Name: Shafi
Location: London
Reason for Blogging: I am not quite sure why I started this blog. At first it was jot down my thoughts on different subjects and feelings towards certain issues in the news as well as issues regarding my beloved country, Somalia. It was also to emphasize the rich cultural heritage of Somalia, especially the Nomadic tradition, Oral culture and Poetry. But it wasn’t long before it dawned on me that I had neither the proficiency of Somali language and its intricacy nor the indepth knowledge of Somali poetry to be embarking on such a mission.
After that, I thought this blog would serve as a platform for me to hone my writing skills and discover my raw voice, without having to pursue another writer’s style. And now after going through several transformations, at this juncture, this blog is a combination of several things but will primarily focus on Somalia and the Somali Culture.
Blog content: This Blog will feature everything i happen to know about the beautiful Somali Culture, some of the classical Somali Music, and some Creative Writing.
All in all, it is all about displaying the rich Cultural Heritage of Somalia, along with some other random bits and pieces.
Interests: writing and photography – neither of which I have yet mastered.
although i have never met you, i love your blog and has inspired me to take life more seriously. I really appreciate your care for this world and the observations you post in your blog.
hitlerhater, Thank you very much. I am, indeed, very much honoured by your comment. Please feel Welcome here!
I don’t know what to … I feel like i was looking for something and I just found it…
Shafi brother… please keep writing because I’m learning from you..
your sister Najma
Najma, thank you for the kind words my dear. Please do come back!
[...] reading as of late is from Somali, Shafi Said, and is called Incoherent Thoughts. His blog details the random thoughts of the a student / teaching assistant of Somali descent attending university in the [...]
nice blog u got sxb masha allah keep it
She told me to let you know how of amazing writer and story teller you are. “Inanku uma baahana bogaatintayda oo wuu ogyahay in Allaah ku manaystay xirfad qoraal, qaabtabin sheeko, iyo eray istimaalkaba.” I replied.
But she insisted I should comment you and I still think I shouldn’t, not neccesarily I don’t want to but I feel your writtings speak for your talent. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t shy away to say I actually have a name that I only call you “wordentertainer” yet that is the name. I am fascinated of your extensive word choices and magnificant discriptives.
I believe many learn from your writtings. I am not sure what thiers are but I learn words from you. I wouldn’t be ashamed to say, I actually look up some of the words you use. Perhaps, to enjoy more of your writtings, I should read the dictionary. what do you think?
Anyways good job, no no no, I meant great job….keep on writting and please ease up with the words untill I master the art of English terms ama aan xaafido qaamuusyada oo idil.
Philosopher, Allaylehe waxaad iga gaarsiisaa salaan qaali ah. Salaan kadib, aad iyo aad baad u mahadsantihiin labadiinaba walaal and thank you for coming here to read my blog. I can honestly say that it’s the simple messages, the uplifting comments and kind words like these that encourage me to write on. I am constantly fighting that nagging feeling that i might let down my readers and hence churn out anything of great interest to me that might also be of interest to you.
Qaamuusna uma baahnid but to enjoy writing there is only one thing to be done – write, write and write. Why don’t you open up a blog and simply share your thoughts with us. You will realise that after a short while, you will be inclined to write more often…
Please do pass my heartfelt greetings to her! ;)
Insha Allah, I shall do so. I indeed have been introduced to the blogging world couple months back. I have written few hantaatac words and nothing worth fancing. Hasa’ahaate, I am welcoming you to take a peek.
http://tourofthehiddenthoughts.blogspot.com
waa inakaa hadaba…oh yeah…Waxaan kugu sogootiyay safar khayr…………Soo noqo adoo nabada, soo noqo adoo nabad.
Lovely blog.
x
Brother shafi, this is ur somali sister from all the way mn i just wanted to drop you a thankful note about your beautiful blog am addicted to it…. especially its CLASSICAL SONGS….thank u for your great contributation on these site overall weather it be about our culture or you interesting writings………..keep up the great spirit and work.
Hi Shafi, thanks for coming by my blog. I have been reading yours and liking it a lot. I was enjoying some of the music you provide and now I just realised I can download it (yes I can be quite stupid!), so thank you very much.
Hi,
I really like your blog. Keep it up! You gotta be grounded in reality cuz most youth here in mn don’t seem to appreciate their roots and culture. Somali fluency is rare in mn among youth, so kudos to you for your writings.
AWW Shafi,
Dhab ahaantii waxaad tahay ruuxa marka aan boggiisa qaayaha leh (ee macluumaadka qiimaha badani ka buuxaan) daalacdey sida bir-doonta (bir-labta) oo kale i soo jiitaye i barey qiimaha qoraalku in qalinka iyo buuga uun lagu daynee balse qadarintu ay ku jirto in halkan oo kale lasoo qubo wixii qalbigaaga garasho ka qoyan.
Once I read your blog bit by bit, I see a tremendous force that rolls me towards writing. I am always happy to see the posts on my culture—they just make me feel “nationalism.”
Keep up the fabulous work brother.
Hey buddy, I just found this blog while I was sufing around the internet. you’re quite interesting. I love to travel and I’m sure I’ll travel to africa.
Though I’m not poetry guy, I yearn for your blog. You’re the first person in this category (from Somalia) though.
Shafi, SXB keep posting. Waadna mahadsan tahay.
J Mehmet, Thank you walaal. And it is you who should be thanked for keeping me company here… ;)
Thank you all for your very kind comments. Do keep in touch!
Hi, Shafi, it’s a quite nice and interesting blog, as I didn´t know much about Somali culture. Congratulations!
Regards from Portugal.
I thank you for the time and thoughts you put into your blog. We need people like you to grow and change our collective attitude towards our Somali culture.. I don’t really know where your reside on this planet, but I would appreciate if you could let us post some of your creative diction on our site. thanks again.
Shafi,
Waan ku salaamay. Salan kadib. Your friend Isseh referred me to your blog. Thank you for writing! I’ve never seen another site that provides so much in both Somali and English (Waxaan isku dayaa inaan barto af Soomalia).
Nabad gelyo :)
Christina,, thank you for stopping by
Maxamed, Thank you walaal. Of course you can use any of the articles published in this blog for your site. A link back would be greatly appreciated, thats all…
Desire, Waan kaa qaaday walaal. lool If you are in the process of learning af Soomaali, then I must say it is brilliant. Keep up the good work. Surely Isseh is doing a good job. :)
iam looking for camel or hyena bones email me with price
Just stumbled across your blog and enjoyed it. I hope to explore a great deal. Keep up the good work.
what a great blog keep it up bro…just keep postin’…a freind referred me…amazin’..
Asalaamu’alaikum warahmatulah wabarkaatu,
Jazakumulageer shafi…this blog has quenched some of my thirst to know about the nomadic life back home. i do have a question that i hope you would be able to help me with…my mother was a nomad till she moved to the city and therefore we never actually know her real age we do know that she was born during the year of ‘mira gurato’ …keep up the work and thanks again
wa’alaikum salaam warahmatulah wabarakaatu
Asalamu Aleykum
Just came across your well informative blog and I really enjoyed! I would definitely tag this blog as one my favorites. Keep up the good work
Asalaamu/a Dear brother,
Amazing writing, touches my heart deeply. Keep it up inshaAllah x
How do you know so much? Mashallah!
Asalamu calaykum wr wb my fellow somalis!..first of all let me express my deares and dearest love to you all!..you guys rock! when it comes to keeping your cultural..well atleas some of us lol. Anyhow, I stumbled my way to this site while googling somali gabay. and althought I haven’t fulled served the site I like what i see so far so mashaAllah to the creater of the site and all of the bloggers as well. I’m in need of an amazingly well written, short, sweet and very appropriate somali gabay for school for I’m afraid I’m not so good with the gabay of our beautiful motherland. Please help.
Waad wada mahadsantihiin
Jazakumualhu kheirum
wa salamu calaykum
mashaa allah thnx walal shaqabadan ayaad u gashay in aad soo aruuriso warbixinadaan iyosawirada intaba illahey ajir hakaa siiyo .
Salam hope this reaches you in good health and spirit. Masha’allah great page. It is well informative and I intend to use some of your pictures on our powerpoint for the University of Minnesota Somali Student Association Somali Cultural Day event we are putting together. Thank u for putting all this work together, and taking on the responsibility to keep our culture alive.
Much respect for you….
Salma
Awesome site, you’ve got lots of great content and extras. I was wondering two things: 1. Are you planning on updating? And 2. Why do the most recent posts not show on the front page?
Asalamu Caleykum,
I’m happy to have come across your blog while serving the net. It’s very interesting the things you present in your blog about our culture, and traditions. But inshaAllah please do mention our religion as well. Somalia has always been a Muslim country for a long time even though it’s sad to say that our people didn’t really act according to our religion most of the time. But inshaAllah I look forward to whatever else you present.
p.s I have grown up in the u.s and i feel exactly the way you desribed about finding yourself not knowing how to speak Somali. I get fraustrated at times because I cannot speak fluent Somali without using English words.
Hello…
Looks like a great website/blog. I was listening to a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) radio show on the Somali-Canadian musician K’Naan (based in Toronto) tonight. Sadly, it sounds like his first years in my country were less than welcoming…I’m glad to hear that things improved for him and that he works with other new Somali arrivals in Canada to make their new life easier. I googled Somali right after and your site was the first hit! So hard that so many have had to leave…so good that there are places of safety where retaining culture can be a priority. I love the images, especially the textiles…something I love…
All the best from a very cold place, once home only to nomads: Yukon
Valery
Abtii my precious abtii… am loving your wonderfull work. May Allah help you over come your hurdles in life abtii.. they say “pen is stronger than sword”.. you have proved that to me bless u.
Hey Shafi,
How’re you? Long time no hear! Hope all’s well. We all miss you :( So please return soon.
Salaams,
Shafi, where have you gone??
Has the world shallowed your spirit too..
Let it out…please write again!
Amal