By Rhoda A. Rageh

The author imagines the life of the speaker to be that of a man from Somaliland’s deepest rural environment taken suddenly to England as a refugee where he travels through life and time suspiciously among a society that does not understand him. Like James Baldwin’s essay, “No Body Knows My Name” this sojourner hides his feelings and his disgust with the food around him until he meets an old friend from home. Only then does he pour his sadness and alienation of eight years in London on his friend. Up until this moment of intense emotional outpour, he hides the disgust he felt when he had mistakenly eaten pork as the fat meat he had known at home. His deepest sense of alienation starts when no one but he, finds the idea as something grossly violating his morality. He asks eagerly to hear the news about home to reassure himself that his sense of understanding has not diminished. He digs deep into his memory to know if the reality he knew at home still stands in order to reassure his own sense of living.

The author is a young rising poet whose language is rich for a modern society of today. He studies the classical poetry of Somaliland and has a deep love for language. I found it refreshing to see a young Somali man genuinely interested in the Somali language when most of our people are looking to migrate to the West and they have found English as a language more posh than Somali.

The Somaliland -   Berri Soomaal

I left one morning, when   - Sidaan Subaxiyo

  At dawn I headed afar   - Salaad uga gudey

On a long departure   -   Een u suudalay

For eight long years   - Sideed Guuraba

I have not seen my land   - Il ma saarinee

Oh! Dear relative   - Sokeeyahayow

Give me news   - War isiiyoo

Does men’s quest   - Ragu sahankii

Remain the same?   - Ma sidii baa?

Do she camels still feed - Geelu sidigtii

Orphaned ones the same way? - Ma sidii baa?

Fat sides of sheep   - Adhi sarartii

Are they still the same?   - Ma sidii baa?

Pure ghee from cattle   - Lo’du subagii

Are they still the same? - Ma sidii baa?

In European markets   - Suuqa Yurubaan

Despondent I became - Ku salcaamoo

Like a siig   - Sida siigiyo

And his kind   - Sinnga siingaha

Strange and mediocre   - Summad laawiyo

  Is how I’m acknowledged   - Sirqaan quranee

Oh! Dear relative - Sokeeyahowoo

Give me news   - War isiiyoo

Relationship between kin and   - Sokeeyiyo xidid

In-laws, are they still the same? - Ma sidii baa?

Attached relatives,   - isa sudhan gacal

Are they still the same?   - Ma sidii baa?

Communal neighborhood -   Siira wada taal

Are they still the same? -   Ma sidii baa?

Noble exchange of greetings   - Salaan gubanimo

Are they still the same   - Ma sidii baa?

In Life’s abundance, if - Sareedo adduun

I was once fed with fat - Haddan sarar iyo

Meat, nourished with pure ghee - Sixin dhami jiray

Bigots have now   - Sinji dhaanna

Poisoned me, and - isadheeyo

Fed me with mucous - Duuf isiiyaye

Oh! Dear relative - Sokeeyahow

Give me some news   - War isiiyoo

Deference to mother-in-law   -   Sodoh alabkeed

Is it still the same?   - Ma sidii baa?

Hides fortifying our houses   -   Aqal sogortii

Are they still the same?   -   Ma sidii baa?

Hand made bowls and sleeping - Sitiyo alool

Mats, are they still the same?   -   Ma sidii baa?

Dried meat preserved in those   -   Odkac lagu sugay

Bowls, are they still the same   -   Ma sidii baa?  

Translated and commented by Rhoda A. Rageh

Hargeysa, Somaliland

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