July 19, 2008

What is in a name? By Omar Ibrahim Hussein (Phd).

Why do we have bad names unlike other nations? I abhor all nicknames. The name could be a given name or a nickname. But more often than not the nick names become the real names. We know people by their nick names or bad names, as they are often. Some of the nick names are really bad; some are descriptive. Name calling starts from head to toe or vice versa. No place in our body is left out. If you have a long hair, you will be called “Timaweine”.

If you have a short hair you will be named “Tima Xume”. It goes all the way to the toe, where individuals are called either “Cagaweine or Cagayare or Cagole”. This name calling is based on size. If you are tall your name will be flowed by “Dhere” like Ali Dhere; if you are short your name will be flowed by Gab; like Ali Gab”. The nickname I like most is “Sundoon” someone looking for a nose, a nose which is not there. If you have a big ass your name will be “Dabaweine” if it is small it will be “Dabayare”. These are descriptive but still not that bad. It could get nasty. Humans are not normally reminded of their physical defect let alone making it their names. As far as we are concerned our physical defect is our name. For that reason psychologists may call us the cruelest race on Earth. Maybe that is why we are always at war with one another.

The land is not even spared. The plateau in which Borama is situated is called ‘Daba Dhadhiye… the ass reducer. A plateau on the west side of Borama is called “Dababur” ass enhancer… what a contrast. Another place north of Borama is called “Duusa Qudhmune” the fart that stinks. The land does not fart. Some names are catchy like most Somali names are; such as Sharmaarke, Gedi, Lo’don, Waberi, Shirdoon etc. If you are given such names at birth, a nick name will most unlikely be necessary. If you have an Arab name; a nick name is almost essential. Some names come from the way you behave… like “Kalidii is Boqor, Giniboqor, Bad macaanshe; Riyo Salaan, Xaabsade, Cunaaye” etc. Sometimes friends can give you a name, we gave the name ‘Boqorkii Quruxda” to both Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Tani and Abdirahman Ali Farah. Tani’s bully was beautifully curved and he scored heavily on that. Abdirahman scored on his beautifully made bow legs and both of them carry the name till today.

But if we have to run the contest all over again today, I am sure Tani is going to win, because not only his tummy is still prospering, but he holds his beautiful tummy and punctuates whatever he says with a roaring laughter, whereas Abdirahman rarely laughs these days. That makes a lot of difference; at least to me. Abdirahman also showed an inclination to give up the name as he acquired better titles such as Mujahid; Vice President Etc. Apparently beauty is no more of his concern these days. The physical beauty of my two good friends is only a reflection of their mental beauty.

My good friend Dr Mohamed Hassan Dirir acquired the name he is better known when he could not pronounce “Kadhan” in a religious class and hence he became Kadhan for good… or now Dr Kadhan. Some nicknames come at birth because of a birth defect or at an old age like bidar or Ciro etc. To see how much our nation is infatuated with nicknames, look at our politicians. Imagine a meeting or a gathering of our top politicians, the President, the two Opposition Leaders, Speaker of the Parliament, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Guurti and the Minister of Planning; the first Minister.

•    Dahir Rayale Kahin.;   Chair.
•    Ahmed Siilanyo.          Member.
•    Faisal Ali Warabe.     Member.
•     Suleiman Gaal.            Member
•     Abdi Warabe.            Member
•     Abdirahman Ciro.      Member
•     Ali SanYare.              Secretary.

As you see the president is the only one without a nickname. One may say a good Somali name keeps the nickname away. This reminds me of a Rhodesian liberation fighter whose name was Shame. A Nigerian student accused him of being shameful because he accepted a colonial name which was shameful. He said such persons who accepted such colonial names can not liberate their countries. Before they liberate their countries they should liberate themselves by acquiring their African names.

My Uncle was nicknamed “Dibad”, but he vehemently refused to be called Dibad. When we call him Uncle Dibad he either refused to reply or said “no Dibad here”. Therefore we could not dare to call him Dibad. There is a Somali saying “Waxaad Afkaaga ka tidhaa Agtaada Ka Eeg”, whatever you say, you may see it. My Uncle was scared to see what we said. His first marriage ended in divorce and he somehow believed the name Dibad has something to do with that. After he discarded Dibad from his name his second marriage succeeded.

Aware of that, I refused to have a nickname. I have rather small eyes and the most logical name to have was “Indhayare or Shibiin and the like. But I refused to be called that. If someone called me say Omar Shibiin I pretended not to hear. As a result the nickname did not stick. I can’t understand why someone would accept to be called a snake; a hyena or a gaal. I understand it is difficult to fight a nickname, but one should not be complacent about it.

By the way is there a scarcity of names in Siilaanyo’s family, because Ahmed, Mohamed and Mohamoud are only different versions of the same name. It is not good to have the same name for generations. Because the Honourable Siillanyo has one name repeating, he may need a nickname, and I propose that to be: Haji Ahmed Buur Cad; similar to that of Buur Madow. One has to think big and the starting point is a big name or of course a regular Somali name not an Arab name.

Mr Siilaanyo is a formidable candidate for the Presidential Palace and if that happens won’t people say ‘Qawadii Masbaa Gallayee” if he remains to be called Siilaanyo. To avoid that happening, I think he has to wage a serious campaign to remove this nickname before Election Day. The same thing is true for Faisal Ali Warabe; for I don’t like somebody with the name of a hyena in the Presidential Palace, because the hyena was a constant menace to our sheep when I was young. For Dahir Rayale Kahin, it is a win, win situation; it is the big man with the big name in the Big House.