Black Prosperity, White Drought in Somali Language

[Paragon]

In Somali language,

Black = Green

(Madow = Doog)

Green = Prosperity

(Doog = Barwaaqo)

 

'Black Magic', 'Black witch','Blackmail','Black Heart' are terminologies of the English language. But I couldn't help asking myself, shall we (Africans) allow the English language to monopolise how we percieve our own colour? The English language does seem somewhat biased against the colour black, whilst being in favour of colour white. So, one might ask, were these colours deliberately given meaning to reflect superiority?

 

Black (Madow)

 

While the English language provides only a narrow perspective on what the colours white and black mean to its speakers, our rich Somali language equates the colour 'Black' to Prosperity, while equating the colour white to 'Drought and Famine'.

 

The colour black is respectively refered to as Madow(black). Madow in pastoral terms signifies Doog (or geen). Any area refered to as 'waa dhul Doog leh' (meaning its a land of greenary) is straight-fowardly seen as a Prosperous land. The fact the blackness stands for prosperity, shows that, the English or European languages are culturally baised against the colour Black, which then spreads connotative meaning of blackness to human beings, which in turn propagates Black people (Africans) to be seen as evil. However, our beloved Somali language now comes to the rescue of the colour 'Black'. I must admit that sometimes, Somali city dwellers use the word 'Black' negatively, using phrases like 'Mukulaal Madow' or black cat, I could easily claim that usages of such demeaning phrases are of Arabic or foreign orgin.

 

White (Caddaan)

 

White in Somali pastoral terms symbolises 'white land' or baren land, meaning a land with no green pasture or rain. A land of such discription then automatically becomes 'famine land or drought land'. Not only does the colour white come across as negetive in terms of land discription, but also, white means many other negative things in Somali language. When someone wants to say 'this or that is a lie', in Somali one could translate it to 'waxaasi waa been cad'. There are many instance in the Somali language where white is portrayed in a negative way.

 

One of the most interesting times when the colour 'white' was used to kill off the first 14 white colonialists, was when a Somali clan of the South, ordered its warriors to kill the white men before they could spread upon Somali soil. The clan chief or elder reasoned that: if these white people spread their whiteness upon our green properious land, the whiteness of famine, drought and rain-lessness will spread accross the land and replace the green pastures. Therefore, the first of the colonialists were murdered there and then. That shows how hated the colour white is in Somali pastural life.

 

So nomads, what do you think? Shall we be taking the very steps of whiteness to a land of white oblivion?

[Tuujiye]

Awoowe jamal waxba ha sugin ee Na hogaami.

 

 

fikir badanaa.

[NGONGE]

'waxaasi waa been cad'

I'm probably about to display my ignorance here (enjoy this rare occasion while it lasts, people) but wouldn't you equally use a similar phrase when trying to say that an item of news is correct or clear? Waa war cad? :rolleyes:

[Paragon]

^^^ One is clarity and corretness = Cad (not positive, not negative), and the other is Truth = Dhab ah. Or

 

So you can use it in regards to clarity but not to truth. You cannot claim, 'waxaasi waa run cad' (that is a white truth), can you?

 

The word 'war' itself can be used either negative or positive. 'Hebel or Heblaayo wey 'war badan tahay' = negative in nature. But 'Hebaloow, bal ii 'war'ran or 'war'ka isii' can be positive.

[NGONGE]

I stand corrected.

[FARIID]

J thats was very interesting read. so belonging to the most hated colour in the world is relative after all.

 

'waxaasi waa been cad'. There are many instance in the Somali language where white is portrayed in a negative way.

 

I disagree that the word "cad" in that sentence means the colour white.I think it should be translated as plain,clear,evident.

[Baashi]

Question for Jamal;

White land means dhul cad in Somali. Dhul cad waa maxay?. Could you please use it in a sentence - in Somali of course. I never heard dhul cad being used as description for abaar.

 

Since when did cagaar the color become synonymous with madow. Doog = cosob iyo qabow in Somali and it is used to describe when the valley becomes alive with new (cosob) grass and doog is the root word of the words such doogsi, waan doogsadey, ha doogsato, etc. which means qabow as when the reerka roob u da'o wey doogsadeen or qabowsadeen.

 

Coming back to the black the color and how is used in Somali. Madow = mugdi, gudcur, belaayo, arrin aan cadeyn oo mad-madow ku jidho , whereas cadaan = qurux (? debatable), iftiin (caddo when like the moon light), clarity as you yourself point out...and so on. So in balance, we Somalis are just like all others we do associate balckness with....

[Paragon]

Lol Baashi

 

OKey, let me give you a good phrase, used originally by nomads:

 

War Hebel, dhulka "madow" (cagaar), maleeyahay? Just look at the opposite of this phrase then...you do the maths

 

Baashi, I am talking about traditional perception of the words - Madow and Caddaan. And you seem to talk about the definition of the word.

 

Now, about 'dhul cad' though there is no "dhul cad" in discription, how does the land turn to during dry seasons? When the seasons is in transition from 'Madow Tikh ah' to whitish in the way trees look like.

 

Hadaan ku iraahdo, Baashoow dhulka, qaybna waa cadyahay, qaybna weli waa madow.. you should understand it automatically what I mean.

 

 

FARIID I kinda agree but not wholeheartedly.

[Saabir]

J11, u just reminded me of what a friend of mine did in a class, to make a long story short, the teacher was talking of a dirty person with black dirts in his nails!! then all of a sudden my friend interrupted the teacher and said: SIR, YOU ARE WRONG THERE by associating the black colour with the dirtness. The teacher was very polite and appologized by saying I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. But I believe the teacher should have said when a white shirt gets dirty, does it remain white or it turn to black?!

 

So J11 wether u like it or not the black colour is associated with many negative things than the white colour is!.

This doesn't mean by being a black person u are inferior to a white person. what matters is what u have got beneath that colour.

 

Deep thinking though, J11.

 

Le_Silencieux

[Juxa]

very very very indheresting

 

J11, maandhow usha noo qabo, na daadihi. waxa anemia kugula dhacday waa fakarka badan (jeeeg oodkac ah on da way)

 

FAriid, u right, on this instance been cad means beeen clear ah

 

i think afsomaliga, the word (cad) aint positive one.

-gaanjibo gareey cad

-been cad

-cadoowleey

list goes on

[sheherazade]

Waryaaaa, J11, am I not obsessed enough with the interpretations of 'black' lately? Do u have to tease me with new perspectives? Unforgivable, man. If I perish from excessive contemplation, I will have to thank you for putting the final nail in the coffin. And thank you I shall, from beyond the grave. Watch out, I'm certain I'll make a very conscientious ghost.

[nuune]

jamaal, sxbkiis waxaan dhan maxaa ku keentayna, ma dhulkki baad tagtay xagaagii iyo jiilalkii deyrtii iyo gugii baad soo aragtay!

 

gaanjibo gareey cad

loooooooooool juxa, that is a total caddaan

[Paragon]

^^^ Looool Boolbaro kuye! Waryaa whats this name-change revolution taking place right under our noses? War ninyhow haa, dalkii baan u xiisey, marka kaalarka madowga ah ayaan is yara jecleysiinayaa. I am not cunsuri laakiin, just being traditional with the colour black.

 

Silent-Guy sxb, I am feeling like your friend . I am just being analytical, thats all. I know the colour 'black' has been associated to many things, among them 'Ar Gabadha waa il-Madow, ee yeysan ku habaarin'. Laakiin I am showing the definition of black from another perspective.

 

Juxa, thank you sister. Follow me now!

 

sheherazade, I am not obsessed either and mind you I am gonna do that, erm, I mean, the last nail on your coffin? . However, I wouldnt understand why you should necessarily perish rather than blissfully pass away! If such happens, sleep in peace. Dont be 'a very conscientious ghost.'

[Xudeedi]

very interesting read .

 

thanks brother J11

[Paragon]

Maakhir, thank you brother. Welcome back.