Hargeysa, Somaliland, February 13, 2010 (SL Times) – The Hargeysa Readers’ Club organized a literary event called “The intellectual and the Hargeysa Readers’ club”. The event took place at Imperial hotel and the main speaker was the Somaliland writer Abdirahman Abdillahi Farah (Ina Guri Barwaaqo) who lives in Canada and is currently visiting Somaliland. The topic of Mr. Barwaaqo’s presentation was the richness of the Somali language and the damage done to it by the combined effects of neglect and abuse by Somali speakers as well as threats of being overwhelmed by foreign languages.
The program was opened with recitation from the Holy Quran, then the master of ceremony, Khalid Jama Qodah, invited the coordinator of the Hargeysa Readers’ Club, Mr. Muhammad Dahir Hassan to the microphone. Muhammad Dahir Hassan addressed the need for Somaliland’s youth to assume more responsibility since the older generation is fading away.
The writer Hassan Abdi Madar spoke about Barwaaqo’s book “Magac Bilaash Uma Baxo” on the meanings behind Somali names.
The well known author Boobe Yusuf Duale expressed concern about the grammatical mistakes that are often made by Somali journalists. He advised that special attention must be paid to the Somali language and warned that “if our language is not nurtured, we will cease to exist.”
The poet Yusuf Shaair and Muse Abdi Elmi (one of the officials of the University of Hargeysa) also spoke about the importance of teaching and learning the Somali language.
Hargeysa Readers’ Club meets once a month, and its motto is: today’s readers are tomorrow’s writers.
Mr. Barwaaqo’s presentation dwelled on the rural source of Somali culture and traditions as well as the richness of the Somali language.
Mr. Barwaaqo is the author of eight books and the editor of the literary journal Hal Aqoon.
In addition to Barwaaqo’s lecture, thirty two intellectuals, poets and academics from Somaliland, Puntland and south Somalia held a meeting in Hargeysa, last week, in order to set a standard for Somali terminology that could be used in teaching classes in elementary and middle schools. These are just two examples of a recent upsurge in academic, intellectual and literary activities in Somaliland which gives credence to Barwaaqo’s observation: “Hargeysa used to be the home of Somali art and culture but now it is the home of Somali knowledge, art and culture.” Source Somaliland times.
The writer Hassan Abdi Madar spoke about Barwaaqo’s book “Magac Bilaash Uma Baxo” on the meanings behind Somali names.
The well known author Boobe Yusuf Duale expressed concern about the grammatical mistakes that are often made by Somali journalists. He advised that special attention must be paid to the Somali language and warned that “if our language is not nurtured, we will cease to exist.”
The poet Yusuf Shaair and Muse Abdi Elmi (one of the officials of the University of Hargeysa) also spoke about the importance of teaching and learning the Somali language.
Hargeysa Readers’ Club meets once a month, and its motto is: today’s readers are tomorrow’s writers.
Mr. Barwaaqo’s presentation dwelled on the rural source of Somali culture and traditions as well as the richness of the Somali language.
Mr. Barwaaqo is the author of eight books and the editor of the literary journal Hal Aqoon.
In addition to Barwaaqo’s lecture, thirty two intellectuals, poets and academics from Somaliland, Puntland and south Somalia held a meeting in Hargeysa, last week, in order to set a standard for Somali terminology that could be used in teaching classes in elementary and middle schools. These are just two examples of a recent upsurge in academic, intellectual and literary activities in Somaliland which gives credence to Barwaaqo’s observation: “Hargeysa used to be the home of Somali art and culture but now it is the home of Somali knowledge, art and culture.” Source Somaliland times.
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