Reviewed by Caasha-luula Cabdillaahi Guuleed Literature of Somali Onomastics and Proverbs ‘With Comparison of Foreign Saying’ Anwar Maxamed Diiriye 232 pp. Gobaad Communications and Press Literature of Somali Onomastics and Proverbs is a book I would recommend to every Somali family, mothers-to-be, newlyweds, playwrights, song writers, novelists, the libraries and anyone interested in the Somali wisdom and Somali naming system. This is a book I am glad is part of my collection. The brilliantly crafted introduction, easy to understand chapter breaks, historical references in the footnotes and the indexes made this volume of Somali Onomastics a useful reference tool within a reference book. As an avid collector of Somali books, Plays, Poetry, written/recited, I am glad this book came out; it is something that was missing from our written literature. I can see many Somali novelists in the Diaspora reaching out for this book over and over again as reference book.

As a Somali woman, I see the benefits it has for the Somali women living in the Diaspora. This book is the best gift one can give to newlyweds or mother-to-be. Every bride or mother-to-be should be armed with this book, not only to help her with the naming of her future children, but she will find it useful when she wants to part wisdom to her children by using the wisdom/proverbs this book is carrying. After all the first teacher the child will meet is the mother, and what better way to teach wisdom but by using the proverbs in conversations with the child. What a gift Mr. Anwar Maxamed Diiriye has given to every Somali mother and father in the Diaspora.

The other day I was invited to a baby-shower, it is one of these little traditions we are borrowing from the west. Being such a procrastinator, when I went to the store with which the mother-to-be register her wish-list, the only thing that was left was a bib! I thought why not give the mother to be a gift that she did not know existed.

First the author signed the book especially for her. Secondly, it was the very gift she was looking for and could not find it. her eyes welled up, and she jump to her feet and gave me a hug, and said "Oh, My, how did you know" All the friends wanted to know what can make this young lady cry, when they saw the book, all you could hear is oooooh, and aaaaaah, as though they were admiring a baby.

Some of the mothers there admitted how difficulty it is to finding such a book, and how they wished they had this book when they had their babies. There was a lively and extensive discussion about the names in the book, one could hear from time to time, "oh, I did not know that" or " Oh, wow, so that is what it means", not only was this book the best gift bar none, but it spiced the conversation immensely. I know the difficulty of naming a child, and I could empathize with the mother.

Name should be look at in a lot of ways before one gives their child. Just because a name is beautiful, it is in vogue, and you know its meaning, does not mean others will understand it. Some mothers give names to their children without thinking their locale and how the locals will view that name. Two of the worse names, in my view, I find in the book were Asma and Sumeya, let us examine these two names in different locales.

One must keep in mind that the child living in the United States of America should not be name Asma, because when this child grows up she will be teased in the playgrounds and the American schools mercilessly. The children in her school will not hear Asma nor will understand who Asma was, but they will hear “Asthma”, I can just picture children surrounding her shouting “Asthma, Asthma disease asthma, she steals your breath because she is a disease, asthma the robber of breath…”

Imagine a naming once child Sumeya, and taking this child to Baadiye one day, one can just image what her extended family will first say, “Bismillaah, oo maxay Sumeysaa”

It is best to give a child a name that does not rhyme with ugly things, a name that could change its meaning depends where the child lives. So, to help a mother to name her child, this book is great tool. Well now that problem is solved thanks to Mr. Anwar’s great and timely book.

The book does not neglect the mother either; it acts as a self-esteem booster, when she reads all the proverbs that show the importance of a woman in the Somali society. How many mother feel invisible, and under appreciated, it is good thing to open this book and look the many proverbs that praises women and place them in the pedestal.

Playwright, lyricist, or novelist knows how difficult it is to come up with just the right name for their characters, it will not do just any name, one looks for a unique names, which will become a household name because every time one hears that name, it will remind a song, or a character in a certain play.

Those of us who grow up in Somalia, the name Maana-Faay brings to mind the delicious, spellbinding story Mr. Maxamed Daahir Afrax used to write on the newspaper, which later was aired on the radio as a play. Maana-Faay when we hear, for some reason we remember Afrax’s captivating story about the young woman and her journey through live. Therefore a playwright needs a unique name for his character, not one that is every day name but one that is little known, which the playwright gives life and in someway that playwright forever is linking to that name.

I am sure if Mr. Afrax would have used every day name such as Xaliimo or Caasha, we would not remember that story so vividly after so many years, because there are many a Caasha and a Xaliimo we personally know, and somehow refutes or outshines a character in a play. Thus, Literature of Somali Onomastics and Proverbs becomes a tool for would be writers, because there are so many little known, yet beautiful names in the book.

Playwright also use names to convey a meaning, for example, if a playwright used the name Ceebla’ (one without faults) than that character should also be angelic, faultless, however if the playwright has no understand of the meaning of a name, or what that name means within the society, he might call one of his characters, Arraweelo, while his character's disposition is docile, wimpy, weepy woman. Therefore, the name, Arraweelo, which more conveys Queen Arraweelo, a fierce ruler, subjugator of men, will appear incongruous with the character of a docile woman. Thus, the whole story line will become a flop, a dud, because the playwright or the novelist failed to understand the psyche of his audience.

Take another name Qalanjo, for some unknown reason this name conveys beauty and highly desirable woman, however the true meaning of this name is “the Female elephant” or as the author used it “Cow elephant” yet the book further explains the usage of the name. Without the authors explanation, and just hearing the meaning one would be baffled as to why anyone is called Qalanjo (cow elephant) there is nothing feminine about she elephant. She’s huge, fat and down right ugly. She is vengeful creature that never forgets neither forgives. So, one need to understand the way a society uses a name, even if that name means contrary to its use. Another name that is controversial is Shuun, a name which when a Southern hears guffaws with laughter, and Northern Somalis think it’s the best name ever. I will not get into the reason why this name is such a funny name in the southern Somalia, since the author too emitted this tidbit of information from the book. Such a name would be a great asset to a comedy plays, about Southern and Northern and their different point of view about this name.

In the Chapters that deal with proverbs, it is lovely. Somali daily conversation proverbs are the spices that make the conversation more mellifluous. Most of the society use proverbs as weapon, or when one wants to appear witty, one peppers proverbs in their conversation. And when debating, one likes to whip a proverb just to make a great point, succinctly. A well-timed proverb can make one win an argument, while the wrong proverb can raffle all their great points. Proverbs are not only wisdom, but they are also a weapon, and if your opponent is armed with more proverbs than you do, the chances are he/she will win the argument and you better be sure that his/her parting shot will be "Baqashii fardo la mirataa, ka mid bay is mooddaa" this proverb is in the book

In conclusion, this is a book which I recommend to anyone interested in learning more about the Somali literature and culture. It is a readable, interesting and accessible book which contributes much to Somali literary studies and which nourishes our minds on wider issue concerning our naming system and the writing morphology of our names phonetically.

DIIRIYE, Anwar Maxamed, Literature of Somali Onomastics and Proverbs with Comparison of Foreign Sayings, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gobaad Communications & Press, 2006, 232 pp., 0-9726615-1-4 (paperback), Gobaadpress@gmail.com

Caasha-luula Cabdillaahi Guuleed
Aashaluula@hotmail.com