12 things somali parents should not do to their deaf daughters.

We all have this unique person who is different from the rest of us in our family, and that doesn't mean this person is a sign of bad luck or disgrace to the family since he/she is different from the rest. Its  absolutely OK  to be different because we are all created to be different. Some of us are tall and some of us are short. Some of us are intelligent and some of us are  not. Some of us are optimistic and some of us are pessimists. Some of us are deaf, and some of us are not. Some of us are blind and some of us are not. Sadly many people believe that being disabled is a disgrace or shame to the person and to his family.

I in the other hand feel different from the people around me and that is something I'm used to right now. Why? Because I was not meant to fit in but to be who I'm that is what I'm doing right now(Discovering myself) why am I always different from anywhere I go. This sense of contrast began  as a young age for me. Ever since I was able to remember I was different.

As a young child my family treated me as a different person from the rest of the children in our whole offspring, some times they said I was the only fool, other times they said I was no child of Ismael offspring but devil brought me to them. Other times they said I was a disgrace to the family, they punished me differently and they acted differently towards me. They said different words that they have not said to the other kids and this is what led me to feel like I was different from the rest of the children.

And then I lost my ability to hear and this was a huge impact in my life that made me feel completely different from the rest of my family because since I was already different. Now I was for sure different and it even got worse I was treated even worse but its what made me who I'm today.

Today I feel different almost anywhere I go but I know I'm not meant to fit in so I don't see anything wrong with being different, I go to work and I'm the only deaf employee in the branch that I work, I go to school and I'm the only deaf student in the whole college, I go to my somali community and somehow I'm different whether I'm the only deaf in the presence or the only somali infidel who is not wearing hijab whatever its there is always this sense of difference that I feel. I go to my in-law's family reunions or events and I'm the only dark person or only deaf person. I go to my biological family and as well I'm not the only deaf but also the only family member who is married to a foreign spouse and only family member who left her faith. and lastly I go to deaf community and there is always this sense of difference whether I'm the only deaf who lost her hearing during her teenage or whatever its.

And I find it that being different is not a shame or something that diminishes me or stops me from doing what I want but its something that makes me feel special being different is a unique gift and we should embrace it instead of shaming or belittling those who are different from the rest of us.

From my experience I'll highlight few things that you should never do to your daughter. sister.cousin or a deaf female family member. you may not know how to help them or what to do with a deaf person who needs help with something and you may step on to do things for them thinking you are doing the right thing unknowingly you are somehow not doing them a favor.

1. Never encourage her to hear but accept who they are.

You may hear a rumor that there is a good doctor somewhere that could help your deaf daughter and when you take her  there she decided not to go farther with the procedure of implanting devices to help her hear things.

If she wants to go on with the procedure its up to her but if she decides not to go farther respect her decision and don't encourage  her to rethink about her decisions because in this stage she realized that no matter what device she implants in her head she'll always be a deaf person and in this she decided to accept and  embrace who she is instead of trying to fix herself as if she is a broken glass.
My mother worked hard for several months finding the right doctor to operate me and implant cochlear implant in my head to see if it helps me hear better but when she finally found Mayo Clinic which she thought was the best and the procedure was a week away I told her I'm not going to take the procedure. why? Because the doctor told us that  its likely 50/50 it might work or it might not work at all and I wanted to be sure that what I'm taking was going to work for me because the risk was high as the doctor told me it may cause side effects so  after discussing with some deaf people who had experience with the procedure I decided not to go farther. Why should I take the risk when I can be who I'm with no problems. of course we all want to hear but we have to accept that some of us are not meant to hear at all and that is a gift not something to be ashamed. I used to be ashamed of my disability but as I got educated I accept who I was meant to be.

2. Never discourage her because of her inability to hear.

You may jokingly tell your deaf daughter, sister or cousin that she can't do something because she is deaf. You may not know that but this is hurtful and heart breaking if your daughter wants to do something or want to study something try to help her but if you don't know how to help her try to say something nice or at least say nothing because broken dreams are like broken mirrors it will take her a very long time to put that broken mirror together piece by piece just like how we put our broken hearts together to get over what had broken our hearts and move on.
I'll give you one example of my experience, one day I took my college placement test and I got a good result that I could start my developmental classes to catch up with college. I was so excited and wanted to share the big news with my mom I knew she was not a supportive mother but I thought at least it would show her that I can do my best to achieve my dreams. And when I told her I passed the placement tests and I could take my developmental classes she was like.  What? Your handwriting is really terrible you need to improve your handwriting before you start college. This was heart breaking for me what I don't understand is why should she be talking about my loose handwriting of course even today my handwriting is really, really terrible like I started writing yesterday but this should not be topic to bring up on that moment. so dear parents, siblings and cousins remember when to talk about certain topic and when not to bring up  about certain topics. Know that a deaf person made a great effort to achieve what they want just like anyone else and they need to be congratulated like your other none disabled kids but if you just tell them that they are terrible on this and on that when all they needed you to do was say (CONGRATULATIONS) it breaks their hearts and shatters their dreams and hopes.

3.  Never laugh at her due to misunderstandings.

We find irony on small things and laugh at it, laughing is good but when its about laughing at your  deaf daughter who misunderstood something its NOT OK to laugh at her little mistakes.
Although you may think its funny and its small things that would not hurt her feelings but in fact its a big deal and hurts her feelings deeply. If you must laugh or can't control because we are all humans and sometimes we can't control our laughs try not to laugh in front of her and don't talk about this little comic thing with your friends when she is around.
I'll share one of my many experience to high light this topic. OK, this one night my family and I were sitting under a full moon and the only light we had was the moon light. My cousin started talking about a speeding car he saw a long time ago, I don't know what was so special about this speeding car however my cousin used to talk a lot about this speeding car. I tried read his lips under the moon light since there was no other light. When he said the word GAADHI  which is (car)  in somali language I mistook it as GABADH(lady). So in order to make sure I get what he said. I asked him. Did you say a speeding lady? Everyone burst out  laugh maniacally as if they have never seen a small misunderstanding. I felt angry and embarrassed at the same time but that is not all. My grandma kept repeating that little comic to her friends and other neighbors for weeks, months and years. It felt like she never forgot it. So my advice  is if you must laugh and entertain your friends about a little comic misunderstandings try to do it when your deaf daughter is not there.

4. Never tell her let's go, tell her where you are taking her.

You may think its OK not to tell your deaf daughter where you want to take her no matter how old she is, maybe you are too tired to explain or maybe you don't have time to try to explain things to her because of communication barriers and you just simply tell her.  We're are going out today. You must be dressed at 1 O'clock.
Are you kidding me? you are not kidnapping your own daughter. Are you? Because she is not a puppy to follow you around she needs and have the right to know where you are taking her to.
My experience from this was that majority of the time my mother would rather tell me to be ready on certain time and day and that we had to go somewhere but she would never tell me where to. Even if I asked her where we are going she seldom told me but most of the time she said no more questions, you will know when we get there.
You don't want your deaf daughter to wander around mentally by thinking. Did your family finally got tired of having a disabled daughter? Are they going to get rid of you by taking you far, far away and abandon you there? I did although I was only there by flesh but my mind was in another galaxy wandering around that galaxy and thinking where am I are being taken to? I would be sitting somewhere in a nice building and wandering what is going on why am I here? But there is no one to tell you what is really going on.
If you must take her to a doctor or somewhere else, at least tell her we are going to see a doctor. She will know what is going on.

5. Never do things for her. Let her do with your help.

You may plan to take your teenage deaf daughter to somewhere that concerns her. Instead of doing all the talking and all the work try to let her include by allowing her to talk however easy she can communicate with others, some may speak, some may sign, some may write so if there is not interpreter present try to include her in the work that you are doing for her.
My mother took me to a bank once to open a bank account for me but she just did all the talk, and  all the work but I never got a chance to know what was going on there. I was only there by the flesh. its the same as being in a crowd of people who are speaking other language than yours.

6. Never manage her money. Teach her how to manage it.

You don't want anyone to take care of your own money for you? Would you like to be dependent on someone with your own money? Of course nobody wants that.
So instead of telling your deaf teenager daughter that you'll keep and manage her income, teach her how to do it by herself. Teach her how to open a bank account, how to deposit and withdraw money, how to make budget of what she should pay and what she should save. Its hers not yours so educate her what you can and let her learn how to be an independent person.

7. Never use your child's disability to obtain the means of benefits.

You maybe broke and think its good idea to use your child's inability to hear to get money from the government or from an organization.
This is the worst idea not a good idea at all. Your child feels like you don't love them and you are using their disability to gain benefits for yourself.
I have a terrible experience with this. My mother applied  a job at the county where we lived as a nanny for my siblings so the company thought I was the nanny not the big sister and my mother apparently reaped a lot of money for a year which I never saw. Because my mom said she was going to keep it for me and didn't allow me to put it in a bank.
If you really need money badly ask her permission to use what you need to use and if she says NO then NO means NO.

8. If you don't know how to do something that concerns her. ask her how to do.

Your deaf daughter's work may request her to get CPR certificate but you have no idea where you should call to set an appointment for the CPR lessons. All you have to do is ask her if she knows how because if you are not involved in deaf community you will not know what your deaf daughter needs.
Here is my experience. My mother applied me a job as a nanny for my four siblings but half a year later the job asked my mother to provide a proof of CPR and first aid certificate but my mother did not know where a deaf person should go to get this certificate. So instead of asking me how to get it she just let it go. I told her all she needed was to find a CPR and first aid lesson and ask them to hire a sign language interpreter for me.

9. Never clap or make noises to get her attention.

You may think its easier to just sit back on the couch and clap like you are at a dance party or make weird noises or even bang at the wall with your bare palms just to get your deaf daughter's attention. This is wrong, never clap at her or make any annoying noises to get her attention. there are many ways to get your daughter's attention. Try  flicking  the light  that is near her two or three times, go and gently tap on  her shoulders or try to wave your hands these are effective ways to get a deaf person's attention.
My experience to this is that my mother used to clap, band on the wall or hiss like SSSSSSS to get my attention, I hated this very much but I never said. Mom STOP hissing, banging  or clapping at me.


10. Treat her like she is special.

Many parents belittle their deaf daughters thinking that she is incomplete. Dear parent no human is incomplete, she is not incomplete she just can't hear and that doesn't make her incomplete.
Treat her like she is unique because she is unique and needs your support, acceptance and love to thrive. If you don't know how to teach her something let her go and discover it. Don't pay  all the educational needs to your none disabled children and let your deaf daughter take care of the house and the household chores let her educate and discover because she may not hear anything but she is a human being, she is has a curious nature like any other child  and she is  an adventurous driven to discovering the world.
So in order to educate her let her go out, learn and discover her dreams.
My whole life I was told that I could not do this and that, I could not be this and that due to not only my disabilities but also my gender my faith and my culture but I don't buy that anymore.

11. Let her go out and explore the world.

A deaf person learns better with their eyes because they don't have one of their most important sense so if a person can't hear their eyes become their ears too and they need to go out and discover the world with their eyes.
What I mean is we all know that many somali parents would rather their daughters deaf or not remain at home all time except when they are going to school or have something important to do out doors.
I"m not saying that hearing daughters should stay at home all the time either what I'm saying is that your deaf daughter is special and have special needs, she needs to go out doors and learn things  visually.
My experience to this was that my mother had strict rules that I must be at home unless I have important errands to run or I'm going to school and this was not helping me learn anything, meet anyone and discover the new country which in just come into.
I used to tell her that I was going to do important errands.  I would go out  go learn and social while still under the disguise of doing errands but mom was always texting and asking what I was doing and where I was.
A deaf person learn by visual so let your deaf child go out doors and explore the world with their eyes.



12. Don't dumb your deaf daughter at home. let her have fun too.

Well. Our somali mothers love going to weddings, visiting family or friends and leaving the deaf person at home because of her inability to hear. A deaf person may not hear but that doesn't mean they should be excluded during the fun times like going to weddings and other parties.

My mother only took me once to a wedding because the bride invited me and even if I'm not there to watch the kids she would rather not to take me there with her.







In Somalia deaf people are treated like they are worth less than the other people, the children in the streets throw stones because they think you are incomplete and this is because how the adults treat the deaf people and while the kids are throwing stones to a deaf passersby the parents are there doing nothing. Not teaching their children to respect deaf people because they are a human beings like them just because they can't hear doesn't make them aliens

All those mentioned above are my experience and I believe that there are other deaf females out there who are currently having the same situations right now. I hope this helps them nevertheless if you are having theses situations and are reading this please stand up for yourself and tell your parents not to treat you like how I was treated. Because you don't want to deal what I dealt with  and live how I lived.

Chronicles of MADRASAS

What is madrasa?

Madrasa is a small school intended to teach children about Islam most madrasas are attended by young pupils from  five years and up and the teachers or Ma'alins rent one room to teach so sometimes the room becomes over crowded because they don't limit the number of the pupils to match the size of the room, sometimes the Ma'alins let kids sit outside if there is an area to sit.

Most  Ma'alins are male and usually middle aged, they wield a large stick or their own belts to beat the children who misbehave or those who neglected to memorize the Quran  or those whose family or other pupils reported that have misbehaved during out of the Madrasa times yet they still get punished by the teachers even when  it does not concern the Ma'alins what a pupil did when he/she was out of Madrasa because this is the pupil and his family's problem not the teachers' problem however he still punishes the pupil for what he/she did after Madrasm they are told to recite Quran in a loud voice you could hear their voices from a long distant.

Ma'alin is not your typical teacher that you had in elementary,middle or high school whom you always see smiling, joking, engaging with activities or helping with the studies and helping you with your subjects, he is usually strict with the children, he doesn't smile and he is ready to whip you if you neglect reading and memorizing the Quran (Koran) or the arabic alphabet he doesn't mind if you neglect reading and memorizing other subjects like math, history etc but he cares deeply about whatever that comes with arabic language.

What they do in Madrasa is they open the Madrasas for the pupils and wait for the exact time to start reciting the Koran, they tell the pupils to get in line and the pupil come to the Ma'alins, hand over their Kitabs (Koran book) and they start reciting verses of the Quran that was told to memorize by the ma'alin himself and if the pupil fails he'll be whipped on the butt or on the palms of his hands, some pupils are given time out they are told to sit outside of the class room and they stay there until the Ma'alin calls them, if they go home or anywhere else they get double the punishment, some times the Ma'alins get two of his strongest and biggest pupils or four chubby little men and orders them to hold a pupil's arms and legs then he whips the poor kid's butt, other times he tells the pupils to lay on the hot sandy during the hottest days and they lay there until he gives an order and then they are given second chance to memorize the verses again and recite it tomorrow. but if he passes and recites all of the verses correctly he is lucky and gets new verses for tomorrow and also they  get some arabic alphabets written on their books or on the black board and white chalk.

Young pupils are more afraid of their Ma'alins than they do of their own parents for example a young boy is enjoying  foot ball play on a dusty street with other local boys or sitting on a corner and watching other boys play soccer but then all of sudden he spots his Ma'alin nearby he then runs away or hides, or a six year old girl is standing outside her home without hijab and she spots her Ma'alin and she runs to hide because he'll punish them when they come to the Madrasa the next day.

However this is not why I'm writing this article, I'm writing this article because of some terrible experiences in  various Madrasas that I have attended back in Somalia.

My first madrasa was quite fancy it was located in the middle of a big city the building was big enough and students were not that big number and we sat on benches instead of plastic mats and there were two Ma'alins, the boys' room was separated from the girls so I never saw the boys or their room and there is nothing much to tell about this marvelous Madrasa but there is one thing that is different from the others the Ma'alins never whipped us I don't know if they whipped the boys but not the girls.

My second madrasa was also big one but very poor there were no fancy benches unlike the previous we sat on plastic mats of course the building was big enough for all of us it was a four bedroom house but the interior walls that divided the rooms were removed so it was like a mini warehouse with a kitchen and a bathroom in the back however we were not allowed to go to the back even not to use the bathroom.

The boys and girls were separated but we were still in same mini warehouse but on separate corners it was couple blocks from my home I would wake up in 5AM, brush my teeth, wash for Fajr prayer,pray and then I would make injera our usual breakfast pancake and tea after that I would change, grab my Kitab,notebook, a pencil in a stripped plastic bag  and head to the Madrasa.

In this new Madrasa there were two Ma'alins but they never come together only one would come to open the Madrasa for the pupils and head back to the Masjid that was within a block, the pupils would flood into the madrasa and wait till one of the Ma'alins come but we had what we called a Kabiir. Kabiir is usually the oldest of the pupils who supervises the other pupils so they don't fight,  bully or do anything stupid his name was Abdirahman and he was probably 15 years old he would slow pace around the boys corner and told those who spoke to shut up and those who moved to go back on your spot or those who didn't listen to him to whipped them with his belt and if they didn't obey him he reported to the Ma'alins but for girls he never came to our corner but if one of us did not obey when he gave us an order he wrote down our names and passed it to the Ma'alins and the Ma'alin punished us for being disobedient.

The Madrasa was not that bad at first but then arose a bully squad, the kabiir had three other siblings two boys and a girl named Khadra, she was older than I and she was mean at first a nice person or I thought was because she smiled when she looked at me but perhaps I was just a former shep-herder who couldn't tell the body language like is it a mocking smile or is it a kind smile who knows. Khadra was an arrogant and big headed just because her older brother is the kabiir she thought they had control over all of us the other pupils and she was mean and bully along with her brothers including the kabiir himself.  

One day I was sitting on a corner of the girls area and I was as usual sitting alone with no friend because I didn't know anyone personally except my cousin in the boys area, I spred my legs to stretch myself and I was enjoying being alone undisturbed until the worst come, Khadra saw an opportunity when I stretched my legs she sneaked behind me without making any attentions to me or the other pupils she then came back and pretended she was stepping over my spred legs but then she intentionally stumbled herself on the floor and when everyone's eyes were on the  poor Khadra who was laying on the floor she accused me of spreading my legs with the intention to trip  her over but I have spred my legs before she stood up and sneaked behind everyone but who cares nobody is going to say anything even if the other pupils were aware of her deceitful lies they don't want to get involved.

Khadra threatened me and said she was going to make me pay for what I did to her, but this was what she wanted all those smiles where not a kind person's smiles they were a bully's mocking smiles. The other girls joined her and they started verbal bullying so I moved to another corner that was far from them until the Ma'alin came and we recited the Quran. After the Madrasa was over we all went to our homes it was almost noon I walked with a next door neighbor called Yurub along with Khadra and her bully minions, Khadra came to me and asked. Why did you made me trip over when we were in the Madrasa?

Why did I? before why the question is .Did I made  her trip over? well, I'm not usually the kind of person who argues when I know the person did what they did intentionally/What is there to argue with her now. I stayed silent because that is what I used to do back then, when she didn't get an answer she grabbed the back of my hijab where a thick knot of my hair were and forcefully threw me on the dusty ground, I stood up still silent and undusted my clothes because it was the best way because arguing with her will only give her opportunities to carry more bullying and well her little bully minions were laughing and mocking me calling me coward but I still smiled and went by.
Yurub the next door neighbor stood up for me and told Khadra to leave me alone because she was not going to give up her bully she thought she found the right person to practice bullying before Khadra said a word her minions were all over Yurub and since Yurub was the tallest in the class they could not reach her head so they pulled her hijab from left to right and from right to left and Yurub pleaded me to help her but I didn't know what to do its not that I was afraid of them but I never went to fight to a human being I didn't how to approach someone, how to punch or kick or even slap that was to me for adults only, not after I saw what those siblings have done to an innocent boy once, one day the the siblings were late and there was also a new pupil a bit younger than the kabiir and he seemed to be new to class because we have not seen him before and since the kabiir was late he must have took the duty himself. When the kabiir, Khadra and the other siblings came to the class the kabiir confronted the boy asking him who gave him the permission to be a kabiir. Abdirahman was as arrogant and stupid as his sister was and he was also bully although he was much older than the pupils he bullied his peers. there was a heated argument and the boys stepped outside to wrestle however Abdirahman was older and stronger so he won the fight but he kept beating the boy so badly and although he won the wrestling his stupid siblings were also beating the boy too, and he was screaming for help as we all stood in the front of the Madrasa watching like as if it was a wrestling ring, nobody wanted to get involved in the fight its not because their teacher might think they were aiding the kabiir but also nobody wanted to get in the siblings way, it felt like the new pupil's fate put him in the mouths of four tigers to share his flesh and eat him alive. I have never seen the boy again and Abdirahmaan did not get punished by the Ma'alin. Of  course I feared that if I said or fought back I would be like that boy we were over 40 pupils and none stood up for him even if Abdirahmaan was too old for us to stop  nobody stopped the other siblings from beating him too he was  one against four and I didn't want to be in that position I would rather be silent the bullies might eventually get bored and find someone new to bully.

I didn't say anything about the incident to my grandmother its not that I didn't think it was not that important it was because she will be yelling at me and blaming me for not fighting back or for not speaking up for myself. What is the point then if I'm going to be yelled and called coward by my own family. However Yurub broke the news to grandma which she did as I expected and after she finished her hurtful words she asked Yurub to take her to her Khadra's home and apparently my grandma humiliated me in front of my bully telling her what she wanted to hear. Grandma told Khadra's mother. My granddaughter just came from nomad, she doesn't know how to fight she is just a mere shep-herder who knows nothing about city live. Well thank you grandma because this is why Khadra targeted me at the beginning and its why she doesn't want to give up bullying me even thought my grandma reported her to her mother and also to the Ma'alin Khadra continued her bully.

Another day I was alone walking in the neighborhood looking  for our  strayed goat when Khadra came out of thin air she was on her way to return borrowed shoes, when she saw me walking she came straight to me and without saying a word she started  a whole lot of punches,kicks,slaps and pulling, I didn't lift a finger to defend myself so when she got tired she left on her own will. I keep asking myself why would she do beat me without giving me a reason. Was I paying for reporting her bullies to her mother. well if that is the case then thank you grandma again for this too, but this one is a secret I only carry now.

The boys in the Madrasa also bullied my cousin too its kind of my fault because I told him to disobey the kabiir by saying Ala mayee awoowow its a kind of a joke word that tells the commander that you disobeyed him instead of responding (yes sir) when he orders you to shut up or do something, after he said ala mayee awoowow the boys laughed and called him awoowow (grandpa) I felt guilt for that but also it helped me because when the boys bullied my cousin and called him awoowe he hated it and he throw insults  also he threw stones at them which did not end well, after that grandma changed our Madrasa and we never saw the bully Khadra and her minions.

The new Madrasa was very small smaller than one bedroom it was a small corrugated iron sheet room with one tiny window and a door, this Ma'alin didn't have a kabiir or needed one because he was in the room from the opening to the closing  for a while my cousin and I attended the Madrasa in the mornings but later transferred to afternoon with the older women this Ma'alin was a busy man he taught children in the mornings and afternoons also at early afternoon he taught women the subjects were always the same Qran and arabic alphabets, however the Ma'alin was paid one month to teach me how to read and write somali language and that where I learned it from.

During one of our regular afternoon ladies class time I came to the class before the Ma'alin come. we set up and class and divide the room with a large curtain so the Ma'alin can sit the other side of the room behind the curtain that day when I came to the class there was a fight between two of the lady students one was Hayat and the other was Saynab apparently they were fighting because the previous day Hayat lost her notebook and when she asked the students if they saw a notebook Saynab gave the book to her with a smile but Hayat didn't notice anything, after Hyat went to her home and tried to read some of verses of the Quran that was written in the notebook for her because she was a slow learner and basic and needed to learn how to read Quran alphabetically until she masters it.

Hayat's notebook was written some nasty words saying that she is such and such slut, the culprit who wrote the book swore they saw Hayat doing what she is being accused of in fact the culprit didn't see anything but she is being a jerk, mean and stupid. But who is it? So Hayat suspects the reason that Saynab was smiling yesterday when she gave the book to her was because she wrote those nasty insults and confronted with her which ended with a physical fight. 

The Ma'alin arrived shortly while the heating was still ongoing, he asked what is going on. in which Hayat passed the page of the notebook to him telling him this will tell you what happened after he read the book he asked us who wrote it but nobody claimed it so he conducted a test to find the real culprit. he asked  Hayat to give the list of the ladies that were sitting close to her and when she did he asked us each to write an alphabet letter one that he picked up himself and we wrote as he asked us to. When it was my turn he asked me to write the letter K and I did. As soon as I passed the sheet under the curtain he threw me killer questions like. Why did you write those bad things on Hayat's notebook? What made you do it? Why? and what?. I admit I was scarred its scary to be accused to what you have not done and for me its what I hate the most, I told him it was not me, I didn't write any book sir. I was told that I don't need to defend myself because my own hand writing is proof enough to convict me to writing that nasty words on Hayat's notebook and he would not leave me alone with his killer questions of Why? and what? I felt powerless, I have told him its not me and I wrote no book but he won't believe me and he was acting like as if I was some kind of lowlife who would do something like that.

I went home to see if grandma could settle things and I knew it would not help that much unless someone come forward and claim that they wrote the letter but I still had to try he would listen to grandma better however as usual my grandma was the kind of person who would humiliate and embarrass me while trying to help me and instead of settling things down with the Ma'alin she told him I'm ready to cut Asma into two piece if she is the culprit but all I need is an eyewitness. Well this was even worse to me because I needed her to be my side not to side with everyone so once again I had no one to be my side and help me get through the worst day ever.

And my biggest fear was what if the real culprit who wrote the book come out as my witness and accuse me of writing the book and then the case would be simply closed and grandma will be doing her turn to do and say more hurtful things because I already had enough of it fortunately that didn't happen Saynab's sister Asad had a brilliant idea and told my grandma to ask the Ma'alin to do more tests and test all of the lady students not just only those who were sitting close to Hayat and he did but still no luck. But what about those who are absent today? nobody was aware that someone was absent. Then the Ma'alin dug an old case about during my morning class that was almost a year ago well he had a good memory anyway. The letter was writen by a girl named Hamdi and the mastermind was another named Nimo. Nimo wanted to pass probably a love letter to couple big boys that were sitting in the opposite corner of the room however she didn't write it herself instead she asked Hamdi to write and begged her to write it after Hamdi finished Nimo then again asked Hamdi to pass the letter which Hamdi refused and said I wrote the letter as you begged me to now either you pass it  yourself or I'm going to tear it, Nimo then asked a little boy sitting in the middle of the room please give this to those boys. Pointing her forefinger to a tall skinny guy along with a chubby short one but the kid was too smart and knew something was not right passing love letters in a Madrasa was wrong and he called the Ma'alin using his loudest voice Ma'alin I have a letter given to me by that girl. Pointing his finger to Nimo. He continued, Ma'alin she asked me to pass it to those boys pointing his finger to the big boys in which the Ma'alin asked him to give the letter in him instead so the love letter ended up in the wrong hands.

Now the girls started to argue Nimo trying to pin the letter to Hamdi and Hamdi defending herself by saying. The Ma'alin said if someone pleads you to do something in the name of Allah then do it for them and since you pleaded in the name of Allah I'll tell the Ma'alin that and another girl Hani saying. the letter was written with my pen so I'll  ask the Ma'alin if I share the sin for borrowing my pen however the Ma'alin talked to only Nimo and told her not to write letters in the Madrasa.

But the question is why did the Ma'alin bring back this old love letter and accused me of writing it too? He told my grandma and all the lady students in the class that I wrote a letter to some boys in the madrasa long time ago. Well if his memory were that good to remember the letter why are not they they good enough to remember who wrote it? Was he doing this to end the case and convince everyone I did it or was he simply just confused and forgot who wrote it? I can't tell what his intentions were but I didn't say anything about the old letter not while I'm still the accused suspect proven by one letter that matched those on the notebook. The class was almost an end and my grandma still didn't have an eyewitness nor the Ma'alin have other suspects or proof and the things were not bearing any fruits.

But ten minutes before the class was supposed to end there came the only one lady who was absent during the day, I was sitting in front of the Madrasa ashamed to look anyone because of the unfair accusations and heated questions from the 

Ma'alin burying my head  down on my knees and grandma sitting near still waiting a mysterious eyewitness to stand up and say. Oh Asma is the culprit, I saw her write Hayat's book yesterday. Fortunately someone finally broke the long day silence. It was Samira the only eyewitness who saw when Hayat is book was written and knew who did it but she stayed silent. The reason is that the real culprit was Nimo who was absent all this time but come to the class ten minutes before the end and Samira understandably feared if she accused Nimo while she is away things may not go well for her. 

So Samira calls the teacher and says. Ma'alin I know who wrote Hayat's book.

Ma'alin. Who was it? Speak up.

Samira. It was Nimo.

Ma'alin. Both of you step outside.

The Ma'alin, Nimo and Samira joined me and grandma in front of the Madrasa and the Ma'alin asked. Nimo. Is it true? but Nimo claimed Samira and she wrote it together however Samira denied any involvement and now the culprit was only Nimo. Apparently Nimo and I were not only friends but also we shared same hand writing. I admit that was good to know.

At the end of the day the Ma'alin just apologized with a lame excuse that because my handwriting matched Nimo's that it was unlikely his fault that I went through the terrible day filled with false accusations, humiliations. embarrassments and killer questions that I had no answers for.

I was not even relived when the real writer was found all I felt was anger and frustration because I have been crying and sitting in front of the Madrasa more than  two hours with no support, comfort and treated like as if I was invisible and couldn't feel hurt at all. I told my grandma that I didn't write the love letter that I was being unreasonably accused of and the next day she took Hamdi to the Ma'alin as a witness that I didn't write that letter either, I still felt no relieve all I wanted was to punch him in the face.

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.