living in Addis Ababa, said she was gang-raped by five Ethiopian soldiers in January near the town of Fik. She said troops came to her village every night to pluck another young woman. “I’m in pain now, all over my body,” she said. “ I’m worried that I’ll become crazy because of what happened.” And the Xabashi wannabe, Soomaali ku sheeg apologist: “Our [Xabashi] soldiers are not allowed to do these kinds of things,” said Nur Abdi Mohammed, a government spokesman. “This is only propaganda and cannot be justified. If a government soldier did this type of thing they would be brought before the courts.” Waxaas ayaa Soomaali sheeganaayo.

A typical ruwaayad -- which I hadn't been to for three and so years-- a majority of jaamacyaasha stand leaning on the gidaarka [darbiga], fearful of approaching any xaliimo, let alone dancing with, at the same time watching their fellow opposite gender caashooyinka enjoying themselves. Why waste the $25/30 you pay to ruwaayadaha and do nothing. If you cannot absolutely baashaal like this, don't ever, ever go to ruwaayad. Stay minankaaga. Saas ayaa loo baashaala inta kale been.

A still image of a very young, hip Maryan Mursal Mataan taken in, probably, late '70s. Waxaa horey u arkay cajaladihii hore laga soo duubay gabdhihii fanaaniinka ahaa sida Seynab Cige, Khadro Daahir, Binti Gacal iyo Saado Cali. Maan, time does indeed ravage people.