Odd encounters with Somali girls

[Abtigiis]

Rarely did I date a girl from Somaliland and she failed to bring her Habrwadaag into the discussion. I always thought are there more habarwadaag’s in that land or those around happen to value family ties more than others in Somalia. This is true from the days smiling girls who get a lift from you fail to disembark, ilaa aad cajalada rikoodhka ku jirto siiso. But this is not about that. It is about my encounter in OR-T international Airport last month.

 

I recognised her among the crowd and I guess she did so as well. She was the only Somali girl visible in the area. So, I naturally went to her to say hello and also to see if I could be of any help. We exchanged greetings. We managed to sit in one of the Café’s around and talk. But, when the waiter asked us where we are from, she was quick to say “Somaliland”.

 

“O, Somalia, I know. How is the war”, he said.

“Not Somalia, Somali-land.”

 

He looked confused. And He looked at me too. I said “Somali-Marine.” Now, he seemed to understand. We are from different parts.

 

“O, I am from Mpumalanga. I see your provinces are better named.” He said.

 

Later, she asked me if I were to Hargeisa. I said no, just to listen what she will say about the place. I have a hunch something was coming. She didn’t say much, but that the part of the Airport we were in looked like Egal Interantional Airport. Way is-shabahaan. I laughed.

 

“maxaad ku qososhay?” she asked.

“maya. It is nothing. The name is funny.” I said.

 

She told me her Habar-wadaag, who lives in ingiriiska sent her a sponsor and told her to go to South Africa, as it will be easier for her to travel from. But that she is now headed to dhulkii to bid farewell to relatives. There it was again, habarwadaag and Ingirisska. These girls, I wondered, do they do rehearsals in Hargeisa. How come everyone of them is invited by a habarwadaag and why do all they all live in England. I wondered if Ngonge is also considered A habarwadaag by some; as unlikely as it seems with that amphibian!

 

At least, she was more focused. What about this one? Gurey told me. He took her to a green park and they sat there. When he put his hand on the her shoulder and drew her close to himself, she asked “ Nuur cadde ma la eryey?”.

 

In order not to spoil her spirits, and by extension his, he said “ walaahi, war uma hayo”. And tried to bring her attention back to him.

 

For a while it worked. But when he talked about when she thinks he should propose, she didn’t seem to have heard him.

 

“Soo kii lalahaa Cabdullahi Yusuf maraykanka ayaa yidhi kama maarano??” She asked.

 

He quit, saying it is bad to date politico-girls.

[Jacaylbaro]

He took her to a green park and they sat there. When he put his hand on the her shoulder and drew her close to himself, she asked “ Nuur cadde ma la eryey?”.

 

In order not to spoil her spirits, and by extension his, he said “ walaahi, war uma hayo”. And tried to bring her attention back to him.

 

For a while it worked. But when he talked about when she thinks he should propose, she didn’t seem to have heard him.

 

“Soo kii lalahaa Cabdullahi Yusuf maraykanka ayaa yidhi kama maarano??” She asked.

[NGONGE]

^^

I have over twenty five habarwadaags lakin cid aan sponsor o diriyo ma jirto.

 

Airport encounters with Somalis are always interesting. I once met a lost elderly couple at Heathrow airport. I was rushing for my departure gate when I heard a very loud 'warya'! When I looked around, I saw this eighty-year-old man and his wife (who looked over a hundred years old). They both had walking sticks and tiny handbags dangling from their shoulders. I turned around and went back to them.

 

The old man greeted me gruffly and asked if I were Somali! I let that silly question pass. He then asked me where was I going. I told him that I was in a hurry and that my flight leaves in the next twenty minutes. He ignored me and repeated his question. I impatiently replied that I was going to Russia. He was startled and asked me what was I going to do in Russia! I sighed and told him the truth. When he found out that I was going to Dubai he asked me if I spoke Arabic. I nodded. That's when his old woman came into the conversation by slapping me on the shoulder playfully and saying that they spoke Arabic too! Their next question was if I were from Somaliland. When I replied in the affirmative, more specific questions followed.

 

I left them fifteen minutes later, having written down their phone number and address in the Scandinavian country they came from and having promised to pass the information to my parents. For all you know, that old woman might have been a habarwadaag I never knew about.

[guerilla]

I was poked once by a Somali man while walking down a busy street, I looked up and he had nothing to say, absolutely nothing. He just saw a fellow Somali and followed his-oh-so-annoying-and-oh-so-prevalent-in-our-peop le-grab-their-attention-through-any-means-instinct , the usual way being shouting out waryaa or sometimes even nayaa, this smart guy improvised having noticed my earphones...

I told him I'd have him arrested for assault and marched off clutching my side before he could call my bluff.

 

I googled habarwadag and only got three hits surprisingly, meaning anyone?

[Geel_jire]

^ literally habro-wadaag = shared mothers

 

somali call their maternal aunts as second mothers ... marka all your cousins from your maternal aunt are called habrowadaag.

 

in the south they are called ilmo-habreed

[peasant]

I have a theory of a why habarowadaags are more regarded in northern somalia than they are in the south. The north is said to have had a strong matriarchy tradition at the time of Queen Areweelo and Dhagdheer and only after islam was introduced into northern somalia that matriarchy was abandoned since islam promote patriarchy. So matriarchy tradition is still deep rooted in northern somalis.

[Ms DD]

Propoganda.com

 

Waa sheeko macaanyihiin hablaha somalida.

[Che -Guevara]

^You don't say....eh

 

NGONGE....Looks like ur habarwadaagis are infinite. That's bad for business

[Faarax-Brawn]

“O, Somalia, I know. How is the war”, he said.

“Not Somalia, Somali-land.”

 

He looked confused. And He looked at me too. I said “Somali-Marine.” Now, he seemed to understand. We are from

L000L@Somali Marine, walle intixaan baa tahay!

[Soomaliyah Toosoo.]

Originally posted by peasant:

I have a theory of a why habarowadaags are more regarded in northern somalia than they are in the south. The north is said to have had a strong matriarchy tradition at the time of Queen Areweelo and Dhagdheer and only after islam was introduced into northern somalia that matriarchy was abandoned since islam promote patriarchy. So matriarchy tradition is still deep rooted in northern somalis.

Wow. That's an interesting theory... I wasn't aware of that.