2012

Somalia: Language & Culture

NYS Statewide LanguageRegional Bilingual

Education Resource Network (RBE-RN) at
New York University
 Table of Contents

IDENTIFICATION, LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY............................................................................................ 3

Climate ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Facts on Somalia ....................................................................................................................................... 4
HISTORY ........................................................................................................................................................ 5
Background ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Governance ............................................................................................................................................... 5
CULTURE ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Overview ................................................................................................................................................... 7
Religion ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Languages of Somalia................................................................................................................................ 9
Dialects .................................................................................................................................................... 10
Writing .................................................................................................................................................... 11
EDUCATION IN SOMALIA ............................................................................................................................ 12
Early Childhood Development ................................................................................................................ 12
Enrollment .............................................................................................................................................. 12
SOMALI SPEAKING POPULATION IN THE USA, NYS AND NYC..................................................................... 13
Somali People in the United States......................................................................................................... 13
Somali People in New York State ............................................................................................................ 15
Somali People in New York City .............................................................................................................. 16
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS ..................................................................................................................... 17
Health and Immunization ....................................................................................................................... 17
Somali Words and Phrases...................................................................................................................... 18
Muslim Holidays ...................................................................................................................................... 19
 IDENTIFICATION, LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY

Somalia is named for the legendary father of the Somali people, Samaal (or
Samale). It is on the outer edge of the Somali Peninsula, also called the Horn of
Africa, on the East African coast. It is bordered on the north by the Gulf of Aden,
on the east by the Indian Ocean, on the southwest by Kenya, and on the west and
northwest by Ethiopia and Djibouti. It is approximately 246,200 square miles and
its coastline extends about 1,800 miles.

Climate

Somalia is hot for most of the year, with four seasons:

• the gu, or main rainy season (from April to June);

• the dayr (from October to December);
• the dry season–the iilaal (from December to March); and
• the xagaa (from June to September).
 Facts on Somalia

Area Population Capital Chief of Government Symbols GDP* Flag

State (per
capita)
Somalia 637,657 9,558,666 Mogadishu Sharif No Camel $600 Light blue
sq. km. (July 2008 Sheikh permanent (it provides with a
estimated) Ahmed national transportation, large
(President) government; milk, meat, white 5-
transitional income, and pointed
parliamentary status to a star in the
national majority center
government

*Gross Domestic Product

 HISTORY
Background

There were three waves of migration into Somalia that occurred.

1. The Cushites from the Middle East migrated across the Red Sea and the
Gulf of Aden into the Horn of Africa. By the beginning of the 11th Century
A.D., these communities expanded, creating the ancestor communities of
present day Somalia;
2. Bantu speakers, who had reached the east African coast by the 5th century
A.D., settled on the Somali lowlands as far north as Mogadishu. Although
the Bantu have culturally been assimilated by the Somali (with regard to
religion and language), they are distinguished as a separate group; and
3. By the 9th century A.D., immigrants from Arabia and Persia had settled on
the east coast as a result of trade across the Indian Ocean and helped to
found cities and states, such as Mogadishu, Brava, Merka and Kismayu.
They intermixed with Bantu and Somali to create the Bajuni/Waswahili
(currently an economically important group) that consists of a small portion
of Somalia’s population.

Governance

The Somali people are divided into five major clans (Darood, Dir, Hawiye, Isaaq ,
and Digil-Mirifle). Somalia developed a decentralized political structure,
organized around lineage identity that was invested in clan elders. Their primary
responsibility was to negotiate disputes with other clans. They relied on xeer (or
customary law) binding neighboring clans into precedent-based rulings on how to
address a range of grievances and disputes. Over the centuries, due to constant
migration and civil upheaval, Somali clans sub-divided into sub-clans and
scattered throughout Somalia. Clan identity remains strong and continues to play
an important role in Somalia.

In 1960 two independent former colonial territories (British Somaliland and Italian
Somalia) merged to form the Republic of Somalia. However, the democratically
elected government was weakened among the ruling elite to organize governance
largely on clan-based relationships. In 1969, following a coup d’état, Siyaad Barre
took over the Presidency and resorted to maintaining his position by strong-arm
tactics. He also encouraged disputes and tension among other clans, while
confining most appointments in key public positions to members of his Darood-
Marehan clan. The resulting divisions within the Somali society were worsened
by the defeat in the 1977-78 Ogaden war with Ethiopia. In the 1980s opposition
to the regime–civil war led to the overthrow of Barre in January 1991. This
resulted in the flight of public officers, destruction of buildings, equipment and
official documents. In May 1991, northwest Somalia declared itself to be the
Independent Republic of Somaliland, but for the next 4 years, it suffered from
fighting among different clans. The clan system has proved to be a divisive and
destructive force when manipulated for economic and political gain. However, in
the absence of a state structure, the clan system has been the only source of law
and order.

Twenty percent of the Somali population are minorities. They are outside the
clan system and are marginalized and subject to attacks and violations by the
dominant clans. They are divided into two main groups: the first group includes
the Midgan, Tumal, Yibir, Gaheyle, Galgale and Boni; the second group includes
the Bantu, Benadiri and Eyle.

Currently, as a result of civil upheaval in Somalia, Somalia-wide government is

non-existent. Consequently, they are unable to collect public revenue
systematically in most areas. The majority of the Somali population has been
impoverished and forced to move to new areas, either as refugees in neighboring
countries or Internationally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Some of their basic needs
are being met through resources from the international donor community,
facilitating dependency. This has led to the creation of armed militias and bands
that are a constant threat to Somalis.
 CULTURE

Overview

Somalia’s culture is an amalgamation of traditions indigenously developed or

accumulated over a period of time as a result of their interaction with Ethiopia,
Yemen, India and Persia. Somali commercial enterprise can be detected in its
exotic cuisine, which contains Southeast Asian influences. Since Somali did not
exist in a written form until 1972, the Somali people have acquired and cultivated
the art of memorizing and speaking for long hours. They are extremely keen
listeners and learners. Poetry and prose are represented in the form of plays,
proverbs, sayings, stories, lectures, and songs. Due to the Somali people’s love
for and facility with poetry, Somalia has been referred to by scholars as a “Nation
of Poets” and a “Nation of Bards”. 1 They have a story-telling tradition.

Somalis have a rich musical heritage centered on traditional Somali folklore. Their
art is the artistic culture of the Somali people, both historical and contemporary.
These include artistic traditions in pottery, music, architecture, wood carving, etc.

Religion

An important aspect of contact with the Middle East was the spread and adoption
of Islam. Islam is the primary religion in Somalia, and the majority of Somalis are
Sunni Muslims, with most subscribing to the body of doctrines that regulate the
lives of those who profess Islam. The five pillars of Islamic faith are:

1. faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophet
Muhammad;
2. prayer five times a day;
3. giving 2.5% of one’s income to charity;
4. making a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, at least once in one’s lifetime;
and
5. fasting from dawn until dusk every day during the period of Ramadan.
Although Somali women were initially excluded from the many male-dominated
religious orders, the all-female institution, Abay Siti (a religious association
1
A poet held by tradition and popular acclaim to represent the identity, beliefs and principles of a particular
national culture.
created by a group of women), was formed in the late 19th century, incorporating
Somali tradition and Islam.
Family

Traditionally, Somali marriages have been considered a bond between not just a
man and women, but also between clans and families. The majority of marriages
were arranged by an older man with wealth and the father of a young woman.
The groom usually pays a price to the bride’s family (usually livestock or money).
The bride usually lives with her husband’s family, with her parents providing the
home and household goods; however, the bride keeps her family name. Islamic
law permits a man to have up to four wives if he can provide for them and their
children equally. The couple signs an agreement giving the wife a certain amount
of property just in case they get divorced. If the wife initiates the divorce, she has
to relinquish her right to the property. A man can divorce his wife by repeating “I
divorce you” three times. However, the wife is given a three-month grace period
in case she should be pregnant. Currently, many urban Somalis choose a mate
based on love and common interests rather than accepting an arranged marriage.

Languages of Somalia

Somali is the official language of Somalia since 1972, gaining official status with
standardization (Standard Somali). In the Afro-Asiatic family of languages, Somali
is an Eastern Cushitic language. 2 The Somali language is spoken by ethnic Somalia,
Djibouti, Ethiopia, Yemen and Kenya. In addition to Somali, many Somalis speak
Arabic, due to centuries-old ties with the Arab World, the far-reaching influence
of the Arabic media, and religious education. A small percentage of Somalis also
speak Italian, and a growing number speak English. Educated young adults from
well-to-do urban families may speak five or more languages. In addition to the
languages mentioned above, there are many other languages spoken in Somalia,
as follows:

2
A branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken in Somalia, Ehtiopia, Eritrea and northern Kenya, including
Beja, Oromo, and Somali.
 Aweer

Boon

Dabarre

Garre

Jiddue

Maay

Mushungulu

Oromo, Borana-Arsi-Guji

Swahili

Tunni

Ethnologue Languages of the World

http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name-SO

Dialects

Somali dialects are divided into two main groups: The standard dialect, spoken by
most Somalis, and the Digil/Raxanweyn dialect, spoken primarily in the inter-
riverine areas (vicinity of the Shabelle or Juba Rivers) of the south (who are also
familiar with standard Somali). Thus, language provides a channel of
communication. Somali has adopted many Arabic words, both modern phrases to
deal with modern institutions, such as government and finance, and older Arabic
terms to discuss international trade and religion. In addition, Somali also contains
old Qahtani words, common to Cushitic and Semitic languages.
Writing

The Somali language had no official written alphabet until the former President of
Somalia, Slad Barre, formally introduced the Somali Latin alphabet in October
1972. Shire Jama Ahmed (Shire Jaamac Axmed) is credited with the invention of
this spelling system, and his system was chosen from among eighteen competing
new orthographies. At the same time, Somali was made the sole official language
of Somalia.

Note: The Somali alphabet uses all the letters of the English alphabet, except p, v and z.

The Somali Latin alphabet was introduced to promote literacy. This made Somali
different from the languages spoken in neighboring areas, which still use the Geez
or Arabic alphabet. Somali is written in the Latin script today, which is written
from left-to-right.
 EDUCATION IN SOMALIA

Early Childhood Development

Early Childhood Development (ECD) falls within the category of basic education
and entails the essential skills of literacy and numeracy upon which further
learning is built (ages 0-5).

Before Somalia was colonized, most education was provided by Koranic schools. 3
The Ministry of Education is officially responsible for education in Somalia, with
about 15% of the nation’s budget allocated to scholastic instruction. The
autonomous Puntland and Somaliland macro-regions maintain their own
Ministries of Education.

With the outbreak of a civil war in 1991, there was a complete breakdown of the
formal education system. Most school buildings were completely or partially
destroyed, all educational materials and equipment were looted, and many
teachers and students were displaced. With the exception of Koranic schools, no
formal education took place for at least two years (1991-1992). In addition, most
secondary level institutions and universities ceased to operate. With
international donor assistance, a measure of recovery has been achieved in the
educational sector. However, factionalism and civil upheaval continue to be
major hindrances to the evolution of a national education system.
Enrollment

Currently, there is no official entry age for primary school in Somalia. Entrants
into grade 1 fall within a wide age range, with some entrants being older than 14
years of age (regarded as the final year in the United States for grade 8). This
delayed entry stems from parental/community expectations that a child should
master the teachings of the Koranic schools before proceeding to formal primary
school. Therefore, there is a very low primary school enrollment, with about 1 girl
for every 2 boys.

3
A stable local, non-formal education providing basic religious and moral instruction to a large number of school
children between 5 and 14 years of age.
A survey on the education of youths aged 14-18 years of age, found that 39%
were currently or previously participating in a vocational or private course to
learn a particular skill (UNICEF-Somalia, 1998). English was reported to be the
most popular subject, with other subjects including sewing/tailoring, computer,
metalwork/carpentry and secretarial.

SOMALI SPEAKING POPULATION IN THE USA, NYS AND NYC

Somali People in the United States

According to the 2010 American Community Survey, there are 85,700 people with
Somali ancestry in the United States, which is the seventh largest in the world.

States With 2011

High Somali Refugee Arrivals
Population Cities (If applicable)_

Arizona Phoenix and Tucson 195

California San Diego and San Francisco 114
Colorado 105
Florida N/A
Georgia 149
Illinois 28
Kentucky 105
Maine Portland 116
Maryland 94
Minnesota Minneapolis and St. Paul 304
Missouri 155
New York Buffalo, New York City and Syracuse 194
Ohio Columbus 138
Oregon 112
Tennessee 162
Texas 290
Utah 142
Virginia 51
Washington Seattle 194
Somali People in New York State

A total of 4,560 refugees resettled in New York State in FFY 2010, a 3% increase
over 2009. Upstate New York resettled 4,099 refugees (90%) and NYC resettled
461 refugees (10%). Of these refugees, 8% are from Somalia.

http://otda.ny.gov/programs/bria/documents/population-report.pdf

Clockwise: 39% - Burma

25% - Bhutan
14% - Iraq
8% - Somalia
6% - Dem. Rep of Congo
4% - Eritrea
2% - Cuba
2% - Palestine
Somali People in New York City

According to the New York City and Boroughs 2010 American Community Survey,
total ancestry categories tallied for people with one or more ancestry categories
reported there were an estimated 491 people of Somali descent in New York City,
as follows:

Brooklyn 79
Manhattan 0
Queens 293
Staten Island 0
The Bronx 119

TOTAL 491
 RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS

Health and Immunization Terms

Somali English

Bus-buska Varicella
Cagaarshowga, Joonis Hepatitis
Cuno xanuun Diphtheria
Dabayl, Duf Polio
Furuq Smallpox
Gowracato Diphtheria
Gurra dhaabsis, Qaamow-Qashiir,
Qanja Barar Mumps
Hablobaas Varicella
Haemophilus nooca b Hib
Infilowense Influenza
Jadeeco Measles
Jadeeco been, Jadeeco jarmalka Rubella
Kix, Xiiqdheer Pertussis
Qaaxo-Tiibi Tuberculosis
Sambabaja, Wareento Pneumonia
Tallaakla Qaaxada BCG
Taytano Tetanus

Source: Vaccinations in Refugee Children, New York State and New York City
Recommendations and Guidelines
Somali Words and Phrases

Hello (or Hi) Iska warran/Weeye (ama Sidee tahay)

Good morning Subax wanaagsan
Good afternoon Galab wanaagsan
Good evening Caways wanaagsan
Goodbye Nabadgelyo
Good night Habeen wanaagsan
How are you? Iska warran?
I am fine, thank you Waan fncnahay, mahadsanid
And you? Adiguna?
I am fine, too. Aniguna waan fiicnahay
Thank you (very much) Waad mahadsantahay (aad iyo aad)
You are welcome Adaa mudan
Don’t mention it Ha iilmaamin/Michna malaha
Thanks Mahadsanid
Thanks a lot Aad baad u mahadsantahay
Excuse me Raalli iga ahow
Pardon me Ii dulqaado
What’s your name? Magacaa?
Where are you from? Xageed ka timid?
Where are you going? Xageed tagaysa

Source: English-Somali Phrasebook with Useful Wordlist (for people from Somalia).
See: http://www.cal.org/co/publications/english-somali-phrasebook-with-useful-
wordlist.pdf
Muslim Holidays

Mawlid al-Nabi Observance of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad’s

birthday

Lailat al Miraj Are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to
Islamic tradition, the Islamic Prophet Muhammad took
during a single night around the year 621 A.D.

Lailat al Bara’a The date when Imam al-Mahdi was born, the 12th,
final and current Shia Imam and also the Mahdi, a very
important Islamic figure who is believed by all Muslims
to bring absolute justice to the world by establishing
Islam as the global religion.

Ramadan Is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating

Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and
sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach
Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and
Submissiveness to God.

Lailat al Kadr The 27th night of Ramadan, the Night of Power – the
night in which the 1st verses of the Koran are believed
to have been revealed to the Islamic Prophet
Muhammad in the year 610 A.D.

Quds Day Commemorated on the last Friday of Ramadan. It is a

day that Muslims from all around the world show their
support for the oppressed Muslims of the world and, in
particular, Palestine. Rallies are held in every capital of
the world.

Eid al-Fitr An Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan

Eid al-Adha An Islamic festival marking the sacrifice made by

Abraham and the end of the Annual pilgrimage
to Mecca traditionally celebrated by the sacrifice
of sheep

Al-Hijra/Muharram Islamic New Year

Ashura Is marked by Muslims as a whole, but for Shia Muslims, it

is a major religious festival that commemorates the
martyrdom at Karbala of Hussein, a grandson of the
Islamic Prophet Muhammad

Note: In the Muslim calendar, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day.