Better progress in the community.

Have you ever went somewhere and expected to be kicked out of that place for just being who you are?

I don't usually feel  like that but when I'm going to my community and not wearing the appropriate Islamic dress code, all I think  is I might be kicked out or be told to leave because I'm not wearing the expected outfit to be in that place.

Because of growing up in a muslim country, being raised by a jewish and infidel hating  religiously strict grandmother who wouldn't hesitate to whip you if you don't read Quran and pray five times a day. I took a bad impression toward the somali community and I still do that sometimes however I'm getting used to it being around somali people and not wearing the Islamic dress.

But for some time I still used long skirts or maxi dresses when I wanted to go to the somali malls or somali events however as time passed, the more I got used to the ways I dress the more I get confident enough to go somali malls without Islamic dress. I have gone there few times but most of those times I feared I might be told to leave or ignored when buying something, which didn't happen.

Few weeks ago I was invited to go to a somali event called 1991Zine a magazine that is just  launched and although all who attended were not somali people but all kinds of people and it was astonishing to be in a room full of somali folks that won't even pay attention to how you are dressed.

I also got the courage to go to somali malls sometimes with my knee length dresses that are also bare on the shoulders and chests, but when I think about  the mean things that the folks back in the country used to say about the infidels. Like infidels are nijaas (unclean) they are unclean to touch holy books like Quran and hadeeth, they are unclean to enter a Mosque or come anywhere near anything related to the holy books and houses. And that was the bad impression I got and thought everyone was like that.
However now I got a good but not the best impression about my people, I stopped at the Karmel somali mall this afternoon on my way home to buy a somali english dictionary for me to learn how to translate from somali to english  and for  my husband to learn somali language. The only store that had this dictionary was the only book store in the mall and most of those books are holy books like Quran, hadeth and sunnah also many other books as well.

I went there knowing my dress was inappropriate and I thought they might tell me to leave although in America its religious prejudice to treat someone dofferently based on their believes, but I  still feared they might tell me to leave the store or wear appropriate clothes however this didn't happen, I went inside and looked around, found the dictionary I wanted. However since it was on the same shelf as those books that are holy I feared  it might offend them for  touching anything, I carefully picked the dictionary and proceed to the cashier.

What made me write this artictle is that they were in fact the opposite than I thought, they were nice, asked me if I.m somali and even when I nodded yes they still gave me a thumb up, instead of asking if you are somali why are not you wearing Islamic dress? They gave me a discount since the the book costed $25 I bought it $15 I'm not sure if it was on sale or whatever the reason is its that the last time I checked the book it was $25, they were also understanding when I told them I.m deaf and gave me a paper and pen to write down what I was saying and they were helpful when I asked if they had a main english dictionary they went to look for it and told me to come back other day cause it was not in stock, they also said thank you when I was leaving store.

So I went in that store with fear that I might be butt kicked or ignored somehow for being bare chested, bare shouldered and wearing kneel length dress but left the store amazed of how accepting those people were, because that is all we the non-muslim somalis need to be accepted not to be discriminated, not to be preached, excluded, or forced into religions because its our choices you can't make someone believe what they don't want to believe and so after today. All I want is to be part of my community because I have been avoiding due to the fear of being discriminated and excluded  or even told to leave it does not mean  if we leave Islam we don't belong in the community because we have more than faith we have somali  families and we have somali blood so where else do  a somali non-muslim person belongs?

And lastly I believe that religion doesn't separate people but people separate each other due to hatred, greedy and envy because if you truly love that person difference of believe would not just simply erase all the love you had for this person and fill your heart with hate that  lead you disowning or abandoning  family member. We are not here to dominate our believes, to insult your believes, to influence the community with what we believe or shove our believes down to your throats. we are here for only two things to be accepted and included.

This is not related to this article but I'm currently writing children's books and I'm looking for a somali illustrator, so dear readers if you are interested to contribute to my work please leave a comment under this article I'll contact you.

Best wishes and love you all.

Nomads on the Roads (final)

As we  slowly lost our second day of the journey and approached our second night we didn't have place to sleep, meal to eat and most of all we did know anyone in the  village ahead of us except a family that I once slept with during  one of my run away journeys so we walked in the dark with no flash lights we were basically the blind without canes and since the village was small we had to trace the sounds of the vehicles passing by on the long highway  because the villages don't have as many animals as the nomads have, they only have few goats and sheep that they use  for milking  also few cows and camels. as well.

The plan was to go to the Dhakool family in the village that I previously knew however it didn't go as I thought it would because once we arrived at the Dhakool family's  compound and naively told that we are looking for the Dhakool family we were asked the tribe of the  Dhakools but  this wasn't something we had in mind or expected nor knew so I told myself that is not bad at all I could just guess,  it sounded  a  good idea to guess their tribe and I told that we are looking for the Dhakools of the guessed tribe but it wasn't the correct tribe so we were kicked out and told the Dhakools we are looking for is the  compound across the dusty line  which I for sure knew that they were not the Dhakools I was looking for. But what could I do? And it doesn't matter because it would be our lose  if we came all the way  for them fortunately they were not the reason behind our journey so I led Ayaan to the exact compound that the Dhakools told us I knew they were not but since the Dhakools are this mean who only welcomes those who know their tribe we would not mind looking shelter from another villager.

Before we arrived at the compound we saw a girl leaving the same compound we were heading so we stopped her to ask if they know the Dhakools. She told us those who kicked us are the Dhakools so I told her that they laid pretending that I didn't know them before the girl told us that she know a family member of the Dhakools who owns a small shop that she was heading. Excited a little we followed the girl as she led us to a long paved road and the other side of this road was a small shop owned by the youngest Dhakool whom Ayaan and I both knew in nomad she lived with her grandmother and helped with the animals. Her name was Khadra but we called her Gurayo (A  nickname for the left handed females) Miss Gurayo welcomed us in her shop brought spaghetti  with stew. Khadra was laying on a mattress in her little shop and some other girls were selling the products from the customers I was thinking why is she acting like a Queen? Get up Miss. Gurayo and sell your damn shop yourself. I mean we were the  same bush girls   but now  she is  laying here like sleeping beauty  doing nothing, that  can't be Khadra can't be as lazy as this shop owner,  as we ate our tasty spaghetti Ayaan stopped half way because the shop's door was open and there were couple guys sitting side of the highway  in front of the restaurant chatting they didn't even glance at us but Ayaan was not comfortable to eat anymore. Well then more spaghetti for me I don't care about the men sitting there enjoying their chat and food I was starving and had nothing to lose but Ayaan it was her choice not to continue her dinner.

After the dinner Khadra sent us to the Dhakool-Compound well they were surprised that we somehow found  Khadra but who cares we won so we got our dinner and shelter finally! we slept with one of the Dhakool girls and in the morning we helped her with the breakfast as she made the Injera we made the tea for her and got breakfast and  left for our 3rd day of the trip. As we left the village walking on the side of the long paved road slowly watching out the cars and trucks quietly because neither me nor Ayaan was  talkative, we hardly  said anything in the past two days and nights  after a while on our  roadside walk we saw a  blue high-density polyethylene bag those with the  hand held. Inside of it was what seemed like  injera with tea and it was hanging from an Acacia tree branch, Ayaan turned and snatched it from the branch saying its injera the small flat somali breakfast pancake with tea. She then took a handful of it and ate she offered me but I knew it was a vomit. Who would leave a bagful of tasty breakfast hanging on a roadside tree? Somalia is a poor country where its inhabitants die of starvation and nobody throws food around even if the person doesn't want the food they offer it to another person and since Somalia is a muslim country Islam teaches its believers not to waste food because they believe that the food is one of the greatest  gifts from God and   wasting it   angers him but sharing is blessing. there are even hadeth that says the prophet Mohammad said if a piece of meat falls on the ground. Don't waste it, pick it up, wipe out the dirty and eat it, the point is that I still can't figure out if Ayaan knew that it was actually a puke and ate it out of starvation and was embarrassed to admit that it was  a puke  or she for sure thought that it was a mixture of  injera and tea. She cut me off when i tried to tell her that its not what is saying. And the irony is that last night she refused to eat our delicious spaghetti and stew just because two random dudes were sitting yards away busy chatting not even paying attention to us. But now she is eating a food that already digested.

As the village vanished from our sight and the road looked unsafe for us to walk  we decided to walk behind the trees where the passing vehicles don't see us, it was still morning when we arrived another small village called Ununley driving distance is  3km from Kirit to Ununley about 3 minutes to drive but    41 minutes for us to  walk but the village was vacant all of the small shop doors and windows were shut, and nobody was there other than the passing vehicles. We saw a herd of goats/sheep at a nearby Baraag/barkad a huge square-shaped  underground hole used for water storage although it was spring time and the animals didn't need water but in this village it seemed there was no enough rain to grow pasture for the animals this is why the villagers vacated the village to find better pasture for their animals. Ayaan wanted to go to the Barkad so we went and she quickly befriended with  the girl  along with a man but me, I stood outside waiting her to finish talking with the stranger. So apparently Ayaan is not as quiet as I thought, we have been together 2 night and 2 1/2 day and she hardly said  word to me but now as soon as she saw a  peer girl out there she run all the way to talk to the complete stranger for  10 minutes while I stood there waiting.


The morning turned into a noon and the noon turned into afternoon and we were still walking on  the roadside however as we went far into rocky hills and small mountains with no food or water Ayaan made it this far with the puke she ate and few sips of water she had with the stranger girl otherwise she would have collapsed already but for me I was used to it. At late afternoon we finally reached a much bigger village that means this was the last village to stop because the next village is our destination although Ayaan have to go another city  if she wants to see her grandma, uncle and the rest of her relative but for me I had no one so where should I be going. This village was called Beer the driving distance between Ununley and Beer  14.7km about 12 minutes drive, it doesn't show the walking distance this village was famous with having the best ophthalmologist.  As we came closer we could see so many white tents outside the village like  a refugee camp but it was not a refugee camp it was patient tents the reason why this ophthalmologist was so popular was that the rumors said that he studied in the west, went back home and opened an eye clinic where all the villagers, the nomads and even the city dwellers whoever had  eye sight issues flooded hoping that he brought  some miracle from the west to cure their eyes. I admit my grandma was one of them who had an unsuccessful eye operation.

We abandoned the highway and went to the village which was on the east side of the highway and we asked a resident some water and proceeded heading to the check point on the highway, the plan was to go to the check point and ask the soldiers to put us on one of those passing vehicles but we know they would refuse to do so we only had to try but on the way before we left the village walking slowly on a dusty lane to the check point we heard a voice saying HABLAHOW (Hey girls) we looked at  the direction where the voice came from and we saw a young woman on her late teen or early 20s standing inside a tree branches fence looking at us then she said, come in. we went in that stranger's home she was kind person and she told us. I can see that you guys have been on a long trip, I can see  how exhausted and starving you guys, please sit, we sat under her corrugated iron sheet room shade on a  plastic woven mat, she served us dried orange juice  powder  mixed with water and sugar along with  a small meal for us to tie our bellies until dinner while she prepare the dinner. She had a new born infant who I think was a few days old and also there was a teenage male in another room separate from hers, I don't think he is the father he seemed to be younger than her and was helping her around. She told us to sleep over with her in her room the night and in the early morning go to the check point so the soldiers can put us on the trucks. of course if the soldiers put us on a truck the driver won't charge  us money but I wasn't sure if the soldiers would do that but again we had to try.

As we approached the check point and it was still dark, the sun didn't rise yet  before we reached the soldiers' camp where they sit when there are no cars although nobody was there at the time because they were still sleeping maybe one was awake but at the time there was nobody around. A woman called us and told us to stay in her cafe until she finds us someone who can help us. This woman killed our hope about the soldiers finding  us free rides I mean the soldiers' camp was the opposite side of the the highway but she never told us to go there and ask them to help us nor did she went to ask them for us, This woman for sure was using us as her little helpers we washed her dish, we raked her cafe and helped her cook the lunch she served tea and rice but that day her business was not blooming there were few men who came in her cafe but most of them didn't order anything and left quick, I believe she wanted us to stay in her cafe so we can attract the men and they would  come flooding in her little cafe but well nobody attracts  two shepherders sitting there, staring around ignorantly  with Owlish eyes . Ayaan and I were both shy so we each  wrapped one hand on one end  of  our shawls and then covered it on our mouths so all the men could see was our Owlish  eyes.


After we finished helping the woman with breakfast and ate some we then started helping her with the lunch a huge pot of long grain rice cooked  with vegetables we call it red rice it slightly becomes red when added the  tomato paste and  other vegetables she made it for the clients she didn't have kids around or anyone at the time. During the late morning a neighbor of hers came to her cafe and asked Ayaan and me to help her haul some chopped thorn tree branches at  nearby trees, Ayaan refused but I said OK. I didn't see there is no  why help a stranger with no promise in return and refuse another?This cafe owner only said she'll ask her clients if they know us other than that she was not going to help us get past this village. I went with the other stranger,  she chopped couple branches and asked me to carry the smallest one which was perfect for my age to carry, after I dropped the branch at her home I went back to the cafe to find Ayaan eating a plateful of the red rice , she ate it all. I couldn't believe how quick the woman gave Ayaan lunch it was not even noon yet and when I left the food was on the fire brazier  anyway I hoped to have a plateful of the mighty red rice too but that didn't happen the woman punished me for helping the other stranger, maybe she doesn't like  her neighbor I don't know nor do I care  she didn't let me eat until late afternoon that day and I even asked. Can I have lunch? But she told me later somehow she didn't let me eat.

Not that only this woman took advantage of us by helping her around in her little cafe but also her clients were rude, very RUDE  and creepy as well, one guy  a young man came at noon and she asked him. Do you recognize these girls? He asked our tribe but um he didn't  know and when she told him that we  run away from our families  he said I would love to take one to my home. For marriage? she asked. No to help us around, apparently everyone wanted tiny helping hands free of charge but this creepy guy who wanted to take one of us to his mother or wife so we can be their shepherders but not want to marry us was something new to me especially a man wanting a barely teenage girl to be his family's animal keeper. The worst was the cafe owner's water  delivery man  who came at noon with his huge water truck, he was a big guy whose belly equivalent to an eight months pregnant mother of twins, his  teeth as orange as the orange fruit itself some of his teeth broken and others blackened by the Khaat. He was chewing bunch of Khat the Kenyan plant that  most somali men chew, after we finished cleaning and emptying  the water storage that was made of concrete bricks he sat in the cafe ordered an extra sweet tea that is used for the Khat and while he was chewing his Khat talking like psycho. his cafe owner water  client asked him  if he can recognize us but instead of answering if he knows us or not he all of the sudden asked us? Are you looking for men? Ayaan and I were speechless,we didn't know what to say we were taught that those things are unspeakable especially from woman to man and since we were young we didn't know the right word to answer this man's stupid question, for a while we just looked on the ground not wanting to look at him or the other men sitting there listening this stupid guy Ayaan didn't say a word but I said NO. Well, he said if a young girl runs away from her family she is looking for a man. So are you? No I replied again then he  finally left.

As the day turned into afternoon yet I still had no lunch, I had mixed feelings, I was angry to the woman whom I been working from the sunrise to almost sunset for free and yet she  didn't allow me to eat, I was also angry to myself for abandoning the plan and having faith  on  this woman's word of asking her clients if they can recognize  us, and I was upset that we had to sleep over in this same village that we slept last night But I couldn't take Ayaan beyond this village on foot the closer we come into crowded areas the danger it gets we had to get a ride or go back home, there will be flocks of young boys out there ahead of us who will do anything they wish to two coward teenagers who won't lift a finger to defend themselves, its not that we were  cowards to defend ourselves its that we never learned anything about self defense all we learned was how to hurl lyrics of insults onto our peer girls as a self defense not physical fight but verbal insult that is  usually about mother or the sister of the opponent we would dance and sing songs of insults toward the other girl's mother or sister that her mother o her  sister is a slut whom we witnessed being fucked etc. And we were taught  that a man is twice stronger than a woman and that we can't fight them if they intend to hurt us. The only way to protect ourselves  is to wear hijab and stay at home, I don't believe that Hijab is a protective materials no matter how a woman dress the bad man knows where the precious is. Hijab is not a chastity belt but most Somalis see it as one.


It was late afternoon when a mysterious young man came to the cafe as I was hopeless about leaving this village today he was dressed nice and was very polite unlike the creepy guy in the morning and the rude big bellied water truck driver,  this guy was the 3rd guy she asked if he can recognize us, he asked us our tribe then our bloodline and as I started from my grandpa and continued to many great,great and great grandpas he still couldn't not well we came from many miles how can he know us. However this guy was a wise young man and since he doesn't know our bloodlines. he didn't simply say I don't know them and leave but  he told us to tell him someone who is relative and more recognizable meaning famous. Um who could that be we are just nomads. we are not rapers, actors or wealthy business people. How will  he recognize bush people that he never saw or heard? I had to think someone in the bloodline who would be as famous as this guy suggests  Ayaan never said a single word, I wasn't only her guide but also the spokesperson, For a while I was quiet until I got the perfect idea at lease I thought it was perfect, its weird but all the grandpas and great grandpas in my mother's bloodline are died except one man who was still alive at the time of our journey His name was Abdi Harun Ali and my grandpa was Ismail hirsi Ali so this Abdi and my grandpa have same grandpa the Ali and the reason this Mr. Harun was famous was because he was the only living  Ali offspring male of his generation funny thing is that all the wives include my grandma were alive that time but all the grandpas except Abdi died. (The only surviving heir to the Ali throne.). Just kidding we don't own  throne at all.

The guy was pleased to know that Abdi Harun is our bloodline and he asked me what is the other girl's relationship to Mr. Harun. I said let me introduce you this is my distance cousin Ayaan the daughter of Ahmed the son of Umal the son of Ogle the son Of Ali that is how we  state our bloodlines when asked so Ayaan's  grandpa was one of the deceased  generation of  Abdi's from the Ali offspring. This stranger polite guy became more that kind man, he became our hero he told us as long as you're related to Abdi Harun I'm going to get you a car that will take you but we never said where we where going or wanted to go nor the polite stranger asked where do we want to go. He quickly arranged a free ride for us on a white Toyota Mark II  that was already parked next to the soldiers' camp  Toyota Mark II is the second smallest  sedans used  in Somalia after Toyota Grande. I can't tell if the was his's or if it was there for him or he paid the driver to take us who knows but thanks to this guy we were taken within 30 minutes and the cafe woman finally  gave me my hard earned small plate of the mighty red rice.

Ayaan and I sat on the back seat  of the Mark II and there were no other passengers on the car and the driver didn't ask where would he take us or where we wanted because the  guy instructed him where to take us and who to take us to, we were taken to a small city called Yiroowe  that is 11.1km about 9 minutes drive from Beer, as we enjoyed the views of the trees, termite mounds, animals and people rushing past us as the man drove fast on the highway we finally arrived a mid-sized city that is not either a small village or a big city,  this city was good with the merchandise where the nomads sell their animals, milk and butter to trade food, clothes,  and other goods. The driver stopped at a narrow passage between homes but not  on the corner of the highway since there are no parking lots in my country he then led us through the narrow rocky lane this city was on mountain the Yiroowe mountains  as we followed the driver we arrived at a small thorn branch  fence inside was a corrugated iron sheet room along with  few other huts and kitchens and in this home was an old man in his 70s, topless and was  washing his clothes. we stood at the entrance as the driver went to talk to the man instructing him to take us to someone else the old man then grabbed a shirt and led us into another narrow passage those passages are only for one vehicle at a time since many somalis don't drive especially in small cities, The narrow passage led us to the highway and on the corner of that highway was another Ali relative who owned and operated a small tent where she sold Khat her name was Sahra and she was a daughter of another deceased grandson of Ali who was Abdi's generation.


Sahra took us to her home were we spent a week while she sent news to our village to let our families know that we are at her home safe, and after that my uncle came for me and Ayaan her father came for her, Ayaan went forward to Burco (Burao) the second largest city in Somaliland region after the capital itself 21.4km from Yiroowe about 29 minutes drive where her family lived and she spend one day with them, then the same afternoon  we went back to the bushes.

My Dictionary (3)

Our today's dictionary  is about body parts it may not be 10-15 words. I'll write as much as I can. I'll also write both singular and plural words I hope there won't be any confusions.

 Singular                                                  Plural


1) Madax   head.                                   Madaxyo    Heads.

2) Garab   shoulder.                                  Garbo    shoulders.

3) Tin   hair                                                Timo  hairs.

4) IL eye                                                      Indho eyes.

4) Af  mouth                                                     Afaf  mouths.

6) San nose.                                                        Sanan noses.

7) Ilig  tooth.                                                      Ilko teeth.

8) Qoor neck                                                     Qooro necks.

9) Gacan  arm                                                  Gacmo arms.

10) Far finger                                                   Faro fingers.  

11) Sacab palm.                                               Sacabo palms.

12) Suxul elbow                                                Suxulo elbows.

13) Dheg  ear                                                    Dhego ears.

14) Cidi nail                                                    Cidiyo nails.

15) Naas breast                                               Naaso breasts.

16) Calool stomach                                      Caloolo stomachs

7) Laf bone                                                    lafo bones.

18) Lug  leg                                                      Lugo legs.

19) Carab  tongue                                              Carabo tongues.

20) Ruug knee                                                Ruugag knees.



This will be my final Somali-English dictionary I have other plans to focus on, I hope you enjoyed it.

My Dictionary (2)

My kid and I  have not been feeling well for few days because of  bad cold,  Anyway its the flu season so  we're all expecting  the flu.  We wish you  all good health

Our today's dictionary is about food and beverage names how you can say the names of those food and beverage mentioned bellow in somali language.


1) Cunto   food.

2) Baasto    spaghetti.

3) Maraq    soup.

4)  Muus  banana.

5) Canjeelo  injera a tiny flat breakfast pancake.

6) Hilib  meat. (any kind)

7) Subag  butter.

8) Bariis  rice.

9) Khudrad/khuadaar vegetable.

10)  Sambuus  samosa ( a triangle shaped small somali dessert.



1) Cabitaan   beverage

2) Biyo   water.

3) Khamri   wine.

4) Caano   milk.

5) Iskudar   Cocktail.

My Dictionary.

As promised that I'll write vocabularies in somali language then translate it into english, although not all somali people speak same somali words those who live in south Somalia may speak a bit different from the north   so if you don't recognize those words I'll write bellow then its how I spoke in the  north Somalia what is NOW called Somaliland   I was only born in the  south but have not  been there since I learned how to speak.
Sometimes somali language doesn't have a single word to describe the things. So when it come to describing family member or relatives  you'll need to start with MY  like xaaskayga my wife so you use the somali word KAYGA which means mine.


Our today's vocabularies are about family members and relative how to describe  the lists of family and relatives in somali language so here it goes.

I hope its useful for you.


Hooyo.     Mother.

Aabe/Aabo.      Father.

Ayeeyo.   Grandma.

Awoowe.     Grandpa.


Walaasha.   Sister.


Walaalka.   Brother.

Habaryar.   Maternal aunt. or aunt by marriage, maternal uncle's wife.

Eedo.   Paternal aunt or aunt by marriage, paternal uncle's wife.

Abti.   Maternal uncle.

Adeer.   Paternal uncle.

Habara wadaag.   Cousins from aunts.

Ilma adeer.  cousins from uncles.

Ninkayga.  My husband.

Xaaskayga.   My wife

Gabadhayda.  My daughter.


Willkayga.   My son.

Nomads on the Roads (Part 2)

As the guy left us with my mother's distant cousin's family  who were just the wife and the kids they prepared making dinner,  a plain white rice with nothing but salt and water that is eaten with milk but depending on the season sometimes its eaten with nothing at all. The day slowly turned into night and the family put their herd into the herd pens, they milked and fed the lambs and goat kids then it was time for us to eat dinner, they brought us the white rice with fresh milk that were just milked however the fresh milk is not my favorite I love the (ciir) milk after shaken and the white butter was smeared or milk that turned into yogurt when it was stored in a milk jug for a while but yuck I don't like the fresh goat and sheep milk I did drank fresh camel milk but it tastes different from the goats and sheep.

Ayaan ate fine but me I had few bites then I left  Ayaan to finish the rest of the dinner and then everyone hit the mat to sleep. As the night slowly went Ayaan could not sleep, not even a blink.  She would shake me, poke me or tap me every few minutes and when I ask half closed eyes. What  is it? She would whisper. Let's go. I kept telling her its still in the middle of the night and we're not safe to leave now let's go back to sleep, we'll leave as soon as the morning  appears on the   horizon . She kept it until we left still dark but enough to see few feet so we had to sit behind a huge bush to wait for a little while and we started our journey again  even before  the morning  horizon.

As we walked miles and miles on  a small dusty road on the green lands where it rained pretty well that grew  the best pasture we were hungry especially me for I have not eaten two mornings a day and a night but we were peacefully walking on that dusty road not expecting truckers since they left already until we came into a small hut made of sticks and branches  that was located at the corner of the dusty road,  there were few men in the hut and nearby there was a nomad hut that lived by a goat herder woman who had 50+ goats with no sheep most somali nomads own both sheep and goats and mix them together but this lady and few other other somali nomads don't own a sheep at all.  And she sold the milk during the rain seasons she also owned the hut and used it as a cafe where she served tea and  (sabayad) a somali flat bread from the local nomads who come to put their milk onto the trucks to sell   it in  the cities.

At the time we arrived it was still morning the sun just arose and the cafe was already crowded. But there was this young man around mid-teen who was serving the cafe, the men looked at us and talked but we couldn't hear and although we were afraid but we didn't stop or turn around we just kept our journey until one of the men in the cafe warned us to RUN. But he did not say what was coming to us. why would we run? and then all of sudden the service boy  took out  a rungu club that was inside the cafe and came toward us. At that moment we were frightened and I as usual took my sandals off, wrapped them in my shawl and crossed it on my chest and tied the ends of the shawl together like how we carry our babies in the back with our shawls  because I run better without them, rolled my long  skirt around my knees,  held it with one hand and Ayaan did the same however as I run like a coward chased by bandits or a Gazelle chased by cheetah I run and never looked back because I thought Ayaan was a fast runner like I was I thought she was behind me or she run another direction (split up) however a while later I looked around and didn't see her anywhere so I ducked back to see what was  happening when I was closer I saw Ayaan standing with the service boy few yards away from where we started our run.

I couldn't believe she  didn't run at all. How can this be possible?  we were same nomads we chased our herds everyday and everywhere and we run mile to catch up with them, we chased  and we run miles to safe their lives from Hyenas, Foxes and other predators that attacked them,  but about Ayaan's case I still can't figure out  if she couldn't run any longer or if she didn't want to run I don't know I  never asked her why she didn't run at all. But I'm glad one thing the men in the cafe didn't hurt her I knew there was no way I could safe her if they intend to hurt her and I knew there was no way I could go there and rescue her if the service boy wanted to take her to them or to his home I was just another frightened teen but I knew I could safe myself by running so I run again when I saw the guy coming toward me not sure if he saw me ducking around or just wanted to look around and. However for a little while he let her  go.


I heard Ayaan calling me using all the strength she had left in her, after two days and a night of hunger, dehydration and fighting for our freedom over young men and yet we were few miles from our village. As she headed in the opposite direction  while calling my name I couldn't respond for her calls by calling back because I thought this was another trick from the men in cafe who want to capture us and send us back home or if they have another plan for us who knows, I didn't use my voice it would alert them that Ayaan and I are about to reunite again in nomad the wind carries the voice in a great distance you can hear someone calling your name within miles that we can't hear in villages or in cities, I run silently  as fast as I could following her voice until I tapped her shoulder although I scared her but I had to do that so nobody would know we reunited.

However we lost the dusty line the track we were supposed to take and reach other villages but now nobody know where we were or where we were heading to.We kept walking anyway until we came to herds of camels that were slowly munching so we decided to halt for a while until the herds pass because if the camel herders see us we would be fighting for our  lives again which is much more dangerous so we hid behind a bush for about an hour the camels were  great numbers and had to pass slowly  but we didn't see anyone with the herds. Noon was approaching when we arrived couple huts and we went to the nearest to get some water as we came there was just one lady who told us that the hut is not hers but she could steal us a glass of water and we drunk our water  then we went, I was afraid since we lost the tiny dusty road the sun would set before we found another village or nomads. So how escape from the Hyenas or the Lions out there hungry and want our tasty  flesh?

I told Ayaan to climb up a tree to see if there are villages or huts ahead of us or even if there are herds not camels just sheep/goats because that means there are nomads around so we could follow them to their residence that was our plan Ayaan didn't see anything and we decided to stay and before the sunset we go to the other hut and see if they accept us as their guests. We just sat under that tree for hours but we didn't talk because either of us was talkative. However when it was the time to find a home somewhere to sleep and eat we went to the next hut and  there was just this little girl who said she could not reach the water barrel because it was empty and then  her mother came later and told us how terrible and tired we look and she apologized that she doesn't have any water in her home and she directed us to go to a three miles away forest that we could only see the tallest trees and she said there are  nomadic  inhabitants, as we walked hastily  because we had to reach there before the evening twilight fades Ayaan didn't have the strength but she kept it together and when we arrived at the first hut we found no one in  there and I wanted to go to the next however Ayaan didn't want to walk any farther so I had to beg her to stand up and walk for couple blocks  to the next hut because what is the point of sitting in front of stranger's home  and waiting them. It would be possible that they would kick our asses out without even asking us what we want fortunately we made it to the next hut, drunk water, got a little more energy to walk  and we were directed to the next village that was not far.

Nomads on the Roads (Part1)

As I mentioned in my previous articles that I have been running away for  three years or so and in that time I may run away hundred times can't count it but there is one thing that I can count and that is  I only had one companion in that time frame. 

It was one of the holy spring morning which  was my favorite mornings after we let the herds out I was assigned  to tend the lambs and goat kids the area was a big, wide desert but since it was spring and rained pretty perfect the desert produced both tall and short green grasses the tallest grasses were around our knees but in four  miles it had no  tall trees fortunately we were on the corner so we had tall trees to rest during the sunny days but those who lived in the middle of the desert struggled  to get shades for  their herds and making the herd pens to prevent from straying at night and keep them safe from the predators. They cut trees from miles away and carried the branches all the way to make the herd pens and huts to let the animal rest from the sun.

That morning as I was laying on the grassy ground belly down, foot and head up  thinking out loud of what to do or if I could run again at that time  running away became a habit to me sometimes I run away in fear of abuse sometimes I did it  to explore the world around me, it was really pleasant to be free and feel safe knowing that I was away from the hands of my abusers but I still had the worst fear that they'll find me sooner or later and there will be a price that I must pay for doing this however I didn't care I just didn't want the fear to control me. I wanted to go somewhere new, meet some stranger new people and or at least spend few days away from my abusers.

However that day I didn't have a plan in  store for me I just been talking to myself of what to do until a distant cousin of my mother's daughter Ayaan approached me, she was with their goat/sheep we sat and began chit chats but then all of a sudden Ayaan said let's run away together. This was a shock for me because no one ever said such things like this. The whole region was against me the local girls were advised to chase me away if I come near them they were told that I was going to manipulate them and take them with me, they were told that I was such and such  a taboo filthy little girl, the reason is that  my grandmother  influenced the neighbors by telling them that devil took me away from them and that no matter what they do nothing can stop me wandering away she told the neighbors to keep their girls away from me mostly she told them to chase me away and tell me to go back home if seen me around. her biggest fear was that one day I'll be found dead or carrying a bastard child this is one of the main reasons why she chained my legs in that time frame, the main reason why she burned my private body and so on. I have been labeled so many names for it like suraaf/baxsato  (The one who runs away) or Dawarsato ( The beggar). No wonder in their logic I was a beggar.

I could not say a word for a moment thinking what to say  because I have never asked someone to run away with me nor anyone ever asked me to run away with them, and finally I said, sure let's go. Ayaan turned the herds toward their home and I turned my herds toward my  home who cares if they stray or etc, let's take a break from herding. Since it was  desert and we would be seen from far distant we crawled like  babies who are  learning to crawl it was Ayaan's idea and for a mile we crawled the ground was pleasant it was  not rocky or hard surfaced, it was soft with beach sand and as well grassy so we didn't  have difficulties  crawling all the way in a mile then we stood and we run for another mile till we could not see out homes.

I led Ayaan to a village where I went few times before and I knew a family who lived  one mile from the village they were a distant cousin of my mother's but I knew no one in the village. The irony is that we have not discussed where to go and how to get  there but we both had  same dream of going to the bigger cities including  the capital city itself  Ayaan's paternal grandmother, paternal uncle, paternal aunt and cousins lived in the big city but for me no one was there and I didn't mind going there anyway. We walked, walked and walked half the day and when it was afternoon we arrived the village and asked a villager to give us water but since it was a day light we could not be hospitalized so we decided to sit outside the village few yards away and wait till sunset our plan was to sleep in the village tonight and tomorrow beg the truckers to take us to the cities. We both knew no one will take  two young dhoocilos, Dhoocil is a disrespectful (derogatory) name  toward  young girls however we had to try.

It was almost sunset and we were still sitting there the village herds were around us when a stranger young man suddenly appeared out of nowhere. At first  we thought he was heading to the village because he came from the opposite side of the village, he asked us what we were doing there? Ayaan started to argue with him that we're the villagers tending our  herds since the village herds were around us with no one tending them but it seemed the guy knew who we were and what we were doing here I think he was send by someone in the village who knew us but didn't want to show him/their face(s)  because the guy could not identify which one is me and which is Ayaan that tells that the guy was sent to us by someone who didn't want to come to us maybe in fear that we might run , I guess there were neighbors of ours who saw us when we went  to the village for water and was watching us all this  time so when it was time to go home he/they wanted to take us back home and didn't want to ruin it if he/they  come to us so he/they sent the guy to take us to them and then they take us back to our families or whatever intention they had although the guy was our neighbor as well but since he could not identify which is me or which is Ayaan. How could he recognize us or know its us?

Ayaan fought with the guy, she yelled at him telling that she was going to her home I could see her hands shaking of fear, her voice breaking, and she was scared since it was her first time to be away from her family. I stood there watching the whole scene silent and motionless I could not say to the guy. Hey you're not our parent/guardian and taking us back home is neither  your responsibility nor your business so back off, I could not because since I left my family and was not going to another family member it felt  shameful and I guess I didn't have words to say to him in me or the strength  to  say. Hey back off, leave her alone. For a minute I had to think. Think, think, think and finally  came up with an idea, the only way that I could defeat this  guy was to  run to my mother's distant cousin who lived outside the village half a mile since we were sitting between the village and his home it was close.

I took my stiff sandals made out  of layered animal hides and tiptoed for few feet and then run as fast as I could the guy have not looked back at me the whole time. He was busy pulling Ayaan's shawl and dirac a long gown worn by somali women  telling her to go with him back home finally he glanced his back when I was almost there because he was desperate and wanted to try me  however I feared he might chase me but he didn't he calmly stayed with Ayaan for few more minutes then he come after me calm and walking in normal steps. I arrived my mother's cousin's home but at the time it was empty they were tending the herds so I sat in front of the hut and waited the guy to come and get me I somehow feared  he might  forcefully carry me to Ayaan and then force us both to back home anyway nothing I could do so I  sat and waited him.

He came to me, his first question was. Do you know this family? Yes I responded the man of this family is my mother's cousin.

He then asked. Are  not you the Ahmed girl? No. I told him the Ahmed girl is the one you took and  were torturing. He then told me that  he was thinking that  Ayaan was me and told me that if Ayaan  does not know this family go get her, I thought he was manipulating me to go to her so he  have the opportunity to take us together if we reunite  so I told him you took her from me now bring her to me but I'm not going anywhere he went and come back with Ayaan who crawled few feet he followed her crawl marks and while he was away fetching her the family come to their home to find me sitting in front of their home because they knew me for previous hospitality they were not surprised after he dropped Ayaan and confirmed that the family is a distant relative of my mother's he finally went away.