al-Mu'tamid المعتمد
عِشْ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ
As the title states what does the term "Somali culture" really mean? It is often wielded by nationalistic individuals to emphasize the uniqueness of their community. It is a multifaceted concept encapsulating various aspects. A term explained not coined by the British Quaker Tylor who said:
Examining Tylor's definition, it becomes evident that Islam dominates this term in "almost" all aspects. Our belief is Islam and so is our morals and our laws and customs such as how we marry and bury our dead. Daily activities almost always revolve around adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet, adhering to Adl (Justice) and Ihsaan (Perfection).
First and foremost anything that is proven to be Haram is and should be removed from our daily live such as music as long as it does not contain instruments and promote evil. If we then examine each element defind by these westerners I find that we are not really unique.
In examining clothing, most of us men tend to wear Western clothing, as many of us live in Western countries, and even back home, people wear Western-style clothing to some extent. Additionally, some individuals may wear traditional garments like the thobe, which has Arabic influences, or the Macawiis, originating from the Far East in Asia.
When it comes to architecture, it is apparent that the buildings are predominantly designed in Western or Middle Eastern styles, and even our traditional huts lack uniqueness. Our cuisine is largely influenced by neighboring cultures and colonizers. Staples such as Rice, Baasto, Anjeero (Lahoh), Shah, and others have been borrowed from various regions and cultures.
Looking into this, and considering even more aspects, I have concluded that we are not fundamentally different from anyone else, except in two aspects: language and ethnicity. Therefore, when encountering a nationalistic sentiment in Somalia that expresses contempt for anything foreign and advocates for a strict adherence to culture, I find myself asking myself "What part?".
"Culture or Civilization, taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society."
Examining Tylor's definition, it becomes evident that Islam dominates this term in "almost" all aspects. Our belief is Islam and so is our morals and our laws and customs such as how we marry and bury our dead. Daily activities almost always revolve around adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet, adhering to Adl (Justice) and Ihsaan (Perfection).
First and foremost anything that is proven to be Haram is and should be removed from our daily live such as music as long as it does not contain instruments and promote evil. If we then examine each element defind by these westerners I find that we are not really unique.
In examining clothing, most of us men tend to wear Western clothing, as many of us live in Western countries, and even back home, people wear Western-style clothing to some extent. Additionally, some individuals may wear traditional garments like the thobe, which has Arabic influences, or the Macawiis, originating from the Far East in Asia.
When it comes to architecture, it is apparent that the buildings are predominantly designed in Western or Middle Eastern styles, and even our traditional huts lack uniqueness. Our cuisine is largely influenced by neighboring cultures and colonizers. Staples such as Rice, Baasto, Anjeero (Lahoh), Shah, and others have been borrowed from various regions and cultures.
Looking into this, and considering even more aspects, I have concluded that we are not fundamentally different from anyone else, except in two aspects: language and ethnicity. Therefore, when encountering a nationalistic sentiment in Somalia that expresses contempt for anything foreign and advocates for a strict adherence to culture, I find myself asking myself "What part?".