Are we inherently deaf?

[Lamagoodle]

In the colonial days, the colonial masters had some profound difficulties in differentiating between the Cushitic people of East Africa; Ethiopians, Sudanese, Eritreans, Rendilles, Boranas, Sakuyes, Wardaay etc.

All the cushtitic speaking peope have the same physical characteristics unlike our pride-ridden-cool aid that has been fed to us.

An urban fable has it that during the Second World War, the British embraced the “waryaa” stragey to distinguish Somali soldiers from other ethnic group. Asking the soldiers to march with their backs turned, the platoon leader could identify the somalis by yelling “waryaa”. Only somalis reacted to this bellow.

You may ask why the British colonial masters wanted to identify somalis;, the somalis were good trekkers and more importantly saw the their Cushitic brethren as inferior ethnic groups: this latter issue was important because it fulfilled an important colonial strategy, divide and rule (qeybi oo xukun).

Today, the identification of somalis in the diaspora has taken another form. It is no longer about invoking the “waryaa” word to differentiate somalis from Africans (yes, white people see no difference between Africans).

Two somalis conversing in a public space, bus, plane or train is enough! We shout, we scream, we yell to each other.
In public squares frequented by somalis, it is not unusual to witness scenes that look like the aftermath of an earthquake or any other disasters:

“waraaya kale!, Nijasyahow, aabaha wase” etc and other conversations in loud voices could be heard. Telephone conversations in public places, airports and public transport systems, between somalis is a public affair.

One theory is that somalis have not evolved from the Geeljire mentality of using voice as a powerful tool of communication.

Another delicate explanation which is perhaps used by non-somalis – in private- is that somalis are the missing link between ape and mankind; and that their screams is a witness of primal communication instinct.

Aaway aqlaadeeni? Maxaa ku dhacay xishoodkeeni

[Twist]

There is a big shopping mall in my city which is the favorite gathering place for the Maryooleys whose daily routine is to just sit around a coffee place in the mall, buy 1 cup of latte in every 3 or 4 hours and embark upon fadhi-ku-dirir all day everyday.

As most shopping centers, the mall has several main entrances and whenever I have some business in that mall I do all I can to avoid the entrance closest to that coffee shop; not that I have anything against any of them but it's just that I find it cringe-worthy when people are loud in a public place and don't give a damn about other people around them, regardless if it's Somalis or otherwise, and you can only imagine when you come face to face to almost a dozen Somalis who see you like once a year, sitting in the same place.

[Typhoon]

In the colonial days, the colonial masters had some profound difficulties in differentiating between the Cushitic people of East Africa; Ethiopians, Sudanese, Eritreans, Rendilles, Boranas, Sakuyes, Wardaay etc.

All the cushtitic speaking peope have the same physical characteristics unlike our pride-ridden-cool aid that has been fed to us.

An urban fable has it that during the Second World War, the British embraced the “waryaa” stragey to distinguish Somali soldiers from other ethnic group. Asking the soldiers to march with their backs turned, the platoon leader could identify the somalis by yelling “waryaa”. Only somalis reacted to this bellow.

You may ask why the British colonial masters wanted to identify somalis;, the somalis were good trekkers and more importantly saw the their Cushitic brethren as inferior ethnic groups: this latter issue was important because it fulfilled an important colonial strategy, divide and rule (qeybi oo xukun).

Today, the identification of somalis in the diaspora has taken another form. It is no longer about invoking the “waryaa” word to differentiate somalis from Africans (yes, white people see no difference between Africans).

Two somalis conversing in a public space, bus, plane or train is enough! We shout, we scream, we yell to each other.
In public squares frequented by somalis, it is not unusual to witness scenes that look the aftermath of an earthquake or any other disasters:

“waraaya kale!, Nijasyahow, aabaha wase” etc and other conversations in loud voices could be heard. Telephone conversations in public places, airports and public transport systems, between somalis is a public affair.

One theory is that somalis have not evolved from the Geeljire mentality of using voice as a powerful tool of communication.

Another delicate explanation which is perhaps used by non-somalis – in private- is that somalis are the missing link between ape and mankind; and that their screams is a witness of primal communication instinct.

Aaway aqlaadeeni? Maxaa ku dhacay xishoodkeeni

brilliant observation and great Analytical mind.

I hav never noticed you from the wildebeest herd of SNET, am quite impressed Lamgoodle

[Lamagoodle]

Twistow,
I was on a train yesterday with 3 somalis; and through out the 6 hr journey they were shouting (on the phone, between themselves and when talking to the train conductor).

I could see from the other passengers faces that they viewed them as primitive.

Typhoon, soo dhowow saaxib.

[Twist]

Lam, I remember people telling me they thought that I was an arrogant person before they got to know me better coz I tend to keep to myself most of the time, and the fact is that I am (or I think I am) qunyar-socod person, with kinda shy personality and never liked loud individuals, though every now and then I had that self-doubt where I ask myself if my life would have been different if I had that loud and I-don't-give-a-crap personality. But then again I tell myself that I am me and I wont accomplish anything in a pretentious extrovert personality that I couldn't achieve in my natural, introvert one.

[Lamagoodle]

Lam, I remember people telling me they thought that I was an arrogant person before they got to know me better coz I tend to keep to myself most of the time, and the fact is that I am (or I think I am) qunyar-socod person, with kinda shy personality and never liked loud individuals, though every now and then I had that self-doubt where I ask myself if my life would have been different if I had that loud and I-don't-give-a-crap personality. But then again I tell myself that I am me and I wont accomplish anything in a pretentious extrovert personality that I couldn't achieve in my natural, introvert one.

Gartay saaxib. Have you seen how we talk on the phone saaxib? Long distance calls; too loud, short distance calls, still loud but not as loud as the long distance one.

[Twist]

LOL! What do you think is the reason? Is it that we think that the long distance one, since it's the furthest geographically, we have to speak louder so that the person on the other end can hear us better?

[Lamagoodle]

LOL! What do you think is the reason? Is it that we think that the long distance one, since it's the furthest geographically, we have to speak louder so that the person on the other end can hear us better?

It is the nomad mentality saaxib. The geeljire was generally an isolated being and his interactions with others centred on shouting from distance to avoid enemies.

Or it is simply magaalo joog xumo. Mid doraato (xijaab weyn ayaay wadatay) oo aan tareen isla raacnay telefoon ayaay kula hadleeysay mid kale; ragga ayaay rifeeysay; nuuris iwm ayaay ka sheekeyneeysay.

Waxaaba iigu daran markaay i aragtay waxaay igu tiri "Adeer xageed u socotaa?" bal ogow waa naag i dhali karte,, oo ilkaha siibatay.

[Niya]

One theory is that somalis have not evolved from the Geeljire mentality of using voice as a powerful tool of communication.

This is an interesting observation! In addition to being loud, we tend to have poor listening skills. In conversation one will see people interrupting each other, talking over each other and assuming what one's line of thought is, then followed by never ending muuran peppered with insults!!

[zidane88]

This is an interesting observation! In addition to being loud, we tend to have poor listening skills. In conversation one will see people interrupting each other, talking over each other and assuming what one's line of thought is, then followed by never ending muuran peppered with insults!![/quote]

Here on the net is the same, you can't simply express your God given democratic views without being hurled a barrage of offensive insults by bunch of sensitive hardliners.

[BlackVelvet]

Now you are just insulting Somalis with no goal in mind. Adiga waan kaa yabey is there any good you see in Somalis?

[zidane88]

Huuno ma anigaa ninkaad ka yaabtay.

[BlackVelvet]

I was referring to LamaG

[zidane88]

Sorry SIS, I am out of the way.

[Lamagoodle]

Blackvelvet, not alot of good things to say about our people. We are wild, primitive and are not fit to fare out of somalia.

I am critical of our self-good and illusory persona; As I said on numerous occasions, I am a social critique who wants to go beyond the waan-daadshe treatise that has characterised our people. A sick patient needs to diagnosed before treatment.

Niya, alot of non-somalis think the somalis are engaged in fist fights when they are actually discussing an issue. There are reports of neighbours calling the police to somali apartments thinking someone is murdered.

Zidane, fulay!