The 1980s: Faded Times, Lasting Joy

[Abtigiis]

Harar, where to complete elegance meant slipping into an Azzaro shirt and Idol trouser pair, and on top of this, a kaki jacket with many pockets, given to you by secondhand dealer, who you befriended and implored to keep nice coats and jackets from new consignments for you. And sometimes full three-piece suits, invariably oversized, which you got from a fat relative who descended from abroad. Ah, the times have faded but not the memories.

 

In those years of boyhood and early adolescence, to be happy was to leave home early Saturday morning, armed with dirty one birr (local currency), then head to the ‘Billiard place” in Faras-magaala. After scintillating games, whose magic is not diminished by loss or win, you head to Kebele 14 for some hot roasted meat. But the real thing starts at 1:30 as you go underground in the Ras Makonen cinema, becoming Indian, American, or Japanese for three full hours, depending which film is on show. Ah, the ground-nut, the arguments, the cheeky noises that break the roof amid darkness. And the strange sounds on the side where a gentle-looking man with a worn-out tie is sitting with a lady, who goes to the toilet very early during the breaks, just before the lights are on.

 

The real thing is the Saturday’s the school walks to Alamaya (Haramaya now), 20 km from Harar. Today, the lake is dry but in those days, it meant lake Victoria for us. And there were nice tukuls all around. There, after lunch, and under the sun, each group of 10-15 friends (boys and girls) surround one National Panasonic recorder, the vocal potency of the recorders augmented by extended amplifiers.

 

Coke in hand, you jump into the makeshift sandy dance floor to jive furiously to ‘English’ songs whose meaning you don’t understand; harvesting sweat from your forehead in merriment as you sing in unison “yellow, yellow fever”. Who cares if this was a promotional song for World Health Organization! The beat is what matters. You chant piercingly when the words you are sure you know come across. “illushaa” you say for “Illusion”, at once getting the words and the accent too.

 

You jump up and go down in rhythmic twists and turns, all to the great notice of the town/village beauties toadying hesitancy, playing the un-eager, even as their eyes tell a different story. All done, you lash out a snowy handkerchief, often with a lavishly put romantic message from a loved one from the village. You recline back on a chair opposite the beauty you fancied, and elaborately open the buttons of your shirt and push the collars back as far as your backline, all in a huge ritual show of flamboyance. That was to be home, to be in Harar then. Life has never been the same for me.

 

What about you, dear nomads? I mean those who are old enough to remember the 80s? :D

[Jacaylbaro]

I do ...

[N.O.R.F]

What happened to carrying a ball around and only being concerned with where to play? Mise that was the 70s for A&T?

[NGONGE]

In my days, the coke you mention was used as "hair gel". You see, for some strange reason, someone told us that by puring coke (or pepsi) on our hair we would get that MJ look (from the Off the wall album). So lots of cans of coke were poured on lots of heads.

 

There were no girls around. Girls were only seen from a distance and the most impressive and (to this day) arousing thing was to view a girl/woman/female getting out of a car; for that split secnd we could view a quick glimpse of a smooth ankle (unless it were some mad woman who wore socks).

 

Swimming in the sea, catching wild donkies in the desert or loitering outside the house of a "new" friend just becuase they've hired a pretty new maid was the 80s for me.

 

As for football; Dalglish everyday. Maradona sometimes. Majed Abdullah, mostly and Mahmood Suufi by the end of the decade. Our favourite football chant? "سليت ما صليت يا ربي توبه" I forgot, I didn't pray..oh allah..tooba (it was sung as soon as the first half of games finished; the games were timed so as the first half will finish just as Asar prayer was about to start and the chant was a jokey call to those that sit in the stands in between.

 

Ma wadaa?

[Abtigiis]

NGONGE;761570 wrote:

.

 

There were no girls around. Girls were only seen from a distance and the most impressive and (to this day) arousing thing was to view a girl/woman/female getting out of a car; for that split secnd we could view a quick glimpse of a smooth ankle (unless it were some mad woman who wore socks).

:D These species were pervasive, dear NG. The Mawardiis,Orit, Tutugn, Khania (all Harari's), The Badria, Kimiya, Fatiya, Asia of Oromos, The Etaferahu, Woynishet, Tigist, and Zigerada of Amharas, and even one or two Somalis (Fardowsa and Roda). :D The biggest challenge was not finding a pretty girl (especially when you have the fame of being among the top students, academically, of the school and can go to their home under the pretext of helping 'the girls with their studies'.) All the girls needed as an alibi was to bring their mothers to the school at the end of the school year in June, so that they can witness the boy 'who helped their girls in studies' receiving prizes from the school director in the parent's day :D

 

The ground-nut, the guava, and the mangoes we expended for free is countless. For those who believe in the maxim "to control a girl's heart, you have to go below the belt', there was no fear of killer diseases; the maximum punishment being a transitory Gonorrea, which itself will be wiped out after a week or so by attacking it with a handful of Tetracycline. Time was then, NG!

 

Speaking of the coke, it wasn't used for the hair in our part of the world. I know of teenage girls who used to believe it prevents pregnancy if taken intensively in the days preceding or following vulgar action.

 

Jacayl, you re the 90s, we know that. You missed the glorious 80s.

[Jacaylbaro]

I don't wana be exposed waaryaa ,,,, ha i qodqodin baan ku idhi ,,

[Abtigiis]

Jacayl, you are the late 1990s. Not a funny decade if you ask me, although it is the decade I married my first of five marriages.

[Jacaylbaro]

That is still qodqodid dee ,,,

[Alpha Blondy]

ah... the 80s. now, that was the decade. good time indeed.

[Malika]

Ah. The 'don't touch my shoe' ankle length trousers - I believe that was fashion trend from MJ'S Billie Jean video - I sure did rock that. Oh Oh..Madonna's 'like a virgin' dress code was so in too in my circle..Lol. Break-dancing or trying to during break times at the school hall..Lol

 

Sneaking away to watch the bronzed/tanned and rightly burnt boys trying to sail at the yacht-club on weekends or them playing squash at the Gymkhan was just so exciting...oh youth!!

 

Ofcourse all that was possible, when one has lied to the Macaalim at Madrassas , claiming they were expected home early ..Leaving malcamaa early on Saturdays and sundays so just to go hang out at the Yatch club or the Gymkhana..

 

I do miss the late 80's - young and full of life.

[Carafaat]

Alpha Blondy;761584 wrote:

ah... the 80s. now, that was the decade. good time indeed.

Good times as a baby indeed.

[Abtigiis]

I believe Alpha is the 90s. There are only five people from the 70s. Xinnfanin, Oodweyne, Nin-Yaaban, Nuune(although baby-face) and Xaji Xundjuf. But I believe it is not only me, Ngonge and Malika who are from the 80s. Please be brave and come out.

[N.O.R.F]

Malika 1980s?

[Alpha Blondy]

Abtigiis;761699 wrote:

I believe Alpha is the 90s. .

more like the early to mid 2000s. in the 1990s i was a young boy lol.

[Carafaat]

Xaaji, do tell us about your younger daysback in in the '70 and how you chased those Xaalimo's.