Cilmi Boodheri? Who?

[Janna]

Our own Somali Romeo Cilmi Boodheri.

I have little knowledge about the Somali version of romeo. Can anyone inform me more about Cilmi Boodheri. Perhaps the older generation: Baashi, Sharmarkee, Castro, Ngonge & Ducaqabe

[Faarax-Brawn]

Hiya~

 

Closest Sol discussed this a while Back; Cawo's Cilmi?

 

You Welc~

[Sky]

I'm not one of the older generation, but here is what I know:

 

There is no Romeo and Juliet story here. Cilmi Boodhari was obsessively in love with Hodan, an extremely beautiful woman. But when he heard that Hodan was given to another man, Cilmi became senile and couldn't live a normal life anymore. He died of malnutrition. This story took place in Berbera.

 

These tragic stories are abundant in Somalia. There is also another story about a nomad in Sool who was roaming around thirsty, looking for water. When he finally arrived at a water point, the local family refused to give him water, fearing that he would deplete their water. This is strictly against Somali traditional rules. The nomad was so shocked that he vowed to never drink drink water anymore for the rest of his life. He kept his word, while the family's reputation sunk deeper and deeper after each passing day that the poor man didn't drink water.

 

He died 30 years later at age 70 in the beginning of the 90s, only drinking milk since that fateful day. All that was left of the poor man was dry skin and brittled bones. He evidently suffered throughout those three decades, but he had a point to make. That is the character of a genuine Somali nomad.

[qumane]

The history of Ilmi Boodheri is sad one with unhappy end, but the legacy from Boodhari is still alive in our culture. I read long time ago Ilmi's bibliography, what i can remember is:

 

 

 

It was sometime before 19937, while Elmi Bodhari was working at a bakery shop in the port city of Berbera. In late afternoon a young and beautiful lady named Hoddan bought bread from the store that employed him. From that day on, Elmi was mesmerized by the natural beauty and elegancy that God had given to Hoddan. What followed that afternoon to the end of his life became the most famous love story in the continent of Africa.

 

Initially Elmi faced two difficulties – not only was Hoddan's family much better off financially, he also faced the cultural taboo that surrounded the concept of love. Both were formidable challenges for him to overcome. One could only imagine his anguish of trying to convince a society that regarded love as a disgrace and shameful thing. His family, including his relatives, tried to convince him to stop bringing shame on the family but to no avail. His heart was attached to Hoddan and no matter what people tried to do, he demonstrated his devotion to Hoddan through countless romantic poems. At one point a dozen beautiful girls from his tribe came to persuade him to forget about Hoddan and settle for on of them. Elmi's response was one of the most beautiful love poems in the history of the Somali people:

 

HADAY ILI WAX QABANAYSO OO LAGU QABOOBAAYO

AMA QURUX LADAAWADO KOL UUN AADMI KU QANCAAYO

ANIGUBA QADRAAN SOO ARKIYO QAARARKII HODDANE

HAYEESHEE QAREEN BAA IGU GALAY QALAY NAFTAYDIIYE

HABLAYAHOW HALKII QOOMANAYD BAAD IQABATEENE

QALBIGAAN BOGSIINAYAY BAAD QAC IGA SIISEEN

QAR QARADA JIDHKAYGIYO GACMUHU WAY QADH QADHA YAANE

QALBIGUU WAX IGA YEELAA ILAYN NAASKA QAAWANIYO

INAAN EE BAHAY IDIN QATALIN QARIYE LAABTIIN

 

This roughly translates to

 

IF THE EYE CAN CAPTURE SOMETHING (beauty) AND THAT COULD CALM DOWN SOMEBDY (somebody's heart)

OR EVER A HUMAN COULD BE STISFIED WITH BAEUTY

I HAVE SEEN KHADRA’S (Hoddan's) SHOULDERS, NECK, AND FACE

HOWEVER, I HAVE STRIKEN BY LOVE THAT DEVESTED MY LIFE

LADIES, YOU HAVE POKED THE PART (the heart) THAT WAS IN PAIN

YOU HAVE HURT THE HEART THAT I WAS TRYING TO HEEL

MY UPPER BODY AND HANDS ARE SHIVERING (due to the painful effect of love)

THE NAKED BREAST HURTS MY FEELING

GOD FORBIDS TO SEND YOU TO DISTRUCTION, I ASK YOU TO COVER YOUR CHEST

 

Hoddan did not show affection towards him but perhaps due to pressure from her family she was unwilling to deal with his passion for her - a hardship of love that isolated him from society.

 

After learning that Elmi was too depressed from his infatuation of her and it was taking a physical toll on him, she paid a short visit to his place. Though she never showed feeling for him before, her visit to his residence in the last few days of his lives tells us otherwise. When she arrived, Elmi's roommate and best friend Muse informed her Elmi had not slept for several days until today.

 

Hoddan didn't want to disturb Elmie, so she told Muse to tell Elmi that she was here to see him. Upon waking late in the afternoon, Elmi was informed the woman that he loved the most was here to see him and she wished him the best. In utter disbelieve and regretful for missing her visit, Elmi placed his hands on his head and said

 

HOHEEY HADHKA GALAY HURDADU WAY XUNTEE

BAL INAAN HABAAR QABO MAXAA HODDAN IWAYDAARSHAY

 

SLEEPING DURING THE DAY, IS NOT A WISE IDEA

UNLESS I AM CURSSED, WHY DID I MISS HODDAN

 

Unlike the story of Romeo and Juliet, the story of Elmi and Hoddan is based on real events. Its beginning and finale have been passed from generation to generation.

 

If you can read Somali

Gabaygan waa gabay fariin ah oo Cilmi uu farayey nin u socday magaalada Berbera oo ay joogtay gabadhii uu jeclaa Hodon Cabdi. Isaguna waxaa layidhi wuxuu joogay markaa Hawd.

Wuxuu yidhi:

 

Ina adeer hagaagtaye hadaad hilinka sii qaado

Hantaq iyo Illaah kuguma rido hagabyadii Sheekhe

Mid hubsiimo badan baad tahoo halo la siiyaaye

Adigaan halyay kuu bidiyo huritii Daa'uude

 

Hilaac baa Berbera iiga baxay Hodan agteediiye

Hurdadana habeenkii ma lado had iyo waagiiye

Sida hoorimaad baa qalbigu ii hanqadhayaaye

Waxaa lay horjoogaa sidii horadhacii geele

 

Inaan haybsigeed dhigay haday Hodan i moodayso

Gabadh kalaan haasaawiyaa waa iga haniyaade

Hadaan hadiyad caano ugu diro hoohigaa gubiye

Maxaan kula hagaagaa yartii way hanwayntahaye

 

QAARARKII HODON

Gabaygan wuxuu tiriyey mar la yidhi hablihii beesha uu kadhashay gabadh kasta ha tusto meesha u qurux badan bal si uu u ilaawo jacaylkanjiif iyo joogba u diiday markaa isaga oo la hadalaya hablihi quruxdooda soo bandhigayey wuxuu yidhi:

 

Hadday ili wax qabanayso oo lagu qaboobaayo

 

Oo qurux la daawado kol uun aadmi ku qancaayo Aniguba Qadraan soo arkiyo qaararkii Hodane

 

Ha yeshee qaraam baygu galay naftaydiyee

 

Hablayahow halkii qoomanayd baad i qabateene Qalbigaan bogsiinaayey baad qac iga siiseene

 

Qarqarrada jidhkiyo gacmuhu way qadhqadhayaane Qalbigu wax yeelaa illayn naaska qaawaniye

 

Qosolkaa yar yari waa waxaad nagu qaldaysaane

 

Inaan Eebbehay idin qatalin qariya laabtiina.

 

CIDINA MAARAYNE

Gabayagan waxaa layidhaahdaa waa gabayadii Ugu Danbeeyay cilmi inaatunu dhiman wuxuuna tiriyey Gabaygan mar loo sheegay in lasiiyey gabadhii uu Jeclaa ee hodon nin warsangeli ah oo la odhan jiray Mohamed Shabeele wuxuuna yidhi:

 

nimanyahow gabay waa murti iyo maaran kala waaye

 

Rag uun baa maroor wax u tusoo kaygu waa malabe

 

Sida Sheekh mufti ah oo cilmiga meel ku marinaaya

 

Waw muhanayaa maansadaad mari i leediine Hadaanse

 

madar ka sheegaayo oon walle ku maansoodo Martuba

 

way ka dhici layd hablaha muxibbo owgeede Murugada calooshayda

 

iyo muhanka laabtayda Miyi waxan la tegi waayey iyo

 

madaxdii Daa'uudka Meeraysigeedii waxaan ula madoobaaday

 

Nin mataanihiisii gacmaha meel dhigtaan ahaye

 

Mid kalaa la tegay geenyadii maanku ku xidhnaaye

 

Muruq kuma kaxaysanine rag buu magansanaayaaye Haddii aanan mahiiggiyo ka biqin murabidkaa gaalka Amase aan mashraqo lay sudhayn maalin ma hayeene Alla magane sow dowladani meesha kama dhoofto Afartaa intaan miin ka dayey marin ma qaadsiiyey Mid kalena waa maansaday muhatay laabtaydu Mariil baa qardhaas loo tolaa

 

meelo la qabtaaye Mereg baa la gooyaa cishqaan cidina maareyne Inantaan naftayda u makalay way i moog tahaye Mid kalaaba loo meheriyey ooy meel u gogoshaaye Micna gaabanow dumar inaan malo la waydiinin Waa waxa martiyo loogu xidhay marada shaydaane Muxubiyo makaawo wakiil magac waxaan siiyey Maydhkii khasaaraysay iyo maaddi gabayeede Waa ii muraadday iyo waxaan uga muraaqoone Mitaalkeeda waan heli lahaa Maydh haddaan tago e Mudanihii Cismaan iyo bal aan Maakhir haybsado

 

DHAXANTA MEERAAYE

Gabaygan waxaa layidhi isagoo dhulka xardhaya ayaa waxaa ku soo Baxay qolo ay asxaab ahaayeen markaa wuxuu is yidhi intaanay ku Waydiin u sheeg wuxuu yidhi:

 

Nimanyahow dharaar iyo habeen waan dhadhabayaaye Dhulkuun baan xarriiqaa siday dhiillo ii timide Sida qaalin dhugatoobay oo geelii wada dhaafay Dhallinyaro ma raacee kalaan dhaxanta meeraaye Dhaqtarkaa la geeyaa ninkii dhaawac wayn qaba e Iyana waygu dheeldheelayaan dhamacda Daa'uude

[Xoogsade]

Sheekadooda intey ku dhammaatey? Funny thing is, I know the beginning of it, the middle of the story, but somehow never ended up getting the final part clearly. Cilmi died out of love is common knowledge. What about Hodan? As a kid, I always hated HODAN. Every time aan sheekada maqlo, my words were, xaasidsanaa laakiin, miskiinka mexey sidaas u yeeshey. I was quick to judge her assuming she refused him. Anyways, I get a bit here and piece of the story there.

 

I didn't get to check above me if there was a link with the full story, so if anyone has it, yallah, soo callaq anigana aan riixee linkiga.

 

According to one of the poems above, it seems his relatives knew about his obsession with hodan and tried to provide him with pretty women in hopes of him forgetting about her. How nice of them really. All that made him though was suffer more and reawaken his dormant undying love for her. Man! Jacayl SUCKS if it hurts people like that. But he should have tried marrying one, who knows, may be after toddobada(the seven days discovery), it would be, "Oh" I can deal with that. I like to think every woman is just like the other and all give womanly thing in terms of warm feelings and etc, so why pain yourself when you can get one? Mise tan la rabo besaa wax gooni ah laga helaa? Cajiib.

[Muhammad]

waa saan sheekada u maqlay ee, the ending of the story is that Hodon was wedded by another man, named Mahamed Shabeeli, they had many children, I believe that one of her sons wrote a book about his mother and Cilmi.

 

as for Cilmi, his fate was very different than that of Hodon, when Hodon was taken from Berbera to Maydh, Sanaag, his love didn't die but his body gave up, and he died of malnutrition, as sky mentioned.

 

 

 

Mid kalaa la tegay geenyadii maanku ku xidhnaaye

 

meelo la qabtaaye Mereg baa la gooyaa cishqaan cidina maareyne Inantaan naftayda u makalay way i moog tahaye Mid kalaaba loo meheriyey ooy meel u gogoshaaye Micna gaabanow dumar inaan malo la waydiinin Waa waxa martiyo loogu xidhay marada shaydaane Muxubiyo makaawo wakiil magac waxaan siiyey Maydhkii khasaaraysay iyo maaddi gabayeede Waa ii muraadday iyo waxaan uga muraaqoone Mitaalkeeda waan heli lahaa Maydh haddaan tago e Mudanihii Cismaan iyo bal aan Maakhir haybsado

[Xoogsade]

Tragic ending. Thanks for the conclusion Muhammad. According to people who go insane with love, they lose appetite for eating, get depressed and become secluded from others. I read many of a story like that or heard about it from real persons. So it makes sense the poor fella to had died weak and deprived of body nourishment. May Allah have mercy on him. I heard also they do unbecoming things on his grave. Wax waalan lama waayo lool. instead of praying for the man, they visit his grave, as they said, with the intent of screwing. run miyaa sheekadaas? Wax maka maqashey?

[qumane]

most of fiction roman ended happyly but this was real history that is way most of us don't like how it ends. Maybe you wonder how Hodan felt when she heard cilmi's death did she think it was her fault that he die and what did people say about her have they blamed her for causing the unbearable pain he's gone through.

 

No one knows exactly how Hoddan felt about Elmi’s infatuation of her but her silence should not be construed as a lack of caring. In general, Somali women back in those days and even at the present time are known to say very little or nothing about issues that are regarded as disgraceful. However, Hoddan was caring enough to visit him at times when he was too depressed and too weak.

 

I believe she cared about him, but due to pressure from her family she was afraid to admit. Perhaps she did not perceive Elmi as a crazy man like everybody else did, but she deeply cared about him too. Keeping that in mind, I can only imagine how she felt after he passed away. to broef that I heard flowing history from uncle of my.

 

Wuxuu yidhi "waxaan baabuur kuwa xamuulka qaada ah ka soo raacay magaalada barbara waxaanan ku soconay Hargeisa xiligu waa dhamaadkii lixdameeyadii. Xiligaa lama dhisin wali wadada laamiga ah ee u dhaxaysa Hargays iyo Barbara. Wakhti dheer ayay qaadan jirtay u kala safarka labada magaalo. Baabuurka dushiisa waxaanu ku fuushanahay aniga iyo dhawr oday halka shidhkana ay kaga jireen laba dumar ah iyo dirawalka. Si wakhtiga la isu dhaafiyo ayaa ragii dusha saaraa waxay bilaabeen inay gabayaal iyo taariikho ka sheekeeyaan. Mid ka mida odayashaas ayaa waxa uu si qoto dheer uga sheekeyay gabayaddii Cilmi Boodhari, isagoo gabayba gabayku daba xiji siinayay. Mudo markay sheekadu sidaa u socotay ayaa baabuurkii mar qudha si lama filaan ah loo joojiyay labaddii dumarka ahaa ee shidhka fuushaaana way ka daadageen oo waxay u carareen geedo yaryar dabadooda. Markaasuu dirawalkii yidhi "Waaryaa ninkaagan gabayada ka sheekaynayoo jooji sheekada hadaad Ilaahay ka baqanaysi" waayo ayaanu waydiinaya dirawalkii waxaanu noogu jawaabay "labadan dumara ee daadagay mid ka midi waa Hodan sheekada iyo gabayada aad ka sheekaynaysayna way maqlaysay sababtaa awgeed ayay emotional u noqotay oo loo soo beerqaaday oo ay oohin u bilowday".

Maadama aan sheekadan ka maqlay qof wayn oo looga qaateen ah waxaan odhan karaynaa Hodan qudheeda jacaylkii xaga dambe ayuu kaga soo baxay oo wuu saameeyay inkasta oo ay Inashabeele caruur badan u dhashay. Mid ka mida caruurteedaasna aniguba waan arkay. Nolol caadiya oo qoysna ay ku noolayd. Arin kale oo aan inta badan laga hadalno waa mar haddii gabadha somaliyeed ay guursato oo ay Soddoh noqoto lama soo hadal qaado sheekadeeda oo waa laga xishoodaa

[Xoogsade]

Maashallah, Bro Qumane, thanks. I pray for Hodan as well. It is as if I forgave her now. It is indeed tragic story. The endurance of the story comes from the unhappy ending it has. If they married, that would had been the end of their story.

 

Thanks again Qumane.

[Pucca]

interesting...

[Gediid]

Qumane

This is by far the best of all the Cilmi Boodheeri posts on SOL....After Cilmi passed away reerka oo ka dhashey all got together and promised of all the reasons a man can die for no man from the family shall never die of love again...

[Sharmarkee]

Originally posted by ALexus.:

Our own Somali Romeo Cilmi Boodheri.

I have little knowledge about the Somali version of romeo. Can anyone inform me more about Cilmi Boodheri. Perhaps the older generation:

Baashi, Sharmarkee, Castro, Ngonge & Ducaqabe

Salaam,

 

Alexus,

 

That is where you are mistaken my dear by putting me with your older generation ...I am by far much younger than those in the list!

 

To Answer your question I found this on the net at somali-weyn website longtime ago an interesting article on how Elmi Boodhari's peoms were driving forward the cultural somali love songs better known as "Qaraami" . it's written in Somali hope you can translate by yourself or at least call it Daqan-Celis for you.

 

http://www.somaliweyn.com/pages/Sheeko/2feb2.htm

[Pi]

Daqan celis, indeed.

[Nephissa]

^^ Why don't you take his spot, and line up with your generation?

[Janna]

Originally posted by Sharmarkee:

Alexus,

 

That is where you are mistaken my dear by putting me with your older generation ...I am by far much younger than those in the list!

 

To Answer your question I found this on the net at somali-weyn website longtime ago an interesting article on how Elmi Boodhari's peoms were driving forward the cultural somali love songs better known as "Qaraami" . it's written in Somali hope you can translate by yourself or at least call it

Daqan-Celis for you.

My Somali is limited not gone, Sharmarkee.

Sharmarkee, Dhalin yaro miyaad isku moodaa?

Daqan celis? Ma aniga. I am a Somali a Somali can get. *Drags her red dirac. war is leeha adooyahow

 

Somali poetry doesn't interest me. It's boring.

It's like watching Indian movies. I hate Indian movies. I shouldn't be comparing Somali poetry to Indian movies. I feel as though I have insulted my tradition. Besides Somali poetry isn't my thing. Reading it? Death would be my only option. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

Sharmarkee,

Somaliaonline is place where men are 30 plus and the girls never past 22.