Am I an Arab or an African; A Somali inconsistency

Bearing in mind that Somalia, is fault line between Orthodox Coptic civilization and

Sunni Muslim civilization, you can realize that conflict and clash in between the two representatives is inevitable. Despite the manifest and clear effects of this clash, there are latent and invisible effects it induces to the both sides particularly on Somalis.

In this article I will try to show a small glimpse on the latent side which is clearly reflected by the vanishing Somali identity that is in its peak nowadays.

Somali ancient history is still a place of dispute; tens of Stories are told about the Somali ancestries, but most of them are merely lies. Some do believe that Somalis are Arabs others believe that they are Oromo and others claim they are from Egypt ( I mean the pharaohs) and many other theories and assumptions. But the real question is not where are we from but it is who are we? What does it mean to be Somali? Is it by language ? is it by culture? Or it is by tribe?

In my point of view a Word Somali with out no Geographical borders means the following

1-A muslim

2- A person who speaks the Somali language ( including MayMay and Banadiri dialetcts)

3- A person who embraces the Somali culture.

A Muslim because if he is not a Muslim he will not abide by the Somali culture thus breaking two rules out of three which makes that person to be incompetent to be a Somali.

Now about the Origin issue, Instead of trying to be followers why not try to be the leaders and say we were on this land far before the Arabs or the Oromo— what an idea huh….---- But the bottom line of my story is , Be what ever you are but finally you are Somali not an Arab or oromo , We the Somalis are a different entity now We don’t look like neither arabs nor the Oromo, We speak neither Arabic nor Oromo, But all of us are humans from Adam and Eve and We are proud to be a Muslims.

So dear Somali reader Your ancestors are gone , but you are here and you are Somali forever…..

by Adnan hasan adnan

cadnaan xasan cadnaan