Redifing Somali pan-nationalism.

[Carafaat]

“Waan jeclaan laha somali midowda laakin waxa weye ina la helo wixi lugu midoobi laha”.

Poet Mohamed Hadraawi

 

When the great poet Hadraawi arrived in Moqadishu two months ago as part of a humanitarian relief delegation from Somaliland. He declared to the local media that he would love the unity of the Somali people, but one needs to find that which could unite us. Hadraawi statements emphasizes the strong will and desire of most Somali’s to find some sort of unity around a collective identity or nationalism.

 

Somali pan-nationalism (Midnimo) as we know it today find its origin back in the 1940’s and 1950's. These were the years of Somali independence and the Somali renaissance. For many people this was a decade of great hopes and lofty dreams about uniting all Somali’s within one nation(Somaliweyn). Soon after independence this dream slowly shattered and turned in to nightmare. The Somali nation who’s objective was to unite the Somali people within one nation collapsed and the Somali’s in the Horn of Africa experienced decades of corruption, war, famine, nepotism, clannish, dictatorship and suffering for most Somali people.

 

Nowadays, the Horn of African is one of poorest and most violent regions in the world. And more than four decades later, the dream of Unity is gone and Somali’s seem to be politically more divided than ever. The (British) Somaliland reclaimed its independence in 1991, (French) Djibouti is less than free and ruled by a dictatorship; the (Ethiopian) ****** and the (Kenyan) NFD regions seemed to have accepted the Ethiopian and Kenyan reign over their territory and for at least 20 years (Italian) Somalia was engaged in a bloody civil war following the collapse of the central government.

 

Bringing all Somali speaking people under one form of governance or country proved to be difficult and is today less attainable then it was decades ago. And Somali’s are politically more divided and polarized than ever. Somali nationalism hasnt worked to overcome those diffrences . Because it was based on uniting territories and political power, and politics and land is something Somali’s rarely agree on, let alone share it.

 

Still most people carry hope of a reawakening of a (new) Somali form of pan-nationalism. Personally, I would favour nationalism that unites all Somali’s rathern then divides. A form of nationalism that transcends borders, politics, clan, region, country, etc. A form of nationalism that is build on shared values and one that accepts diversity, that accepts diffrent political vieuws, diffrent agenda's and diffrent interest. A form of nationalism I can share with other Somalis living in diffrent countries.

 

What do you think, is this possible?

[Somalia]

You are arguing that nationalism is something you favour but that it is not possible.

 

Nationalism IS possible. It was possible in the 1960s when we had the most civilised government.

Back then the secessionist region started its agenda of leaving, breaking away just after 1 year because you felt you weren't allocated enough cabinet seats in July 1961.

 

So the agenda of the secessionist region during peace time has been clear for decades that you funny enough wanted the system of 4.5 even before anyone else wanted it.

[NGONGE]

^^ The Islamic Courts, minus the Islam part?

 

It could work you know. Lets sit down and formulate a plan, shall we.

 

Ok. First we need a name, How about Qawmiyada Caalamka Somalia (Q.A.S).

 

Next we need a slogan. How about HEES (Horomar...fill in the gaps)

 

Finally, we need a face for our movement. It can't be a college lecturer or "Dr" (PL, Azania and even the TFG have one of those). It can't be a wadaad (Al Shabab & the TFG have one each). It can't be a career politician (SL and others have those). It has to be something totally new. It also have to be someone trustworthy. Aha, got it! How about a young girl. There has not been many females dipping their garbasaars into Somali politics (well, apart from Saado but hers is a different case).

 

Here is your mission Carafat. In order to achieve world peace (which, in your case and for some strange reason, begins in Somalia), you have to visit the many Somali Socities in universities around the world and find yourself a young, camera-friendly, and articulate lady who is passionate about Somali affairs but is slightly green and naive (we can mould her later). You must ensure that she is willing to talk to the press and that she is not shy about having her face on Youtube and other media outlets.

 

I'll stop here but if you're game we can go on and formulate a plan of action on how we are going to get this lady to become the face of Somalia.

 

p.s.

Please ensure that she has a name that is popular with all Somalis, Shuun will not sit nicely with some parts of Somalia. Still, if we must, we'll change her name too.

[Carafaat]

Ngonge,

 

Gabar waa no hayaa, her name is Shukri Shankaroon.

 

Do you think we can really sell it? Or are you mocking me? Actually I was thinking along the same line to create awareness and sell it to the wider public. But then more through a institutional approach, about a Somali wide non-political institution. Something like the Somali Authority on Culture, Language, Youth and Sports formed by the diffrent authorities in the Horn of Africa, and a Council consisting of Aritst, Poets, Writers, Scholars, youth organisations etc with diffrent Committee's for youth, education, culture, language, etc.

 

And something for the public to promote the non-political cooperation between somali's. Like a big festival of culture, tradition, food, arts, youth, sports, where every region/city can present its local dishes, where artist can show their latest things, football matches, etc. to be be held between 26 of June till 1st of July and every year in another city in the Horn of Africa. I think such an event would draw a lot of visitors from everywhere.

[Che -Guevara]

^looooooooooool....you just wanna throw a party where Xalimos from everywhere come. N here we thought you were going for genuine dialogue.

[NGONGE]

^^ I fully believe we can. In fact, this reminds me of a conversation I had with Norf the other day. He suprised me by telling me that paying for adverts on Somali TV (Universal, etc) was very cheap. This instantly got my mind whirring and I thought of conducting a secret experiment (the cost would have been worth it really).

 

By the way, Shukri Shankaroon is a bit of an obvious name. Think of one along the same lines but make it slightly more subtle. Wa ma Sheikh Sharif ayaa naga caqli weyn? If he can masqurade as a wadaad, we can bleed blue nationalism (and, no, not the SOL type).

 

I like your ideas there but those don't go far enough nor do they take advantage of the "political" and "social" opportunities that Somalia's plight presents.

 

Bal give me five minutes to cook it through in my mind.

[Jacaylbaro]

Midho daray hadaan

Duuduub ku liqi jiray

Doorkan waan hubsanayaa

Dirxi inuu ku hoos jiro

 

............................................................ Abwaan Gaarriye

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Murti culus waleh from abwaan gaariye

[NGONGE]

^^ Mo diidin dee, wuu hubsanaya uun.

You are not as extereme as I thought you were, Xaaji.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Ngonge war anigu waligay Extreme ma ihey waliga waxna aad ha u jeclaan waxna aad ha u nicin is my motto. laakin Dirxigu kama dhamaado dad aan ogahay lol

[NGONGE]

Heh. Heh. Heh.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Hence, so long the south political mantra is: "territorial sanctity" of the the then erstwhile Somali republic in "nonnegotiable", then, I fear, whatever communal engagement that Somaliland is prepare to indulged in with Somalia will be something is done at arm's length, indeed.

i've been telling him this for weeks but he seems to ignore this point

[Carafaat]

Oodweyneh, you are right there are many political objections within Somaliland to start such cultural forms of cooperation. But Somalia is only one of the 5 countries where Somali's live. Somaliland could start together with Djibouti and the Somali region of Ethiopia such cooperation.

From 2012 the NFD region in Kenya will get its own provincial authorities with its own mandate and could join such an initiative.

 

 

To Jb, Xaaji Xunjuf:

 

Sabo reer ka fogaanoon

Laygu aaminin soofkiyo

Saaca maanta aan joogno

 

Gabaygu waygu sugnaayee

Haddii aan Sarsarriigo

Ama aan sarmaseejo

 

Amaba aan sixi waayo

Ama aan ka salguuro

Amaba laygu saluugo

 

Soomaalida i maqlaysaay

I su'aala hadhow

 

 

[Mintid Farayar]

In other words, come attach your new house (where you're still putting in the piping and wiring) to 'my burning house'.....

[Carafaat]

Mintid, please read my reply to Oodeyneh.

 

Somehow we associate Somalism always with Somalia. but there are many others you know.