Youth, Peace and Poem
"You, who reside abroad
in another far country
this still remains a home to you
don’t limit your options"
The winner of the Poem Contest Ahmed Abdillahi Arab receives his prize.
Peace Poem Contest is promoting youth literature for peace to uplift the value and concept of peace among the young population. Somali people have rich oral culture and tradition of spoken word including poems, songs and folklore. This tradition is still strong and the Somali youth remain interested in poetry, they continue to engage in this tradition with specialized websites and online forums used as the popular medium of exchange.
Taste of Peace and Order
Somalia has become synonymous with conflict and human suffering as a result of continuous civil war in the last two decades. The prolonged conflict and civil war have created a culture of violence and lawlessness in the society, particularly affecting the young generation who were born during or after the civil war and have grown up in a hostile environment. Unemployed frustrated youth are vulnerable to exploitation by warring warlords and drawn into conflict.
Fortunately parts of former Somali Democratic Republic have been lucky enough to taste peace and order such as Puntland and self-declared state of Somaliland Republic which is not yet internationally recognized. Despite the peace prevailing in Somaliland it is surrounded by violent conflicts in the region and within itself.
Children in Somaliland primarily get basic education – although limited – but there are not enough vocational or higher education institutions for the youth after they have completed their basic education. The minority of youngsters who manage to get the chance to graduate from the few available universities find it difficult if not impossible to find any kind of employment. Unfortunately, a number of these educated few decide to leave for better opportunities in Europe, while many others drown in the deep sea between Somalia and Yemen or perish in the vast deserts between Sudan and Libya.
Peace is widely expressed and highly valued by Somaliland’s people but the concentration of peace and reconciliation is mainly directed to elder people e.g. clashes among clans. There are no effective programs aimed at reviving peace culture addressed to the youth.
Poems Instead of Guns
The above described problems and difficulties as well as the continuous radicalization of Somali youth inspired this idea of creating youth literature for peace to uplift the value and concept of peace among the young population using the rich and strong oral tradition of the Somali people.
The aim was to hold a national level Peace Poem Contest for the youth between 15 – 25 years of age male and female equally. Students and graduates of secondary schools were targeted in the first phase. The process is for the targeted group to first produce, write down and later recite poems or songs describing and exalting peace.
A large audience was gathered in the festival hall in the center of Hargeisa to witness a poet competition.
The best poems are collected to an album distributed to websites for download, organizations, schools, youth organizations, public transport vehicles, cafes and every one interested to maximum exposure. Also videos and DVDs of the contest are distributed to TV channels. This has stimulated the discussion about peace, brought much needed dialogue and benefited the community as a whole.
The idea was born from voluntary training courses which the member of the Horn Organization for Peace and Democracy ry, (Horn Democracy) extended to some youth groups and organizations. Leaders of Horn Democracy have been regularly visiting Somaliland for the last ten years and always carried out capacity building and experience sharing training for different sectors of the society, from parliamentary committees to local councilors and women's NGOs. The Idea of this project was developed by Horn Democracy together with other youth groups. Traditional and political leaders in Somaliland were consulted and they welcomed the idea and promised their support.
So far, Horn Democracy has organized peace poem contests for the youth on regional and national levels for the last three years (2009 – 2011). A lot of material consisting of DVDs, CDs, audio-tapes and a book were produced from the subsequent events and widely distributed to the public.
The competition component has really made the project interesting to the youth on the individual level and on a regional level. The best poet of each region was selected to participate at the national contest representing her/his region. The competition component of the project has made the project attractive to the public and formed a platform for young poets to showcase their talent, creating exposure and opportunities for the participants.
The three best of the poetry competition Mohamed Jama Abdi (from the region of Sahil), Ahmed Abdillahi Arab (from the region of Sool) and Ahmed Abdi Hirsi (from the region of Togdheer) with Roda Hassan and Mohamed Abdillahi. In front sitting Ayan Osman.
The 2011 grand finale consisted of the six poets representing the winners from each region of Somaliland, it was attended by a live audience of approximately five hundred, below is a print of the poem that won the first price. This thought provoking poem depicts the problems and struggles that are facing the Somali people as a whole and the impact of these problems on society and more specifically on the individual level.
Abdillahi Mohamed and Roda Hassan
HORN Organisation for Peace and Democracy
(HORN Democracy ry)
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.horndemocracy.org
A poem (Somali, English) written by Ahmed Abdillahi Arab:
Geeraar Dagaalsokeeye
arrin daayin bayaansheyoo
diinta uu ku caddeeyey
misna aynan daryeelinbaan
soo daliishanayaaye
dad weynoow i dhegeysta
daayinkii ina uuntay
wuxuu diinta ku sheegay
in xumaanta ladaayo
in wanaagga ladoono
dhiig islaam laga daadshiyo
in dagaalku dhib keeno
maansadayda danteedu
daliil weeye baayaanoo
muslimiinta kudaahane
bal,aan dirka ka qaado
naftaydii degi weydey
hurdadii madaneeyo
diidey oonta laquuto
dugsigii tegi waayey
dantaydii ka mashquulay
fekerbaa idiloodey
dakharkaan ladhayaynine
dhiigu uu ida,aayiyo
doogta gaadhey naftaydee
cidi aysan daweyn iyo
waxa aan ladayoobey
waad dareemi kartaane
waa dagaalka sokeeye
intaa aan isdulsaaraye
dayecee iga muuqda
keligey imadaarine
dadku wuu wadasheegtay
dalka wuu wada gaadhey
Ummadyaay doqonniimo
waa waxaad ladulloowdey
haddii aad damqanayso
dadka maalin kastaaba
ka qaxaaya dalkaagee
inta doonni lasaaro
lagu daadsho badweyntee
hadhowtoole dugaaggu
hilibkoo dil-dillaacay
marba daan lategaayo
cidna aysan danynin
sow kamaad damqateen?
innagaa is dilaynoo
dadkeeniina dhamynay
dalka waynu qasnaaye
wanaag looguma deeqo
deg-deg waa lasocdaaye
qunyar looma dekeeyo
dabka waan hurinaaye
damiyeynan aqoonin
xeerkii diintu lahaydna
dhaqankii duqeydeeniyo
dastuurbaa kasokeeya
dabka aynu shidnaaba
markuu oogta kadaalee
dhamac hosta kadaaran
dambas uuka sarreeyo
diirrimaad ma sameeyo
innagoon dan ka yeelanoo
digniin aynan kaqaadan
ayuunbaan daf dhahnaayoo
dabeed waan gubanaa
dhuxushaa damiweydee
dadka qoobabka goysey
innagaa kadarraanoo
dagaal caado kayeellay
dhamacdii dami weydiyo
digo hoosta ka noolba
marbaa daad latagaayoo
meeshii doog kabaxaaye
miyeynaan damqanaynoo
dad miyeynan ahayn?
daawo maynan heleeynoo
sidan doorsan karayn?
bal inaynu dullownoo
damiirkii ina seexdoo
fekerkeenu dambeeyo
marka waagu dillaaco
haddii daahir la toogto
duhurkiina modoobe
casarkiina ducaale
maqribkiina darwiish
dadkeeniiba dhamaaye
dalka yaa uhadhaaya?!!!
su,aashaa idin daartay
jawaabaa dabataale
dalkii waan aragnaayoo
dulmibaan kuwadnaaye
haddaan saalaga deynin
duullimaadyo shisheeyiyo
kuwo duunyada qaatiyo
dad kalaa imanaaya
kun nin oo isku duuliyo
dadkaloo la galaafto
marka maalin laduugee
kuwo aan dambi geysanoo
dhaawacaan la daryeelin
daawo aan lala raadine
baroordiiqda haweenku
docahaaga ka yeedho
sow ayaan darro maaha?!!!
iska daaya dagaalka
wuxuun buu dumiyaaye
darajooyin makeeno
Ruuxa dhiig muslin daadsha
dar xumooyinka gaadha
balaan diirka kaqaado
ninkastoo dulbadnaayoo
dadku shiikh uyaqaanoo
beelo daadihinaayoon
garta looga dambaynoo
hanti doora lahaayoo
dockasataa kawanaagsan
marka uu wax dilaabuu
dogob waalan noqdaayoo
meelahaa daf-dafleeyoo
dadka suuqa ku baadoo
carruurtu ay ka didaanoo
dumarku ay ka baqaanoo
dambiguu kusugnaa iyo
waxa uu dal-dalaayo
marka daa layidhaahdo
diinta hoosta ka caaya !!!
war iska daaya xumaanta
ku dedaala wanaagga
si,aydaan udulloobin
digniin siiya naftiina
danqadoo is xilqaama
danihiinna ulleexda
dumarkiinna xaq dhawra
ubadkiinna daryeela
waalidkiin ka duceysta
ehelkiin ka dambeeya
deriskiin ka xishooda
udedaala naftiinna
waddankiinna daneeya
ciidda hooyo udooda
ka difaacda shisheeye
debed kii ku maqnaa iyo
dal kaleeto mid aadey
taas un bay ku dambayne
yaan la door bidin gaalo
diintu waa ma huraane
waa in loo deg-degayoo
daacad aan u ahaanno
taasi wayga dar-daaran
mid kalaan doc ka raacshee
waa digniin iyo waano
hebel waa ducuf laan yar
&anaa kaa dun wanaagsan
kadaweeya naftiinna
deyr ka yeesha qabyaalad
qof qudhoow hadanaynin
Ruux qabiilo udoodey
isagaa kudan seegaye
dadku waa isku leebal
waxba yaanan kudaahin
intaan daaha ka qaaday
haddaan doodda kudhaafo
geeraarkii wada duugeye
su,aalaa udambeeya
durqun ruux ka bilowdiyo
dad lafaaninayaa baa
dagaal uu ka dhacaayoo
dhiig udaadanayaaye
dan miyaa arrinkaasi?
naftu way damqartaaye
wixii daanno ugeysta
ma inlooga digaabaa
mise waa inladaayo?
dood qabiil ku salaysan
in dagaal ka dhacaayoo
dadna uu ku dhintaa
dan miyay kujirtaa?
dalkeenoo rabshadaysan
dadkiisiina qaxaayoo
qofba meel udalwaayo
dabaqaad isku tagtana
dekenooyinka qaariyo
dulmigaan isku hayno
diiqad aadan gam,aynin
wax la deysan karaayoo
loo dul qaato miyaa?
waxa doog ina gaadhey
dedaalkeena habsaamiyo
dareenkeena yaraaday
ayuun baa ka dambeeya
daayinkii na Abuurtoow
adigaa dunidaada
sida ay kudambayniyo
daawadeeda ogsoone
ku daryeel samahaaga
anna doocda iqaadee
dareenkayga ka buuxda
digniintaad argtaan iyo
duco qaaliya weeye
alloow dawlad wanaagsan
diinta aan hor istaagin
daacadoo layaqaanoo
dalka oo dhan xoraysa
dadku uu ku midoobo
dastuurkeeda habooniyo
dalabkeeda laraacoo
qofna aan dulmiyaynin
dalka noogu dhex beer
aamiin aamiin aamiin
Civil War
Something quite clear
ordained in our religion
we have failed to honor
I would like to explore it
So hear me out, oh my people
Lord, who created us
ordered us in his religious text
to leave evil behind
to search for the good
not to spill human blood
that war brings endless problems
the focus of my poem
is to clear fog,
so let me remove the clog;
my soul refuses to settle
sleep no longer interests me
food, I refuse to eat
school, I won’t attend
too busy to attend to my needs
my thoughts are killing me
my untreated wounds
dripping with my blood
the trauma to my soul
no one has treated
the reason for my suffering
I am sure you can feel
is Civil War
all these layered problems I have
the physical evidence you can see
but, I am not the only one
everyone suffers the same
it’s reached the whole country
Oh my people, stupidity
is why we’re cursed
can you not feel our pain?
Every day, some of us fight in a war
some of us are packed into a boat
dumped in a far ocean
eaten and sliced by sea's killers
leftovers scavengers carry away
no one stops this continuous cycle
Does this not pain you?
We are killing ourselves
our people nearly extinct
our country ruined
goodness has disappeared
in a hurry we leave
in peace, we refuse to settle
a new fire we always start
stupidity knows no knowledge
nor the boundaries of religion
nor a culture
nor a near constitution
this fire we continue to light
the flames begin to glow
more coal we add to it
ashes cover the burning coal
a purpose we must have
a warning we ignore
in a hurry we burn it down
that coal refuses to die out
burning people’s feet
we are worse than that
fighting, we’ve made a tradition
that coal that refuses to die out
sustained by the warm ashes below
people forcefully stand on it,
is on the same spot vegetations used to grow
Do we feel no pain,
are we not human?
Do we not have a cure?
What path can we choose?
lost as people
our brains sleeping
our thoughts centuries behind
when the morning light shines
if Dahir is shot
Modoobe shot at midday
Ducaale shot in the afternoon
Darwiish shot at sundown
We will be extinct
Who will be left for this country?!!!
touched by my question
the truth in our midst
this country we can see
unfairness consumes it
if we don’t desist from this
fleets from abroad
people who rule the rest
and many other people shall come
a thousand men wage a war
the collateral they cause, buried on the same day
sinless they remain
the injured not tended to
medicine not sought for them
the anguished cries of women
sounding from all corners
Is there a worse situation?!!
Stop this fighting now!
we only know how to destroy things
heights we never reach
he who spills human blood
the misery that befalls him
a look we must take
a vast land he possessed
an honored sheikh we acknowledge
a clan elder who led
a mediator in disputes
mass wealth he accumulated
honored and blessed in every corner
as soon as he kills
a mad man he becomes
in speed he flees
aimless wondering the markets
children shrink away from him
women folk fear and shun him
the crime he committed
the mindless excuses he employed
when he’s revoked for it
its God he curses under his breath!!!!
Oh men, stay away from evil
strive for the good
so that we don’t become lost people
give your soul a warning
feel our pain and compel yourself to act
attend to your interest
fulfill our women’s rights
look after our youth
seek blessings from your parents
obey your family
respect your neighbors
try your best for yourself
preserve our country’s interest
advocate for our land
defend it against intruders
You, who reside abroad
in another far country
this still remains a home to you
don’t limit your options
religion we need
in a hurry we must attend to it
true to its scripture
that is my recommendation
and another I will add
a warning and advice
his family linage is short
my linage is better
treat your soul from this illness
a wall against clannish ideas
don’t defend a single interest
he who advocates for clan
his own interest he will neglect
everyone is the same
let nothing cover it
remove the covering,
I’ll leave the debate
poetry I have exhausted
questions I still have
a minor personal dispute
rumored and propagated
fighting stems from it
blood is spilled for it
Is this in our interest?
For the trouble makers
should there be a warning against them
or should we leave it?
a debate based on clan
fighting originates from
people dying as a result
Is this in our interest?
problems in our country
our people fleeing and refugees
each of us losing his home wherever we go,
some untreated grudges and
unfairness we must leave
never ending sleepless stress
it should not be tolerated
all injuries we’ve suffered
resulted from our late efforts
our inability to feel pain
Oh creator
you created this world
you know how it will end
its cure you know
treat it with your goodness
consumed by angry
filled with emotions
its caution you witness
and an important prayer
Oh lord, give us a good state
which does not oppose religion
honest and known
to free all of our land
to treat everyone as equal
its constitution preserved
its orders followed
not unfair to anyone
created in our country
Amen Amen Amen
