DHAQAN CELIS

[1nemansquad]

by A Ali

Dhaqan Celis

I find it quite embarrassing
Whenever my relatives ring
That the only thing I can say
Is Haa, Fiican and May

What do I say to my Ayeyo, Awowo and Habo’s too
When the only words in Somali I know
Are a sad and lonely few

I went back to Africa a few months ago
Man, the conversations
They were really slow
Hand gestures and sign language were the order of the day
It was so frustrating, since I had so much to say

“Dhaqan celis baad u baahantahay”
Is what they respond with, whenever I try
The caay, they come up with
Bisinka, it’s enough to make a grown man cry

Don’t get me started on the tea making
“Hooyo, shaah ii soo kari”
Why not? It should be easy
I can tell, my shaah and xawaash makes them queasy

“Aussie run baatahay habo”
I laugh and smile at their good natured teasing
I take the put downs, even though on the inside I’m seething
The elbows in the ribs when I try the buraanbur
I was once even told that I looked like a fool

But, I still eat bananas with my bariis
I still laugh at my mum, when she mixes up her b’s and her p’s
I still don’t think my house is clean without uunsi
I can still remember the macalin, terrorising us at dugsi
I’ve dodged my fair share of dacas
Told to hit back at the caddaan kids at school, my Aabo telling me
“Don’t be a nacas”

Next time they tease me and call me an aussie
When I speak my broken somali
And they roll their eyes and qosol
I’ll tell them I’m Somali
“boqolkiiba boqol”

[Mzbeautifull]

Did you write that ?

[rich-boy]

thats pathetic a grown person who cant speak somali in london i see second and third generation british asian speaking their language somalis first generation lost of mother tongue no more daqan caadi maha

[1nemansquad]

rich-boy, how is it pathetic? ma qasab baa qoflka inu afsomali ku hadlo? diintee baa sida dhahdey?

Mz, nah i didn't write it; i posted the name of the writter

[FAH1223]

*picks up Somali phrase book*

*practices*

[*Nobleman*]

My somali is pretty good for ciyaal ingres standards i.e I speak mainly somali at home, laakin i still get taunted by family members like uncles and aunts.

[SultanOrder]

*picks up Somali phrase book*

*practices*

africa is hard lesson, even the kids will say to other kids hadalkiisa aad looma garankaro wuu carab la'yahay i mean 4 year olds

[*Nobleman*]

*picks up Somali phrase book*

*practices*

africa is hard lesson, even the kids will say to other kids hadalkiisa aad looma garankaro wuu carab la'yahay i mean 4 year olds

Somalia caadi maha, you stick out like a sore thumb and straight away they know your reer europe/america. Forget old folks, ciyaalka xafaada taunt you constantly.

[Ka darag]

^^^innit...i tried to blend in but they could all tell

[1nemansquad]

What a bunch of morons, i only posted this because i thought the piece was witty and very smart; appreciate the writters work instead commenting something stupid like 'afsomali' who gives a sh.it really