National identity VS tribal identity

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

In the pretext of the today's Somali politics its well noted the last struggle Somalis are fighting is the fight for national identity versus the tribal identity.In the Somali society the way we identify ourselves has lot to do how we interact. Just take the SOL political forum for example even addressing certain political subjects regarding another region is considered Taboo or a no go zone if you are not from that particular region. Since the civil war the focus on political culture in Somalia involves emphasizing the importance of the tribal identity. And this has found a political play ground in Somalia with the introduction of 4.5 and tribal federalism.

 

Somali is now a mere ethnic group with semi sovereign states but its lost its national course.The constructions of a nation and the national being of a society is mostly deprived from what was lost since independence in 1960 Pan Somalism. Somalis have lost who they are, are they first ethnic Somalis or Somalia Nationals or perhaps their regional tribal homeland defines their identity. Consequently the Somalis in the O'gaden region have found a way to identify themselves with the ONLF a rebel group fighting for larger autonomy in Ethiopia up to secession. The rest of the population identify themselves as Somali Ethiopians , Somali as their ethnic origin and Ethiopian as the Nationality of the people.Somali society in Somalia and Somaliland are the least multicultural states in Africa and the subjective sense of tribal identity of the collective group is divisive it doesn't enrich the societies in Somalia but its a delimitation on the concept of people nationalism.

 

On the other hand the Somali national identity with regards to the process of nation building has sunk a deep level. When you have Puntians who are first Puntians than nationals of Somalia its working on a reverse mode.The thing is Somalia was given the country name of an ethnic group the Somalis the bantus the banadiris do not share that common identity this also plays a role in describing what Somali nationhood actually is.The Somali culture and traditions are the most basic elements some would say is the drive behind Somali nationalism but what is the Somali culture exactly the language the poetry it doesn't add much to the Somali nationhood many are trying revive.

 

For example in Somaliland you are first a Somalilander than you are from ur tribe sub sub clan and so on the national identity is Somaliland and the rest is about tribal lineages. So in Somaliland there is a gap between what kind of Somali they are and between their tribal origin. Furthermore their identity is most of the time just Somaliland. Maybe its rooted in a historic cultural principle since national identity was something brand new for us and we were only exposed to nationalism because the rest of Africa was doing the same. But are true nature of the tribal identity never faded away even in modern days.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Oo i almost forgot in Djibouti you are first Djibouti citizen than ur from the Jesus Ethnic group since the Somali Ethnic group is the jesus Ethnic group they do things a bit different in Djibouti

[oba hiloowlow]

Xaaji do you know whats worse these kids born in the civil war in qurbaha have become infested with Qabyaalad and some tend to be very extreme reer hebel are that and reer hebel are that. Last summer i saw my neighbours kids playing H block against D-block and they were just 10 yrs. The qabiil need to be abolished if we want Somalia to develop cause there will always be misstrust between the clans.

[Ambassador]

Clan identity is deeply engrained in the Somali culture. It's a form of an ID to identify folks and for that reason, the clan identity is not going anywhere, at least not anytime soon. However, it'd be very nice if people would first see themselves as Somalis then as clan X and so forth. Sadly, that's not the case and I doubt we're headed there anytime soon.

 

I hold the view that the clan should be sacrificed and be subordinated to nationalism in every way possible. country first, then clan next but that's asking for too much from a society where sometimes tribal loyalty supersedes religious loyalty.

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

It's one thing for a Somali from the 18 hundreds and early 19s to self identify with, in that order, laaf jilib clan qabiil then Somalinemo, and completely another for a modern person whose well aware of the fact that we make up a small percent as a people in the bigger picture of things to self identify as anything other then Somali first and foremost

[Taleexi]

Tribe is not a bad thing per say however, how one uses it makes the cut. XX, your naive view of tribal association is less in the north than in the south doesn't hold water, reality on the ground attests otherwise, the more you leave from the deep south and head up north the clan allegiance gets momentum. However, I concur the tribal syndrome has to be managed if Somalis care living together in peace for generations to come.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Taleexi in Somaliland they know how to deal with tribalism they gave it a place they fully embraced it and than they found a way to manage it in a way its acceptable in the society. But tribalism and people fighting the struggle of tribal identity vs national identity is very much alive in Somalia Somaliland Somali galbeed.

 

Apophis it is in a way but Somalia consists of a few tribes and each tribe wants to have his own identity with his little territory like the way it was before colonialism.

[Haatu]

How can any sane, educated person recognise them self as anything other than Somali first and foremost? The ones that don't are uneducated and misguided.

[Haatu]

^I'm talking about the tribal vs national identity caag yahow

[xiinfaniin]

Xaaji Xunjuf is still pissed of particular clans i.e. O clan. He gives away the script when he talks about Somaliland progressing beyond clan identification

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

lol@ Xiinfaniin Somaliland is a national identity walo dhasha Somaliland either you are one or you are not.

 

The O community are my people the days we used to fight over water wells and camels is over its 2013 waryaa wakthiga la soco.

[Haatu]

Waryaa XX, when you say Somalilanders identify with SOmaliland first and then reer hebel, isn't that just SNM first and then Habar something next?

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

^^ There are many clans in Somaliland which one are you talking about the clans in Awdal have a few habars themselves

[Haatu]

Wardee yaanan isku ciyaarin.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Ciyaarta nooca ma aqaano oday weyn baan ahay