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MIDGAN’S CONTRIBUTION
A
question that is commonly asked Somalians when two strangers meet each
other is “ what is your tribe?!!! “Where as an Americans and
Europeans “ is what do you do for living?” Work is not a central
focus in Somalian lives, work not able us to earn money to pay our
bills, but it can also provide a sense of self-respect and
self-reliability.
In
our society as I am a Somalian, In the back home, we value the “ the
tribe names” but not “ the work ethics” we consider our tribe
name to be honorable and useful, unemployed, able-bodied people are
not often look down on but we look down hard working people, we do not
accept them to share with our dignity, we do not respect their tribal
name, we do not marry them because they are hard workers who earn
their daily life from their skills, we call them in general
“Midgans” because they make our shoes, we call them “Tumaals”
because they make our knives, axes, and pots that we need daily, we
call them “Yibirs” because they are our
traditional psycho-healers or medicine man. Some others we call
them “Yahars” because they make our clothes, we call them
“Adoons” because they cultivate our corps and build our houses.
Unfortunately,
Somalians did not understand that occupations could help us to grow
intellectually, psychologically and socially. In Islam Allah does not
view work as a curse imposed on the humanity. Working is a part of
Islamic religion as well as worship of Allah. Muslim people believe in
that people need to work to make their living and help those in need,
Islam preaches the people hard working, good deeds and success of
human life. Also cares the human deeds and human heart, the prophet
Mohammed said: (s.a.w) said; “verily God does not look your shapes
nor your wealth, but He looks at your heart and your deeds” (Muslim)
you can see here with out deeds you will not enter the paradise of
Allah” Then why Somalis are abusing the Midgans who are working,
productive and contributing some economics to the humanity? !!!.
“We
are making their shoes and they are making our shroud” A Midgan man
said:”Anaguna kabohoodaan tolaynaa, Ayaguna kafanteenay tolaayaan”
The Midgans realized that Somali dominant tribes who are Isaaq, Hawiye,
Dir, and Darood exploited Midgans.so the only struggle between the
Somalis and Midgan classes is owners and workers.
I
asked by myself why Somalian tribes are always fighting each other
where as Midgans are not engaging any war each other or toward other
tribes? Then I found out there must be one reason; Number one,
Unemployment created emotional problems and tribal rate wars increased
because people who have no job, they are likely to be busy by
themselves because they have time to fight each other also the gossip
rate increased, the Khat eating community increased, the crimes, the
divorcé, the result of anger, despair, depression, anxiety, boredom,
hopelessness, and apathy. These feelings lead to alcoholism,
Qatcoholicsm, drug abuse, Insomnia, stress, illness, marital
unhappiness, and even violence within tribes, if not with among family
and later we created civil wars among ourselves.
The
Midgan Occupations need to help improve group morale, the only reward
they get from their work is abuse, they need morale reward and
financially reward, people who maintain long-term job, what motivated
them is not only monetary reward but what motivate them is morale
reward, today’s Midgans generation abandoned their occupations as
well as their tribal names. They denied their tribe names because they
feel dehumanized if they do their occupations or claim their tribe,
because the previous Midgan suffered deep shame and even avoided and
denied their blood relatives, and even those who get high positions in
government offices do not like to have relationship with other Midgans
because their work, the result of these most midgans tend to lose
faith in their political leaders who are sell out who do not advocate
their rights but only their personal interest, and avoidance of their
blood related family.
Their
occupation often leads them to an extreme tribal isolation,
discrimination, and prejudice. In this case Midgans are likely to
experience depression and feel alienate from Somalis because of their
skills So that, when your society always Abuse your work, you have to
change something that you feel may be the people will Respect and like
it. So this resulted that Midgan generation of 60s up to now to gain
their livelihood by singing and dancing also some of them
expressed their feelings through songs. Their song attracted most
young generation of all Somali regions specially all Qatcaholic
society (people who chew the Qat) because they enjoy very much by
listening the songs, which mostly create the atmosphere of emotionally
attaches of the soul spirit, for this, it caused indirectly many
Midgans to abandon their occupations.
Why
Somali people did not understand that the work is a part of many
people’s lives and it is part of the civilization. What was the
backbone of any civilization in the world? How Somali people wants to
develop their country while they are abusing the hard workers and
skilled community? Do
Somalians like to depend on international Aid For their long-term
economics? And how long that aid will continue for them? Or may be all
of us wanted to become refugee in the five continents; we do not need
to worry any thing about our country?
Finally,
All Somalis should have to appreciate and recognize Midgan’s
Economic contributions morally and financially must be supported and
we must stop abusing of Midgan’s work. We must encourage them to
develop their Occupations in advancing technological way consequently
both Midgans and Somalis can benefit so this will result Somali
industrial progress in the future.
BY
Ahmed M. Keynan
Ali-Azhar
email: editorial01@midgaan.com
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