QABYALAD: THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT?
Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:03 pm
Dowlad implied few days ago that young Somalis who grew up in the diaspora are often more qabilist or want to appear so because they want to associate with back home and Qabyalad seems one big bad-ass and powerful identity clasp to hold on to. They know it is not nice but they think it is somehow a `cool' way of feeling `home'.
I found the thought intriguing, saddening and hilarious at the same time. Hilarious because it contrasted with how and my whole generation growing up in the 70s and 80s saw it. We associated it with old people and therefore `uncoolness' and as we grew up and formed poltical and social views as utterly primitive and inimical to modern youth, culture and national aspirations. And this was not just a show: none of us knew or cared about or thought about the clans of our classmates. We knew who was `Qaldaan' and who was `Wallaweyn' in my Burao school and later in my Mog one but it was just regional fun and hilarity. The Qabiil concept simply did not exist.
What I later discovered is how old Somalis saw it before my urban generation grew up. It confirmed some of our fears. It was certainly savage and intricately rudderless and totally lacking in principles and benchmarks but it had two sides which we didnt appreciate: dynamism and noble savagery.
Dynamism because the tribes and clans were never hostile or friendly to each other in any discernible patterns; and noble savage because it had almost Gandhian elements of forgiveness and moving on from hostility to friendship in time frames and processes that will put Archbishop Desmond Tutu's Truth and Reconciliation stuff to shame.
The tribes killed each other today literally over nothing; hate each other with unbelievable passion; meet up under under a tree, exchange gifts of girls and camels and become firm friends all literally within weeks.
One thing it never had and cannot have is `coolness'. Qabilism is still a bore. So the young ones need to get a life.
I found the thought intriguing, saddening and hilarious at the same time. Hilarious because it contrasted with how and my whole generation growing up in the 70s and 80s saw it. We associated it with old people and therefore `uncoolness' and as we grew up and formed poltical and social views as utterly primitive and inimical to modern youth, culture and national aspirations. And this was not just a show: none of us knew or cared about or thought about the clans of our classmates. We knew who was `Qaldaan' and who was `Wallaweyn' in my Burao school and later in my Mog one but it was just regional fun and hilarity. The Qabiil concept simply did not exist.
What I later discovered is how old Somalis saw it before my urban generation grew up. It confirmed some of our fears. It was certainly savage and intricately rudderless and totally lacking in principles and benchmarks but it had two sides which we didnt appreciate: dynamism and noble savagery.
Dynamism because the tribes and clans were never hostile or friendly to each other in any discernible patterns; and noble savage because it had almost Gandhian elements of forgiveness and moving on from hostility to friendship in time frames and processes that will put Archbishop Desmond Tutu's Truth and Reconciliation stuff to shame.
The tribes killed each other today literally over nothing; hate each other with unbelievable passion; meet up under under a tree, exchange gifts of girls and camels and become firm friends all literally within weeks.
One thing it never had and cannot have is `coolness'. Qabilism is still a bore. So the young ones need to get a life.
Not boring and perverted Galol, American/European youth wanting and finding a connection with their homeland. 
