Camel herding and its effects on Somali literature

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Periodical article

Title:	Camel herding and its effects on Somali literature
Author:	Rirash, Mohamed Abdillahi
Year:	1988
Periodical:	Northeast African Studies
Volume:	10
Issue:	2-3
Pages:	165-178
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Somalia
Subjects:	oral literature camels oral literature (form) songs (form)
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/43661192
Abstract:	Somali culture is a camel culture and Somali literature is based on the camel-rearing and breeding mode of life. After a discussion of the environmental background to camel rearing in Ethiopia (the Ogaden), Djibouti, and Somalia, and of the value of camels to the Somali people, the author examines five genres of basic Somali literature featuring the camel: 1) the 'shubaal', or watering song, one of the means by which Somali pastoralists educate their children in their way of life; 2) the 'jiib', or folkloric song; 3) the 'guux', or pastoralist 'blues', mainly concerned with the camelherders' yearning for marriage; 4) 'maahmaahyo', or proverbs; and 5) modern Somali poetry. The survey is illustrated with many Somali song texts, with English translations. Notes.