Somalia, Nicknamed the nation of poets by Margaret Laurence, a queen when it came to short stories and novels (two of them adapted into films).
When it comes to outward images Somalia is best know as the home of modern pirates but what is often overlooked is its rich culture and literature. So i will start a mini series exploring music poems dances and more.
Somalia's poetry is probably what its best known for literature wise and so its today's subject.
Poetry distinguishes a persons status and the best poets names are known far and wide their poems memorised by many.
There are different "Chains" of poems throughout Somali history 4 to be precise
they are :
Halac-Dheer
Guba
Xaydha
Siinley
Deeley
These were chains of poems that were started by one person and the letter that he used as alliteration were used by other people in the same chain of poems.
There were also era's of poems of these were also 5
and they were:
Pre-colonialism before 1884 (there aren't many of these left)
Colonialism 1889-1944
Freedom fighting era 1944-1969
When there was a government 1960-1991
state collapse 1991-2006
Somali poetry is based on two things Meter and alliteration and traditionally has no rhyme.
when it comes to meter there are different types of poems for different meter.
for example the Buraanbur style poetry is different for the Saar style poetry.
With regards to alliteration each half line is alliterative e.g
Masuuliyeenta dalkeeni Mahaadin heelay
The people who are responsible with our land what is wrong with you
dunida waad na Mashquuliseey Mahaad in heelay
You have caught us up in the the affairs of the world what is wrong with you
This is a extract from a Buraanbur (a genre exclusive for women) and as you can see each half line has the letter M
The Buraanbur is by Canab Cali and is about the recent argument with kenya about the somali/kenya border.
Meter categorises Somali poetry while alliteration has to be there.
thank you for reading