Most Somalis don’t eat Shidni, but sambus is of gulf origin and eaten by the entire Islamic world. Most ajanabis associate it with Indians.
Samboosa is definitely a type of Somali food. We’ve been eating that for near enough a century and is a staple for us during Ramadan.
A good % of Somalis eat Shidni and is a staple at most of our weddings and top restaurants. We borrowed it, improved it and made it our own and it’s what we’d see as Somali along with other food we eat. Even foods like Suqaar is eaten in the Gulf and who invented it is none of my business. We made it taste better.
I’ve never heard nor seen Somalis claim that we were not influenced by the thousands of years of trade with the majority of the world. In fact it’s very Overemphasized!
Somalis will make Shidni, Samboosa, and Sabayad and say it’s Somali food and no I don’t need to give a disclaimer and talk about its Indian origins. I’ll say it’s Somali.
No offence sis but I noticed you only mentioned things that are of eastern origin? Like you never mentioned how our food is also influenced by other Africans as well.
I might be ignorant on the matter but it’s minuscule compared to the latter? Our food is very different to Bantus? Apart of soor which I’ve never eaten what other foods would say is influenced by Africans? Our foods are very different to be honest. If you could give me examples that would be nice.
You would never have a go at Turkish people being proud of their coffee and tell them well actually it’s Ethiopian. It’s only Africans who have to ‘admit’ influence from elsewhere.
The Turkish comment is brilliant and that’s what I’m saying. I wouldn’t because I’d laugh in the face of an Indian who said to me that Sabayad and Shidni is actually ‘Indian’ and that I need to acknowledge that. Nope, we borrowed and adapted and made it ours. That’s precisely the point I’m making that’s going over your head!
I bought that up to say that cultural appropriation is nonsense and lowkey whiney. If those Oromos said it’s only their clothes, or if they were the face of Diraac then I’d understand, but Alhamdulliah everyone associates the clothes with Somalis. That’s all that matters.
I bought up food to show the double standards. We all see Sabayad, Shidney, Bariis isku Dhah Karis and Samboosa as Somali and rightfully so, and I couldn’t care less what any Asiatic person says.
People need to understand that cultures aren’t static, we’ve always borrowed and adapted and vice versa people have borrowed from us.