The "berkad" may be the single biggest killer of Somalis; more than guns and disease per se.

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Gubbet
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The "berkad" may be the single biggest killer of Somalis; more than guns and disease per se.

Post by Gubbet »

You know earlier this evening I was having a conversation with an old Rer Caabudwaaq and I brought up these issues about grazing and whether---ignoring everything else like concepts of ownership, even past recriminations---whether on just human level and as Somali neighbors and compatriots, families even and extended kin, etc whether they had misgivings about segregating and barring each other from grazing and feed based on "clan."

You know what they told me?

Even during "their" lifetime it wasn't always so.

They recalled various moments where they witnessed extraordinary expressions of neighborliness and concern for each other; one time, Habar Gidir/Saleebaan, for example, having suffered disproportionately the effects of a seasonal drought, were sent a welcome by Marehan tribal leaders, without even being asked, and escorted to Raqo and Buuro of all places west of Caabudwaaq, even Burgeesoole. I mean literally the entire clan around Cadaado were being escorted and through the heart of Marehan territory to where Marehan still had reserves, thougu significantly depleted by then as well. There was no even providing "protection" because anyone who so as much as looked at them had transgressed against his own elder since the elders had extended the welcome. It wasn't even once or couple times.

They also recalled many moments where their neighbors to east also came to their aid. At one time one of the main wells of Caabudwaaq was demolished because Caabudwaaq had grown as a settlement and the well in the middle of the settlement by then was a hazard to young children. There were instances of children falling in. But in any case, Habar Gidir in Cadaado, Mareerguur, to Dhusamareb sent welcomes to come and share water and pasture since the supply in Caabudwaaq had been significantly impacted.

They told me the story of how one of their Habar Gidir neighbors then at Mareerguur was especially helpful and attentive to them. He had one eye because of a prior accident. Well the friendship formed by the man and their family resulted in life long links---their family would always welcome him to their grazing through a personal invite anytime he faced difficulties east. They would even call upon each other when they were in the area and the guy would stay with them whenever he was in Caabudwaaq area. They shared a light comedic moment where, because the guy had 1 eye, having brought him dinner while staying with them in a visit to Caabudwaaq, the guy said "now where did you put the food, because I can't see it and they laughed saying they must have put it on the side of his blind eye.

It is extraordinary wallahi.

But they shared a nugget of such importance I don't even think they realized how profound it was.

According to their experience---and this was a 70 year old person---the beginning of serious bad blood and this hard concept around "ownership" of grazing began with---

---the introduction of the "berked."

Profound wallahi. I am still thinking and grappling with that extremely important observation that the introduction of the "berked" system was the start of all the strongly animating issues which even "fed" the civil war as they said.

Recall that I previously came to the understanding on my own just looking at these issues from a critical point of view that the "berked" is also what exacerbates and contributes to the growth and frequency of range and feed degradation and water depletion making pastoralist Somalis more and more vulnerable to climate change.
In fact, the berked system is why droughts are worse and why pastoralism is no longer sustainable especially in Warder. At least in the past, adaptation made pastoralist "migrate" which allowed feed and range to recover. No the berked made them build settlements where nature never allowed them for a reason and momentary settlement has completely made them blind to the looming disaster.
But to hear someone innocently convey the observation, without even trying to implicate the berked, that the development of the berked was the moment that separated treating each other as fellow neighbors and brothers despite the clan difference and regular wargames and the moment up to now where hearts do not exist and we are existentially in hegemonic conflict is incredibly profound.

The berked might be the single biggest killer of Somalis more than guns and even disease.

:ohhh:
theyuusuf143
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Re: The "berkad" may be the single biggest killer of Somalis; more than guns and disease per se.

Post by theyuusuf143 »

Bro waxyaabahaad qorta waa kuwo xiiso leh , laakiin waxad belo Ku dhigtay hakad iyo joogsi toona ma isticmaashid . Qofka akhrinaya waxad qorta wuu Ku hafanaya. Intaa hadaan Ka gudbo Yes berkaduhu dagaalo waaweyn bay sababaan. Tusaale ahaan Reer buuhoodle iyo Somaliland dagaalkodu berked buu Ka bilaabmay. Anaga xagayaga berkedaha waxaanu u isticmaalna dhul durugsi. Meeshad berkad Ka qodo juffidaada oo dhanba leh. Berkeda makhaayad baa Ku xigta , then hudheel , then masaajid, intaa wixii Ka danbeeya dawlada Ku darta sida school , health post iyo wixii la mida. Sidaas bay meeshu Ku noqotaa magaaladii reer hebel.


Somaliland arinkaasi imika wuu soo yaraanaya. Waayo lama ogola deegaamayn cusub hadaanad ogolaansho Ka haysan wasaarada arimaha gudaha, iyo ta deegaanka , waa la mamnuucay tuulooyinka cusub. Laakiin waxa bedelay wax kasii daran. Abaaruhu markay dhacaan reer miyugu way is uruursadan kadibna meel magaalo weyn u dhaw bay Ku habsadaan, Camp IDP ah bay meeshaasi noqota waxaana isku qabsada dadkii meesha dusha Ka ilaashan jiray iyo IDPs ka , eventually camp kaasi wuxu isu bedela suburban. Waayo reer miyigu markay xoraystan meesha waxa Kasii iibsada dad wax haysta oo lacag yar kaga gata.
Gubbet
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Re: The "berkad" may be the single biggest killer of Somalis; more than guns and disease per se.

Post by Gubbet »

Yuusufow, ileeen maryooley meeshay doonaan ha joogaane waa dameer iyo sayntiisa :ohhh:
theyuusuf143
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Re: The "berkad" may be the single biggest killer of Somalis; more than guns and disease per se.

Post by theyuusuf143 »

Gubbet wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 8:29 am Yuusufow, ileeen maryooley meeshay doonaan ha joogaane waa dameer iyo sayntiisa :ohhh:
Exactly, berigii hore hawdku ma lahayn natural wells tiro badan sidad adba Ku xustay maqaal hore. Markaa dad badan hawdka kuma noolayn biyo yaraan darteed, yadoo ay sidaa tahay bay carabta shidaalku u qarxay. Geeljirayaashi Somalida oo dhanba carabta u shaqo tegay. Tobnaan adeeraday ahba xiliga carabta galay. Badankoodu waxay Kala soo noqdeen uun laba Shay. Berked iyo gaadhi. Nin walba oo meesha tegay Ka ugu yari berked buu qotay. Markaas bay bilaabantay the Scrumple for hawd.

Reer walba deep intu socon karo buu hore u socday. Yagoo isticmaalaya baabuurtan xamuulka EE ay carabta kala yimaaden. Isla gaadiidkas iyo berkedaha tirada badan baa jabhadaha u sahashay inay hawdka Ku noolaan karaan. Yagoo gaadiidka marna ciidan Ku qaadanaya marna qaadka oo cocaine camal xiligaa contraband ahaa. Mushkilada somalidu waa wax isku wada xidhan. Nothing is isolated.
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