Somaliland Singers Composers Thread - History and Legacy

[Jacaylbaro]

Ma intaasaad soo xasuusatay ,, ?

 

As you said, long before Somaliland ,,,,, lol

[Jacaylbaro]

Maxamed Xaashi Dhamac ‘Gaarriye’

 

Maxamed Xaashi Dhamac “Gaarriye”, one of the most famous living Somali-speaking poets, was born, bred and brought up in Hargeysa, Somaliland. In the early 1970s, he was among many of his contemporaries living in Mogadishu whose works were regarded to have impact upon the prevalent socio-political situation in the country. They were mainly motivated and moved by their patriotic sentiments and leftist political bearing which was internationally popular in that era. Gaarriye was the initiator of the famous poetic combat chain better known as “Deelley” and the author of “Hagarlaawe”, his collected poems, enough to establish his eminence as great poet among Somali speakers.

 

His contributions to Somali literature and culture as a poet, scholar, liberal thinker and social personality over the past three gruesome decades are well recognised. Equally appreciated in no smaller measure are his indefatigable advocacy of human rights, freedom of thought and expression, and his vehement hatred of all forms of human degradation so brilliantly articulated in his poetry. In this regard, his master pieces on ‘Nuclear Weapons’, ‘Nelson Mandela’, ‘Watergate’ and ‘Zimbabwe’ readily spring to the mind. Well described by other scholars, Gaarriye “has been universally regarded as one of the most important Somali poets composing on a great variety of topics from nuclear weapons to Nelson Mandela. A poet who has never been afraid to engage in the politics through his poetry[..]”

 

Official censorship and its blatant harmful effect upon social justice were some of the main themes Gaarriye singled out for his unflinching poetic attack. So also his defence of peace was unreservedly forceful. In this regard, a historical instance worth citing was 30th April 1992, at a time when Somaliland was diabolically ravaged by civil strife. Gallantly taking his stand at the “Khayriya”, the main public square of Hargeysa, he addressed the gathered masses lashing on the insanity of war and its horrific consequences. He reminded the gathered public of the immeasurable cost of losing their right senses demanding immediate cease fire and calling for peace. That was the hallmark of his famous poem “Ergo” (arbitrator). Here he never forgot, from the outset using his capturing style in reciting his poem, to mention the dictatorial era when before 10 years his poems had to run clandestinely fearing Siyaad Barre censorship, comparing it to that precious moment when he so proudly stood before them free from all strains to address them on such cardinal issues as the abnegation of war and the restoration of peace with its blessings.

 

Even before he fled to Ethiopia, joining the liberation movement, the dictatorial government had never been spared his bitter criticism. He starkly exposed its misdeeds and wrongdoings in the social affairs of the people. In fact some of his satirical works such as “Hashii Cosob”, “Kabo Caseeye”, “Madax Goodir”, “Qiyaame”, “Run”, especially when recited in public, demonstrated further his ability as an extraordinary actor. With his familiar witticism in these poems and others equally incisive, he exposed the government’s pathetic incompetence and the hollowness of its much vaunted system. The Somali masses never failed to grasp the essence of his message; and that was why he has always remained in the black books of the official establishment. When many of the then Somali lyrics composers became aligned with the government willing to please the dictatorship, he still used his sophisticated arm to defend the ethics and dignity of poetry, and he composed his piece “Qasab kuma balwayn karo” (I can’t be compelled to sing)

 

By publishing this volume, our modest purpose is to celebrate this great poet’s invaluable contribution to Somali culture and his instrumental role in setting a bridge to international literature. This volume is the fifth in the “Iswaydaarsi” (Exchange) series which aspires to translate Somali literature and wisdom into other languages, and at the same time provide specific knowledge of international classical literature to the Somali speaking readership. Gaarriye’s translated poems into English fit well into the first category of books. His poems included in this volume are translated by Sarah Maguire, Mohamed Hassan “Alto”, W. N. Herbert, Rhoda A Raghe, Martin Orwin, and David Harsent.

 

I am deeply thankful to Poetry Translation Center for their permission to reproduce in this publication all Gaarriye’s poems they have translated as well as Herbert’s article that appeared on their website. Some of the poems included here have already appeared in PtC’s bilingual chapbook of Gaarriye’s poems in Somali and English. I am also thankful to the contributors of this volume, who with the limited time they had, yet so considerately managed to write about Gaarriye. Finally this publication would not have be possible without the support of the organizations Poetry Translation Center, Kayd Somali Culture and Arts and Redsea Online Culture Foundation.

 

 

 

Jama Musse Jama

jama@jamamusse.com

[Malika]

Jac - have you heard of poems written by a Xashi Maweel to his father, after he has left the land to far away lands? I know its a long shot but worth a try..

[Jacaylbaro]

What poems ?

[Malika]

^Suug aan ciida soo weydiye..lol.

[Jacaylbaro]

:D

[Siyaasi]

Awees Khamiis, Aw Koombe, Maki Xaaji banaadir, the late Marshaale, are all from UDUBLAND and are UDUBLANDERS. anybody got problem with that? kkkkk.

[Tallaabo]

I find this business of tribalising Somali culture and heritage distasteful. Our Somali culture and our cultural icons have no boundaries and belong to no particular group, therefore they should be respected as such. I am sure no Somali poet, playwright, artist, or an author would like his/her significance and influence reduced to a tiny region. These professionals want bigger audiences and markets and not clan villages. The entire Somali population was already insignificant compared to the home markets available to most foreign cultural icons including those from our neighbouring countries. Folks please don't bring back this thread again, it should disappear into the back pages.

[wiil]

afsoomaaligana maad inoo kala gurtaan dee

[Taleexi]

It is sad that we can not share the art and literature. How far one needs to go to seem different and believe different!, waa amankaag.

[Jacaylbaro]

You need to know the difference before you jump to the conclusion. How far one would need to claim the ownership of everything ? ,,, wondering.

[Buuxo]

Tallaabo;861243 wrote:

I find this business of tribalising Somali culture and heritage distasteful. Our Somali culture and our cultural icons have no boundaries and belong to no particular group, therefore they should be respected as such. I am sure no Somali poet, playwright, artist, or an author would like his/her significance and influence reduced to a tiny region. These professionals want bigger audiences and markets and not clan villages. The entire Somali population was already insignificant compared to the home markets available to most foreign cultural icons including those from our neighbouring countries. Folks please don't bring back this thread again, it should disappear into the back pages.

Well said.

[Taleexi]

Jacaylbaro;861618 wrote:

You need to know the difference before you jump to the conclusion. How far one would need to claim the ownership of everything ? ,,, wondering.

Saaxiib thanks for lecturing me balse haddii qoys walba xayaysiiyo intooda hal abuurka leh fankii iyo hiddihii wuu qudhmayaa haddaadan u arag wax khalad ah inta qoyskaaga ah inaad meel ku soo ururiso ood tidhaahdo waa reer Somaliland, dee waa dab dhaxamooday maxaa lagu diiriyaa. Innagu kala fikrad duwanin ee bal aayatiinka ubadka ha loo fekero, waa iga talo uun, Allow Alle anigu waa ka baxay!

[LANDER]

JB keep it coming man! I think your spending more time replying to silly folk wallee. This whole protesting is laughable and shows really how people lack education in their own history. How dare JB say these folks are from Somaliland! Please use an italian suffix to refer to our people if you want to be accepted as a somali! you must say Somalia! You know you can spend an eternity trying to enlighten these folk and it really wouldn't make a difference. The word Somaliland rings bells in their heads! nothing else can get through they go deaf. If your somali (ethnically) you share the cultural heritage left by these artists, if you have trouble coming to grips with them halling from Somaliland that is something you have to work out on your own. There is no denying the legendary composers, poets and artists were disproportionally from Somaliland. That isn't to say there weren't other great talents elsewhere, but there was a concentration especially in those post-colonial days and early recordings of these artists in Somaliland. Many of the southern talents themselves either came north to seek song writing or otherwise learn the craft as Xassan aden and Juba did or they were completely formed and discovered as artist in the north as with Magool. It's amazing in those old days just how taboo it was in Somaliland to be a 'singer' especially if you were a female as was the case with kinsi and how they likely sung under fake alias at first, fortunately for us they were brave enough to tough it out and decided it was worth pursuing despite protest from their families.

[Jacaylbaro]

 

They thought setting boundaries are only on land but they lack the ability to know that Somaliland is coming back with all the boundaries it had before 1960 ... on land, culture, literature, languaga, history and all.

 

For them, Somaliland waa qabiil hebel ..... very pathetic ,,, kama waynaadaan intii siyaad ku yidhi.