Tahliil Posted October 13, 2004 I’ve recently discovered a book which most of you may have stumbled upon before. A great book that I immensely enjoyed. The book is called Warriors and Strangers by Gerald Hanley, and English soldier who served in Somalia during second war and afterwards. His depiction of Somalis and their land is worthy of sharing with you guys. And I quote him: “Frightened of nothing on earth and willing to try anything anywhere, the Somali is never over-impressed by what he sees in the west, and they are great travelers. If he sees New York, or London, or Paris, the sight of these places with their superb machinery in no way diminishes his love of his desert home. He will go back there one day and wander with camels again. Once, in as blasted, dried out and stark a piece of scenery as I ever sighted in Somalia, I met a tall lean Somali who spoke to me in American. He had lived in America, after sailing the world as a stoker, and had been cocktail barman in Baltimore for some years. He spoke of it casually, even contemptuously, as just something that had happened to happen to him. This was Jibreel, Willie Ritchie’s interpreter. He was glad to be back here, with nothing except a piece of cloth around his loins, a knife and some camels. Like the two stowaways at Bosaso, who had survived the sharks on the plank so thoughtfully thrown after them into sea, this Somali (Jibreel) who had shaken cocktails in Baltimore, who had seen all the things so many millions sigh for in the West, saw it all as mere happenings, mere pictures walked through and seen with the eyes. As avaricious as can be, about camels and money, the Somali is never blinded, like the Bantu, by the big show, the white man’s ‘magic’ and power. And they are obsessed with their rights, and about justice.†He continues in another page: “I liked to squat with them and drink the cold salty camel milk, their eager eyes watching to see if you enjoyed this particular milk (for camel milk has a thousand tastes for these desert experts), and to listen to them tell me histories of their tribes. I enjoyed sitting back and hearing them argue a point, about divorce, about punishment, about the abilities of one kind of camel against another, about the true, severe Shari at law of ancient Muslim times compared with the milk and water law which was allowed now.†“A free Somali race will be good for Africa. Their bright intelligence, their courage and their confidence will be of value to the new Africa shaping now, if only because they never for a moment felt inferior to any white man, and were never tiresome about being black, or about you being white.†Written in 1962 published in 1971 Isn’t this true? Don’t we all like to fight it all out so we can win an argument? Listen to what he says about us and our inability to let go when we are not in the right. “If you have the patience and use the slow, steady drip technique, keep your temper, stick to your points, and never let yourself be rushed, you can beat a Somali in argument. I have never known a Somali to admit he was wrong, once he has taken up his position, but I have managed to exhaust quite a few, when it mattered. And I have crawled away, completely worn out, after many about with the chiefs on the finer points of justices.†lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuujiye Posted October 13, 2004 Tahliil this is a very good book sxb... They talked about this book after the black howk down war in 1993...this was one of the best selling books at that time..people actualy went back in time and bought this book..lol.. I love this book because it shows us how those that came to know us view our culture and way of life...Is realy cool book...I like the part wnet he is talking about jibriil..lol.. wareer badanaa!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tahliil Posted October 13, 2004 Just finished that book Sahiib and can't let go the picture, the image, the foot prints, the nostalgic memory it left with me...But what I most wonder after I read the book is where on earth are all those characters in the book right now? They must b old and feeble if they are still alive but am sure as hell that they can give us a history to brag about...at least one that's different from the one that's currently in our history books. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoVa Posted October 13, 2004 guys, is the book really that good? In that case, i ought to grap it and read it for myself of what a white man has to say about all my geel jiro's and xaliimo's...lol.. but then again, i know what they gonna say'..so still i'm grap it and c it 4 myself..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nationalist Posted October 13, 2004 I heard of this man, he used to live for 3 years in Puntland. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuujiye Posted October 13, 2004 This books will make you be proud of your country walaahi and your roots....I love this book alot..I used this book manythings in life..Their are some amazing quotes and historic moments in their. i think everyone in SOL should read this book.... Tahliil sxb this book will always stay in your head and don't loose the book sxb keep it some were safe. I read the book 6 years ago and I still have it in my house. wareer badanaa!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Qac Qaac Posted October 13, 2004 book from cadaan guy's view.. ok. intresting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustCause Posted October 14, 2004 This guy seems to have a romantic idea of us, just like most white eccentrics who roamed Africa did at the time! I have to say though I like this bit and it describes us to the letter, “If you have the patience and use the slow, steady drip technique, keep your temper, stick to your points, and never let yourself be rushed, you can beat a Somali in argument. I have never known a Somali to admit he was wrong, once he has taken up his position, but I have managed to exhaust quite a few, when it mattered. And I have crawled away, completely worn out, after many about with the chiefs on the finer points of justices.†Prove of the above look no further than SOL! Another romantic Briton that I would recommend to read is Sir Richard Burton’s book, First Footsteps in East Africa. This guy showed up in Somali disguised as a Muslim holy man calling himself Al-Hajj Abdullah, and his observations of Somalis was, “Constant in nothing but inconstancy.â€! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mutakalim Posted October 14, 2004 I see Feynman has left his wilderness to come to the city that is SOL. Welcome back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustCause Posted October 14, 2004 ^^^It's awfully kind of you old chap and thank you ever so much for the wlc! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
