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THE FACE AND VOICE OF
MIDGANS
A
few weeks ago, I was sent a letter, via email; from readers of my
Article about titled “Freedom without Equality” wuxuu yiri, “Midguhu
ayaga ka masuul ah dhibka haysta waayo way is Qariyaan. Dad is
qarinaya sidee dadka loola simi karaa?” he said
“Midgans are responsible for their problems because they hide their
tribe name and how can you be equal with other Somali tribes when you
are invisible?” I agree with this reader his idea partially, so his
blame forced me to write this Article in order to make him very clear
of what kind of idea that I am holding personally or preaching for?
I have all the solutions of Midgan problems also my idea is practical,
reasonable, honest, and sensible. The problem of Midgan is “Crises
of identity” ‘Thus, ‘among many Midgans there occurred a
loss of the most basic elements of human being and that is their
identity, the name as a tribe, the land to claim, the leader
(Sultan or Ugaas) to become voice for them, the marriage to relate
other tribe for affiliation, a position: not yet integrated into the
Somali majority and losing contact with the Somali ethnicity. In the
mind of Midgan the question is when I can not have all this relations
with Somali Major Tribes then I am not equal with other Somali
citizens then, Am I Somali?” There fore, the problems they (may)
face in the educational system are (mis) diagnosed by representatives
of the dominant group/Somalis. Typically the minorities themselves
have been and are blamed for any failures. 'Reasons' for
problems of identity is not temporary; it is a permanent to be blamed
by Midgans, Being Midgan and claiming their tribe is good for their
heart and their self-esteem. It is also the solution of their identity
problems. It answers, satisfactorily the question of who am I? “You
are Midgan believe it or not”
I
asked this question, what process by which Midgan come to see
themselves as being Midgan? The answer can be, complicating, it
is impossible Midgans to come to identify themselves as a “Midgan”
some times because the image of Midgan in Somali mind is completely
inferior and sub-human and no one likes to be seen as inferior as a
Midgan in Somalia because of their name they are often avoided by
other tribes if not tortured psychologically or killed physically. For
this result, Many Midgans came to believe that they couldn’t be
themselves-Midgans in some places or regions because they would be too
vulnerable so, they decided to suspend their Midgan identity
temporarily for duration by protecting themselves along with choosing
not to reveal themselves their true Midganness. The bogus
presentation of self, his claim of Darood if he has their dialect
accent can be possible or Isaaq identity is simple if you have their
dialect for pretend to be while he is in that place or region if has
Hawiye dialect he can also survive as Hawiye. It is a false identity
created for survival in the artificial phony tribe. However, if it is
learned or revealed from others then he would negotiate with
validating as origin or he would accept the consequences of shame,
humiliations and avoid the vicinity later. By this case, Some Midgans
would use for excuse of their claiming logic Slogan that says, “Have
you ever seen or heard someone who died because of Shame?” As matter
of fact, Midgan would be first. In reality, this survival identity or
false tribe identity are not and cannot be entirely successful but it
works for some Midgans about 50% percentages in the daily life of
Midgan survival. The work of sheegad status is motivating factor
because the tribalism resides in every Somali nerve blood, in the
Somali communicational language, in the Somali political system, in
Somali economics, in Somali education curriculum and in the religion
circles. It is collective beliefs, and it is important as Somali
social customary institutions to know how this traditional genealogy
works, so, without understanding this tribal system Midgans and other
minorities could not survive in the Somali society because Midgans, it
is almost impossible to change born as Midgan means with no
possibility of change this ascribed status of Midgan but claiming
other tribe can give them temporary dignity and relief for while. This
sheegad status is not for love neither for choice but it is the way of
survival for the Midgans.
To
reexamine and redefine the Midgan identity would take a time as the
issue of Midgan identity moved from the nation as Boonta (Puntites or
Punt) as a natives to Midgan as inferior as landless ignoble as
indirect slaves to the second class citizens in their land. So to
build their identity again will take centuries because the destruction
of their historical identity of Midgans took many centuries.
Accordingly, the badge of a tribe, the land to own, and the political
identity are needed very badly in this time in order to rebuild the
lost dignity of Midgan. The dialogue is important among Midgans
themselves before they reach the hostile community; Midgan’s
survival and identity depend on themselves and can be found through
the peace dialogue between with the Somali major tribes and Midgans.
However, as far as I know little work or none has been done on what
Midgans themselves thought their identity of who they are as reality
and what Somalis believe about Midgans can be discovered through the
long and tiresome dialogue with academically managed and well versed.
Although, I am arguing that Midgans felt inferior to Somali Major
tribes “Ajji” not because of biological factor, religion, color,
language, or talent but they were felt inferior because of the way
that Midgans were treated in the Somali society or seen as an inferior
tribe, so this kind of treatment resulted (Sheegat Status) or
the developmental sense of inferiority which can be termed as complex
inferiority of Midgan. According to David M. Newman and Jodi,
O’Brien, their book Sociology Readings said “Social institutions
can determine not only what we do and say but what we value and what
we became. Our self-concept, identity, and sense of self-worth are
derived from the reactions, real or imagined of other people”
Now,
I am going to open for you our undeclared divisions among us then you
can see, how many colors do we have as Midgans; Some of us are
chamberlains, There are two ideologies that are moving from
south to north, from west to east, now, Midgans oppose one
another; One Midgan is seeking assimilation called “Midgan
integrationist” whereas other Midgans are seeking separate
but equal called “Midgan Separatist” which based on
looking the militant notions of Midgan power and Midgan identity, the
slogans of self-esteem boosting words “I am proud to be a Midgan”
“Midgan is a tribe” “Midgan is a beautiful”
“I am Midgan so what?” “Midgan is native of Boonta (Punt)
the whole Somalia”. Both of these ideologies are not
parallels because the Midgans integrationist who are seeking for total
assimilation with Somali major tribes have no programs neither
philosophy and not interesting in maintaining of Midgan identity not
even having alternative name, only want to escape the prison of Midgan
and to melt the Somali tribes for demanding total amalgamation of
Somali mainstream only but part of Midgans would also not their own
Midgan identity in the future such denial is seen as a shameful act
even by those for whom their Midgan identity has little attraction.
Midgans entire way of life is determined by Midganess, we learned that
word Midgan is the unappreciated word both of opposing views of
Midgans. It is insult, which cannot be loved, it is killing tool of
Midgan’s self-esteem, it is most hated, and most despised, most
unwanted word in the Somali communicational language.“ Midgan”
a word that was taken from the hell” said, an old Midgan man. At the
same time, Midgan Separatists do not seek the
assimilation, not refused completely but voluntary assimilations are
needed from Somali tribes into the larger community because they
convinced themselves as impossible without having identity where as
some of Midgan integrationists seek assimilation
of begging to the all Somali tribes, because they see that only
marriage assimilation can solve the prejudice and discrimination
toward against Midgan. Midgan Separatists says “Marriage will
decrease the hostility but will not eliminate, yet without
assimilation and their separate identity as “Midgans” can maintain
in a hostile environment and discriminations both concluded “We love
Somali people but they hate us, we do not hate them because we want to
become part of them but are they accepting us and how can they love us?”
But Midgan Separatist is
saying, “Do you have for me, any another better name than Midgan?”,
I know you end up feeling pain, angry, humiliated , fear, and
confusion whenever you hear this name “Midgan” from someone else
you feel deep heated temper. your family always tries to hide their
tribe from Somalis as criminals and they claim other tribes that they
are not belong to that is what created smoky gossip and abusive
treatment. Being Midgan may be is crime in your mental thinking, it is
not at all, but being well claimed other tribes’ name does not
prevent you from being hassled and sensitively oppression. The rain
beats a leopard's skin, but it does not wash out the spots. Midgan
proverb says “Falaari Gil gilasho kaamama harto” When you
heard someone saying the word Midgan, You are bothered, but you smile
sweetly or freeze up, either you change the subject or you go to the
Bathroom in order to escape the burning question or do nothing,
smiling outside but cursing himself inside, because first place, you
did not claim who you are. You are between the devil and the deep blue
sea. You did not claim that you are from Midgans so you could not
protect the behalf of your name at all. You are being psychologically
dead. For the results of your voluntary made you inferior because of
your consent. We cannot change anything by claiming other tribe’s
name and denying our real tribal name. He who conceals his disease
cannot expect to be cured, beside that, there is Darood, Hawiye, Isaaq,
Dir all they are separate tribes but equal why not Midgans”.
Midgan
integrationist has no answer, he says “ I do not know” In
fact, those Midgans who deny their group membership in every day are
looking for assimilation and desire to hang down their Midgan identity
as fast as they can also they used any possible theory to connect
their origins to trace their lineage to the Darood or Isaaq, Dir
this “genealogical snobbery” those Midgans wish that this will
provide them a guarantee of Somaliness and myths that can
produce assimilation with dominant groups but later they may feel like
traitor to his Midgan identity when the dominant group refused to
accept for the their assimilations or membership, then now, those
Midgans have no choice but to come back where they left first time “
Midgan Membership” other they may not come back because they reached
point of no return because of fear of shame, so they may die that
belief of pretending and block their subconscious mind and they
are ignorant of their own religion, their claim must be questioned
according to the prophet (s.a.w) said; “He who relates himself to a
man other his father, knowing that he is not his father, Paradise will
be prohibited to him”. (Reported by Muslim).This hadith can used
both Somalis who claiming that they Arabs and Midgans who are claiming
other tribes that they are not related as origin. Another hadith said,
the prophet (s.a.w) said; “Beware of suspicion because it is the
falsest talk”(Reported by Bukhari) The prophet (s.a.w) “He who
falsely relates himself to a man other than his father or to a family
other than his family is cursed by God, angles, and all people. On the
Day of judgment, God will accept from him neither repentance nor
ransom” (Reported by Muslim).
Others
they may repent or come back to their Midganness and they felt guilty
and apologized with reasoning their actions about not identifying
himself as Midgan first place and using “sheegad status” as client.
After that, this Midgan may have courage to confront dominant groups
with fact of his Midgan identity. But Midgan integrationist finds
himself or her self rejected and attacked on all sides, so he can not
fight on equal terms, he is forced to listen to the majority group
such as Darood and Hawiye their prejudice and submit to their abuse as
“Midgans” so many Midgan integrationist accepted their
position and struggle simply to survive using “ Sheegad status”
and still want that which means denial of Midgan membership or
self hate of Midgan also Midgans integrationist narrated rebellion and
aggression would certainly be met by fierce punishment, so more
passive is compulsory and needed like the situation of survival as
temporary. However, this situation can be ascribes as volunteer
submission in term of Midgan integrationists are emotionally,
physically, socially, and spiritually battered to the point that they
begin to actually believe that their oppression is deserved or may
blamed their past fathers who resisted the oppression in the past also
stigmatized people are those marked “ Midgans” as bad,
unworthy, and polluted because of the tribe that they belong without
any other reasons, so they presumed to the lack of the values the
Somali culture holds dear, it is the nature of stigmatized people are
likely to be seen as problem and having problems, often seen as they
are responsible their past problems this is the myth of culture that
had been constructed previously as reality but legend, so
in this case, they are seen as nothing but the problem and
prisoners of Somali culture.
So
it is clear that the denial of Midgan identity cannot be permanent; it
is opportunistic and temporary as you can see all the accounts. This
case of self-hate is the Midgan who is victim instead of pretending to
agree with dominating group that Midgans are inferior actually does
agree with them and sees his own group through their eyes. You may see
Midgan who is abusing or insulting another Midgan and saying, “You
are Midgan” this process, the Midgan is trying to assimilate
with Somali major tribes and loose himself totally in the dominant
group as soon enough as his level of possession, customs, and speech
makes him indistinguishable from the majority tribes who are Darood or
Isaaq or Hawiye. This Midgan sometimes may blame his problem some
class of Midgans such Tumaal, or Madhiban because they are visible and
their work can be seen in the streets of every region in Somalia such
as shoes making and iron smelting or he may hate his relatives because
they told other people, the Ajji that he is their brother, uncle, or
relative, So since, he can not escape his own group, thus in the real
sense, he hates himself and part of his own family. This has led
him self-destruction and self-hate because of his tribe, people used
to as an excuse to mistreat him. So, life is going to be hard when you
are Midgan who is hiding in Somalia, it seems that his tribe is the
reason and Midgan heritage is the cause of the woe. Although, my
research about Midgans in Somalia shows that identification with
oppressors who are dominant group of Somalia such Darood or Hawiye is
a form of adjustments that came only when all other methods of ego
defense has failed in during last nine centuries but my question is
how these minorities can gain fame and respect among the society,
while their educators and their wealth people are behind the mirror?
At the same time, How can you get your rights when you do not want to
claim who you are?!!!
Now,
there are many questions that burning the minds of young Midgan
educated who live inside Somalia and outside. Why Some Midgans seek to
change the name Midgan? The name Midgan is a fine phonetically, in
English is pronounced (Meat-Gun) Etymologically, the word
Midgan is derived from two words which is Somali language originally
and compounded as an adjective and verb which is translated as "Mid=
One and Go=died"‘(Midgan) complete
meaning in English "One passed away”
Another meaning says, The word “Midgaan” derived
from the root of Midigayn or Madgin which means
separating or sorting out the skin of the Animal from its hairy or
furry. This kind of work is performed by the hands. So the word Magdin
is nothing more than movement and action that related the work of
Midgans for these reasons the people who perform this work of
leather-dressing, shoemakers, metal workers, and hunters. On the other
meaning, the-“ Midig” in Somali language is a one right
hand which is Singular and It is plural of two hands are “Midgo”
which means two right hands in Somali language. Consequently,
Midgans have trained by themselves to work both of their hands in
order to speed up their work performances and quality of their skills.
Not last but least, the word Midgan has another meaning “Mid-Gan”
is “One who shots” the Gunshots or Arrow shots”
also this is related to their work which is hunting that Somalis call
“Hargaanti” Hunter. Another meaning evidentially, the words
(Punt) or Boonta, Midgan, Gabooye and Sab are connected and related
linguistically, historically and socially status. According to these
meaning the name Midgan is much better and more logical than other
Somali names. Of course, it is historically accurate as a “Native”
of Somalia. Non ever other Somali tribe name historically accurate
than Midgan name, whose meaning related his work also neither “Darood”,
“Hawiye”, “Isaaq”, nor “Rahanweyn”, or “Dir”, all
these names were all the first nicknames or came accidentally but name
Midgan was originated from Boonta (Punt) society also unknown history
is always suspected and usually opposed, without any other reason but
because it was not already common.
I
agree with the African American ideologist W. E. B. Dubois who said,
“Names are only conventional signs for identifying things…… the
reality that counts. If a thing is despised, either because of
ignorance or because it is despicable, you will not alter matters by
changing its name. If the men despise Negroes, they will not despise
them less if the Negroes are called “Colored” or “Afro-Americans”.
………Names are not merely matter of thought and reason; they are
growth and habits………..and neither anger nor wailing nor tears
can or will change the name until the name-habits changes”
Suppose
now we could change the name of Midgan, suppose we arose tomorrow
morning and lo! Instead of being “Midgan”, all the Somali tribes
called us “Darood or Dir” or Hawiye, suppose now Somali Major
Tribes have accepted you to marry their daughters, Can marriage of
Ajji would bring you nobility? Do you think this would make a massive
and earth-shattering difference to you and me? Would the Midgan
problems economically, educationally, socially, culturally, and
politically be unexpectedly settled or eternally disappeared the
Midgan identity? You must be in a day dreaming, historically, look at
other Somali tribes, all Somalis in every region have managed to
assimilate with marriage and pass themselves off as members of other
ethnic groups by marriage relationship but Have you ever seen a Darood
person who became Isaaq because of marriage or Dir person who became
hawiye because of Marriage. What do you think that Midgan would be?
Then think about Midgan? You can have relationship with
whoever you wish but all those factors can not change any thing about
your Midganness. “Leave it or hate, or love it that your name”
Midgan Separatists are
logic, realistic, honest and they are saying “Midgans in Somalia are
not interesting in only marrying a Somali noble woman neither changing
their tribe name nor becoming and merging another tribe but they are
asking for all Somali tribes to respect us “We, members of
Somali Minority Groups (Midgan, Tumal, Yibir, and others) demand our
rights as human beings: We need Social identity, Moral Equality,
Social Equality, Legal Equality, and Political Equality; we demand our
right for tribal identity. We demand our right for political
participation and voice, we demand our right to be treated as equals
and with justice, we demand our right to marry any consenting Somali
woman. We demand our right to participate and contribute in Somali
Peace Process. We demand our right to be free from discrimination in
our own country. We demand our right to occupy positions of authority
and responsibility in our own Country, We demand education and
resources in our own country, we demand to occupy land in our own
country, we demand Social respect of our technical skills. Treat us as
human being; accept us for who we are. Accept or reject us based on
our qualifications when it comes employment not the tribe of my family.
Judge me on the basis of what I have done or performed not on basis of
what tribe I am from.”
Silent is a form of death,
we are aggressively exposing the history of Somali major tribes has
done to ruin the dignity of Midgans in everywhere in the world. We
have convinced by ourselves that everyone who is unpleasant our
Mission must be our enemy up till now, the Somali social reality
cannot be solved until we all have the right to say openly and
honestly what is in our minds and apply our rights through
non-violence means, there fore, speaking out is the primary duty of
every freedom fighter, raising our voice separately and
collectively made many Somali intellectuals to question, Somali
traditional law also motionless we see an oppression in every Somali
actions and attitudes, we hear the prejudice in the Somali
spoken language, we tasted segregation in our own land, we smell the
injustice and denial of our rights in every Somali conferences
and meetings. Historically, the discrimination has been going
for so long and still the Somali actions and attitudes are not being
changed yet, we can not veil our feelings but those Midgans who are
hiding what they felt in order to fit in Somaliness and give pleasure
to the Somali major tribes. They must be wrong. The discrimination is
visible and its streams are spreading out all Somali nerves, it is
neither useful to the Somalis nor to the minorities because it is
destructive socially and morally, for us as separatist we can not be
silent, we can not tolerate any more, we can not sit down and wait
some other who destroyed themselves to solve this tragedy. When we are
a part of the problem, then we must be part of the solution.
Midgan Separatist or
Somali United Minority is nothing more than an organized struggle
which is attempting to affirm their own place in the Somali history
and correct the really history of Boonta/Midgan/Gabooye; it seeks
equality, humanity dignity, Justice, democracy, freedom of identity,
freedom of marriage, freedom of speech, freedom of land ownership with
coexistence other Somalis with peace and brotherhood. It is not
directed against the masses of particular tribe, nation, organization,
nor against individuals but against any idea or action that undermine
or trying to conceal their agony or against toward Somali Minorities
at large. Somali Midgan Separatist is an organization inspired by
Somali Minority values that works through a program of research,
education, advocacy and community service to improve the quality of
life for Minorities in Horn of Africa, specially, Youth, women,
children, families, elders and strives to ensure individual rights and
freedoms for all Somali citizens. Somali Midgan Separatist needs from
all Somali tribes to end the nine hundred years old of segregation and
sanction that have been tolerated by our people.
By Ali-Azhar, BA.
A
HISTORY OF MIDGAN
The silent segregation in Somalia
Author:-Ahmed M. Keynan "Ali-Azhar"
Copyright: Ahmed M. Keynan "Ali-Azhar"
Dedication: All Somali Minorities who suffered.
Date: November 12, 2000.
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