Posted in Africa, Creative Non-Fiction, Cultural heritage, Gabayo, Heeso, Poetry, Relationships, Somali, Somali Arts & Crafts, Somali Culture, Somali Music, Somali Nomads, Somali Poetry, Somali Songs, Somali Traditions, Somalia, Women, tagged Africa, Creative-Nonfiction, Cultural heritage, Gabayo, Heeso, Poetry, Relationships, Somali, Somali Arts & Crafts, Somali Culture, Somali Music, Somali Nomads, Somali Poetry, Somali Songs, Somali Traditions, Somalia, Women on March 30, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Once the drumming starts and the Gaaf is initiated, silence fills the air. Every ear is tuned towards the person reciting the poetry or singing, in order to assess and judge the worth of his/her words. Addressing everyone present, the young girl starts the ceremony with these lines:
Hoobe hobaala hoobala hoobalow
Ee hoobe hobaala hoobalayey hadaba
Salaamu [...]
Posted in Creative Non-Fiction, Creative Writing, Family, Life, Relationships, Women, tagged Creative Non-Fiction, Creative Writing, Family, Life, Relationships, Women on March 19, 2008 | 10 Comments »
boaters sunset
Whenever I close my eyes I see her. Her ageing face, pleasant with a few incipient delicate wrinkles; her skin, dark against the resplendent multicoloured stole gently resting on her shoulders; her wizened eyes still bearing the same reprimanding look that she had always effortlessly maintained; her greying hair neatly tucked away under the [...]
Posted in Creative Non-Fiction, Creative Writing, Cultural heritage, Gabayo, Heeso, Poetry, Relationships, Somali, Somali Arts & Crafts, Somali Culture, Somali Music, Somali Nomads, Somali Poetry, Somali Traditions, Somalia, Women, tagged Creative Non-Fiction, Creative Writing, Cultural heritage, Gabayo, Heeso, Poetry, Relationships, Smali Nomads, Somali, Somali Arts & Crafts, Somali Culture, Somali Music, Somali Poetry, Somali Traditions, Somalia, Women on March 17, 2008 | 3 Comments »
As the sun plummets down the horizon, the joyous people of the village depart company after the Gelbis to prepare for the more interesting part of the ceremony and the festivities continue through the night. Demonstrative of the happy times they are having, everyone in the village as well as the neighbouring settlements [...]
Posted in Africa, Creative Non-Fiction, Creative Writing, Cultural heritage, Somali, Somali Arts & Crafts, Somali Culture, Somali Music, Somali Nomads, Somali Poetry, Somali Songs, Somali Traditions, Somalia, Travels, tagged Africa, Creative Non-Fiction, Creative Writing, Cultural heritage, Somali, Somali Arts & Craft, Somali Culture, Somali Music, Somali Nomads, Somali Poetry, Somali Songs, Somali Traditions, Somalia, Travels on March 10, 2008 | 5 Comments »
The Gelbis (escorting the bride to her new home), as I said earlier, is the occasion that marks the commencement of the wedding ceremony. And this (above left) is how it starts, with the women slowly making their way to the hut ululating, drumming and singing songs of praise and various wedding songs [...]
Posted in Random observations on March 10, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Greetings all,
I am back after my inexplicable month-long hiatus. Much has been happening lately and that has kept me occupied for over a month or so; so much so that I haven’t even had the time to visit this blog. Bear with me friends, I will resume posting in a few days insha-Allah.
 | CovertOperations78 on Somali Trees |
 | hawo on Somali Culture |
| Somali Culture … on Wise Old Nomads | |
 | Ben Curkendall on Somali Trees |
 | Amal on About |
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