Does Somalia Have a Culture?

[me]

This thread was inspired by the quotes below. These two brothers are claiming that the Somali people have no culture and if they do it is a primitive one.I totally disagree with them on both points. I would like to suggest that Mr. Badacase and Mr. Maakhir, find out what a CULTURE means. Use a dictionary, read articles, just do something, talk to people find out what a culture is. We cannot have a proper discussion if people don't know what they are talking about. Secondly can you please tell me why you think that the Somali people don't have a culture or that our culture is primitive?and according to you compared to whose culture is ours primitive?

 

 

Originally posted by Mr. Red Sea:

We don't have a culture,if we have one,it's evident that it's bad one.Islam should be the way we do everything in life,because it's complete system which suits well everything.

 

Mr.Me..huh,wah? I am confused here.

Originally posted by Maakhir:

Me, Xeer infuses into the Sharia the old habit of Somalia's primitive nature. Although it can be used for mediation as a mechanism to solve problems locally, Sharia law is still the best method based on the justice of Allah that can unite Somalis and get rid of the old habits.

Dear SOLers,

 

Please share your opinions on these two matters. Does Somalia have a culture and if we do is it a primitive one?

[Caano Geel]

me, maan are you blind, we're moving forward and we're gonna round up the primitives, starting with you

[Johnny B]

Originally posted by Mr. Red Sea:

We don't have a culture,if we have one,it's evident that it's bad one.Islam should be the way we do everything in life,because it's complete system which suits well everything.

 

Mr.Me..huh,wah? I am confused here.

A person with such a mentality is not only ridiculously sanctimonious , he needs loads of reality doses, be happy that you're not related.

[rudy-Diiriye]

so brain washed..see what the welfare does to yah! u even forget your culture.

 

somali culture has no comparision in the african content. its rich, pure and unmatched.

 

dont lost it, cuz if u do, u be like a tree without roots.

 

the other day this fine young thing with blue eyes came into my msnm (webcam) i asked so wazzup..! finally she tells me oh..i am having a fight with our maids. she goes we have 2 of them, 1 does the cocking and the to other cleaning..!!

 

and she wont fix me a snack cuz shes on break!!

i just didnt what to say!! a 24 ladies that cant even fix herself a snack...!

 

i suggested to her to fix herself some! she started yelling at me!!.. told her to excuse since i just came from work and need to fix my dinner..! she just couldnt freaking believe that!!..

 

now that kinda of gal should come with a stick to beat her into sense or a MANUAL how to operate her when she gets married...!

[Socod_badne]

Originally posted by rudy:

somali culture has no comparision in the african content. its rich, pure and unmatched.

Of course, other nations would say the exact same about their culture.

 

What were we talking about again?

 

 

About whether Somalia has a culture, I would say yes. As with any self-identifying group of people, which somalis certainly are regardless of their claim of distinctive clan descent, culture is of absolute neccessity. Afterall, what is culture but widely shared acceptable standards for everything... from arts to politics, behaviour, sociality etc. Not only does Somalia have over-arching, universal culture but it has many sub-cultures. The independent variable being geography, not heritage or social standing.

[Sharif_seylaci]

I THINK QABIL IS OUR CULTURE A

 

AND THANK GOD WE HAVE IT

[Taliban]

The following is an example picture of what defines real Somali culture:

 

 

How many Somalis sleep on such barkin? I doubt if even 0.5% of Somalis sleep on such barkin. There are very few real Somali culture that exist today. Most of what's today considered Somali culture was imported from others, including macawis, dirac, koofiyad, xalwo, sambuus, bariis, iwm.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

dirac, koofiyad...

And yaa dirac sameeyo? Of course dirac is imported, as are most, for Soomaalis do not manufacture it. So, what other communities that wear dirac? Yemenis, as some say, well, I had never seen ancient Yemenis wearing it, nor do I see it now. Even macawiis, hoosgundi is the real Soomaali name for it, and as the its authentic Soomaali name indicates, waa guntiino hoos ah. Men wore guntiino hoose, waana go'yadii caddaa, mid shafka la saaran yiray iyo midkii hoose, hence labago'le, or as the Banaadiris called "lamagoodle."

 

Koofibarawaani is as Soomaali as town Baraawe is in today. Koofibarawaani, to this day, carries Baraawe's name, the original place it was made from, which was later exported, by the old rulers of Baraawe, the reer Cumaan, to Sansibaar, another outpost they ruled. From Sansibaar, it spread to Sawaaxili lands reer Cumaan ruled, such as Mombaasa, Malindi and other coastal towns in Keenya and Tansaaniya. However, still, the koofibaraawe those communities wear is starkly different from ours.

 

Baraawe is the only town that singlehandedly contributed to Soomaali culture than any other town, ancient or modern. There is alindi, a rich garment there is caanobaraawe, there is muufobaraawe.

 

And about that picture, yes, it is one of our ancient culture. It is still found in the countryside, used by the nomads, same as ashuun, dhari, kuul.

 

There is a reason why Soomaali culture is called hidaha iyo dhaqanka. It isn't limited to towns and cities, where diracyada and others dominate. To this day, only do you see countryside folks proudly wearing guntiino, an almost exinct rich cultural heritage.

[Taliban]

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar:

And yaa dirac sameeyo? Of course dirac is imported, as are most, for Soomaalis do not manufacture it. So, what other communities that wear dirac? Yemenis, as some say, well, I had never seen ancient Yemenis wearing it, nor do I see it now. Even macawiis,

hoosgundi

is the real Soomaali name for it, and as the its authentic Soomaali name indicates, waa guntiino hoos ah. Men wore guntiino hoose, waana go'yadii caddaa, mid shafka la saaran yiray iyo midkii hoose, hence labago'le, or as the Banaadiris called "lamagoodle."

 

Koofibarawaani is as Soomaali as town Baraawe is in today. Koofibarawaani, to this day, carries Baraawe's name, the original place it was made from, which was later exported, by the old rulers of Baraawe, the reer Cumaan, to Sansibaar, another outpost they ruled. From Sansibaar, it spread to Sawaaxili lands reer Cumaan ruled, such as Mombaasa, Malindi and other coastal towns in Keenya and Tansaaniya. However, still, the koofibaraawe those communities wear is starkly different from ours.

 

Baraawe is the only town that singlehandedly contributed to Soomaali culture than any other town, ancient or modern. There is

alindi

, a rich garment there is caanobaraawe, there is muufobaraawe.

 

And about that picture, yes, it is one of our ancient culture. It is still found in the countryside, used by the nomads, same as ashuun, dhari, kuul.

 

There is a reason why Soomaali culture is called

hidaha iyo

dhaqanka

. It isn't limited to towns and cities, where diracyada and others dominate. To this day, only do you see countryside folks proudly wearing guntiino, an almost exinct rich cultural heritage.

Macawis (hoosgunti, also known as lungi, longyi, iwm) originated in Southern India. Dirac originated in the Indian subcontinent or the Middle East. Koofiyad Baraawe either originated in Zanzibar or the Arabian peninsula. Baraawe was a resting and resupplying site (sort of an outpost) for travelers from the Arabian peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. Baraawe was founded as a town after Omanis well settled in Tanzania and Kenya. Baraawe was settled by people from Tanzania and Kenya. How else do you explain the form of Swahili spoken by reer Baraawe? Swahili originated in Tanzania.

 

The bottom line, real Somali culture existed in the nomadic lifestyle of Somalis. Most Somalis are no longer nomads, having become urbanized (courtesy of globalization) and living in urban centers (Muqdisho, Hargeysa, Kismaayo, iwm). Today, most things that relate to Somali culture was imported from other cultures (Middle East, Indian subcontinent).

[Johnny B]

Becouse our Somali culture imprted and continues to imprt is not a reason to abandon it , as some tend to express it . actually there is no culture that doesen't import and export, call it a cultural evolution if u like, None of the cultures in the middle-east or indian subcontinent are free of ifluence from other cultures.

 

Even if few Somalis sleep on that wooden-billow still it has the identity of being a Somali billow.

 

I love the decoration on it, bless that nomadic mind.

[NGONGE]

Of course there is such a thing as Somali culture and it does not matter what were its influences. Where a garment or piece of furniture came from is not important, what is important is how the new users (Somalis) have adapted it. Besides, culture is really not limited to items of clothing and furniture.

 

The real problem with Somali culture is its current weakness. Strong cultures spread and transcend their original habitats. Nobody in the world, for example, has not been influenced by American culture. Many parts of the world have also been influenced by British culture. Large parts of Earth know about the Indian culture and have borrowed from it. A strong culture is one that can apply and be used by almost everyone. There was a time when Somalia had a culture strong enough to influence and be adopted by its neighbours (if not the world at large). Today though, not even Somalis are influenced by it. So, to answer your question of whether we have culture or not, my answer would be Yes we do but it’s totally an irrelevant one.

 

Our current poets are weak (or else we would have seen MMA driving us crazy with the poems of the latest star). Our artists are non-existent, in the world of painting and pictures I could only think of that caricature making guy, Amiin something or other. And he himself is a remnant of the old days! In the world of music, most of the known artists have been around for the past 25 years (at least). Writers, thinkers and even comedians are also very rare.

 

This is why many of us accuse each other of abandoning our culture. It’s not strong enough to withstand the onslaught of other cultures. Give me a replacement for Tupac and I shall follow you. Show me a Somali Dickens and I’ll be with you. Unearth a Somali Ronaldinho and I’ll be your fellow in national culture. Spoil us with our own Richard Dawkins and I’m your friend. Sadly, because we are preoccupied with other sorts of nonsense we seem to have neglected our culture. Still, one never ceases to be met by proud Somalis trying to drum it into our brains that we have a great culture and that we should all be pleased with it! Culture is like a tree, when it’s being watered it becomes green and healthy. It sprouts many leafs and one can be proud and happy with it but when it’s not being nurtured it withers and dies and nothing remains of it except the trunk (which is what we have today).

 

The originator of the thread quoted someone talking about Islam and the adoption of that as our culture. I think that, now, has gone beyond a mere suggestion and is a fact. Observe any number of Somali men and women and in at least four out of ten you’ll see the familiar ‘Islamic’ dress and habits. Visit any cities in Somalia and wonder at the similarities in dress and behaviour between them and your average Saudi mullah! I hear the capital nowadays has many Islamic school and the ‘madrasas’ are not the same as our old Somali ones but are more similar to those you find in Pakistan and Afghanistan (I stand to be corrected of course). The schools teach Arabic and the curriculum (I’d wager) is closer to Arabic than African.

 

Now, before you start shaking your head at the screen, let me tell you that this is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s a good thing. For the entire Somali nation to understand and speak the Arabic, Urdu or English language is akin to Ali Baba knowing the words that will allow him to go into the 40 thieves’ cave. In two simple words (Open Sesame) he managed to find immeasurable treasures, yet that didn’t mean he wasn’t still Ali Baba! Likewise, Somalia being exposed to Arab culture does not mean Somalia will be nullified but rather improved and enhanced. Because the main part of culture is language, it binds the people together and helps them have a separate identity from others. Unfortunately, the Somali language (because of war, laziness and many other reasons) has not been allowed to evolve and develop. Worse still, what makes people regard it as primitive is the fact that it’s not widely written.

 

The written word, broadcast media and visual arts all play their part in improving language and, to a bigger extent, culture. Somali’s weakness is in the shortage of all of these. And that, putting aside any bravado and pride, is the reason Somali culture is now weak and somewhat primitive. I’m all for the Arabisation of Somalia, not because I speak that language but because I believe it will enrich and strengthen Somali culture in the longer term. Because, lets face it, Somalis are not going to get rid of all their habits and norms however, if they were exposed to other cultures they will inevitably take the most appealing parts (be them good or bad) and incorporate them into the already existing culture. And that, by anybody’s measurements cannot be but a good thing.

[cynical lady]

Yes its qabilisim, high divorce rate with no shame, fathers severing there family relations after,being infested in other ppl countries rather than our own. Needless to say our culture is ......dysfunctional.

[Shakti]

Originally posted by Taliban:

Most of what's today considered Somali culture was imported from others, including macawis, dirac, koofiyad, xalwo, sambuus, bariis, [/QB]

where was dirac importad from? Very curious 2 know

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Macawis (hoosgunti, also known as lungi, longyi, iwm) originated in Southern India. Dirac originated in the Indian subcontinent or the Middle East.

Bring the factual infos that supports your allegations. It is either from "Hindiya or Bariga Dhexe" has no basis, no evidence. No actual support in any way. Dirac isn't sari, so bring any visual information if you want to support your unfounded allegations. Dirac is as Soomaali as it has ever been. No other community wears dirac.

 

About hoosgundi, we covered it up. It has a Soomaali name, which is hoos+guntiino. Soomaalis wore hoos guntiino time immemorial, the white garment. It was only later that was standardized into a fully fit hoosgundi by the city people, so its roots go back to guntiga hoose. Of course, like gareys, bulji, baati, shaash, sifaleeti, garbasaar, even dirac, is imported since we aren't that advanced.

 

Koofiyad Baraawe either originated in Zanzibar or the Arabian peninsula.

Another hearsay oo waxba wadan. Maxaa cadeys heysaa? "Either this" or "that" cadeys ma'aha. Bring your proof. Horta iskaba dhaaf Carabta, it isn't even in there. Sansibaar, like Baraawe, was an outpost of reer Cumaan. Soomaalis lived in Baraawe the last 300-400 years. Baraawe was one of the exclusive towns that made koofibaraawe. Baraawe now is part of Soomaaliya, lived by Soomaalida. If this doesn't make any Soomaali culture, then wax aad isku kalsoontahay ma jirto. You are downplaying Soomaali culture because they din't blindly follow so-called Carabta, instead retaining their unique attire and other cultures.

 

As I said, true dhaqan can be found in the countryside and other small towns and villages.

 

 

 

That is a Soomaali culture in a nutshell. The alindi attire aan ka hadlaaye is there, the red ones.

Guntiino is the white, with kuul. Perhaps guntiinada may resemble the ancient clothes wore by Fircooniintii, you may even inclined to say that in order to downplay Soomaali culture again. It won't work. The full, complete Soomaali culture is found the latter picture, except only the fadhicarbeed.

 

Almost everything is there, that some we even forgot their names: Unique gurbaanta, dhiisha, xaaqinka, saliga, uunsishidaha, babiska, and tons I can't shamefully recall at this moment.

 

 

Another one to illustrate. And since alindi is made in Baraawe, perhaps you are inclined again to believe it is imported from "Bariga Dhexe" or "Sansibaar."

 

Soomaali culture is equally contributed by nomads, pastoralists and agriculturists.

 

Soomaali dhaqankooda, as I noted on the above post, hido iyo dhaqan ayuu u kala baxaa [tradition and culture]. There is more than clothes.

 

There are distinct foods, dances, norms, literature etc. For dances: Saar, Buraanbur, kabeebey, dhaanto, etc. Waxaan cuno kaliya ma'aha bariis, baasto, xalwo iyo wax kale meel kale laga keenay. Soomaalidii hore and kuwa hada waxee cunaan:

 

Soor [yeah, already thinking I see that it was borrowed then since we share some aspect of it with most Afrikaanka], oodkac, kalaankal, canjeero, malawax, muufobaraawe, calooleey, mishaari, salbuko, digir, waambe, canbuulo, malaay, beer, tiribo, moxog, cad, caano [garoor, suusac, caanogeel, caanoari, caanobaraawe], kurus, muufo, suqaar, dheylo, bun and then they are qudaarta: Balbeelmo, cambo, qare, moos, liimodhanaan...

 

We have fanka: Geeraar, heeso, gabey, guuroow, maanso, buraanbur, maahmaah, madadaalo, sheeko, heelo, hadal, murti, maaweel, saar...[And you dare to tell us we don't have a culture. Yac!]

 

This thread is about us and our culture: Do us Soomaalis have culture? Of course we do, only dad aan isku kalsooneen and those who wish us to be more Carab and more Westernized ayaa rabo, otherwise our culture is intact as it ever was, only a bit current threat from Carab wannabes, but Eebbe willing we will overcome their insecurities.

 

Soomaalida dhaqankooda iyo hidahooda is here to stay -- love it or hate it, waligiinba.

[Taliban]

Originally posted by Devilangle:

where was dirac importad from? Very curious 2 know

From the Indian subcontinent. I don't exactly know what the people in the Indian subcontinent call it, but I think the Somali dirac (transparent) is a version of the Indian "kameez" or Bangladeshi "kamiz":

 

 

 

On the other hand, the Rajasthani women wear garbasaar similar to that of Somali's:

 

 

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar:

Maxaa cadeys heysaa?

From Zanzibar:

 

 

 

From Oman:

 

 

 

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar:

For dances: Saar, Buraanbur, kabeebey, dhaanto, etc.

At least one traditional Somali dance was imported from the UK. You want me to bring factual info or any visual information that supports my allegation? Here you go: