Somaliland Moving Library tour

[Alpha Blondy]

brilliant stuff.

[Jacaylbaro]

Books will never retire .... I said Never

[Alpha Blondy]

^when is the hargeisa international bookfair?

[Jacaylbaro]

22 to 26 July ............ don't miss it

[Ibtisam]

“Moving Library” Diaries 10th July- 12th July: Ceerigaabo to Laas Anood

 

 

After the event in Ceerigaabo we were pleased and so proud of the reception the books generated that the next morning we decided to take some books to the nearby Dallo Mountains to have breakfast and do some reading of our own before starting our long journey back. Armed with breakfast and our books we went to the most beautiful display of natural beauty, layers of mountainous rocks covered with trees and grass cascading down to plunging distance, sweet smelling flowers and plants we have not seen anywhere else, moist freezing breezy damping the greens and playing havoc with our clothing’s. By 8am it was warm and bright, the fog and breezing wind slightly lifting, for the most part we gazed at the beauty in silence, some of us did manage to read and we all sat down and had breakfast.

 

We came down the mountain and passed by the famous rocks of Somali Queen Arawello and local farms before starting our journey back.

 

We headed to Yufley to fulfil our promise, but before we reached the village, we were met by the Mayor and his convoy; they welcomed us with cars, horses and rows of people lining the path waving, clapping and singing! In utter shock we stared at the small quite village we passed only a few days ago transformed into nearly 500 cheering crowd. The procession reached the newly labelled Yufley Library, inside there was already a host of cultural and traditional handcrafts hanging from the wall and on the tables; they gave us fresh camel milk. Outside, a dancing battle broke out between the men and women playing the durban (make shift drums) singing traditional Somali songs and dancing. With so many things going on, my camera darted from one action packed corner to the other.

 

We provided Yufley with the 50 books to start filling their library. We were sorry to leave Yufley, they had stolen the show and the crown for the most organised and enthusiastic crowd we met and they are the first of all the places we went to, which now has a functioning, fully built library. The first library established as a result of the moving library tour, the first success story. The cars and horses escorted us out of the town, they profusely thanked us and waved us off chanting and waving.

 

Truly where there is the will, there is a way, for the town of Yufley now has a public library! I didn’t notice the long distance or the rough roads or anything else on the way back, I even forgot to take pictures for a long while, I sat lost in my own thoughts reflect about Yufley, about their dedication, how fast they pulled everything together, how generous and welcoming, how talented and skilful they were in their dance, speech and articulating their wishes and passion. I wish we could’ve stayed longer but we were already delayed and would not reach Laas Anood for the night but rather end up sleeping at Garadag and reach Laas Anood the next day.

 

We left Garadag the next morning at 4.30am, and we reached the beautiful hilly outskirts of Laas Anood at 8am, once again we were met by a convoy made up of the mayor’s office, the media, security and various other groups including women groups. We stood along the road and chatted for a while before returning to our cars and driving into the city. As we drove along the main road people waved to us, some enquired about the procession of 20 cars and all the media, I heard shouts of congratulations to wedding, others thought it was a local celebrity, while others joked that maybe it is an escort for the president.

 

The Ismail Mire Reading Club and the Mayor of Laas Anood had prepared the event well, it was attended by a mix crowd of young and old, male and female, we met retired professors and teachers who expressed their support and were delighted that Laas Anood will now commence the building of their library, as the home of many poets they took pride in being at the forefront of literature and at the heart of this campaign. I was particularly impressed at how vocal the women groups were and the attendee reads us poems that they had penned for the event.

 

They prepared for us a mighty feast after the event and a tour of the city on our way out, we left Laas Anood content and confident that not only will the library be created as promised but judging by the number of educated locals we met, it will used and preserved.

[Ibtisam]

“Moving Library” Diaries: Travelling with Academics and Artists

 

 

I am not a groupie, nor do I stalk celebrities, my thoughts never intrude into their life and my interest does not extend beyond their artistic ability. Nevertheless I was thrilled to have Ahmad Awale, Saeed Jama Hussein, Jama Musse Jama and Mohamed Warsame Hadrawii as part of our convoy! As published authors and artistic royalty they are all an asset to our campaign, an asset to my own development and a credit to Somali literature.

 

I was a little apprehensive, partly because I have so much respect for them all and spending so much time with them [sometimes 8-6hrs long drives] is plenty of time to make a fool out of myself, perhaps I was use to dealing with western who are usually quite aloof and distant, perhaps I was worried that as a young individual and as a women, they may treat me differently, but as it turned out my worries were baseless.

 

I developed a separate and unique relationship with each and every one of them and I am deeply indebted to all of them for the tour of the country, the knowledge and views they shared and most of all for the entertainment and easy going environment they facilitated. Courtesy of Ahmad Awale I learnt the landscape and depth of Somaliland, Saeed Jama Hussein offered me a glimpse into life in Yemen, Europe and Africa, Jama Musse Jama introduced me to great books and ensured we stopped at every beautifully mind blowing spot he knew on the way, while Hadrawii’s insight into life, poetry and the Somali language is truly inspiring.

 

I could not have had better guides for my first trip across Somaliland, I mingled with locals from all clans and sects of society, travelled with some of the most inspirational and successful Diaspora returnees and reunited with my friends from London. I am deeply honoured that I had the opportunity to interact, travel and share so much with such knowledgeable and talented individuals.

 

I am sad that the tour has ended and I have not taken full account of all the things I have seen and heard, but they will forever remain engraved into my memory; I will always remember seeing a young child and her mother picking up a book for the first time, an old man regretfully wishing he had learnt to read and the facial expressions of students who, for the first time saw the biggest collection of books they have ever been exposed to in one place. I remember their hungry, how they hurriedly jumped from one book to another unable to settle for one. Most importantly I remember Mayor of towns and local officials who promised their people a public library, I hope they remember too!

 

Literature and Somali authors do not often get the credit and recognition they deserve, on this tour people mobbed us, from Hargeisa, Berbera, Burco, Ceerigabo, Laas Anood, Borama and tiny little villages in between, they wanted to meet the person behind the book, they told us their own stories and ambitions to read, study, and write.

[Ibtisam]

“Moving Library” Diaries 14th & 15th July: Hargeisa, Gabiley and Borama

 

 

Gabiley is the heart of political Somaliland, the depth of agriculture and the beauty close to the city, beautiful greenery, farms and vegetations spread as far as the eye can see, people working hard on their land or tending livestock. Inside the town, the green, red and white colours highly visible, the flags flying high. In Gabiley, I met the quite, observing educated kids, women wearing beautiful traditional dresses, and for the first time I met the women in power (The Mayor and Military Commander). The youngsters packed into the hall, filling the chairs, leaning against the walls and sitting on the floor to read their chosen book.

 

The town is gorgeous, the people educated and responsive, the women empowered! There are not enough words to describe the beauty of the landscape that leads out through Dila waiving through the mountains taking you to Borama. As you head in, between two mountains is a spot known as the window into Borama as it gives you a perfect overview of the city.

 

Borama is popular for its educational institutions; Amoud University is one of the best and largest educational institutions in Somaliland. I had the opportunity to meet the locals, see the sultans and clan elders as well as meeting former government officials and Professors at the university. At short notice the locals turned out on a Friday in great numbers. More accustom to the function of a Library, the attendees sat in silent for an hour reading, forcing us organisers to tip toe around and minimize the noise.

 

In Borama I met the most cooperative readers, who did not require an introduction to books, nor a facilitator between them, instead each individual picked up a book and started reading. I witnessed a glimpse into how a public Library will be utilized, I witnessed people adopting the culture of reading quietly at a library long before they have a public library built in their city. Looking at them, I saw our vision, the belief and motivation behind the “Moving Library”; most importantly I see the need to ensure this vision becomes a reality.

 

I am confident that should the Mayor and local government deliver on their promises and fulfil their duty, each town and each city the “Moving Library” visited will not only benefit from a new Public Library but also it would be a step in facilitating the dreams of so many who don’t even know the extent of their yearning and the gap in their life without books.

 

Our responsibility as those who can read, who have access to books, who maybe even have a mini library in our homes, our duty is to follow up and ensure these officials deliver on their promise, so that others can have similar opportunities in discovering the world through books. From Berbera, Shiekh, Burco, Ceerigaabo, Yufleh, Laascaanood, Gabiley, and Borama, they are all accountable to us in the Diaspora and the locals they govern. We should follow up the progress of the Mayor or the deputy Mayor and all the local officials we met who welcomed us, saw our vision and promised to facilitate it becoming a reality.

[Jacaylbaro]

We left Garadag the next morning at 4.30am, and we reached the beautiful hilly outskirts of Laas Anood at 8am, once again we were met by a convoy made up of the mayor’s office, the media, security and various other groups including women groups. We stood along the road and chatted for a while before returning to our cars and driving into the city. As we drove along the main road people waved to us, some enquired about the procession of 20 cars and all the media, I heard shouts of congratulations to wedding, others thought it was a local celebrity, while others joked that maybe it is an escort for the president.

 

The Ismail Mire Reading Club and the Mayor of Laas Anood had prepared the event well, it was attended by a mix crowd of young and old, male and female, we met retired professors and teachers who expressed their support and were delighted that Laas Anood will now commence the building of their library, as the home of many poets they took pride in being at the forefront of literature and at the heart of this campaign. I was particularly impressed at how vocal the women groups were and the attendee reads us poems that they had penned for the event.

 

They prepared for us a mighty feast after the event and a tour of the city on our way out, we left Laas Anood content and confident that not only will the library be created as promised but judging by the number of educated locals we met, it will used and preserved.

 

That is what i'm talking about .............

[Blessed]

Baeutifully written Ibts. Hada sawiradii noo soo gudbi, macaanto. Meeshaan jeclaana ugu soo horeysii.

[Jacaylbaro]

Burco ??? ,,

[Blessed]

LOL. Maya, Ibti iyo anaa isla og. Bruco indhahayga sow kumaan soo arkin, maxaan sawir ku fali? Waxaan ogaaday laakin, my true love is indeed Berbera. *sigh*

[Jacaylbaro]

Anna meeshaa necbiyaa hadaba ,,, If not the sea waaban burburin lahaa

[Blessed]

Burburi aah? Berbera is so lovely, you find everything that is great about Burco and Hargaisa. It's also quiet, the people mellow and friendly, you can see the beach from any distance and it's history is so apparent. :cool:

[Jacaylbaro]

Are u talking about Cilmi Boodhari & Hodan ?? ,,,

[Blessed]

LOOOOOOOOl. Labadoodana ku dar, I didn't get to see Boodhari's Bakery. Now, that you've mentioned it, sidee loo nacaa Berbera, waaba hoygii jacaylkee.