Postby eyes-only » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:04 pm
Somalis were never really slaves. The reason for that is not because Somalis had a strong kingdom or were somehow better than the other Africans but because they have weaker physical features and hence were worth less in any market. The slave trade worked like any market with the best quality fetching the most money. Somalis are skinny people – physically weak, they are also lazy people – unlikely to do much physical work. So, when you have the possibility of supplying the best quality in stock you are hardly going to risk anything trying to capture bad quality stock who are known to be violent and aggressive. The presence of non-Somali Africans in farming regions in southern Somalia brought over during the slave trade is proof enough. Even the Italian colonisers couldn’t be bothered with Somalis especially those from central Somalia and used non Somalis for much of their work.
Anyway, the point is, during the colonial period which in its self is different to the slave trade, Somalis were mistreated just like other people – colonisers were not be the best of people. If they were there wouldn’t be resistance and the British wouldn’t have the mad mullah. The British did worse things to other Africans than the things shown in those pictures. It is sad to see some of you making fun of something so serious. There are certain things you people should never disrespect and make fun of and this is one of those things.
