Salaan Carrabey in an expedition near Berbera, 1897
Born
1850
Beer, Isaaq Sultanate
Died
1943 (aged 92–93)
Burao, British Somaliland (now Somaliland)
Nationality
Somalilander
Occupation
Poet
Salaan Mahamud Hirsi (Somali: Salaan Maxamuud Xirsi, Arabic: سلام محمود حرسي) (1850 – 1943), better known as Salaan Carrabey, was a famous poet from the Adan Madoba sub-division of the Habr Je'lo Isaaq clan.[1][2][3]
Early life
Salaan was born in 1850[4] in the town of Beer in the Togdheer region of Somaliland. He completed his Qur'anic education in Beer after which he married a woman of the Ahmed Garad/Dhulbahante clan[5] and worked as a merchant trading in Aden, India and East Africa.[6] He was a polyglot, learning many languages throughout his career as a merchant, including Arabic, English, Swahili, Hindustani, and Amharic.[7][6]
Poetry
Salaan's poetry is very rich and he was a notable figure and participant in the most famous chain of Somali poetry known as the Guba series in which legendary Isaaq and Darood poets traded boastful and sharp verses. He incorporated his knowledge of Arabic, English, Swahili and Hindustani into his poetry.[7] Somali scholar and linguist Musa Haji Ismail Galal recorded many of his works.[8]
Mayn
Salaan had left Burao for several months after and upon his return the locals asked him to recite something. His response was this poem Mine
Haddaad dhimato geeridu mar bay nolosha dhaantaaye Dhaqashiyo kol bay kaa yihiin dhereggu xaaraane Dheddigaansho waa ceeb in aad dhamaqsataa meele Dhadhan malaha Aadmigu wuxuu kugu dhalliilaaye Nin dhirbaaxo quudheed dugsadey dhaqayadeed maalye Dhashaaday sugtaa xaajadaad dhawrataa abide Ma dhurmuminin Qaabiil kolkuu dhacayey Haabiile Dhibaad-jiid haween buu ka kacay dhiriftankoodiiye Dheddigoodku Aadmiga horay uga dhawaajeene
When you die sometimes death is better than life Raising livestock and feeling satisfied sometimes are forbidden to you That you assume the ways of womanhood somewhere is a shame Humans have no taste for what people disapprove of in them A man who allows people to do what they want to him will milk the consequences of that Your offspring will forever inherit the situation you bring about Cain was not restrained when he fell upon Abel Their anger with each other rose out of taking the fiancée Problems due to women always cried out to men in the past
—Salaan Carrabey Mayn[9]
Salaan Carrabey
War Toolow Colka Jooja
Heavy infighting broke out between the Ahmed Farah and Rer Dahir subclans, both belonging to the wider Nuux subclan of the Habr Je'lo.[10][11] The conflict had been going on for a long time, and no one had been able to put an end to it. Finally, the two subclans resolved to settle the dispute by battle, as is customary among Somalis.[10][11] As the warriors gathered on the battleground, a famous and respected Sheikh named Fiqi Hasan, walked between them, reading from the Qu'ran while simultaneously translating verses from it for his audience, to remind them of the devastating results of conflict between relatives, as well as reminding the warring parties of their duties in Islam.[10][11] One of the men responded by striking the Qur'an out of Hasan's hands and Salaan stepped forward telling the Sheikh that he spoke a language that these men understood (poetry).[10][11] He then proceeded to recite a now-famous poem of his in geeraar style, titled War Toolow Colka Jooja (Oh Clansmen, Stop the War, or Oh! Kinsmen Stop the War):[10]
Labadiinatan curee Isu coobba ridaaya Cod yar baan u lahaa Shantii ceeriga tiilliyo Curadkii habartay iyo Cali-Fiin ma ilaawin Rabjaan baydin cayaayir Caado dhaaf u disheenoo Caday loo jebin maanta Jaamacii calmanaayee Codkar noogu horreeyiyo Canlana waa is ogayn Cidna waysu xignaa Ciilna waysu qabnaa Haddii aad is cuntaanna Idin caabuddan maynnee Waa intoon mid la ciidmiyoo Ka kaleeto ku ciiriyoo Waa si ay ciddidaydu Calooshay ku jabtaayoon Anna ciil iyo way iyo Cadho aan u dhintaayoo Cududdaydu laciiftee Wada cawdi-billaystoo Waar tolow colka jooja!
For you two clans I have a few words I have not forgotten those five at (the desolate place of) Ceer The first born of my clan And Cali Fiin You killed Rabjaan in revelry And in transgression of custom And up to today a stick has not been broken for him And we remember well-known Jaamac Who was the first in oratory for us We know about what happened in the past No one is more close to each other than us And yet there is anger between us If you devour each other I won’t respect you It’s as much as I’ll join forces with one (side) And join in the attack on the other It is as if my fingernails are Cutting up my stomach And I shall die of anger And grief and rage My upper arms (my clan ) will become weak So say together ‘I seek protection from God’ Oh clansmen stop the war!
—Salaan Carrabey Waar Tolow Colka Jooja![12]
After Salaan concluded the geeraar Oh Clansmen, Stop the War, one of the intermediary elders, Baashe Shabeelle, told him that what he had just recited was not a gabay, and told him to recite something among the men or leave the battlefield.[10] In response, Salaan then composed the famous poem, Kinship is a Shelter:[10]
Baashoow daliil gabay ma jiro nin igu doorshaaye Halka doyna laga naadiyaan duunka weriyaaye Dux markaan ka garan waayey baan daayey waayadane Kol baan diririyaa sida cirkoo da’i kaliilaaye Xaluun baan digriyey sida wadaad diin u haajiraye Dabuubtaan la yeedhona Rabbaa duusha weligeede Waa daabac aan go’in midkaan duco bilaabaaye Daad-xoorta iyo mawjaddaan kala dabbaalaayo Dacartaan wadnuhu hayn karayn daari feedhaha’e Waa daafa-yaridii horee aan idin deeqsiiyo Dibna waxaan u idhi xaajo waa dux iyo hawraare Maansada Colaadda Iyo Nabadda Reer Faaraxeer kala durkee kala duddaynaaya Aan u digo Ducaale iyo Seed ha igu diideene Duuggeeda belo waa helaa nin u dedaalaaye Nimanyahow tolnimo waa dugsiye dunida jeedaasha
Dunjiga Nuux-Ismaaciil tashiga daaha laga saarye Degaha Reer Axmeda wiilashii timirta diiqaayey Xasan dabadii Reer Jaamacii kala dabayl raacay Aroos dama dammaashad iyo naas daawashada geedka Dibno hadal ka yimid baa Cag-Geel loogu daw galaye Deelqaaf fagaaraa Ibleys kugu dukhuulaaye Nimanyahow tolnimo waa dugsiye dunida jeedaasha
Dalaalkuu laqwiyey Reer Shirdoon danafsigii eedye Dalanboobigii Dhamal wuxuu damac lahaa leefye Bah Gadabiirsi danab baa ku dhacay dimishigii qoofe Nin dorraad lumiyo naagihii dulube ooyaayey Sidii Ina Dagaal loo khatalay idinka diimmoone Reer Geeddigii debedda maray daadi amarkiiye Nimanyahow tolnimo waa dugsiye dunida jeedaasha
Oh Baashe there is no man better than me in the indications of the gabay In a far place what I have spoken about is announced When I perceived no salve I looked at these times Now I’m in a dirir time like the sky which will pour the kaliil rain Just last night I recited like a religious man who has mastered religion And the argument I’m calling with, God will make it fly for ever It is an unbroken pronouncement, the one I begin with a prayer I swim between the foamy flood water and the wave [of the poem] The aloe which the heart cannot contain will strike the ribs It is the food for a past guest which I give generously to you And then what I said for the matter in hand is a salve and a proposition Those Reer Faarax who went apart setting up their own separate enclosures Let me advise Ducaale and Seed, let them not refuse me A man who strives for it will find the consequences of calamity Oh men, kinship is a shelter, so look at the world
The whole of the Nuux Ismaaciil had the advice covered from them The finest of Reer Axmed the young men who were satiated with dates After [the death of] Xasan, the Reer Jaamac went apart following the wind At a full wedding with festivities and eyeing the livestock from under the tree Because of speech that came out of his lips Cag-Geel was ambushed Ibleys brought bad speech to you in the meeting place Oh men, kinship is a shelter, so look at the world
Through brokerage in tactless speech, the Reer Shirdoon lost their aspirations At the battle of Dhamal any intention which they had was lost Thunder fell among the Bah Gadabiirsi the fearful cowards A man who died the day before yesterday and the women who went around weeping Like Ina Dagaal who was tricked you are ignorant The Reer Geeddi who passed outside [of their land] and scattered the orders Oh men, kinship is a shelter, so look at the world
The bitterness of the Reer Sugulle was brought by a head wound from a young boy Here is the place where they settled, Dabadi Looyaan If there was injustice there, our ever lasting God exists [to relieve it] May he be merciful to him in the grave saving him the level of fire Xirsi is responsible for Dubur where men were lying dead If he wanted the lineages of a king, he lacked them The Reer Diiriye calmed down from their mad intentions It was agreed no blood money would be paid when Ina Ammaan fell Oh men, kinship is a shelter, so look at the world
The Reer Cali Geri were brought down with killing and wounding The fault of the wooden watering trough mobilized the men and they regretted it Buuhoodle now has no people, the place they had been for generations Recently hunters settled there, an oppressor who’s an enemy Already they hurried upon each other with hollow tipped spears A man who knew of the battle at the dry river bed of Garab would not hurry They held back after the thunders of Daboolan and Caday Through the fire which Aadan lit, Ina Galaydh didn’t get what he wanted The matter which the Reer Gorod chose left its consequences A man who has the testament of Cumar knows his worthiness Oh men, kinship is a shelter, so look at the world
Difficulties brought the Ararsame apart at the conflict of Cayn All the Daarood heard of the matter which was clear As the people were startled at the Reer Wacays who entered [into conflict] as a game The [dead] young men, all covered [with pride] were not concealed from the crows They didn’t bury them so their bones were just left in the open They were accepted as neighbours by the reers who had good governance While a sheekh studies religious knowledge the fiqi prays A religious man does not proceed in religion if he disputes the truth Whether a gazelle or an oryx, the fool gives up They [the animals, at least] look out for each other when they flee apart [from a predator] You are the same as these animals just chewing plants Oh men, kinship is a shelter, so look at the world
The woman you think is golden or lit up by a full moon They turned each other over because of Dallaayad and her beautiful body Until they fought each other with ambush, war parties and attack Cali refused that day the path that we were on with regard to that matter He wanted to taste the flavour of death The Bah Idarays did not leave alone the gloating of their struggle And no one glanced at Faarax and the situation he was killed for Wild animals had their fill of the big meat on his ribs A fighting group which spread out the many people and fire which Satan sent The slaughter of the many men at the time of Jiilaal The Reer Muuse, beggars, people who had called themselves strong Were put down in the open area of Wareeg, those important men Oh men, kinship is a shelter, so look at the world
The poor people saw the weakness of the Nuux Maxamed and exploited it The houses of the Soolomadow were destroyed, the women who cry The wailing of the women, the girls who wandered about in foreign lands If I have considered the neglectful things [you want to do] Oh Reer Barre it’s very bad Hey, don’t you have feeling for the girls with falling tears on their cheeks? The Reer Warsame land and the large grassy area Now they have opened up the settlement where the plants of Tiig grow If a long term encampment is enclosed and a further fence put around where the homestead has been set up Then the space is blocked off with a thick thornbush to protect against marauders [both animal and human] Of men the respected ones are those who protect, a cover and a shield In the unprotected place a lion can see a weak point A name lives on, and who one is born to cannot be changed Let me not force on you advice which is nothing but futile The Reer Faarax are indifferent, the ones I’m imploring Those to whom it was necessary are being forced with something formidable
So to the people who wanted to attack the Habar Jaclo another path is open Oh God, let these children not stampede, make them separate
It was said that when Salaan Carrabay had finished the poem that the two enemies, impressed by their kinsman’s appeal, disengaged and went their separate ways, avoiding further bloodshed.[11]
Haadaaqsi
Following a string of Habr Je'lo victories over the Dhulbahante in which they had captured many wells and reduced their opponents to a pitiful state, Salaan Carrabey composed this boastful poem called Haadaaqsi. The most important victory was the capture of the famous well of Caynabo. Hadaaqsi forms part of the Guba series.[8]
Goortaan hadhkaba kaa eryaad hawd u cararteene Waa kaa hubkii sida raggii wada hareednaaye Habarwaana waa kaa hingilan labadii haamoode Shirsooruhuba hoy maleh kuwaad hilib wadaagtaane Waa kaa hayaankii ku dhacay Hoobayiyo xeebe Ararsame ma haybsado Nugaal hogashadii ceele Hanas iyo abaar kulu adoo habaqle soo guurey Caynaba hadhuub kama dartaan hoga kaliileede Ka hulleele Hagar aadankii hoobalayn jiraye Aduunbaa hayaayda u guntane heeryo lagu saarye Hooyaalayntaan kaga badshaa haybad iyo luuqe Haasaasahaa laga gartaa hagar la'aaneede Mar haddaan hullaabta iska rogo soo hankaabsadaye An hawadiyo hoosada Burciyo Herer ka geeyeene Kuma hiilo heeliga fulaa la handabeeyaaye Anse wacan haagaag uga marshaa heel la ii wacaye
When I had chased you from the region where there is shade, you ran away to the Hawd And (yet) here are (your) young bearded men carrying arms The two sections of the Habarwaa are in clothes of mourning The Shirshoore, who are of the same flesh as you, homeless Indeed they had to trek towards Hobyo and the coast The Ararsame do not (even dare to) inquire about Nugaal and watering at the wells In the heat of the sun, suffering fierce thirst, you trudged along wearily You do not even take one vessel of water from Aynaba in the heat of the kaliil The Hagar Aadan who used to chant (to their camels, while watering them) have moved out from there And you who tell people to rally, the mat pack saddle (of humiliation) has been put In reciting poetry I excel others by (my) distinctive style and chant One can recognize (good) diction by (its) effortless ease Once I throw off the upper part of (my) clothes (preparing for a fight), I am firm and resolute Let me pour out (poetry) and let people take it to the glades of Bur'o and to Herer A coward who is criticised has no courage at an assembly But I speak openly and straight to the point at a meeting especially convened for me
—Salaan Carrabey Haadaaqsi[8]
Tolnimo Wa Dugsiye
Carrabey in his poem Tolnimo Wa Dugsiye (Kinship is a Shelter) notes many internal conflicts some of the decades prior and others that were ongoing. He preaches that kinship is in fact a bond and source of strength that should be valued. One such conflict he notes was fighting between kindred sections of the Habr Yunis. The powerful Sultan Hersi Aman caused much devastation when he attempted to become even more absolutist, eventually dying at the hands of his own clan in battle.[10]
Reer Sugulle dakhar wiilyar baw sidey daliishiiye Waatii degmada laysu furay Dabadi Looyaane Dummaddii Xirsuu saaran yahay Dubur raggii yiile Dawlaabadii boqor hadduu damacsanaa waaye Dabar qaaday Reer Diiriyihi, damaca waallaaye Duudsuu ku dhacay ina Ammaan dib u heshiintiiye Denbi hadduu kasbaday Eebbeheen daayinaa jirae Dullaamkii Qabriga hawga tudho dabaqi naareede Ballo duugeeda waa helaa nin u daalaaye Nimanyahow tolnimo waa dugsiye, dunida jeedaashe
The bitterness of the Reer Sugule was brought by a head wound from a young boy Here is the place where they settled, Dabadi Looyaan Xirsi is responsible for Dubur (battle) where men were lying dead If he wanted the lineages (successors) of a king, he lacked them The Reer Diiriye calmed down from their mad intentions It was agreed no blood money would be paid when Ina Ammaan fell If there was injustice there, our ever lasting God exists [to relieve it] May he be merciful to him in the grave saving him the level of fire Oh men, kinship is a shelter, so look at the world
^Orwin, Martin; Axmed, Rashiid (2009). War and Peace: An anthology of Somali literature Suugaanta Nabadda iyo Colaadda. Progressio. ISBN 9781852873295.
^"Salaan Max'd M. Xirsi "S. Carrabey" - Habar Jeclo". Hoyga Suugaanta. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
^ ab"Salaan Carrabey", Arabic Literature of Africa Online, Brill, 2016-04-06, retrieved 2024-02-18
^ abcGalaal, Musa H.I; Andrzejewski, B.W (1963). Journal of African languages A Somali Poetic Combat - III. Macmillan. pp. 190–205.
^War and Peace: An anthology of Somali literature, p. 163.
^ abcdefghOrwin, Martin; Axmed, Rashiid (2009). War and Peace: An anthology of Somali literature Suugaanta Nabadda iyo Colaadda. Progressio. pp. 163–171. ISBN 9781852873295.
^ abcdeYuusuf Ducaale, Boobe (2002). The Role of the Media in Political Reconstruction. Hargeysa, Somaliland: Academy for Peace and Development. p. 22.
^War and Peace: An anthology of Somali literature, pp. 164–165.
^War and Peace: An anthology of Somali literature, p. 169.