Esa/Ciise Poetry/Gabay/Suugan

[Jabuutawi]

I will share here Esa/Ciise/Isse/Issa poetry over the years. We do not associate, for the most part with other Somalis, but we have rich history when it comes to poetry.

There is even a show on RTD4 that comes on weekly about suugan.

Qabqablaha dagaalkiyo
Qandaraas u rooriyo
Kuwa soo qatoobee
Ku qabsoo inaad qadin
Qalbigooda galiyee
Soo wada qaldhabayow
Dhulka qayb ahaantaan
Qiyaastii aan leeyahay
Qoolay bartay dhigi
Qoobkeeda wayda ah
In la qaato ma ogooli

Fact is our 500+ years old xeer is based on poetry, easy to remember and recite. No formal writing by Somalis, but there is a Sumado writing whose origins come from Esa or Ciise.

[original dervish]

Funny you say that......Ciise are conspicuous by their absence in most Somali communities.

I used to think it was because they didnt have the numbers, but have since come to know they are a large clan.

I think its because they identify themselves as Djiboutienne in most cases.

[original dervish]

Funny you say that......Ciise are conspicuous by their absence in most Somali communities.

I used to think it was because they didnt have the numbers, but have since come to know they are a large clan.

I think its because they identify themselves as Djiboutienne in most cases.

[Nubis]

Great poem & thanks for sharing.

[BestPlaya]

I don't know if your friend to Aar Ciise on Facebook but that dude knows a lot about Ciise history and traditions .You may reach him on Fb for the seek of your thread .In fact, he knows a lot ,even poems though he says Ciise Xeer largely discouraged poetry as it could lead to bloody conflicts .

[Jabuutawi]

More poetry. I must say this has nothing to do with a historical moment in time. I am still searching for a poem where dissing is happening with a rival clan or tribe, tribe in the case of Oromos and Afars , same way other Somali clans have rivalry.

Dhawrtada dad waynaha
Dhaxal uu awawgaa
Kuu dhigay ha moodine
Dhamac weeye waaryaa
Aad dhuunyanaysoo
Dhuuxaaga hoosiyo
Dhiigaaga meeriyo
Dheehaaga guud bay
Sii kala dhantaaliye
Dhabaqsiga yaree hadhay
Dharqashada ka daayo
Ubadada dhallaankiyo
Maatida u soo dhiib.

OD, you were looking for Ciise in the wrong places. I believe we had as much presence in northern Somalia as some of the other clans in the north. People moved to a 'greener' pasture (Djibouti) I suppose. My jilib never had any presence in Somalia but we are the largest Ciise sub clan and live in Ethiopia, hence why they call my jilib laf dhabarka Ciise.

Nubian Queen, glad you like it. Perhaps one day you will share with me about your background other than being a stewardess. Where do you hail from? I gather Somalia and I sense you are Darood? Anyway, thanks!

Best Playa, I don't know that guy but I will look into it. Funny thing is Ciise poetry is about anything but condemnation of other clans. I could be wrong but I will check into details. Also, the Xeer has lived in people's minds because it was set in a poem. Historically our poetry is non-violent or libelous.

[Jabuutawi]

Anyone heard of Ali Kalageeye who lived few centuries back? I doubt any here have heard of him. I am working on a research about him. He kicked out the Gallas in the aftermath of Adal Sultanate from northern Somali region.

Problem accessing information about Djibouti, Sitti and northern Somalia is almost always the sources are either in French or Amharic.

He is honored in Djibouti with a statue below.





Sumado writing :

"Sumado" Hiéroglyphes Somalis des Issa .Une Histoire Egypto-Puntite .
"Soumado" signifie en ancien-égyptien "écrire les hiéroglyphes" et de même "Soumado" signifie "hiéroglyphes" en langue Somali. Les somalis utilisent généralement les "Soumados" . En guise d'exemple,les hiéroglyphes de la photo ,sont actuellement utilisés par les Clans Issa .La tribu Issa est une branche du peuple Somali qui vit en Éthiopie,Djibouti et le nord de la Somalie ,notamment dans la région de Saylac ,Lughaya,Awdal etc... Ces symboles hiéroglyphiques des Issa sont extraits du livre « Le Choix de l’Ugaas dans la Tradition du Xeer : un processus original pour designer un roi» écrit par le Dr Ali Moussa Iye ,djiboutien ,chef de la section interculturelle de l’Unesco.

I need to contact this guy for more information about Ali Kalageeye and Sumado writing. He works for UNESCO in Paris.

[theyuusuf143]

I will share here Esa/Ciise/Isse/Issa poetry over the years. We do not associate, for the most part with other Somalis, but we have rich history when it comes to poetry.

There is even a show on RTD4 that comes on weekly about suugan.

Qabqablaha dagaalkiyo
Qandaraas u rooriyo
Kuwa soo qatoobee
Ku qabsoo inaad qadin
Qalbigooda galiyee
Soo wada qaldhabayow
Dhulka qayb ahaantaan
Qiyaastii aan leeyahay
Qoolay bartay dhigi
Qoobkeeda wayda ah
In la qaato ma ogooli

Fact is our 500+ years old xeer is based on poetry, easy to remember and recite. No formal writing by Somalis, but there is a Sumado writing whose origins come from Esa or Ciise.

Kan ka waran . Waa gabaygii ugu cusla ee ciise hooyo khadra u sameeyo

[Jabuutawi]

Aabo Cali Abubakar (Ali Kalageeye's real name) oo ku magac dheer Cali Kalageeye fataxada u mara waa halyey usoo halgamay baladkeena baaxada wayne leh

Inkastuu xaqii iyo
Mawdkii Ku xoorod
Xabaal jiiftid hadadan
Xurmo badane aabow
Dhulkii aad xoraysaan
Xolaha Ku dhaqanaa
Xuduudi ad jeexdey
Reeruhu xeranayaan
Inaad xubin awoodloo
Gaalada xasuuqo
Soo riday xaqeeno
Geesinimo Ku xeeldheer
Xaqiidii inaad tahay
Waxa lagu xasuustaa
Xamar iyo jabuutay
Xurmo taaladaadiyo
Xasuustaadu taala

[Jabuutawi]

A regular poem by a regular person, not an abwan in the strictest sense. That is how rich and deep Esa, Ciise, poetry is.

Tolkay waa la yaqaan
Bah weeyan isku tiirsan
Umad weeyin tayeysan
Waa tafiir barakaysan
Kooga taagdaran heedhe
Kuwa toosiya weeye
Cadawgii nagu taamo
Tol ka taagbadan weeye
Canfar toori u haystay
Tunka soo qabqabteen
Oromo noo tashanaayey
Duhur toos u eryeen

[Jabuutawi]

Gabay for ugaska Ciise ahna ugaska Soomaliyeed, Ugas Mustafe Mahamed Ibrahim:

Alla aamin buuxow
Aabaha Sinnaantow
Midnimada adkeeyow
Duca lagu ishaaryow
Meeshuu arlada maro
Roob lagu ekeeyow
Udub noo dhexeeyow
Soomali oo idil
iyo ood wadaagteen
Adigow u arrimiyoo
Ibtilada dagaalkiyo
Eedaadka miidhada
Aabow u diidoo
Nabada u horseedee
Ogaaskayaga guudow
Aabaha dadkaygow
Aragaagu waa nuur
Eraygaagu waa deeq
Lagu oon baxaayeee
Usha noo hay waligaa

[Jabuutawi]

Dir Dhabe dadkaagow
Caadhgooga duufkali
Wuxuu doonaya waa
Daaraha qurxooniyo
Deeqaha ilahay
Dir Dhabe idin dhigay
Inaad dayrisaanood
Diga rogasho aadaan
Dagal kale u guurtaan
Darmadiina xoortan
Dalanbaabi meeriyo
Daaduun ahaataan

[Jabuutawi]

Ugaska Ciise lama huraanoow
Waxaa tahay geesi awran
Adaa gobanimo ku caan ah
Ixtiraam iyo dhaqan hagaagsan
Waxay dadku kugu amaanaan
Aqoontiyo dhiiranaanta
Aqliga kugu jiree wanaagsan
Hadaan runta ood la saarayn
Amaba eex lagaa galaynin
Waxaa tahay indheer-garadka
Iftiinka deegaanku yeeshay
Waxaad tahay oday taliya
Gar-yaqaan eed laga fogeeyay
Umadaad anfacdaa ku jecel
Ideyl soomalida deegaanka
Ayaa duco kuu hibaysoo
Waxaa tahay aabbo buuxa...

Regular poem from a regular person praising our Ugas heritage of 500 years in the making.

[Jabuutawi]

In this thread not only am I going to talk about what the subject line states, but also correct some misconceptions and historical revisionism promulgated by some people.

One misconception is Dir Dhabe was not Issa majority or Somali city. Wrong! Majority of the Somalis were not Gurgura but Issa. During the Derg reign of terror over 30,000 homes were forcibly confiscated from Issa households by the Derg and given to Oromos and Amharas, fact! Moreover, many Gurguras started claiming Oromos at that time. Oromos, Amharas and other ethnicities are new comers to the city in the last 40 years.

Thanks to Hungarian Academy of Science Research Center, these are unmistakably Issa/Somalis dance. I even recognize Harimaadde, war dance exclusive to Issa/Ciise clan:




Oromos will never take DD from us, no matter how many times they try to convince Gurugura about the Issa boogeyman. I can't wait for Ethiopia to implode soon, InshAllah bidni lahi Kariim.

Let everyone go their separate ways, Amiin.

[Osob101]

All I know is Ciise Madoobe are considered lost Kin among us the Abgaal. I even remember the father of the current Ugaas in our house saying he was going for the new coronation of the new Ciisa Ugaas and he was telling us many stories of the story behind it. As always I I think there is some truth to some part of it and some of it just plain Somali tradition of adding stuff up. For all we know the southern Abgaal could be the lost clan since the man himself Ali Osman is buried close to Sheikh in the north