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Khadafi

Southern Somali communities? A future federal state, based upon culture rather then Clan?

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Khadafi   

For over 60 years the core message that have some what been institutionalized is that Somalia is a homogeneous society that is

only inhabited by Somalis. This theory might be true (truly somalis are a homogeneous ethnic society) but it has some flaws.

The truth is that Somalia is a diverse nation with many different cultural sub-groups.

 

The old man Siyaad Barre Alle ha u naxariisto hated these diverse sub-groups and made his MOD-oriented government to equate somaliness with with MOD-originated culture. All anthropological text books about Somalia mentions nomadism..but those from semi-nomadic or sedimnaty or fishery lifestyle

 

It mentions core values that somalis only[/b ]MUDUG have, nothing is mentioned about other cultural sub-groups that exist

within southern Somali communities. The Somali languaged is standard is formed upon that central somali dialect.

My point here is: We should see our diversity as something positive and even appreciate these cultural differences. We should also create federal states from cultural aspects rather then clan states.

 

The Bravenese people, The Banaadiri groups, the Digil-Mirifle and Obas Unuka groups and Biymaal have some what similar cultural and social behaviour. Some would accuse me here of being a clanist for saying this, but the simple truth is that these people are some what peace-loving and have semi-nomadic and sedimentary lifestyle.

 

So how did I come this conclusion? Interacting with other Somalis from different regions, inlaws from mudug and ofcourse friends.

During my skaabalo days I lived in a large villa with many somalis from different regions of Somalia. What I noticed

was the cultural differences. Those who hailed from Mudug had a habit I cant really explain.... Maybe it's a nomadic culture but If

I would describe it with a word it would be "INDHOCADEYS"

 

An example of this Indho-cadeys would for example be: Once our satellite receiver did not function... Me and another "southern" somali named Muuday knew how we would solve the problem. The Mudug guy named Xaayle (still a dear friend of mine)

did not know how to fix it but for 6 hours he tried to fix the problem. He read the manual, shook the box, called his fellow mudug clans men.

 

Despite that we told him that we knew the problem and how to fix it Rather then listening and asking he thought that it was

positive thing to be "self-dependant". He took pride in fixing the problem with no help. While we southern Somalis thought his way

fixing things as something negativly. We asked ourselves, why on earth does not Xaayle ask us to show him to fix the damn satelitte.

To make a long story short, Xayle did indeed fix the problem after 6-7 hours. He came with a smile. Me and the another viewed hisstubburness as a sign of ignorance. Xayle was indeed stubborn but he was also a man you always could count on. That was positive mudug trait about him, but this also created problems for him.

 

 

Other social cultural differences that I observed was the sense of collectivism amongst northern somali brothers. Xaayle always got in problems, and sometimes this would be physical.

 

Xayle spent some time in prison when defended to him and unknown alcoholic clansmen when he was beaten by other non-mudug somali man. When I and Muudey talked about it, we said amongst ourselves "yaakhay, maxaa ka galay, alkooliste xun maxaas u difaacay"

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Carafaat   

Khadafi, you are right. Somalia is much more diverse then many might think.

 

The constitution states that af Maay Maay is one of the two official languages. This is a positive step and we should continue to strive for more of this kind of diversity. But that doesnt mean people(irrelevent to which sub cultures they belong to) cant live side by side, cant have the same local goverment, the same provincial administration. Therefor I dont think the solution is having federal states based on culture, but rather states and governance that reflects the culture and diversity of the people. And diversity should be reflected in the governing and institutions of the country.

 

Does this make sense?

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Haatu   

A rubbish thread full of utter rubbish trying to create differences where there aren't any. The Somalis are one people, with one language and one culture.

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Carafaat   

Haatu;937183 wrote:
A rubbish thread full of utter rubbish trying to create differences where there aren't any. The Somalis are one people, with one language and one culture.

We are talking about cultural sub-groups. Not all Somalis belong to the Nomadic sub-culture! Luckily the Somali constitution acnkowledges the existence of diffrent dialects(sub languages).

 

The official language of the Federal Republic of Somalia is Somali (Maay and Maxaa-tiri), and Arabic is

the second language

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Haatu   

Whether they're a nomad, a farmer or fisherman, they're all Somali. Besides, the nomadic culture = somali culture. As for the dialects, meh.

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Khadafi   

Haatu;937183 wrote:
A rubbish thread full of utter rubbish trying to create differences where there aren't any. The Somalis are one people, with one language and one culture.

Haatu no one is denying that, Somalis are one people, but why ignore the diversity in culture? Some Somalis are fishermen while other are nomads, and some are semi-nomads and some are even farmers The point is that southern Somalia is diverse and its mixture of diffirent cultural sub-groups should be appreciated and not supressed.

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Carafaat   

Haatu;937235 wrote:
Whether they're a nomad, a farmer or fisherman, they're all Somali. Besides, the nomadic culture = somali culture. As for the dialects, meh.

Nobody disputes that. Neither Khadafi nor me made that suggestion.

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