Wrapped around in a Blanket of love

Today, wiilo is departing from her usual topic's and putting thespotlight to an often discussed and often misunderstood subject ....the topic of loooooooooove! You know what I mean, this issue has occupied mankind since time immemorial, since the first time mankind conceptualised that scavenging for food was not the only thing to satisfy our hungar, that there is a deep, restless part of our soul that requires the fulfilment of certain desire, the desire to be loved and love. That this love has a unique key, a combination where the full code is divided between you and the object of your desire. That fit is what we spend A LIFE TIME searching for. Cilmi Boodheri the Somaliland Baker, who felt in love with Hodan, and who died of unrequited love, has captured the Somali people's imaginations and every Somali lovelorn has come to use his poems as though it was some kind of magical potion that would instantly restore their disaffection and restore the hope that they have lost, the possibility of recapturing the purity of what they have tasted, the taste of love an unconditional selfless love.

We know the pains of it, God knows many of you know the countless wailing of friends at the other end of the telephone talking about their disappointment and cruel let down by those who they thought were their pillars, their dreams shattered, the dream to believe that what has been described as love to be true. Well, whatever, that has been written about this topic and has been said, or been foretold, one thing I can say is that, in the rarest of times when people find their combination, their "right fit", the half to their one, they enter in an unfamiliar territory where there is an utter bliss, a joy unbeknown to the individual, igniting all the sense and illuminating there life for the better.

I would like to say today, a celebration is in order, especially for those who have their wonderful husband or wife, that sun ray in their life, or that husband to be or that particular partner who made their life a blessing.

We are often in awe of people who don't matter in our lives, we are busy pleasing them, praising them, giving focus to them and forgetting the greatest blessing in our lives. We are too embarrassed to acknowledge them in public, to honour our feeling for them and saying thank you for being in our life.

With that note, I would like to dedicate this blog to a remarkable person, a man who has his own mind, a free thinker, kind, generous and humorous person. A sensitive soul, and amazingly handsome, and incredible caring human being. A person who has been in my life for a while but, only realised recently how special and wonderful he is and how lucky I am to have him in my life. You are truly my "blanket of love", So Mr MM this song is for you,  you really are an amazing person and incredibly kind and caring human being. This song is for you,  the Great Etta James, At last!

I FOUND MY OWN BEST FRIEND IN ME!

The days of being moulded, shaped or conforming to your ways I am afraid, has passed for me, this outsider has flown away from her comfortable nest and its gliding through the calm magnificent beauty of the skyline. There was a time I wanted to be part of the crowd, I wanted to be your friend, excited about the possibilities of being in the norm, listening to endless replay of your woes, giving you honest advise to see the woods from the tree. There was the time I wanted to lean on you as a good friend, help me out on the hard times, make me laugh. Proffer me a valuable advised to see through the dark lonely days.
                                                            
There was a time, I was out of work, I thought being a friend and working, perhaps you could fix me with a job, or perhaps inform me of that one vacancy that was available at your organisation that I might have been suitable for. But, instead you rejoiced to see me so pitiful, instead of helping me heal, you dug your heel into my back. There was that time, were I lacked in confidence, where as my trusted friend I wanted a comforting words of support, a word of kindness to repair my splintering life, to help me back from the sinking ship of despair. To draw me out of the all consuming sadness of my life. Where any heartfelt, warm soothing words that could put me at ease to settle my anxious soul would have been appreciated.Where one comforting word, could have cleared the dark clouds and let one beam of hope into my life. But, instead you doubted my friendship.

When I showed you my true self, my bare naked true intention as an honest and decent and faithful friend, you mistrusted my motive. You saw my compassionate as softness, my generosity as weakness and my friendship as commodity for personal abuse. But, instead of being a friend to lean on you turn into the enemy from within. You pretended to be a support but, you were waiting for your moment to pounce, to cause maximum damaged. You lay in wait, whilst you woven a web of deceit.

When I was at my worst lowest ebb, and searched around my shoulders you were no where to be  seen. Just like the boomerang your backbiting returned back to me, your lies, your wickedness, your ruthless competitiveness unraveled, your malicious salacious lies and your jealousy unravelled like the layers of an onion, always tarnishing my image in your conversation.

Well guess what? like the proverbial Phoenix I have risen out of the ashes, I am stronger, wiser, braver and I found the greatest friend of all... ME and My God! I am my own support system, I am my own adviser, I am own confidante, I am accountable to me, I lean on myself. And you, you lost a great friend, an honest, caring and dependable generous friend, the type of friend that will wake up at any time of the night to hear you complain of your lastest pathetic imaginary boyfriend, or hear you whinge about your friends, "how thingy ma jig has been wicked to you", or blabbering about your boss bullying you. Now, I see you for what your are a lonely, pathetic, incapable to love or want anything good for a friend, a female friend that is , I mean lord knows you will sell your last rags to pleaze a man, but your girls, OW NO, to you they are a source of competitiveness, people to ridicule, laugh at, sabotage and lie about.
                                                              
 Did you know, that I know you better  than you ever will know yourself, hating a friend because she got a man and you don't, she is prettier than you, she is more articulate than you, perhaps little funnier. Perhaps, if you looked at yourself little deeper in the mirror, you might have celebrated your positive God given gifts, instead of hating on your girls of what you don't have, maybe you should have concentrated on all the positive things you do have . So why did I cut you Off? Cause you are a bitch, hateful, jealous, conniving, ungrateful  and disrespectful bitch who has been a dead weight to my life for many years! Phewwwwww there I said it!

So for those who I let into my life, please don't think you could fool or deceive me, as I already  have played that game thousand times over, don't try to change me as all the changes I need in my life I install, don't try to belittle me as my little paw could turn into the paws of a lioness that will shred you like a Weetibix. Don't try to control me as I am a free spirited Eagle made to roam the Sky's. But, above all don't ever EVEEEEEEER disrespect me, as will verbally rain down on your parade!
But, know this if you are those special ones in my life, I will listen to your advise so long as the last decision is left to me. In showing me my faults, deliver it constructively and with compassion. All in all do not think, I mean ...EVER think you could control me, and do not ever take my love for guaranteed as it could be taken back in the same way I given it. And believe me when i say I never look back, I don't.... when I let you go.... I LET YOU GO!

FACEBOOK MEETS A NATION OF POETS (SOMALILANDERS) WHO ELOQUENTLY PEN WHAT FB MEANS TO THEM!

 Hi guys, I have recently discovered a funny poem written about Facebook recording the diversity of people using this social network. Somalis are known as oral society, a society where our heritage is recorded in the expression of the tongue, expression that was recorded by memory and transported to distant lands to convey whatever message that was intended whether it would be the drumming of war, praising the prowess of the tribe's status or just serenading the beauty of a young maiden. This new generation of Somalis have taken the God's given talent of the Somalis as natural poets to the information super highway to spread our heritage and exchange our thoughts from four corners of the globe. Aiding this new way of communication via the spoken word, this new generation of Somalis have fused together the power of the pen with that of the spoken word essential paving the wave a new way of communication. We know us sSomalis love dialogue, stories, poems and most of all news, fresh up to date news. Iska waran, maxaa cusub, waran, wax sheeg... all our greeting indicating... give me data input, just like the film SHORT CIRCUIT where the computer is so hungry for data, he goes through thousand books digesting information just to understand  mankind, we Somalis being a nation of Nomads and still continuing our traditional nomadic existence in this globe we are now interconnected by this new invention of communication bringing us closer together then we have ever been, exchanging our cultures, believes and our way of lit4, even finding the odd husband and wife via this network. So we salute this great Somalilander JAMAAL CALI XUSEEN for capturing the meaning of facebook and how its used and the way it interconnects us all. A wonderfully penned poem about the famous social network FACEBOOK enjoy reading it


Gabay: Face Book

Qalinkii: Jamaal Cali Xuseen
...
Foosiyoow su’aal gabay beryaan, sooma aan furine
......
Maan soo fadh-fadhin maansooyinki, faraha weeynaaye,
...
Caawaanse rasaas aan faraqiyo, face-ka book geliye

Falaadkii casriyadan haddaan, dib uga faalloodo,

Ilaahay noolihii farsamo, talo ku fiicneeye,

Marka Facebook farriin lagu diree, laysku wada foodhyo,

Ninkasta halkuu fiirin markuu, faraqa soo xayto,

Waa mirqaan Fuluus ka roonoo, lagu fayaamaaye,

Fasahaad hadday gaadho se waa, fawdo ololayse,

Caqligu hadduu kaa fooraro, waa fadqalalayne,

Ha moogaan Facekaa warkiisiyo, dunida feygaaran,

Adduunyadan Facebook cusubi, hawsha fududeeyay,

Adduunyadan fogaatee Finger, laguba faa’iidey,

Adoo gurigaa fadhiya baad, faallo soo bixine,

Qolooyin kaa fog baad muran, farafarayn qodiye,

Waagii Fardaha la watiyoo, Farowyadii geela

Facebook baa badeliyo ninyow, farsamooyin kale e,

Warar fresh ah iyo baad ka bogan, faallo iyo nuure

Waa goob family iyo asxaab, faraha yaabtaaye,

Waa goob friends laga dhergiyo, sawiro fiic- fiican,

Waa fooraha roob onkodiyo, fashionkan maanta ahe,

Ha moogaan Facekaa warkiisiyo, dunida feygaaran,

Darbay fajeciso la tahay haddaad, Faceka garanayne,

Ma fayoobay ku odhan ruux hadduu, furanin facebooke,

Darbaa fulaan iyo la bixi, magacyo fookeeysan,

Darbaa fidmo Facebook u yihiyo, Faranji hawshiise,

Dadbaa fadhiisin ka dhigtiyo, filimo dhaadheere,

Darbaa feedh facebook u galiyo, faashkuun ku dhufee,

Darbaa magacyo false ah gashtiyo, sawiro faambaayr ah(Vampire)

Ragbaa fadalka tuurayoo, fiiqa sare joogge,

Dadbaa Faransiis ka akhriya, boggaga Facebooke,

Ha yeeshee darbaa murti fataha, fikirka suugaante

Waa goob dhallinyaro fir-fircooni, farax ku ciidayse,

Ha moogaan Facekaa warkiisiyo, dunida feygaaran,

Maxaa profile la fidiyeyiyo, doodo lagu foofay,

Maxaa gidaaro “Fans” eegaya, fasaxyo dhiibaaya,

Maxaa footo aan la rabin iyo, magacyo faanaaya,

Maxaa mid gabadh faduuliyey, haawlo fulinayaa,

Maxaa hanad tacliinliyo fannaan, feker ka yeedhaaya,

Maxaa nin ragoo fariid is biday, farda-fardeeynaaya,

Maxaa Filoosafar iyo Farshaxan,“Fish and Chips” joogta,

Waa goob dhallinyaro fir-fircooni, farax ku ciideeyse,

Waa mirqaan Fuluus ka roonoo, lagu fayaamaaye,

Waa fooraha roob onkodiyo, fashionkan maanta ahe,

Ha moogaan Facekaa warkiisiyo, dunida feygaaran,

Maxaa future gabadh la hiigsado, faraqa jiidaysa,

Maxaa googaa i fahantiyo, faqu qadhaadhaadey,

Maxaa gabadh fariidoo dal jecel, erey ku feygaartay,

Maxaa sawiro faanniyo hanbalyo, faallo ku idlaatay,

Maxaa faataxo diin iyo culeys, falsafad yeedhaaya,

Maxaa dhallinyaro faa’iido li’iyo,, ficilo ii yeedhaay,

Waa goob dhallinyaro fir-fircooni, farax ku ciidayse,

Waa fooraha roob onkodiyo, fashionkan maanta ahe,

Ha moogaan Facekaa warkiisiyo, dunida feygaaran,

Markaad fajac Facebook gashee, furato geestaada,

Farriimihii wacnaa baad akhriyi, farabadnaantoode,

Waa dhallinyaro fayooboo, firixda kaa keeni,

Saaxiibbo fog-fogiyo darbaad, faallo kula tiigsan,

Ha yeeshee sawiro la fahminoo, foorar kugu beera,

Gidaarkaaga lagu fakh siin, fasax la’aaniiye,

Waa goob dhallinyaro fir-fircooni, farax ku ciidayse,

Huu huu iyo fuu fuu marna, uguma feesteeyne,

Farsamadaa yaabka ahi waa, xaal aan fududeyne,

Ha moogaan Facekaa warkiisiyo, dunida feygaaran,

Waa goob friends laga dhergiyo, sawiro fiic-fiican,

Shaah fujaan lagu ilaawana, Faceka ka wareeyso,

Fudeyd iyo xumaan kuma arag, ficilo qaarkoodna,

Marbuuse fashilaad yahay iyo, gole ka fuulkaase,

Waa fagaare nin ragii fahmaa, nacas fiririqdiise,

Waa sida nin faras fuushanoo, jihaba aan fiirin,

Aaladaa Facekiyo sheekadaa, fadh-fadheeyntaasi,

Armey farsamadaa cusbi degtaa, fule xantii mooge,
Qalinkii: Jamaal Cali Xuseen

Tanzania

E;mail: jamaal71@yahoo.com

Freedom is to live without FEAR!

I recently came across few articles where by different people celebrities or in our case us mere mortals, talked about not feeling free because of fear, because of not amounting to the image/expectation of others or chasing something that would cover the charade we set up in our lives. The saddest story I had read few days ago was the 1920s Hollywood  film star Veronica Lake, a pin up model, who was most notably, famous for her finger waved, peek a poo hairstyle. A stunning beauty, who had the world at her feet at some point in her life, died from Hepatitus all alone and not a penny to her name. Due, to several factors, she suffered anxiety, paranoia and those around her took advantage of her weakness and left her dry and ruined beyond recognition. Another story is another famous Hollywood film star Daryl Hannah, a devastatingly beautiful women who was also insecure and ravaged by fear, the fear of not amounting to others expectation, not being seen in a better light and not being thought good enough in her career. Daryl Hanna recently said she wished she didn't spend so many years of being afraid of what others would think of her, so that her youth wasn't wasted worrying so much. As in the end it did not really matter what others thought of her, and only now is she living the life she wanted, one up on Veronica Lake.

That is precisely the point, that so many of us are so consumed in creating a facade, building up  walls covering the cracks of our live, bending over backward to please people who come into our lives from many directions, there maybe our bosses, our relatives, or our friends. Who may have glorified image within our society, who are showered with accolades of good doers but whose personal lives is AS EMPTY AS A USED CAN OF BAKED BEANZ, a megalomaniacs, the Mr Jackal and Dr Hyde personality type who will compete with an infant, if the infant would so much upstage their delusional status. They may wield power, through their deep pockets, but, I assure you in the mids of that dark hour, just before dawn when there is silence all around, when all the creaking of life stops, you better believe under all that assumed power, these people are empty, hallow, bitter, vain, jealous, fearful, lonely creatures who are lashing out at anyone who reminds them of what they have lossed. They hate anyone who is more beautiful then them, more youthful then them, more innocent then them. They will lure you into false pretence in aiding you, with the intention to break your spirit. They may give you the odd hand out, and inform the world what they have done for you, how they assisted/contributed or practically acclaim all your glory being right down to them. When in fact, this soulless, embittered, virulent, vain, saddos campaign of jealousy and hate is misguided and misplaced.  In that we are not the cause of their disappointment, they are in fact the cause of their misery. They are the ones, who got involved in that toxic relationship that has caused them so much hate and despair, they are the ones who let down that one last remaining person in their life who loved them unconditionally, the many misfortunes that has visited you that is called QADAR ALLAH!  You accept and move on, and where you have encountered despair you replace it with love and security for those who are under your guidance.

I must admit there are at times when some points in our lives we become too big for our boots, where what we have misguides us in giving us delusions of grandeur's, where we over interpret our worth, and look down on others as inadequate and unimportant. Well, my advise is hold yourself back and eat that proverbial humble pie once in a while IT MIGHT DO YOU A LOT OF GOOD. We really are not as important as we think we are, whether you are a president or pauper, surely, are true worth if you believe in God, is not down to us but down to the all mighty, the one we go before on the day of judgement.

With these words, for those of you facing hardship, insecurity, doubting of your abilities, confused with the direction you are taking in your life, all I will say is take a sigh and exhale and let go of that fear that is stopping you from moving forward or is causing you sleepless nights as for whatever is happening to you, there is a point you should be learning from this experienced you are faced with. And if you find yourself, that your life has come to a halt. I suggest you take stock, reassess your priority and reexamine your passion and start letting go of that FEAR, the same fear that has stopped us from going forward. Life will all ways teach us a lesson but are we ready to learn that lesson? And before you blame your misfortune on others, were you entirely blameless to begin with? Most of the time we are the actors of our disgruntlement. In law it says before you seek the remedies of equity "you must come with clean hands"!

So today, I woke up not content with little things not going my way, so I took a step back and counted my blessings and do you know what, I am surrounded with love and affection, I am blessed with wonderful family, a loving Auntie who buys me a mango everyday, as she knows I love the stuff, a daily phone call from my wonderful mum and sister and wonderful LOVING friends who send me all the goodies I have missed from UK but above all I am in good health a great blessing!!! The sun is shinning the birds are singing and the kids are playing, so no time to brood, so just penned this message JUST TO SAY LIFE IS GOOD!

Life is wonderful, compassion is a nourishment, we show kindness true kindness so that we receive it back. Always, speak for the voiceless, and reject the vile abuser misusing his position. Let go of the fear of others, no amount of money, power, or image will make any difference if your soul and heart is one massive black hole. As all those who know me know that I love Nina Simone, so below is posted what freedom means to her FREEDOM IS TRULY TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR!

The geographically challenged NGO's operating in Somaliland, Somaliland is Somaliland!

Somaliland is Somaliland

The one astonishing fact that has got me perplexed here in Somaliland is that, the utter arrogance of NGO's who operate within Somaliland, continuing to refer Somaliland as Somalia within our own territory. What is the point in seeking international recognition when we cannot adequately set standard for agencies that operate within Somaliland, in how they should address our Country? We must be clear on one thing, the sovereignty of Somaliland as a separate State is unequivocal and non negotiable, that is what it say in Article one of the Somaliland constitution and that it cannot be challenged. If this is the case, then these agencies and other business groups who are still referring to Somaliland as Somalia, why are we tolerating them?  

I recently came across an Official from the United Nation Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), the UN office that most Somalis blame for the continuance fanning of the problems in Somalia, and who are together with the UNDP, the self anointed proxy government of Somalia. In one of those run of the mill seminars to tick the box in project deliverance, or what I call "dropping grains in exchange of gold", this particular official continuously referred Somaliland as Somalia, even when corrected he just brushed it aside and continued with his speech. I tell you, it would be an underestimation to say that my primal instinct was telling me to thrown my three inch heel right between his eyes but, my better self desisted.

 My sudden burst of anger being the product of the love and respect I have for this nation, Country that has gone through an arduous journey to free itself from the iron grip of the merciless hand of an archetypical African dictator, a nation that has buried its dead in the thousands The genocide committed against our people unknown to the world, not written in any text book, unlike the Rwandan’s genocide of the Tutsis which stands as test case of what constitutes as a genocide to the world. No one has ever been brought to court of law charged to face the indiscriminate killing of the Somalilanders, no truth commission set to extract the truth  and explain all those mass graves and who were behind it.

No Somaliland government has ever sought to bring to justice to all those officials who were the machinery of the Siyaad Barre regime, no compensation has been sought, no apology has been received, the world stays ignorant of the genocide committed against the people of Somaliland. Even the mass graves that occasionally popup, are discreetly gotten rid off so as not to awaken old wounds. There are thousands of families in Somaliland even today, who do not know what has become of their loved ones, how they died or where they are buried. People just chose to move on from this dark history and start a fresh. They unanimously chose to break away from the nightmare of Somalia, and build on their torn down cities, cities filled with landmines, 80% of the city of Burco was destroyed and 90% of Hargeisa was raised to the ground. Yet without any international help, people picked up the pieces and managed to build their nation from the ground up literally.

So with this backdrop, to hear some ignorant UN official, devoid of any historical understanding and vacant of any sensitivities towards the people of Somaliland to stand in the middle of Hargeisa in Ambassador by describing our Country as being part of Somalia, a nightmare we have long disassociate with is just incredible. It is an incredible failure on a monumental level.

 Either some lazy Somaliland Minister does not know the duties he owes to the people of Somaliland which is to represent the interest of the nation at any level, our interest being that these project swinging three piece suit wearing NGO’s to respecting our local laws, the law expressed in Article One of the Somaliland Constitution which states that “.. Declaration of the Conference of the Somaliland communities held in Burao between 27^th April 1991 and 15^th May 1991 shall hereby and in accordance with this Constitution become a sovereign and independent country known as “The Republic of Somaliland”.

Giving consideration to the above, is the Somaliland Government turning a blind eye to the notion of our constitution, are NGO’s exempt from adhering to our sovereignty and our self asserted independence, within our own territory? Whose job is it to put these people inline?  I put the blame totally on head of our government, especially the  Ministerial departments, either the Foreign Minister, The Minister of Planning, or Minister of Home Affairs to brief these, paper bundling brief carrying three piece suit wearing geographically challenged NGO reps. They must set a protocols for these foreign agents to adhere to. The command must be simple enough to ring out in any given ears, in that you refer “ Somaliland as Somalia” and you are sent packing simple as that, in my world they would be arrested and thrown away the key.

I have now heard it from too many organisations operating within Somaliland that are continually disregarding our sovereignty within our own territory, how could we expect people to take our cause seriously in seeking international recognition when we do not even assert this right within our own boundary. The buck stops with our own Governments failure to make this point clear. They must take direct and decisive action in correcting these organisations and set a standard of rules/protocols for them to adhere to once they begin operation within Somaliland. Thos who fail to follow these principles then they must be dealt with accordingly based on our local laws. No one is above the law, and certainly not these organisations who are blatantly disregarding our hard earned Sovereignty. Too many Somalilanders have lost their lives for us to be free, why should we tolerate those who choose to ignore our wishes? A separate state, THE REPUBLIC OF SOMALILAND!

The cool breeze of Hargaisa nourishing my soul.

My first ever blog, starting right here in Somaliland in the year of Ones in 2011. So far I am loving it here, in particular the beloved city of Hargeisa, the birth place of my parents and my ancestral homeland.

I feel the circle of my family's journey is complete, in that my Grandfather was the first person in our family to have left Somaliland, first to seek a better education here in England, and then later to have embraced the union with Somalia, with the aspiration to build a better life for his family, a decision which most of Somalilanders have lived to regret. My father a high ranking general, left Somalia in the 1980's after it has become unsafe/dangerous for all Isaaq intellectuals to carry on working for its nation. Then my mother a successful business woman also, shipped out of Somalia in 1985 after it has become too unsafe for Isaaq to stick around, a decision that has probably saved our family, in that those who have opted at the time to say behind in Mogadishu, in towns were the Isaaq were the minority lived through unimaginable horrors. A horrific experience, we never lived to see and for that I thank my mother who foresaw the deterioration of the dictatorial system of Siyaad Barre and who left the Country, prior to its inevitable collapse.

As a child raised in the Diaspora, life has been interesting and a lot different then the childhood our parents had, in that to some extend, when it came to the language; we were our parents voice, bridging the gap to two different worlds. This point I will touch on at later date, but for now, I am back to the Journey my Grand parents have made, educated in the West, born in Mogadishu and now back into the lap of my true home Somaliland. I consider myself as a Somalilander, and in that context I will be recording my journey whilst  I stay here in Hargaisa. For those who have similar experiences to me and who hail from Somaliland but, never have been here, it is an opportunity to learn our Country together. Like you, I do not know much in terms of our heritage, nor have I seen much of outside Hargeisa. This is my own Journey to discover Somaliland and complete the circle of our family to resettle back into our beloved Country Somaliland... the land of Milk and Honey, the land of Cigaal and Maxamed Mooge, Hadraawi, Gaariye, the land of  thousands of great poets, the land of heroes and intellectuals, the land of Nasa hablood, of  Sheikh and Borama, of Sool and Sanaag of Haud, Saaxil of Baligubadle and countless historic cities the land of the two qibla mosque. The burial site of Sheikh Isaxaaq bin Hashim and his brother. My journey begins  wish me luck.......