Somali Iranians, an old ethnic group

[Enlightened~Sista]

I was struck by how much the Sidis have lost touch with their African cultural roots, apart from perhaps in music.

Many do not even know what part of Africa they are descended from.

"The Ethiopians here speak only Urdu - me too," Mohammed bin Hassan told me.

But he has no regrets about having lost his Somali culture.

It is the same for Mahmud bin Farzullah.

"Nothing African is left - no music, no clothes; everything is Indian," he said.

But he does feel sad that more and more young people are marrying outside the Sidi culture.





The same thing will happen here, eventually. Most of the youth barely speak Somali as it is. Imagine their children? . They have little or no knowledge about their musical heritage/culture. Like those Sidis our descendants will not know what part of Africa they are descended from. Most of the youth are not religiously observant. The nightclubs have a far more stronger pull than say the Mosque. The Sidis were lucky in that they have settled in a Muslim community which helped preserve their religion, We live in a Non Muslim one, I'm afraid that aspect of our identity will also disappear, like it did with the African American Muslim Slaves.

[suga_delic]

i personally knw few somalis who claim they are the decendent of India and claim that their indian great great grand parent went 2 north somalia. married and lived there ever since.

[Tegaru]

The same thing will happen here, eventually. Most of the youth barely speak Somali as it is. Imagine their children? . They have little or no knowledge about their musical heritage/culture. Like those Sidis our descendants will not know what part of Africa they are descended from. Most of the youth are not religiously observant. The nightclubs have a far more stronger pull than say the Mosque. The Sidis were lucky in that they have settled in a Muslim community which helped preserve their religion, We live in a Non Muslim one, I'm afraid that aspect of our identity will also disappear, like it did with the African American Muslim Slaves.

Excellent comparison. A people forced to undergo name changes and allowed to retain no part of their indigeneous culture are being compared to immigrants who are in no way directly oppressed or repressed?

Are you serious?

Your not intelligent or observant enough to be making generalizations like that. Religious observance is high in all diaspora Somali communities as is traditionalism. The only area currently lacking in that department is those is London.

'Musical heritate/culture' ? Stick to nacnac, please. For the site's good.

[Enlightened~Sista]

Excellent comparison. A people forced to undergo name changes and allowed to retain no part of their indigeneous culture are being compared to immigrants who are in no way directly oppressed or repressed?
Are you serious?

Who said they were forced to change their names? They failed to maintain their culture and became Indianised in the process. Has anyone stopped them from travelling back to Somalia or Ethiopia? (I'm not talking about the Zanzibari Slaves) Somalis also fail in that department. They make no effort to hand down their cultural way of life/beliefs/ morals /customs to the younger generation.The fact that most Somalis born in the diaspora speak terrible Somali and know next to nothing about their various traditions is proof enough.

Your not intelligent or observant enough to be making generalizations like that.

Yes Mr Smarty Pants, you can look at it as a sweeping generalisation.I see it as a reasonable deduction, either way I felt like making it. What will your Eminence do about it now?

Religious observance is high in all diaspora Somali communities as is traditionalism. The only area currently lacking in that department is those is London.

'Musical heritate/culture' ? Stick to nacnac, please. For the site's good.

Religious observance high amongst the youth? Please do not make me laugh.You're not Somali you don't know what's happening in our communities. I suggest you maintain silence when it comes to our affairs.

[Tegaru]

Who said they were forced to change their names? They failed to maintain their culture and became Indianised in the process. Has anyone stopped them from travelling back to Somalia or Ethiopia? (I'm not talking about the Zanzibari Slaves) Somalis also fail in that department. They make no effort to hand down their cultural way of life/beliefs/ morals /customs to the younger generation.The fact that most Somalis born in the diaspora speak terrible Somali and know next to nothing about their various traditions is proof enough.

African Americans were 'Indianized' ?

Did you read the post I quoted? The comparison was between AA's and Somali immigrants.

Again, there's a difference between te Somali diaspora (North America primarily) and the Somalilander diaspora (London). When I was in MN I didn't meet one Somali who spoke anything less than fluent Somali.

We are not the same.

Yes Mr Smarty Pants, you can look at it as a sweeping generalisation, I see it as a reasonable deduction either way, I felt like making it. What will your Eminence do about it now?

I make them all the time, but mine are generally accurate.

Yours wasn't.

Religious observance high amongst the youth? Please do not make me laugh.You're not Somali you don't know what's happening in our communities. I suggest you maintain silence when it comes to our affairs.

Where am I from again?

[Enlightened~Sista]

Your predictions more accurate than mine! What brand of crystal ball are you using..I think i need it!



You are The Nomad- The Tigre from Eritrea.

[Tegaru]

You are The Nomad- The Tigre from Eritrea.

What makes you think that?

The latter assertion, I mean.

[Enlightened~Sista]

Oh Come on..Who are you kidding, with a name like that?!!

[Ganjaweed]

Walahi you people are brain dead. Since when were siddi somali? Are african americans also somali? The siddi, makrani etc are from the swahili coast. They even call themselves habashi when they arent because they arrived on habashi ships but are bantu swahilis from kenya/tanzania. They may claim somali descent but they certainly arent. Besides no self-respecting somali would go and forget where they came from .

[paidmonk]

Walahi you people are brain dead. Since when were siddi somali? Are african americans also somali? The siddi, makrani etc are from the swahili coast. They even call themselves habashi when they arent because they arrived on habashi ships but are bantu swahilis from kenya/tanzania. They may claim somali descent but they certainly arent. Besides no self-respecting somali would go and forget where they came from .