I’m continually amazed at some of the stuff we can indelibly recall as kids—inconsequential details involving our childhood experiences—yet I can barely remember the name of someone I’ve met several times, or the last movie I saw. One of my earliest autobiographical memories that still lingers around in my long-term repository involves a nameless female […]
Sep 6 2018
Palestine Farm in Somalia
Historical tidbit: In the early 1970s, Somalia presented the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) an opportunity to invest in a 500-hectare farm west of Mogadishu. The farm originally belonged to an Italian businessman, and he sold it before permanently leaving the country. Somalia facilitated the project by allowing the import of the required equipment to operate […]
Jul 22 2018
Generational reverse-role-address in the Somali language
One linguistic device that is found in the Somali language — and a few other languages such as Georgian, Turkish, Russian, Romanian, Italian and Arabic — is the generational reverse-role-address. In the Somali language, children (and adults) address their father and mother in the usual way, calling them “aabbo” (father) or “hooyo” (mother). Now the […]
Oct 27 2017
‘You’re Going Where’? Travel Series
I have been working on a travel series that aims to dispel the familiar image of war, poverty and terrorism when one imagines Africa. Synopsis: ‘You’re Going Where?’ is an inspiring travel series, highlighting epic landscapes and unforgettable cultures, to the often trying times that come with visiting unknown destinations. ‘You’re Going Where’ chronicles the […]
Feb 21 2017
Mahatma Ghandi and Adan (Somali soldier)
Mahatma Gandhi’s reflective encounter with Adan, a Somali soldier who deserted from the British Army in the 1920s (in his own words): “Adan was a young Somali soldier who was sentenced to ten years’ hard labour for desertion from the British Army, which he had joined during the War. He was transferred by the Aden […]
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