domingo, 21 de marzo de 2010

Bas iga dhah Busaylka

http://www.lastfm.com.br/music/Ant%C3%B4nio+Carlos+Jobim/_/Chega+de+Saudade

Miraha: Vinicius Moraes
Iskudabaridka: Antonio Carlos Jobim (Tom Jobim) iyo João Gilberto.
Nooc: Bossa-nova
Dal: Baraasiil.
Turjumay: Samantar Maxamad Siciid



Murugtaydaay orad
Oo u sheeg iyada
In la’aanteed waxna jiri karin
Baryo ugu sheeg
Inay ii soo naqodto
Waayo silic danbe anigu ma karo
Bas iga dhah busaylka
Dhabtu
Waa in la’aanteed jirin nabadi
Ma jirto qurux
Waa uun murag
Iyo walqabadka
Oo aan iga tagin
Igama tago, igama tago.

Bal hadday soo laabadto,
Hadday soo laabadto
Qurux badanaa,
Xamaasad badanaa
Waayona waxaa ka jira yaryar kaluumeed badda
Ka tiroyar inta dhunkasho
Aan ka siin doono bushimaheeda.
Dhudhumadayda dhaxdooda,
Ka jirto habtu
Waa inay jiraan malaayiin habsiinyo
Isugu duuban sidaa,
Isugu dhagan sidaa,
U aamusan sidaa
Habsiinyo iyo shumisyo
Iyo gacalnimo aan lehayn dhamaadba
Loogu dhameeyo arintaas
Ee iga fognaantaada
Ma u doonayo dibdanbe arintaas
Ee inaad noolaadto la’aantayda
Aanu iska daayno arintaas
Ee inaad noolaadto la’aantayda.


Chega de Saudade

Vai minha tristeza
E diz a ela
Que sem ela não pode ser
Diz-lhe numa prece
Que ela regresse
Porque eu não posso mais sofrer
Chega de saudade
A realidade
É que sem ela não há paz
Não há beleza
É só tristeza
E a melancolia
Que não sai de mim
Não sai de mim, não sai.

Mas se ela voltar,
se ela voltar
Que coisa linda,
Que coisa louca
Pois há menos peixinhos a nadar no mar
Do que os beijinhos
Que eu darei na sua boca.
Dentro dos meus braços,
Os abraços
Hão de ser milhões de abraços
Apertado assim,
Colado assim,
Calado assim
Abraços e beijinhos
E carinhos sem ter fim
Que é pra acabar com esse negócio
De viver longe de mim
Não quero mais esse negócio
De você viver sem mim
Vamos deixar desse negócio
De você viver sem mim.

Muusiko ee Dadwaynaha

http://www.lastfm.com.br/music/Mariza/_/H%C3%A1+uma+m%C3%BAsica+do+Povo

Maansoole: Fernando Pessoa
Dal: Bortuqaal
Nooc: Fado
Turjumay: Samatar Maxamad Siciid


Waxaa jirta muusiko ee dadwaynaha
Ma aan garto dhihid haddiiba ay tahay Fado
Maqalkeedaba waxaa ay ku yeeladtaa hab-muusikeed cusub
Ahnaanta aan horey u kaydsaday...
Maqalkeedaba waxaan ahay kii aan ahaan lehaa
Haddii aan damco inaan ahaado...
Waa luuq sahlan
Ee kuwa loo barto u noolaan…
Aadse waa u tahay laabqaboojiso
Hees ee lulo iyo murugo…
Ruuxayga dibdanbe uma ooyo
Xataa laabba ma aan lehi...
Waxaan ahay caaddifad shisheeye,
Qalad ee riyo gudubtay...
Waxaan u heesaa si walba
Waxaanna yeeshaa qaab uun!

Há uma musica do Povo
Nem sei dizer se é um Fado
Que ouvindo-a há um ritmo novo
No ser que tenho guardado…
Ouvindo-a sou quem seria
Se desejar fosse ser…
É uma simples melodia
Das que se aprendem a viver…
Mas é tão consoladora
A vaga e triste canção…
Que a minha alma já não chora
Nem eu tenho coração…
Sou uma emoção estrangeira,
Um erro de sonho ido…
Canto de qualquer maneira
E acabo com um sentido!

miércoles, 17 de marzo de 2010

Waxaan idin lehaa...

Maansoole: Fernando Assis Pacheco
Dal: Bortuqaal
Turjumay: Samatar Maxamad Siciid


Waxaan idin lehaa waxaa jira
tacshiirado badan, cabsi badan,
in dab badan shidan
xataana soo gala kiisaddan.

Bal maxaa, waan jiitamayaa,
bacoolagaleha ugu dhicisan ee hiniga
mindhaa waxtara laakiin kaliya maalinta
ee cagtiinu ay ku hordhacdo.

Waxaan qoraa Zala, Nambuangongo,
waxaanna ku fikiraa: waa qaylo dheer.
Waxaan idin lehaa in ay jiraan waxyaalo
Oo aadanin ka xanaaqin.



Queria eu dizer...

Queria eu dizer que muitos
tiros ouvidos, muitos medos,
que muitos lumes acesos
entram também neste saco.

Que arrasto o quê, me arrasto,
ínfimo caracol da mata
talvez útil mas só no dia
em que nele tropeçardes.

Escrevo Zala, Nambuangongo,
e penso: é um grito alto.
Queria eu dizer que há coisas
com que vos não maça

Habaryar

Qoraa: Ubax Cristina Cali Faarax
Dal: Itaaliya / Soomaaliya
Sheeko: Dheer (faqrado uun)
Turjumay: Samatar Maxamad Siciid
Habaryar,
Nuura ma karin in lafteeduba timaaddo. Waxa ay igu tiri waa inaan halkan ee saldhigga tareenka u soo aadaa iyada. Waxa ay igu tiri: “Tag oo u geey baakadan. Gabarta waxaa ay u socodtaa Landan, waxaana dhici karta in ay aragto gabartayda.” Marka, waxaan halkan u imid si aan baakada kuugu dhiibo, waayo Nuura waxa ay maqashay in gabarteeda dhashay gabar cunug oo doonaysaa in ay u dirto hadiyad cunugteeda ayeeyada ay u tahay. Markaad gaartid Landan, u tag ilmo-eedadaa oo u sheeg in hooyadeeda tan u soo dirtay. Nuura ma karin imaansho maantay waayo waxaa ay murkacisay canqawgeeda inta ay nadiifinaysay jaranjarada haddeerna ma karto xataa socod. Bal arag waxa nolashu kuu garadto?
Aad ilmo-eedadaa oo u sheeg in hooyadeeda u soo dirto barakadeeda. Gabdhihiina dhalinta yar waxaad wada tahiin wada casri maalmahan laakiin barakada hooyadaada wali waa hantidaada ugu muqaddasan. Waa sida nalagu soo barbaariyay: anagu marka caruurteenu koraan, waajibkeenu ee iyaga waa soo gabagabeeysmaa. Waad arki doontaa baakadan ma ku jiro wax badan, laakiin lacagtu waa ku adag tahay Nuura, waa in ay kaydsadtaa. Waad ogtahay, marka aad mushaharsadto inyarba, si aad isugu urursadto, waa inaad isgaajeeysaa. Marka, u sheeg ina-eedadaa in aysan u qaadanin xumaan, haddii hadiyaddu u muuqadto yaraan, waayo waqtigu waa isbaddalay mana nahin sidii aanu ahaan jirnay.

Habaryar,
Waad ogtahay, markaanu yarayn si ka duwan baanu u noolayn. Xoogaa baanu kaydsan jirnay dabadeedna waxaanu iibsan jirnay dhagadhago dahabeed sharaxan xataa haddii aynu haysanin joodari raaxo leh lagu seexdo. Haddii qof Itaaliya ama Maraykanka ka yimidna waxaanu waydiinsan jirnay in ay noo keenaan boorso maqaareed ama walkman. Sidaas baanu ugu dadi jirnay saboolnimadeena si wanaagsan. Dabadeed waxaanu kula banaanbixi jirnay wada labbis oo waanu isku xijaabi jirnay xirsi qobtolan, si aanu isaga ilaalino soo jiidasho isha kuuniga ah.
Hadda waqtigu waa isbaddalay, laakiin ayaamahaas, ...haahay sidee baanu u shaxaadsan jirnay nimanka. Waxaanu soo kaxeeysan jirnay kan ugu faqrisan si uu noo geeyo ristorante, oo waxaanu dalban jirnay dooro cacciatore, laakiin islamarkii qof kale oo la yimidba lacag ka badan waxaanu dhihi jirnay: ii iibi shaal garbasaareed, ii qaad halkan, waan jacelahay barafuunkaasi. Laakiin waxa ay iska wada ahaayayn maadeeys.

Habaryar,
Maqal sheekadan:
Maalin, mid guurdoon ah ayaa yimaada. Waakaa, ku tiirsan darbiga, lugihiisa lala arko iskaalsooyinkiisa cad, ka soo muuqdaan surwaalka hoostiisa. Ma ogtahayna waxa uu gashtay iskaalsooyinkiisa? Labo qalin ballpoint: hal buluug halna guduud. Wuxuu bilaabaa u socosho xaggeena Jaldhaf Jaldhaf Jaldhaf. Nuura waa i fiirisaa oo igula hunnuhunneeysaa: “Waaw! Midkan waa indheergarad!” Jaldhaf Jaldhaf Jaldhaf wuxuu u taagan yahay sidan oo kale, gacantiisa midig ayaa cuskadta iskafaalaha, lugihiisa waa isdhaafsan yahiin wuxuuna yiraahdaa:
“Halkee aadnaa maantay? Nuura-na waxa ay ugu hunnuhunneeysaa dhagtayda:
“Ka fiirso, kan wax ma haysto; xataa dooro ma aanu ka heli doonno!”
Marka, waa aniga tan ay tahay in ay u jawaabto indheergaradka kumilaawaha:
“Maya saaxiib, ma bixi karo, hooyaday waa ka soo laaban rabtaa farmashiyaha haddii ayna iga heli waaydo guriga waa waaladtaa waxaana ku dhaca jinniyo. Joog halkan oo nala cab xoogaa shaah!”
Kani waa waxa dhici jiray, laakiin waxaa uu naga ahaa iska maadeeys. Waxwalba waa duwanaa waqtigaasi.
Haahay, habaryar macaan, ninwalba baa na shukaansan jiray waana ahayd inaanu is-habeeyno oo u muuqanno qurux. Habeenimadii waxaanu marsan jirnay olio olivo timaheena. Waanu iskula rugi jirnay waxwalba meelwalba inta nimanku na soo booqanin si marka ay ku arkaan oo aadna la baxdid aad u wada dhalaashid. Laakiin halkan naaguhu waa ka wada duwan yahiin. Naagaha yurubiyiinta, sida ay iigu muuqadto, waxba kama warhayaan. Fiiriba, waxaa ay ka hadlaan nadaafo, laakiin halkan naag waxaa ay aaddaa musqusha, waa kaadisaa, waxaa ay ku darabdhaqadtaa waxeeda shukumaan xaanshiyeed dabadeedna waxaa ay ku dhaqdaa gacmaheeda saabuun. Sidee baad iigala hadashaa nadaafo haddii aad ku nadiifisay waxaada shukumaan xaanshiyeed?. Waa inaad is-habeeysaa si dhaldhalaal laguugu arko.

Habaryar,
Ma xusuusan kartid gabar-ahaanba sida Nuura u ekayd waayo waad yarayd. Waa dheerayd oo aadba ugu gibal caddayd oo ay ugu iftiimi jirtay sida nalkaas ee halkaas. Labadaynu waxaanu wada seexan jirnay isla qol. Waxaanuna shukaansi uga faa’iideeysan jirnay nimanka (laakiin qaar goonisan kaliya). Marka jacaylku ku qabto waad ka joogsadtaa dheeldheelka qaarkiisa.
Waxaana jiray reer-xamar oo ay xariggeeda hoos ugu dhacsan jirtay oo ay dariishadda uga dagan jirtay habeenkii. Kaasi waa jacayl. Reer-xamarkanna wuxuu ku noolaa daar abbaartameed ee halkaas sare ee gadaasha dariishad yar, gacaliso, ma mala’awaali kartid sida reero-xamarku ugu noolaayayn Muqdisho. Waa naga liidtayn. Faqri buu ahaa. Kaasi waa waxa ay ula jeedaan marka Talyaanigu dhahaan: “labo qalbi iyo mundul.”
Maxaad tiri... ma xusuusadtid? Reer-xamarku wuxuu ku noolaa magaalada dhaxe. Anaguna, waxaanu ku dhalannay waddada "Via Roma". Hadda, waxa ay ii sheegayn in Via Roma dabagaalayaal iyo waraabayaal ku nool yihiin! Kahor, waxaa ku yiil dukaano kabeed, gaar ahaanba dukaano muusikeed. Waxaad ku dhihi lehayd: ii duub Maykel Jackson, haa waakaasna, waa kuula dultaagnaan lehaayayn shan daqiiqood. Waxa ay haystayn cajaladduube, waa kaasi waxa ay haystayn. Layaabba!
Waad arki doontaa, baakada dhaxdeeda waxaa ku jira cajalad. Waxaa uga fududayd Nuura in ay duubto codkeeda ee in ay qorto. Halkaas, ee cajaladda, Nuura waa ugu sheegtaa gabarteeda waxwalba ay doonto in ay ku tiraahdo.

Habaryar,
Ma ogtahay inaad leedahay farac ee isir reer-xamar ah? Awoowgaa awoowgiisa hore, Cusmaan Yaasiin, oo ku dhashay magaalada Hobyo. Wuxuu aaday magaalada Muqdisho oo la kulmay gabar reer-xamar ah. Waxaa ku dhacay jacayl waalan waana guursaday. Waxaa ay u dhashay sagaal gabdhood. Waa nasiib badnaa oo sanooyin danbena badan wuxuu noqday nin taajirsan. Wuxuu la kulmay cadaawadda reerka gabarta, waxa ay isku dayayn in ay dib ugu diraan magaaladiisii hore iyagoo la qalqaalayay Talyaaniga. Reerkiisa kuma eegi jirin gabarta il wanaagsan. Gabdhaha reero-xamarku ma u aha geesi sida kuwa baadiyaha middanse waxaa ay dhashay gabdho kaliya. “Dayuusay, madax dandaanleyay, haddii lagu caayo, cay baa wax kuu ahayn, haddii lagu faansho, faan baa wax kuu ahayn.” Tani waa waxa ay ugu heesi jirayn.

Habaryar,
Waan ogahay in caruurtu u baahan yahiin barbaarin, laakiin waad hilmaantay inaanu reer guuraa nahay? Ee ma aha in Nuura ka jaceshahay gabarteeda in ka yar hooyo kasta. Ka gaarsii tani ina-eedadaa. Isla middan waa igu dhacday aniga. Waad dhashaa dabadeedna waa calaf ilaahay, sida ay dhahaanba. Waa calaamad kibireed inaad ku fikirtid inaad ka haysatid kormeer wada dhan caruurtaada. Wax awood ah uma aanu lehin sida dhacdooyinka nolasheenu u qaabsamaan. Aan kuu sheego sheekadayda. Walaalkay baa joogay Itoobiya oo wuxuu la dagaalamayay xukuumada Soomaaliyeed. Kani wuxuu ahaa labaadtan sano kahor. Waxaa jiray waanwaan ee toban maalmood marka waxaan ku laabtay Soomaaliya si aan u arko gabartayda. Danbeedto, waxaa iigu danbeeysay jeel ee sideed bilood, jeelka amniga. Waligay kama qaybqaadanin siyaasadda, laakiin walaalkay waa xiiseeyn jirtay. Marka aan ku guuleeystay inaan ka baxsado baan soo gaaray Qaahira. Waqtigaas, looma baahan jirin dokumeentiyo si loo galo Masar. Kadib waxaan imid Itaaliya halkan waa ahayd inaad lehayd dokumeentiyo, sawtaan kuu sheegay inaanu ahayn reer guuraa, waan imid waxaanna ahaa Tansaaniyad. Kani waxaa uu dhacay marka aan rabay inaan arko gabartayda ugu wayn. Mar danbe, marka wiilkayga ugu yar dhashay, waan u xusuustaa aad. Wuxuu ku dhashay Rooma, shanta nofeembar. Waqtigaas waxaa telefisiyoonka ka shidnaa Kunta Kinte oo marka takhtarkuna i arkay inaan u baahnaa qaliin, wuxuu dhahay waa inaanu sameeynaa isla markiiba si Kunta Kinte u dhasho isla waqtiga gaw oo uu u daawan lehaa taxanaha xigay. Waali baan la dhirfay.
Wiilkaygu waxaa loo qaaday Soomaaliya marka uu jiray sideed bilood, hadda waa labaadtan iyo shan jir wuxuuna doonaa inuu i soo booqdo. Waxaan habeeyay oo u diray wixii waraaqo rasmiyeed laakiin waa diidayn waayo wuxuu joogaa Simbaabwe wuxuuna haystaa baasaboor Soomaaliyeed xataa haddii uu ku dhashay halkan. Wiilkayga ma aan arkin labo iyo toban sanood, taasina ma aha xaq.

Habaryar,
Waan jacelahay caruurtayda, laakiin wadankan caruurtaydu ima daryeeli doonaan waqtigayga ee gabowga. Waxaa jiray waqti marka aan u fikiri jiray adiga oo kale, waxaan ku fikiri jiray in caashaqu lehin qaddarin marka la gaaro da’ gaar ah, laakiin hadda maya kuma fikiro, waxyaalaha qaarkood ma baddalmaan, xataa waqtiga gabownimada. Caashaqu had iyo jeer wuxuu ku dareensiiyaa ahaan gabar da’yar.
Nuura waxaa ay qabadtaa shaqo culus, waxaa ay nadiifisaa jaranjarooyin maalin walba. Waxaa ayna u sameeysaa shaqadan in ay keensadto reer-xamarkeeda oo halkaas, ee xero qaxoodti, ka baxsan la’. Nuura waxaa ay ku leedahay labo calaamadood waawayn gacanteeda, labo calaamadood madmadow oo ay yeeshay marka aanu ahayn gabdho yar. Kuwaasina waa xarfaha koowaad ee magacyada gacaliyaheeda. Nuura waxaa ay kula dagi jirtay hoos xariga waadaninna arki lehaynin ilaa iyo aroortii. Habeen baan ku-dhawaadba jiifay marka eedadeena timid.
“Aaway Nuura, aaway Nuura? Waa inaad ii sheegtaa!”
“Eedo maya, ma ogi!”
“Ma ogid” aniguna shib.
Ma aan sheegi lehin. Saw ma garanin, habeen uun Nuura waxa ay igu tiri:
“Walaal, waad ogtahay inaan ku jacelahay, laakiin ninkan waxaan u jacelahay si ka duwan.”
Waa sababta aan u joogay halkaas. Ma aananin hadlin, waan aamusay intii aan jawaabi lehaa, shibba. Xataa erayna. Waa sida ay u dhici jirayn.
Laakiin waad ogtahay in dadka haysanin waxba gabar dhalinyar oo qurxoon ay u tahay badeeco lakala gadisto oo la iska maquunin karin. Haddaba Nuura waxa ay siiyayn duqa isha la’. Duq ma ahaanin, laakiin waxaa uu noogu muuqday duq waayo wali aad baanu u yarayn. Ilbuunku waxaa uu lehaa waxyaalo badan uu ku hadiyadeeysto, ka badan-fiicanba doorada cacciatore. Waxaa ayna u dhashay kaas ilbuunka mid kaliya ee gabar oo hadda ay tahay inaad u geeysid baakadan.

Habaryar,
Hooyada, jacaylka ay u qabto cunuggeeda waa ka baxsan yahay jacaylkeeda ee iniinaha uu ka soo bu’aday. Cunuggu waa jiirkaada, jiir lagu koriyay caanahaada, ka soo go’ay jirkaada. Nuura had iyo jeer waa jacelayd gabarteeda. Waana aad ogtahay in iyadu tahay midda kaliya ay u lehaadtay fursad sharfan in ay dhasho. Waayo kadibba isla markii, minkeedu waxaa uu isu rogay minguur jacayl la’aan aawadiisa waana diiday inuu nafaqeeyo uurkujirka. Sanooyin badan baa gudbay inta ilbuunku furin. Wuxuu rabay inuu xaaskiisa daryeelo, badeecadaas qaalisan oo shilimo naqad ah ku galdhacsiiyay. Kaliyana ilaa iyo dhamaadka, marka gabownimo iyo dagaal yimaadayn, buu angaray iyada, u xoreeynayay mahashadeeda ee reer-xamarkeeda.

Habaryar,
Fiiri masawirkan. Waa sawirgacmeed masawirtay naag sawirgacmeedle Soomaali ah, magaceedu waa Saynab Cabdulqaadir. Waxaa ay hadda ku nooshahay Jermalka. Ma u jeeddaa qaababkan? Waa dad saxariirsan, waa dagaalka, tiiraanyada. Waa waaladtay, miskiinta. Waxaa ay hadda ku jirtaa Cusbitaalka Bukaanta Maskaxeed.
La hadal ina-eedadaa oo xusuuso inaad u sheegtid in hooyadeedu jaceshahay. Labadiina waa in aadanin kahanin jacaylkeeda ee reer-xamarka. Caruurtu waa kortaa oo markoodu waa yeeshaan caruur kale. Gabarteeda maqnaanta hooyadeeda sabaalin waa ay kaga heli doontaa caruurteeda. Nuura wax ma awooddo hadda, waa ka joogsadtay cunid si reer-xamarkeedu u yimaado.



LITTLE MOTHER

Habaryar*,
Nuura couldn't come in person. She told me to come here to the station in her place. She told me: "Go bring her this packet. The girl is going to London, and she might happen to see my daughter." So I am here to deliver this package to you, because Nuura heard that her daughter has given birth to a baby girl and she wants to send a present to her little grandchild. When you arrive in London, go to your cousin's and tell her that her mother sent her this. Nuura couldn't come today because she twisted her ankle while she was cleaning the stairs and now she cannot even walk. See what life has in store for you?
Go to your cousin's and tell her that her mother sends her blessing. You young women are all very modern nowadays but your mother's blessing still is your most sacred possession. That's the way we were raised: for us, when our children are grown up, our obligations to them are over. You'll see that this packet doesn't contain much, but that's because money is tight for Nuura, she has to save. You know, when you earn to little, in order to save, you have to go hungry. So tell your cousin not to take it badly if the present seems small, because times have changed and we are not what we used to be.

Habaryar,
You know, when we were young we lived differently. We would save a little and then buy gold filigree earrings even if we didn't have a comfortable mattress to sleep on. And if someone came from Italy or the United States we would ask them to bring us a leather bag or a walkman. That way, we disguised our poverty well. Then we would go out all dressed up and we would hide and amulet, a knotted xirsi, under our clothes to avoid attracting the evil eye of the envious.
Now times have changed, but in those days, ...... oh how we would take advantage of men. We would get the poorest of them to invite us to a restauranti, and we would order chicken cacciatore, but as soon as someone came along with more money we would say: buy me a new garbasar shawl, take me here, I like that perfume there. But it was all just for fun.

Habaryar,
Listen to this story:
One day one of these suitors comes along. There he is, leaning up against the door, his legs in full view with his white socks peeking out from under his pants. And do you know what he had slipped into his socks? Two ballpoint pens: one blue and one red. he starts walking towards us SLAP SLAP SLAP. Nuura looks at me and whispers in my ear: "Wow! This one is an intellectual!"
SLAP SLAP SLAP he stands like this, his right hand resting on the shelf, his legs crossed and he says:
"Where shall we go today?" and Nuura whispers in my ear:
"Watch out, this one has nothing; we won't even be able to get a chicken out of him!"
So I'm the one who has to answer the penniless intellectual:
"No, my friend, I can't go out, my mother is coming back from the farmascio and if she doesn't find me home she goes crazy and gets mad. Stay here a bit and drink some tea with us!"
This is what used to happen, but we were only joking around. Things were different then.
Ah, my dear little niece, everyone courted us and we had to take good care of ourselves to look our best. At nigth we'd put olio olivo in our hair. We rub everything all over ourselves when the men aren't there so that when they see you and you go out with them you shine all over. But here women are completely different. European women, it seems to me, have no idea. Look, they talk about cleanliness, but here a woman goes into the bathroom, she pees, she cleans her thing with a sheet of paper, and then she washes her hands with kitchen soap. How can you talk to me about cleanliness if you cleaned your thing with a sheet of paper? You must take care of yourself to be able to shine.

Habaryar,
You can't remember what Nuura looked like as a young woman because you were a child. She was tall and so light skinned that she shone like that lamp up there. The two of us slept in the same room. And we would take advantage of men (but only certain men). When you are in love you stop playing certain games.
And there was a reer Xamar for whom she would lower her rope and climb out of the window at night. That was love. And this reer Xamar lived behind a little window up there in an apartment building, my dear, you cannot imagine how the reer Xamar lived in Mogadishu. They were worse off than we were. He was poor. That's what they mean in Italian when they say: "two hearts in a hut."
What, you don't remember? The reer Xamar lived downtown. We, too, were born on Via Roma in Mogadishu. Now, they have told me that on Via Roma there are squirrels and hyenas! Before, there were shoe stores and above all there were music stores. You'd say: give me Maikol Jakson and, hey presto, they would record Maikol in five minutes. They had a cassette copier, that's what they had. Unbelievable!
You'll see, inside the package there is a cassette tape. It was easier for Nuura to record her voice than to write. There, on that tape, Nuura tells her daughter everything she wants to tell her.

Habaryar,
Do you know that you have a reer Xamar ancestor? Your great grandfather, Osman Yasin, born in the city of Obbia. He went to Mogadishu and he met a reer Xamar girl. He fell madly in love with her and he married her. She gave him nine daughters. He was lucky and after several years he was a wealthy man. He met with the hostility of the girl's family, they tried everything to have him sent back to his city of origin with the connivance of the Italians. His own family didn't look favorably upon the girl. Reer Xamar girls are not as courageous as bush women and this one only gave birth to daughters. "Silly woman, you with the frivolous ideas, there are no verses to insult you, there are no verses to honor you - Dayusey, madax dandaaley, haddii lagu caayo, cay baa wax kuu ahayn, haddii lagu faansho, faan baa wax kuu ahayn." This is what they used to sing to her.

Habaryar,
I know that children need raising, but have you forgotten that we are gypsies? It's not because Nuura loves her daughter less than a normal mother. Tell your cousin this. The same thing happened to me. You bring children into this world and then Allah will provide for them, as they say. It is a sign of arrogance to think you have complete control over your children. We have no say in the events that take hold of our lives.
Let me tell you my story. My brother was in Ethiopia and was fighting against the regime. This was over twenty years ago. There was a ten day truce so I went back to Somalia to see my daughter. Then I ended up in jail for eight months, in the security jail. I never got involved in politics, but my brother did. When I managed to escape I arrived in Cairo. At that time documents were not needed to enter Egypt. Then I came to Italy and here you had to have documents, I told you we were gypsies, I arrived and I was Tanzanian. This happened when I wanted to go to see my eldest daughter. Then, when my youngest son was born, I remember it well. He was born in Rome on November 5th. At that time they were showing Kunta Kinte on TV and when the doctor saw that I needed a c-section, he said that we'd do it right away so Kunta Kinte would be born in time to watch the next episode. I got very mad.
My son went back to Somalia when he was eight months old, now he is 25 and he wants to come and visit me. I had them send the necessary official papers but they refused him because he is in Zimbabwe and he has a Somali passport even if he was born her. I haven't seen my son in twelve years and that isn't right.

Habaryar,
I love my children, but in this country my children won't take care of me in my old age. There was a time when I thought like you, I thought love is not dignified at a certain age, but now I think no, certain things do not change, not even in old age. Love always makes you feel like a young girl.
Nuura does heavy work, she cleans stairs every day. And she does this job to have her reer Xamar join her, who's back there, stuck in a refugee camp. Nuura has two big marks on her arm, two black signs that she had done when we were young girls. And those are the initials of her beloved. Nuura would lower the rope and you wouldn't see her till dawn.
One night I was almost asleep when our aunt arrived.
"Where's Nuura, where is Nuura? You must tell me!"
"No aunt, I don't know!"
"You do know!" and I shib.
I wouldn't speak. You see, one night Nuura had said to me:
"Sister, you know I love you, but I love this man in a different way."
That's why I was there and I didn't speak, I kept silent and instead of answering, shib. Not a word. That's the way it went.
But you know that for people who own nothing a young and beautiful woman is a barter good that cannot be given up. So they gave Nuura to the old man without an eye. He wasn't old, but he seemed old to us because we were still very young. The guersce had a lot of things to offer, much better than chicken cacciatore. And she bore the guersce that one and only daughter to whom now you must bring this packet.

Habaryar,
For a woman, the love she feels for a child is separate from the love of the seed that generated it. Your child is your flesh, flesh raised with your milk, torn from your blood. Nuura has always loved her daughter. And you know she is the only on she had the privilege to give birth to. Because right after her, her womb became barren for lack of love and refused to nourish other embryos. Many years went by before the guersce repudiated her. He wanted to take care of his woman, that precious merchandise for which he had shelled out shillings in cash. And only at the very end, when old age and the war came, did he desert her, freeing her to desire her reer Xamar.

Habaryar,
Look at this photo. It's a painting by a Somali woman painter, her name is Zeinab Abdulqaadir. She now lives in Germany. Do you see these shapes? They are suffering people, the war, grief. She went crazy, poor woman. She is now in a psychiatric hospital.
Speak to your cousin and remember to tell her that her mother loves her. You two should not resent her love for a reer Xamar. Children grow up and in turn have other children. Her daughter will find consolation for her mother's absence in her own children. Nuura can't do anything now, she has stopped eating so her reer Xamar can come.


NOTES (METAMORPHOSES - a jounal of literary translation)
*In this story there are some Somali words like habaryar and reer Xamar; and some Somali versions of Italian words: "restauranti," "farmascio" (farmacy), "olio olivo," "guersco" (blind in one eye). Habaryar means maternal aunt; the literal translation is "little mother." In Somali it is customary to address nephews and nieces as uncles/aunts or children as mom/dad. The reer Xamar are the inhabitants of Mogadishu of Arab origin. Literally it means inhabitants of Xamar, that is, Mogadishu.

Madre piccola
Ubax Cristina Ali Farah
translated by Giovanna Bellesia
and Victoria Offredi Poletto
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