Since I saw a discussion about where the camel was domesticated I thought why not continue the discussion here. Did you know there are more than 40 words for camel in the Somali language and more than 50% of the camel population in the world is found in the Somali penunsila. With camel I mean the one hump dromedary also known as Somali, East African or Arabic Camel
Without a doubt it is one of the most important animals in our dhaqan and history if not not THE MOST. In no other culture worldwide the camel as important as in the Somali culture. It is uniquely adapted to hot and arid climates.
Camels provide milk (60% of the milk consumed in Somalia is from camels), meat, transport, money when they are sold
Camel milk is the staple food of Somali pastoral communities, which rely on its direct consumption throughout the year as well as on its increasing relevance as an income generator. Traditionally camel milk was utilized for internal consumption or exchanged as a gift to establish and keep family ties and social support mechanisms.
Also when a Sultan or Ugaas is crowned we know camel milk gets poured over ones head and one is officially inaugurated as a Sultan or Ugaas.
An evidence to the camel's importance in the Somali culture is the dozens of words for camel in the Somali language. Also, one of the words for the number one in Somali is hal, which means a she-camel.
Here are some words for camel in Somali:
Aaran - young camels who are no longer sucklings
Abeer, Ameer - female camel that has not given birth
Afkuxuuble - miscarried camel fetus
Awr - male pack camel
Awradhale - camel that always gives birth to he-camels; stud-camel that always breeds male camels"
Baarfuran - female camel that is not used as a pack camel
Baarqab - stud camel
Baatir - mature female camel that has had no offspring
Baloolley - she-camel without calf that will or will not give milk depending on her mood
Buub - young unbroken male camel
Caddaysimo - unloaded pack camel; unpoisoned arrow
Caggabbaruur - young camel
Cashatab - female camel that has stopped giving milk or failed to conceive when it was supposed to
Daandheer - strong camel of the herd
Duq - old female camel; a word that is also used to describe old woman
Dhaan - camel loaded with water vessels
Dhoocil - bull camel; a word that is also used to describe a naughty boy/girl
Farruud, Garruud - mature male camels; a word that is also used to describe the Somali elders
Fur - to unload a camel; meaning also to open, disclose, set free, decipher, untie
Garruud - old male camels; a word that is also used to describe old people"
Geel - a collective name for camel
Gool - fat camel
Guubis, Guumis - "first-born male camel
Gulaal - male camel unable to project the gland in his mouth; a word that is also used to describe a person with hesitant or stammering speech
gulguuluc - low bellow of a camel when it is sick or thirsty; a word used to describe a poem recited in a low voice
Guran - herd of camels no longer giving milk that are kept far from dwelling areas
Guree - to make room for a person to sit on a loaded camel; this word also means to make space for s.o. in a loaded car or truck
Gurgurshaa - calm, docile pack-camel which can be loaded with delicate items
Hal - she-camel
Haneed - left side of cow camel where one stands when milking; this word is also used to describe good form, nice style.
Hayin - tame pack camel; a word that also means docile, simple, uncomplicated
Irmaan - dairy camels
Kareeb - "mother camel kept apart from her young
Labakurusle - two humped camel
Mandhoorey - best camel in the herd
Nirig - camel foal
Rati - male camel
Qaalin - young camel
Qawaar - old she camel
Qoorqab - uncastrated male
Qurbac - young male camel
Rakuub - riding camel (from Arabic)
Ramag, Ramad - she-camel who has recently given birth
Sidig - one of two female camels suckling the same infant
U maqaarsaar - to put the skin of a dead calf or baby camel on top of a living one in order to induce the camel to still give milk; this word also means deceive, mislead or trick s.o."
Xagjir - milk-producing camel that is partially milked (two udders for human consumption; two for its calf)
Now back to the question was the camel first domesticated in the Somali peninsula or Southern Arabia. To me both areas used to be one area in the past and I would say both areas, but some are trying to downplay the Somali part in domesticating the camel.
Without a doubt it is one of the most important animals in our dhaqan and history if not not THE MOST. In no other culture worldwide the camel as important as in the Somali culture. It is uniquely adapted to hot and arid climates.
Camels provide milk (60% of the milk consumed in Somalia is from camels), meat, transport, money when they are sold
Camel milk is the staple food of Somali pastoral communities, which rely on its direct consumption throughout the year as well as on its increasing relevance as an income generator. Traditionally camel milk was utilized for internal consumption or exchanged as a gift to establish and keep family ties and social support mechanisms.
Also when a Sultan or Ugaas is crowned we know camel milk gets poured over ones head and one is officially inaugurated as a Sultan or Ugaas.
An evidence to the camel's importance in the Somali culture is the dozens of words for camel in the Somali language. Also, one of the words for the number one in Somali is hal, which means a she-camel.
Here are some words for camel in Somali:
Aaran - young camels who are no longer sucklings
Abeer, Ameer - female camel that has not given birth
Afkuxuuble - miscarried camel fetus
Awr - male pack camel
Awradhale - camel that always gives birth to he-camels; stud-camel that always breeds male camels"
Baarfuran - female camel that is not used as a pack camel
Baarqab - stud camel
Baatir - mature female camel that has had no offspring
Baloolley - she-camel without calf that will or will not give milk depending on her mood
Buub - young unbroken male camel
Caddaysimo - unloaded pack camel; unpoisoned arrow
Caggabbaruur - young camel
Cashatab - female camel that has stopped giving milk or failed to conceive when it was supposed to
Daandheer - strong camel of the herd
Duq - old female camel; a word that is also used to describe old woman
Dhaan - camel loaded with water vessels
Dhoocil - bull camel; a word that is also used to describe a naughty boy/girl
Farruud, Garruud - mature male camels; a word that is also used to describe the Somali elders
Fur - to unload a camel; meaning also to open, disclose, set free, decipher, untie
Garruud - old male camels; a word that is also used to describe old people"
Geel - a collective name for camel
Gool - fat camel
Guubis, Guumis - "first-born male camel
Gulaal - male camel unable to project the gland in his mouth; a word that is also used to describe a person with hesitant or stammering speech
gulguuluc - low bellow of a camel when it is sick or thirsty; a word used to describe a poem recited in a low voice
Guran - herd of camels no longer giving milk that are kept far from dwelling areas
Guree - to make room for a person to sit on a loaded camel; this word also means to make space for s.o. in a loaded car or truck
Gurgurshaa - calm, docile pack-camel which can be loaded with delicate items
Hal - she-camel
Haneed - left side of cow camel where one stands when milking; this word is also used to describe good form, nice style.
Hayin - tame pack camel; a word that also means docile, simple, uncomplicated
Irmaan - dairy camels
Kareeb - "mother camel kept apart from her young
Labakurusle - two humped camel
Mandhoorey - best camel in the herd
Nirig - camel foal
Rati - male camel
Qaalin - young camel
Qawaar - old she camel
Qoorqab - uncastrated male
Qurbac - young male camel
Rakuub - riding camel (from Arabic)
Ramag, Ramad - she-camel who has recently given birth
Sidig - one of two female camels suckling the same infant
U maqaarsaar - to put the skin of a dead calf or baby camel on top of a living one in order to induce the camel to still give milk; this word also means deceive, mislead or trick s.o."
Xagjir - milk-producing camel that is partially milked (two udders for human consumption; two for its calf)
Now back to the question was the camel first domesticated in the Somali peninsula or Southern Arabia. To me both areas used to be one area in the past and I would say both areas, but some are trying to downplay the Somali part in domesticating the camel.
