Identity: Who do you think you are?

[N.O.R.F]

My overriding identity is Somali although I live in the United States. If you asked me what makes me who I am? I think it would take me a while to respond.

 

Our identities are shaped by the world in which we live. Outsiders influence how we think and even look at ourselves.

 

I think being Somali is contradictory because the Somali identity is mixed, and even, dare I say, confused.

 

We are Africans... and yet we are also part of the Arab world.

 

Our psyche, worldview and even who we are is mingled with what happens in the Arab world.

 

Our destiny seems to be tied to that world... and yet we are so different from them in so many ways.

 

Our Somali identity is real: our music, food and everything we do smells of a unique Africa.

 

Beautiful and proud, Somalis remain Somali.

 

Clan means so much to so many of my people.

 

Yes, I belong to a clan, a powerful clan in Somalia, but I have no affinity for it.

 

I choose to be Somali.

 

But I am also more than Somali, I am the product of many oceans, always changing, revolving, learning and growing.

 

Yet my Somali culture and history remains the tower that gives light to the oceans I swim in.

 

I breathe like a Somali.

 

My culture is not a fixed configuration but a constructive process.

 

This is maybe a weakness on my part, but my identity and culture are always conditional to my environment and the centre of the process that I feel is never complete but always under construction.

 

This is the Somali story: we are the product of many cultures, ideas and people.

 

I am Somali.

 

bbc.co.uk

 

Any takers?

[Jacaylbaro]

Rubbish ! ! !

[nuune]

I am Somali

Bal yaa yiri Soomaali ma tihid, waaba mid wareersan, identyt crises ayuuba qabaa I should say!

[N.O.R.F]

JB, why is it rubbish?

[Jacaylbaro]

Confused individual iga dheh ,,,,,,,

 

having relationships with Arabs in the past doesn't necessarily mean we are truly Arabs .... Yes we are muslims, we associated with them and we have sea borders with them ,, that is it. We don't even speak Arabic,,, see ?

 

 

I choose to be Somali

How can someone choose his/her nationality bal ?? ,,, i thought we are Somalis by default.

[N.O.R.F]

^^The context of his piece was based on living and being a citizen of the USA. Thats why he 'chooses' to be Somali (rather than 'American').

 

We are Africans... and yet we are also part of the Arab world.

 

Our psyche, worldview and even who we are is mingled with what happens in the Arab world.

 

Our destiny seems to be tied to that world... and yet we are so different from them in so many ways.

He is on point.

 

Anyway, adigu sidee baad isu aragtaa?

[Jacaylbaro]

Somali >>>>>> African

 

 

The context of his piece was based on living and being a citizen of the USA. Thats why he 'chooses' to be Somali (rather than 'American').

I think it is the contrary ,,, he is SOMALI by born but he chose to be American ....

[Miriam1]

to claim to have one identity is silly. we have many that we jugggle according to the situation. who doesn't?

 

At one point we are so tottally somali...near family, friends perhaps.

 

At lunch meetings with your boss, you are so tottally modern, hip young and a citizen of your country of choice. Your American, Canadian...etc. You have rights, You pay taxes!

 

Lets not dellude ourselves with this "I am ONLY Somali" or "I am Somali at the Core of it all"

 

The real test question is, are you willing to die for being a "Somali" NOPPPE...

 

That only leaves us with one core chosen idenity...Muslim

[Fabregas]

Originally posted by J.a.c.a.y.l.b.a.r.o:

[QB] Somali >>>>>> African

 

 

 

And he said, " We are Afrikan".

 

I'm full British, 200%

[SayidSomal]

on serious note - i have actually being involved in a project that was about identity and i read this article (one posted here) during the project. for one to actually fully identify themselves it goes beyond the nationality or the race/continent that the person comes from.

 

one has to define what identity is first, for me idedntity means = what identifies (to recognize somebody or something and to be able to say who or what he, she, or it is) somebody or something i.e. the name or essential character that identifies somebody or something.

 

working on that understanding:

i am a

male human being, muslim, from african continent, somali by birth, a son, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, loving husband, devoted father and a teacher.

[N.O.R.F]

An identity would seem to be arrived at by the way in which the person faces and uses his experience.

 

James Baldwin

[Yaabka-Yaabkiis]

I am Somali too Ilaaah amarkiis!

[N.O.R.F]

^But you live in Malaysia

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

The real test question is, are you willing to die for being a "Somali" NOPPPE...

Yes, are you? Oh, I see it is already answer with that 'nope' self-reply.

 

There is also something called Soomaalinimo as well. You might not be familiar with it, but it exists and it is the foundation of Soomaalis.

[Fabregas]

Originally posted by Hayam:

to claim to have one identity is silly. we have many that we jugggle according to the situation. who doesn't?

 

At one point we are so tottally somali...near family, friends perhaps.

 

At lunch meetings with your boss, you are so tottally modern, hip young and a citizen of your country of choice. Your American, Canadian...etc. You have rights, You pay taxes!

 

Lets not dellude ourselves with this "I am ONLY Somali" or "I am Somali at the Core of it all"

 

The real test question is, are you willing to die for being a "Somali" NOPPPE...

 

That only leaves us with one core chosen idenity...Muslim

what if you're an agnostic Somali? walaal