Lets Map Somalia....

[Wiilo]

This article is VERY long if you can bear with me I think its worth it.

 

Somalia

Geography

Somalia is a long, narrow country that wraps around the Horn of Africa. It has the longest coast of any African nation, bordering on both the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The inland areas are predominantly plateaus, with the exception of some rugged mountains in the far north. The northern region is more arid, whereas the southern portion of the country receives more rainfall. Many Somalis are nomadic or semi-nomadic herders, some are fishermen, and some farmers. Mogadishu is the capital and largest city.

 

History and Politics

Unlike many African nations, Somalia is composed of a single, homogeneous ethnic group. Although Somalis may differ in nuances of local lifestyle, they share a uniform language, religion, and culture, and trace their heritage to a common ancestor.

 

Colonial rule began in the mid 1800s and divided the land inhabited by ethnic Somalis into several territories. The French controlled the northernmost region (the area that is now Djibouti), the British colonized northern Somalia creating a country called British Somaliland, the Italians governed southern Somalia, creating Italian Somaliland, Ethiopia controlled the inland region of the ******, and Kenya controlled land on its northern border inhabited by Somalis, called the Northern Frontier District (NFD). In 1960 British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland peacefully obtained independence and were united to form the current borders of Somalia. The ******, controlled by the British after World War II, was designated as part of Ethiopia in a U.N. mediated agreement in 1948. This has been a source of heated contention between the Somali and Ethiopian governments ever since. Twice, in 1964 and again in 1977, military conflict arose between the two countries over control of the ******, resulting in many lost lives on both sides. The land is currently controlled by Ethiopia, though many Somalis believe the region should be reunited with Somalia.

 

In 1977 Djibouti received independence from the French. Although the government of Djibouti chose not to reunite with Somalia, ties between the countries remain close, as the citizens share a common culture and language. Travel is permitted freely across the border without a visa.

 

At the time of independence in 1960 a civilian government was established, which then allied itself with the USSR as a way to distance itself from its prior colonial rulers. In 1969, General Mohammed Siad Barre lead a coup, creating a socialist military government with himself as its President. In the early years of his government Barre enjoyed popular support, but as his regime became increasingly more oppressive, his support waned. The Barre government was accused of many human rights violations. In addition, some Somalis felt Barre was not aggressive enough about regaining the ****** from Ethiopia. In the late 1970s and early 1980s clan-based militias developed in order to oppose and overthrow Barre. In 1977 Barre broke ties with Moscow after the Soviets began providing aid to Ethiopia during the ****** War. With this realignment, the United States began supplying military and economic aid to Somalia, but eventually suspended these efforts in 1989 because of the Barre government's human rights record. Outright civil war erupted from 1988-1991, culminating in the exile of Barre in January 1991.

 

Since 1991, the various militias have fought against each other vying for control of the country. There has been no effective government and the infrastructure of the country has crumbled. Many civilians have suffered from rampant violence. Food supplies have been manipulated for political gain resulting in famine and death from starvation. It was estimated by the US Army that by the fall of 1992, 40% of the population of Baidoa and 25% of all Somali children under the age of five had died because of famine. In late 1992, US and UN forces intervened in Somalia to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis. By March 1994 all foreign troops had withdrawn. At the present time the country remains overwhelmed in inter-clan disputes.

 

In 1991 people began leaving the country to escape the hunger, rape, and death that had become widespread. Over one million people fled to neighboring countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Yemen, and Burundi. Most stayed in large refugee camps that were established to house the Somalis. Resettlement programs have enabled families to move to Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Finland, England) and the United States. Somalis in the US live predominantly in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and more recently San Diego and Seattle.

 

Language

The universal language in Somalia is Somali, an afroasiatic language that is closely related to Oromiffa and more distantly related to Swahili and the semitic languages of Arabic, Hebrew, and Amharic. Although written for many years, a uniform orthography was not adopted until 1973. The vast majority of the population is Moslem (>99%), and thus Arabic is a second common language. Until the 1970's, education was conducted in the language of colonial rule, thus older Somalis from northern Somalia are conversant in English and those from southern Somalia are conversant in Italian. The government sponsored literacy campaigns in the 1970s and 1980s and education was free at all levels until 1991.

 

Interpersonal Relationships

Names, Naming

Somali names have three parts. The first name is the given name, and is specific to an individual. The second name is the name of the child's father, and the third name is the name of the child's paternal grandfather. Thus siblings, both male and female, will share the same second and third names. Women, when they marry, do not change their names. By keeping the name of their father and grandfather, they are, in effect, maintaining their affiliation with their clan of birth.

 

Status, Role, Prestige

 

Greetings and Displays of Respect

Many social norms are derived from Islamic tradition, and thus may be similiar to other Islamic countries. The common way to greet someone is to say salam alechem (roughly translated as "God bless you") and to shake their hand. Due to Islamic tradition, men and women do not touch each other. Thus men shake the hands of other men, and women shake each other's hands. When departing, the common phrase is nabad gelyo ("goodbye"). Respect is paid to the elders of the community. Elders are addressed as "aunt" or "uncle," even if they are strangers.

 

General Etiquette

The right hand is considered the clean and polite hand to use for daily tasks such as eating, writing, and greeting people. If a child begins to show left-handed preference, the parents will actively try to train him or her to use the right hand. Thus left-handedness is very uncommon in Somalia.

 

As proscribed by Moslem tradition, married women are expected to cover their bodies including their hair. In Somalia, some Somali women wear veils to cover their faces, but few do in the U.S. as they find this a difficult custom to adhere to in American society. Pants are not a generally accepted form of attire for women, but may be worn under a skirt.

 

The traditional womens dress is called a hejab, and the traditional clothing for a man is called a maawis. The snug-fitting hat that men wear is a qofe.

 

Marriage, Family and Kinship

Marriage

Marriages can either be arranged or be a result of personal choice. The common age of marriage is around 14 or 15 years old. Men who can afford to do so, may have up to 4 wives, as is customary in Islamic tradition. However, not all wealthy men exercise this option. In urban areas, a man with multiple wives provides separate homes for his different families. Whether these families interact or not depends on the preference of the individuals involved. In rural areas, it is more common for a man with more than one wife to have a single household, where the families care for the farm or livestock together.

 

Gender Roles

As in many Islamic cultures, adult men and women are separated in most spheres of life. Although some women in the cities hold jobs, the preferred role is for the husband to work and the wife to stay at home with the children. Female and male children participate in the same educational programs and literacy among women is relatively high.

 

Family and Kinship Structure

There are several main clans in Somalia and many, many subclans. In certain regions of the country a single subclan will predominate, but as the Somalis are largely nomadic, it is more common for several subclans to live intermixed in a given area. Membership in a clan is determined by paternal lineage. Marriage between clans is common. When a woman marries a man of another clan, she becomes a member of that clan, though retains connection with her family and it's clan.

 

Extended Families

Living with extended families is the norm. Young adults who move to the city to go to school live with relatives rather than live alone. Similarly, people who do not marry tend to live with their extended families. Divorce does occur, though proceedings must be initiated by the husband.

 

Reproduction

Pregnancy

Childbearing usually commences shortly after marriage. A woman's status is enhanced the more children she bears. Thus is not unusual for a Somali family to have seven or eight children. The concept of planning when to have or not to have children has little cultural relevance for Somalis.

 

Child Birth

Expectant and newly-delivered mothers benefit from a strong network of women within Somali culture. Before a birth, the community women hold a party (somewhat like a baby shower) for the pregnant woman as a sign of support. Births most frequently occur at home, and are attended by a midwife.

 

Post-Partum Practices

Newborn care includes warm water baths, sesame oil massages, and passive stretching of the baby's limbs. An herb called malmal is applied to the umbilicus for the first 7 days of life (malmal is available in the U.S. in some Asian markets).

 

When a child is born, the new mother and baby stay indoors at home for 40 days, a time period known as afatanbah. Female relatives and friends visit the family and help take care of them. This includes preparing special foods such as soup, porridge, and special teas. During afatanbah, the mother wears earrings made from string placed through a clove of garlic, and the baby wears a bracelet made from string and malmal (an herb) in order to ward away the Evil Eye (see Traditional Health Practices below). Incense (myrrh) is burned twice a day in order to protect the baby from the ordinary smells of the world, which are felt to have the potential to make him or her sick. At the end of the 40 days there is a celebration at the home of a friend or relative. This marks the first time the mother or baby has left the home since the delivery. There is also a naming ceremony for the child. In some families this occurs within the first 2-3 weeks of the baby's life, in other families, the naming ceremony is held at the same time as the celebration at the end of afatanbah. These ceremonies are big family gatherings with lots of food, accompanied by the ritual killing of a goat and prayers.

 

Infancy, Childhood, and Socialization

Ceremonials During Infancy and Childhood

Help fill this space.

Infant Feeding, Care

Breastfeeding is the primary form of infant nutrition. It is common to breastfeed a child until 2 years of age. Supplementation with animal milks (camel, goat, cow) early in the neonatal period is common. This is especially true during the first few days of life, as colostrum is considered unhealthy. Camel's milk is considered to be the most nutritious of animal milks. A few Somalis use bottles, but more commonly, infants, including newborns are offered liquids in a cup. A mixture of rice and cow's milk is introduced at about 6 months of age, and subsequent solid foods after that. Most Somali women are uncomfortable with the Western idea of pumping breastmilk. They believe that human milk shouldn't be stored because it will go bad.

 

Child Rearing Practices

Diapering is not common in Somalia. When the baby is awake, the mother will hold a small basin in her lap and then hold her baby in a sitting position over the basin at regular time intervals. Somali mothers claim that within a short period of time infants are trained to use the "potty." At nighttime, a piece of plastic is placed between the mattress and the bedding. The bedding and plastic are cleaned daily.

 

Adolescence, Adulthood, and Old Age

Help fill this space.

Nutrition and Food

Breastfeeding is the predominant form of nutrition for children under the age of 2 years. Southern Somalia has a large agricultural and international trading component to its economy, thus, in southern Somalia diets are richer in green vegetables, corn, and beans. Southern Somalis, especially those in the cities are more familiar with Western foods such as pasta and canned goods. Northern Somalia's nomadic lifestyle fosters a diet that is heavier in milk and meat. Diets there also have a large component of rice, which is obtained through trade.

 

For beverages, there are black and brown teas (largely imported from China) and a coffee drink that is made from the covering of the coffee beans rather than from the beans themselves.

 

 

Food and Fasting in Somali Culture

Report on Somali Diet: Common Dietary Beliefs and Practices of Somali Participants in WIC Nutrition Education Groups

Available formats: Word Document

Drinks, Drugs, and Indulgence

Qat,(also spelled khat, chat, kat) is a mild stimulant used by some Somali's. It is derived from fresh leaves from the catha edulis tree. When the leaves are chewed, the active stimulant ingredient, cathinone, is released. Qat is felt to make ones thoughts sharper and is often used in conjunction with studying. It is only used by men, and it's use is more common in Northern Somalia and the ******. Qat historically has been listed by the DEA as a schedule IV drug (unrestricted), however recently it was changed to a schedule I drug (most restricted) due to concerns for potential abuse.

 

Religious Beliefs and Practices

Almost all Somalis are Sunni Moslems. For those who practice Islam, religion has a much more comprehensive role in life than is typical in the Americas or Europe. Islam is a belief system, a culture, a structure for government, and a way of life. Thus in Somalia, attitudes, social customs, and gender roles are primarily based on Islamic tradition. For example, the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar month and begins numbering from the year Mohammed arrived in Medina; both this and the Julian calendar are officially recognized and used.

 

Islamic theology and religious practice is complex, and is the object of intense study and scholarship within the Islamic community. When Moslems try to convey the fundamental aspects of their religious beliefs to non-Moslems, they emphasize the belief in one God, Allah, and dedication to the study of the teachings of Allah's prophets. The prophet Mohammed is central among these, though other respected prophets include the Biblical patriarch Abraham and Jesus. Moslems are quick to point out that while Mohammed is revered and his teachings form the core of Islamic thought and practice, he is not worshipped as God in the way that Christians worship Jesus.

 

Important religious holidays include Ramadan, Id al-Fitr, Id Arafa, and Moulid. Ramadan is the 9th month of the lunar calendar. During the 30 days of the holiday, people pray, fast and refrain from drinking during the day and eat only at night. An important aspect of this holiday for medical providers to be aware of, is that medications will often be taken only at nighttime. Pregnant women, people who are very ill, and children (usually interpreted as under 14 years old) are exempted from the fast. Some religious observance of Ramadan extends the fast for an additional 7 days.

 

Immediately following Ramadan is the holiday of Id al-Fitr which marks the end of the fast. This celebration involves big family gatherings and gifts for children. Id Arafa ( also called Id al-Adhuha) is the most important holiday of the calendar year. This is the time for making pilgrimages (hajjia) to Saudi Arabia. Moulid is another important holiday, occurring in the month after Ramadan. It commemorates the birth and death of the Prophet Mohammed.

 

Many religious holidays involve the ritual killing of a lamb or goat. In Seattle, families travel to a farm in Sumner, Washington, where they purchase the needed animal and perform the ritual slaughter. Islamic tradition forbids eating pork or drinking alcohol.

 

Somalis observe several secular holidays as well, these include a Memorial Day, Labor Day, an Independence Day (July 1) commemorating the 1960 independence and unification, and Mother's Day.

 

Death

When a person is terminally ill, it is considered uncaring for a physician to tell them or their family that they are dying. It is acceptable to describe the extreme seriousness of an illness. When a death is impending, a special portion of the Koran, called yasin, is read at the bedside. Following a death, a person called a sheik is called to prepare the body. A female shek cares for women, and a male sheik cares for men. The sheik cleans and perfumes the body, places it it white clothes, and says the appropriate prayers. The deceased's next of kin is responsible for digging the grave.

 

Birthdays are not celebrated, rather the anniversary of someone's death is commemorated.

 

Traditional Medical Practices

Somali traditional medicine is practiced by "traditional doctors" who are ususally older men of the community who have learned their skills from older family members. They are especially adept at treating hepatitis, measles, mumps, chicken pox, hunch-back, facial droop, and broken bones. Modalities used include, fire-burning, herbal remedies, casting, and prayer. Fire-burning is a procedure where a stick from a special tree is heated till it glows and then applied to the skin in order to cure the illness. It is commonly used for hepatitis (identified as when the eyes, skin, and nails turn yellow and the urine turns dark), where the heated stick is applied once to each wrist and 4 times to the abdomen. It is also commonly used for malnutrition (marasmus); when the head seems to be large out of proportion with the body, the heated stick is applied to the head in order to reduce the head size. Pneumonia is treated with fire-burning, herbs, and sometimes percutaneous removal of fluid from the chest. Seizures are treated with herbs and readings from the Koran. Stomach-aches and back-aches are treated with the herb habakhedi, while rashes and sore throats are treated with a tea made from the herb dinse.

 

Traditional doctors are also responsible for helping to cure illnesses caused by spirits. Somalis have a concept of spirits residing within each individual. When the spirits become angry, illnesses such as fever, headache, dizziness, and weakness can result. The illness is cured by a healing ceremony designed to appease the spirits. These ceremonies involve reading the Koran, eating special foods, and burning incense. The illness is usually cured within 1 or 2 days of the ceremony.

 

In Somali culture there also exists the concept of the "Evil Eye." A person can give someone else an Evil Eye either purposefully or inadvertently by directing comments of praise at that person, thereby causing harm or illness to befall them. For example, one does not tell someone else that they look beautiful, because that could bring on the Evil Eye. Similarly, Somali mothers cringe when doctors tell them that their babies are big and fat, out of fear the Evil Eye will cause something bad to happen to their child. More acceptable comments are to say that the child is "healthy" or "beautiful."

 

Currently, there are no traditional doctors in Seattle.

 

Circumcision

Circumcision is universally practiced for both males and females. It is viewed as a rite of passage, allowing a person to become a fully accepted adult member of the community. It is commonly viewed as necessary for marriage, as uncircumcised people are seen as unclean.

 

Male circumcision is performed at various times between birth and 5 years of age. It is accompanied by a celebration involving prayers and the ritual slaying of a goat. It is performed either by a traditional doctor (see Traditional Medical Practices above) or by a nurse or doctor in a hospital.

 

Female circumcision is a practice common in equatorial Africa that is unfamiliar to many Westerners. Included under the term "female circumcision" are several different procedures in which varying amounts of genital tissue are removed. This ranges from the removal of the clitoral hood, leaving the rest of the genitalia intact (known as "sunna" circumcision), to removal of the clitoris and anterior labia minora, to removal of the clitoris, the entire labia minora, part of the labia majora, and suturing of the labia majora, leaving a posterior opening for passage of urine and menstrual flow. This latter procedure is known as infibulation, and is the most common form offemale circumcision in Somalia. In Somalia, the procedure is usually performed by female family members but is also available in some hospitals. It is usually performed between birth and 5 years of age.

 

In the last twenty years much attention has been focused on the medical andpsycho-social complications of female circumcision. (See references) However most Somali women view circumcision as normal, expected, and desirable. It has become the center of a debate about potentially harmful traditional cultural practices, and as such, has become a complex and emotionally charged subject. For Somali women in the United States there are many concerns about how their circumcisions will be cared for during childbirth and about whether they will be able to have their daughters circumcised. There are women in the Somali community in Seattle who are knowledgeable in how toperform infibulations, however, due to fear of legal reprisals have not performed them here. Western practitioners need to recognize that this is an important yet sensitive issue for Somali women, and strive to keep the lines of communication open in order to best serve the needs of their patients.

 

Experience with Western Medicine

In the Country of Origin

 

In the United States

Most Somalis, especially those from the cities, have had at least some experience with Western-style medicine. Almost without exception, however, Somali's associate nurses, doctors, and hospitals with ill-care. The concept of using the medical system to keep people healthy, such as with routine prenatal care and well child care, is unfamiliar.

 

The most common illnesses taken to Western hospitals are diarrhea, fever (usually representing malaria), and vomiting. Families almost universally receive an antibiotic at the hospital, setting a precedent for expectations in the United States. Oral rehydration therapy is common and familiar. Families are aware of colds, ear infections, and asthma (called asma or nef), though these are not common conditions. Families will bring their children to the hospital for a cold and receive oral medication which is effective against the symptoms, again, setting a precedent that they expect to be followed in the U.S. In Seattle, families are often very unhappy when they travel a long distance, wait to be seen in clinic, and are sent home with instructions that the illness will self-resolve.

 

Parasitic illness is relatively common, especially shistosomiasis with terminal hematuria. In a recent screening study at Harborview Medical Center, 72% of East African children (inclusive of Somali and other ethnic groups) had pathogenic fecal parasites. Most common were roundworms, giardia, ameba, and hymenolepsis nana. Somalis also describe a prevalent disease where small worms crawl under the fingernails (perhaps tungiasis?).

 

Somalis are familiar with tuberculosis. In Somalia, if a person develops tuberculosis they are quarrantined to a special TB hospital for many months. Many Somalis were exposed to TB in the refugee camps where TB control was poor.

 

AIDS is a recognized but uncommon illness (<1% incidence) compared to other East African nations.

 

Community Structure

Seattle Community Life

Community Organization

There are a number of Somali service agencies, community organizations and businsses in and around the Seattle area. For more complete information visit Somali Community Organizations and Businesses in Seattle

 

Neighborhoods

In the Seattle metropolitan area, the Somali community has predominantly settled in the Central Area, Rainier Beach, and in SeaTac.

 

Common Acculturation Issues

There are several areas where the differences between Somali and American culture are apparent and cause difficulties. For example, American apartments are rarely large enough to accommodate families of 9 or 10 people. In practice, this means that many Somali families have been divided between 2 or more apartments. This places emotional strains on families that are often struggling financially. In addition, due to Moslem prohibitions against interactions between adult men and women, Somali women have a strong preference to work with female interpreters and health care providers.

 

However, thus far, Somalis in Seattle state they have not encountered significant problems associated with acculturation. As recent immigrants with a strong religious and cultural heritage, most families have found it easy to continue traditional dress and cultural practices. At those times when Somali adolescents feel the pressure to assimilate more strongly than their parents, usually a mutually acceptable compromise can be accomplished. For example, several Somali families feel comforatable letting their children go to school in Western clothes (as long as this does not include shorts), as long as the children change into Somali clothing when they come home from school. Families send their children to religious school on evenings and weekends in order to preserve Islamic education and tradition. Some attend a Pan-Islamic school at 25th Ave and Cherry. Others attend the newly created Somali Islamic school at Rainier.

 

Wabillaah:.............

[Muhammad]

Originally posted by -Femme Fatale-:

 

Who are Somalis?

 

Beautiful Pictures:

 

 

 

 

^ I love this one! nice picture of whole somalia.

you have a traveler, a somali women, the sea, the camel, and the grass.

*i wonder where the rag with their aks are?*

[QUANTUM LEAP]

Femme F I believe sis that not many know who they are fighting and violent against. You see most people are scared of what they do not know and the same apply to most of our people. They do not know each other well to care what happens to one or other. Violence also has been part and parcel of the somali culture. Ever since I can remember, my grand mother used to tell us stories about how her brothers used to be Geesi and how they used to fight the lions and yank their hearts out. Something that brought respect to whoever did that and even how they used to fight against certain tribes (colka) and the brave certainly prevailing and getting all the goody goodies. ie best girl in the neighbourhood ..

 

Bashi I do think collecting this information and putting in aplace where one can get the different versions put together and maybe someday one writing about the findings. There are vast amounts of information written about somalis and we do not really have the time to read or even analyse and consume it.

 

"Knowing yourself can only make you abetter human being and we as somalis dont know that much...." now this is ma quote n copyrighten too.

[Wiilo]

Social Structure and Gender Roles

 

Somalis belong to clans and sub-clans. These hierarchical descent groups, each said to originate with a single male ancestor, are a central fact of Somali life. Understanding how Somali people relate to one another requires some knowledge of the clan system.

 

In Somali society, clans serve as a source of great solidarity as well as conflict. Clans combine forces for protection, access to water and good land, and political power. The Somali clan organization is an unstable system, characterized by changing alliances and temporary coalitions. The ever-shifting world of clan politics is captured in a saying popular among nomads: My full brother and I against my father, my father's household against my uncle's household, our two households (my uncle's and mine) against the rest of the immediate kin, the immediate kin against non-immediate members of my clan, my clan against other clans, and my nation and I against the world.

 

Among Somalis, a primary division exists between the Samaale and the Sab. The Samaale are the majority of the Somali people and consist of four main clan families—the (Q names) each of which is further divided into sub-clans. The Samaale are primarily of nomadic origin and live throughout Somalia and in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti. The Sab consist of two clan families, the Digil and (Q name) located primarily in southern Somalia, where they mix farming and herding and are more likely than the Samaale to be sedentary.

 

The society of the pastoral Somalis is fundamentally democratic. Traditionally, decisions are made by councils of men. These councils are egalitarian, sometimes to the point of anarchy, although age, lineage, seniority, and wealth can have influence. In these councils, anthropologist I. M. Lewis points out, "all men are councilors and all men politicians." Somali egalitarianism permeates all aspects of society. In Somalia, it is not at all unusual for a poor and uneducated nomad to approach a high government official as an equal and engage him in a discussion about affairs of state.

 

A fundamental aspect of traditional Somali political organization is the diya-paying group. Diya is compensation paid by a person who has injured or killed another person. A diya-paying group is made up of a few hundred to a few thousand men linked by lineage and a contractual agreement to support one another, especially in regard to compensation for injuries and death against fellow members.

 

While Somalia's political culture is basically egalitarian, social and political change have created new patterns of social life. In recent years, a new urban group, educated in Western-type schools and working as merchants or in government, has emerged. These urbanites enjoy more wealth, better access to government services, and greater educational opportunities for their children than do other sectors of society.

 

For Somalis who are settled or partly settled farmers, the village and its headman assume social and political importance. In rural areas, links to the cities remain strong, with rural relatives caring for livestock owned by the urbanites.

 

For all Somalis, the family is the ultimate source of personal security and identity. The importance of family is reflected in the common Somali question, tol maa tahay? (What is your lineage?). Historian Charles Geshekter notes, "When Somalis meet each other they don't ask: Where are you from? Rather, they ask: Whom are you from? Genealogy is to Somalis what an address is to Americans."

Somalis typically live in nuclear families, although older parents may move in with one of their children. Households are usually monogamous; in polygamous households (one fifth of all families), wives usually have their own residences and are responsible for different economic activities. Traditionally, marriages were arranged, since marriage was seen as a way to cement alliances. Increasingly, however, parents are willing to consider love interests if they think the match is suitable.

 

Somali culture is male centered, at least in public, although women play important economic roles in both farming and herding families and in business in the cities. Female labor is valued for productive tasks as well as for household chores, as long as the male is still seen as being in charge. In recent years, war, drought, and male migration have dramatically increased the number of female-headed households.

 

As the result of efforts by the socialist regime to improve opportunities for women, Somali women have more freedom to become educated, to work, and to travel than do most other Muslim women. Before the 1969 revolution, 20% of primary school students were girls; in 1979, the figure approached 40%.

 

In other ways, the status of women remains unchanged. Women are still expected to keep the family's honor by remaining virgins until marriage. It is said that female circumcision and infibulation, performed on 98% of Somali girls between the ages of 8 and 10, represent an effort to control women's sexuality, since the practice is not required by Islam. Many women suffer all of their lives from a great variety of medical problems stemming from this practice.

 

Female circumcision, as practiced in Somalia, involves the removal of the clitoris and the labia. With infibulation, the vagina is then sewn up, leaving only a tiny opening, which is enlarged for marriage and enlarged once again for childbirth.

 

 

"In Somali society, clans serve as a source of great solidarity as well as conflict."

"While Somalia's political culture is basically egalitarian, social and political change have created new patterns of social life."

 

"Somali women have more freedom to become educated, to work, and to travel than do most other Muslim women" I just love this quote somehow.

 

 

Some Basic Somali Vocabulary

 

airplane dayuurad / meat hilib

automobile baabuur / medicine daawo

cold qabow milk / caano

danger khatar, halis / month bil

daughter [also: girl] / gabar, inan mother / hooyo

day maalin / road, / street waddo

drink / cab ship / markab

eat / cun / son [also: boy] wiil, inan

father aabbe vegetables khudaar

food / cunto water / biyo

friend / saaxiib when? / goorma?

fruit / miro where? / xaggee?

fuel / shidaal why? / maxaa?

hot / kulul

 

 

 

www.culturalorientation.net

[- Femme -]

 

Muad: I can see your getting pretty homesick, although I don't see why. I wonder if you would consider trading in your home for a mud/straw/cow dung little hut in the middle of the desert with god knows what little critters lying beside you at night. BTW there are no doors but a few peices of cloth stuck to the entrance ( :eek: ). Hello scorpions, snakes, mosquitoes, lions. No thank you!

 

Are these the "rag" you were wondering about? And what is ak anyway?

 

 

 

 

 

Those pictures are of Djobuti in the 1800s...but same pple, same culture, same religion.

 

 

Something that brought respect to whoever did that and even how they used to fight against certain tribes (colka) and the brave certainly prevailing and getting all the goody goodies. ie best girl in the neighbourhood ..

QL: Goodness! Fighting over a girl? The things men do. *shakes head*

[A New Born]

Fatal Female .. sis , (me beein Johhny B )

After seein these pics

I wonder if u wanna paint town RED with this happenin hispetr?!!

 

mapping Jumatatu is sure more difficult than mapping Somalia

 

wassup pretty thing ?!

[- Femme -]

^ Where have you been hiding?

[juba]

some very beutiful pics FF and good articles, definantly worth the read Wiilo, what a ingenious contraption the aqal is!

[QUANTUM LEAP]

A fundamental aspect of traditional Somali political organization is the diya-paying group. Diya is compensation paid by a person who has injured or killed another person. A diya-paying group is made up of a few hundred to a few thousand men linked by lineage and a contractual agreement to support one another, especially in regard to compensation for injuries and death against fellow members.

Insurance at its best who needs the western type of insurance when you can bring adoor down with athousand men dressed in macawiis asking for either blood or compensation!

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Salaan...

 

How come we've missed the biggest Somali-achieving "emperors" that can forever claim the undisputed fame and prestige of being the only Soomaali people to rule over almost all other Somali-inhabited lands for more than 400 years. They were Soomaali. So far in this thread, I hadn't seen anyone write or mention them yet.

 

Ajuuraan Sultanate

 

Those Soomaali leaders' feat achieved what no precedent or later comer would ever accomplish.

 

Their reign swayed a vast land--ruling from central capital of Qalaafe in Soomaali Galbeed, their umatched domain extended beyond what is now Muqdisho, Hobyo, as far north as Boosaaso, as far south as close to Jubbada, including the in-between provinces now known as Hiiraan, Shabeelooyinka, Baay, Gedo, NFD {which Kenya occupies now}, Galgaduud, Mudug, Bakool {and did I mention Soomaali Galbeed yet?}--oh, dear, they ruled and achieved what we have yet to achieve--a complete Soomaali unity ruled by a Soomaali dynasty.

 

Finally, maryooleey couldn't stand burdened with the enormous amount of taxation that was as foreign. With the involvements of each clan and tribe conspiring, they were finally crushed, and with that, vanquished with history's dustbin. Their last "czar" was a man named Olol Diinle and his Mustaxiil, I believe.

 

Some of their remnant "sultanate" was later inherited by Geledi Sultanate, one of collaborator clans that annihilated and dismembered the majestic realm. The latter itself ruled, from Afgooye, for aproximately 150 years a large junk from Gedo in the west to as far as Baraawe in the south.

 

If we only could have recorded the unfolding history back then.

[QUANTUM LEAP]

Hey Miskiin M. Longtime bro....wonder where you did disappear to man. Wlc back.

 

Their reign swayed a vast land--ruling from central capital of Qalaafe in Soomaali Galbeed, their umatched domain extended beyond what is now Muqdisho, Hobyo, as far north as Boosaaso, as far south as close to Jubbada, including the in-between provinces now known as Hiiraan, Shabeelooyinka, Baay, Gedo, NFD {which Kenya occupies now}, Galgaduud, Mudug, Bakool {and did I mention Soomaali Galbeed yet?}--oh, dear, they ruled and achieved what we have yet to achieve--a complete Soomaali unity ruled by a Soomaali dynasty

Damn looks like we had adynasty at some stage of the Somali history. Man this new and I for one didnt know Somalis had The Ewins dynasty. Should have been recorded or written and put in archives. Perhaps today many lessons would have been learned as a result.

 

So all this history is basically non existent? What alose.

[QUANTUM LEAP]

The Peculiar Nature of Somali Society Somalia is not a ‘country’ like any other. And in many ways, it is neither ‘African’ nor ‘Arab’, although it is located on the African continent and has often been considered ‘Arab’ in some ways. In 1974, Somalia joined the Arab League of which it is still formally a member. The Somali people, or the Somali nation, is an unquestionable reality. But the Somali state is a much more ambiguous notion which has for the

time being receded into the gray zone of a legal abstraction, probably for a good many years to come. This situation is all the more puzzling since at the time of its independence in 1960 Somalia was described as one of the few mono-ethnic states in Africa, one with a common language, a common culture and a single religion,

Islam. While this was probably an exaggeration, it was substantially true. In any case, the challenge to the existence of the Somali state did not come from the non-Somali people of the South, but from the very core of the mainstream Somalispeaking society, that is the very society which had hitherto been described as one of the most homogeneous on the continent. This phenomenon obviously begs for an explanation. And the explanation is not too complicated, since it lies in the very nature of Somali society itself.

 

Somali society, like many nomadic societies of arid and semi-arid lands, is largely a product of its geographical and climatic environment. The land is very dry and it generally does not permit sedentary agriculture, except in the South, between the Juba and Wabi Shebelle rivers. Hence the social differences between ‘pure’ Somali and the Southern Peoples. As a result, people move, with their herds of camels, goats and sheep, forever in search of good pastures and water. Such a world is not conducive to any form of economic surplus or economic accumulation. Without economic accumulation, there are no possibilities of permanent settlements, of cities and of the distinct political structures we have called ‘the state’. In such societies, politics are diffused throughout the whole social body and not separated, specialised so to speak, in a ‘state’ form, since people are forever moving. And since their movements imply frequent frictions in the competition over the control of pastures and wells, several consequences arise:

Firstly - blood ties are the only connections a man is sure of. One’s kin group makes the only tangible social reality which explains the enormous, overpowering importance of genealogy and the lineage system.

Secondly - armed conflicts between roving groups, usually representing distinct kinship groups, are frequent.

Thirdly - since the ‘state’ per se does not exist, some sort of mechanism has to be found so that the conflicts do not degenerate to the point where they would be threatening the very survival of the kin groups. The only basis for such a mechanism is the lineage system itself. In Somali, these group-conflict rules are called xeer, and their supporting genealogical network jiffo. Nomadic groups move and they fight. After a while the groups stop, meet and hold a shir (palaver), they agree on compensation and the payment of blood-price (mag). They may remain at peace for some time or ally with another kin-based related segment against other enemies. And life goes on. It is that ‘classical’ society we find so well described in the works of Professor Lewis.

[juba]

Originally posted by QUANTUM LEAP:

The Peculiar Nature of Somali Society Somalia is not a ‘country’ like any other. And in many ways, it is neither ‘African’ nor ‘Arab’, although it is located on the African continent and has often been considered ‘Arab’ in some ways. In 1974, Somalia joined the Arab League of which it is still formally a member. The Somali people, or the Somali nation, is an unquestionable reality. But the Somali state is a much more ambiguous notion which has for the

"neither african or arab" are you serious?! i believe Somalia is an AFRICAN nation therefore african in origin. i don't know who came up with this arab nonsense, just my opinion

[QUANTUM LEAP]

Somalis claim descent from Arabian families who settled on the Somali coast 1,000 years ago. Although there undoubtedly is an infusion of Arab blood among Somalis, historians and linguists trace the origins of the Somali people to a much earlier time in the region.

 

While scholars still debate the origins of the Somalis and the time of their entry into present-day Somalia, there is no doubt that they were in the region several hundred years before the first recorded use of their names in the early 15th century. Among ancient Egyptians, Somalia was known as the Land of Punt and was renowned for its frankincense and myrrh, which it still exports. Descriptions of the northern inhabitants of the region are found in The Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, an CE 60 Greek guide to sailors, and in Ptolemy's Geography, compiled between the 2nd and 5th centuries; contact with Egyptian, Phoenician, Persian, Greek, and Roman traders dates to this time. In the 10th century, Chinese merchants returned home from Somalia with giraffes, leopards, and tortoises for the imperial menagerie. By this time, Arab and Persian merchants had established towns along the coasts of the northern plains and the Indian Ocean.

 

By the 12th century, the ancestors of some clan families were established in their present territories. Southward movements of others, however, continued into the 19th century. When the borders of present-day Somalia were set by the colonial powers toward the end of the 19th century, large numbers of Somalis were left out, and today there are an estimated three million Somalis living in eastern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. The existence of Somalis outside the country's national borders continues to be a source of conflict in the region.

 

So brother Juba despite being in the African continent, there is an element of Arab blood amomgst Somalis.

[juba]

Originally posted by QUANTUM LEAP:

So brother Juba despite being in the African continent, there is an element of Arab blood amomgst Somalis.

that would be sister Juba actually. im sorry but that sort of mentality isn't healthy! i am african and of african blood, that "element" is so small that its practically nonexsistent and quite meaningless. that shouldn't give us a reason to want to be part of a people that don't want us there.