A Tale Of Somali People

By Author: peter philp
Total Articles: 43
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The Somali are grouped as a Cushitic tribe who live in North Eastern Province of Kenya. They are believed to have their origin in the Ogaden region in Southern Ethiopia. Their population is about 500,000 people leaving in north eastern of Kenya. The Ajuran and the Ogaden sub groups live in Kenya as well as Somalia and Ethiopia.

The Somali tribe speaks Somali language although variations and dialects of the Somali language are spoken by different clans living in Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia as well as Kenya. The Somali language is of great importance since they place high value on poetry, speech and general linguistic skill.

Somalis practice a nomadic pastoralist way of life, keeping flocks of camels, some goats, sheep, and indigenous cow herds. Meat and milk is the Somali main diet but they also include pasta an acquired food from Somali's colonial past by Italians. Somalia culture is a part of Islamic culture, where many of their customs are based in that religion.

The education of the Somalia children begin with reading the Quran . The Islamic influence is manifested in the Somali way of dressing, which ...
... is not very different from that of the Swahili people. But unlike the Swahili men who wear a small white cap on their head, the Somali men often wear a turban.

Female circumcision is found in its most extreme forms among the Somali tribe. Young girls have much of their genitalia cut out completely, leaving scar tissue and frequent infections.

The practice remains common in spite of government attempts to discourage it. Polygamy is widely practiced among the Somali since Islamic laws allow a man to have as many as four wives. The culture of living in extended families is quite common in Somalia. In marriages suitable matches are made through clan alliances, though the practice is not as common today. Great respect is given to a woman by different kinds of celebrations, when she is pregnant.

Away from their native home Somalis are today found in almost every major town in Kenya engaging in business where they have become successful business entrepreneurs in major cities of Kenya.

BIO

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