by Abdi-Noor Mohamed
Monday, March 01, 2010
Imagine a group belonging to one tribe has made away with a small herd of camel from another tribe. What do you think would happen to the rustlers? Soon as their hideouts are identified they will be attacked to recover the camels. They will pay the price of their theft. But in the case of the pirates who are holding the British couple in Harardhere, the opposite is happening. We are only taking in the radios and TV´s, not actually acting with a spirit of somalinimo to free the hostages in the most realistic manner. I think that level of thinking is a stage we still have to mature into. If we had been able to coordinate and organize a collective action departing from a point of national unity we would have not lost our country to warlords, drug lords, and lords of tribal and religious extremism.
The problem is far deeper and much more complicated than we can figure out in terms of theoretical perspectives based on human rationality. Sometimes we die for things that are easy to get through peaceful means or through dialogue.
Is camel raising has anything to do with this irrationality? Well, I have asked many fellow Somalis with diverse rural and urban backgrounds: What is the camel for you? Many Somalis especially those in the nomadic settlements said “it is my life without it I feel unsafe, unstable”. The next question was why? But I did not put it to anybody. I instead directed it to myself. And to get an answer for that question i made a brief study on Maryooley and how they see the camel. The poem below is part of my findings.
Iit is my understanding that it is time we should not wait others to tell us who we are but to re-discover ourselves by inventing our past with a fresh and unbiased outlook to be able to function as a community within the internationa set up. The world knows systems and principles not clans and tribes lurking behind a shadow of deception with the aim of exterminating each other. For the time being let me start with the camel. Would like to cover agriculture and fishery as well but not without your support and contribution.
My camel is my life
In travel time
It is my transport
My desert boat it is
My camel is my life
In hard times
It is my fallback
My Coffer it is
My camel is my life
In war times
It is my weapon
My spear it is
My camel is my life
In Peace time
It is my Pride
My joy it is
My camel is my life
In reciting poetry
It is my inspiration
My muse it is
My camel is my life
In Days of Duco
It is the dish I serve
My SOORYO it is
My camel is my life
In blood compensation
It is the Diya I pay
My insurance it is
My camel is my life
In culture
It is my identity
My tradition it is
My camel is my life
In settling disputes
It is my score
A piece of my soul
My camel is my life
In marriage
It is my dowry
My love it is
My camel is my life
In social standing
It is my badge
My honor it is
My camel is my life
It sets my boundaries
Not geographic though
Simply Climatic
My camel is my life
It is my compass
It points the direction
Wherever it ends up
Is a land I claim to be my own
Wiil Geel Jirroo Gaajadu kareyn
Waa waxa dhulkeena u gaarka ahee
La inagu gartaa.(Heesta Baxsan waa dhab)
Suáashuse waxay tahay meeshi geel tagaba ma yeelan karnaa?
Abdi-Noor Mohamed
Writer and Film maker
Växjö University (Student)
Peace and Development Studies
Växjö
[email protected]