Hooyooy -Oh Mother Hooyo by Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame Hadrawi and sung by Mohamed Suleiman This song is a tribute to mothers, motherhood or mother earth. Some Somliland women view this highest accolade for women, motherhood as a tribute to man since mother (woman) is only remembered through the achievements of man. This otherwise touching song leaves the virtues of women remarkably untouched except after she gives birth to a powerful man,or she woes his mind. The question then arises: is that all she (woman) can be? Maybe or maybe it is what the poet desires her to be. To give life and nurture to another human being is indeed the highest honour but then where does the composer leave the entire female race and the other qualities they share with men? My mother, before she became a mother, was a poet, a multi-talented artist of the highest form, brave,generous, eloquent, resourceful,hardworking,kind and physically smashing,also a stern disciplinarian after she became a mother and a mentor after I became a student. Reading this poem, the word “mother” brings to mind all her qualities as a human being. I could not separate these qualities from the fact that she was my mother. Interestingly, the composer remembers woman only in her physical beauty and only in the eyes of the man in love or as the nurturing mother. More interestingly, this intensely devoted mother is honoured only when her grown son surprises the world with his impressive qualities. He (the son of the mother) is not portrayed in his childhood frailty. Does that mean mother is only worthy of praise when she succeeds in raising him thus? What happens with all her efforts even when that son doesn’t bring any worth to this world? Isn’t that effort to raise a disabled or lost soul painfully harder for a mother? Isn’t the mother who shares the suffering of her child equally important. Is she to be blamed for the failure of nature or faulty conception? This song moves me as it does others but in close reading it leaves much to be desired. As a child I was as much my mother’s daughter as I was my father’s. My mother’s poetry sometimes surpassed that of my father's. The Eden in which I was raised was as much of her hard work as it was father’s. The gallantry, foresight, persuasive nature and creative genius qualities were all equally hers as well as my father’s. Clearly this poet’s sensitivity has generously cloaked women (mother) with his best honour; I would however be more flattered had the song brought to bear my mother the person as equally important. I still wish the poet would see my/our humanity as much as he sees my/our physical and nurturing self. Hooyooy la'aantaa Aduunyadu hubaashii Habeen kama baxdeenoo Iftin lama heleenoo Dadku uma hayaameen Xiddig hawd ka lulatoo Sida haad ma fuuleen Dayax heego joogoo Hubka laguma tureen Hawo laguma gaadheen Cirka hirar ka muuqdoo Ruux aad hagaysiyo usha mid aad u haysaa hilin toosan weligii, ka habaabi mayee Hooyoy addoomuhu Halkay maanta joogaan Adigow horseedoo Intaad hanad xambaartee Haaneedka siisee Horaaddada jaqsiisee Habtay baan xisaab iyo Tiro lagu heleynoo. Marka aad nin hiilloo Laga baqo hashiisiyo Halyey diiran dhashaa baa Hooyo lagu xasuustaa Marka aad nin hoo-loo Gurigiisa habaqluhu Isku soo halleeyoo Hayntiisa quudhoo Hor Illaahay geystiyo Lama hure dhashaa baa Hooyo lagu xasuustaa. Mar aad nin himilada Hilin toosan mariyoo Hir markii la gaadhoba Ku labaad hilaadshoo Haga maatadiisoo La higsado dhashaa baa Hooyo lagu xasuustaa. Marka aad nin hoogiyo Ka hor taga daalkoo Garta hubin yaqaanoo Xaqa hoos u eegoo Halistiyo colaadaha Dabka hura bakhtiiyoo Ku haggoogta dhiiggoo Dadka kala hagaajoo Kala haga dhashaa baa Hooyo lagu xasuustaa. Markaad hoobal caaniyo Hindisaa farshaxanoo Hab-dhaca iyo luuqdiyo Hawraarta maansada Heensayn yaqaanoo Rabbi biyo u siiyoo Labadaba hannaanshiyo Hal-abuur dhashaa baa Hooyo lagu xasuustaa. Dumar iyo haween baa Nolol lagu haweystaa Kuwa lagu hammiyayee Sida hawd caleen weyn Rag u wada hammuumee Ishu calacsanaysaa Hablahaaga weeyee Marka guur la haybshee Gabadh heego dheeroo Hoobaan la moodoo Karti iyo hubqaadloo Quruxdana ka hodaniyo Hira laga aroostaa Hooyo lagu xasuustaa Hooyoy la'aantaa Higgaad lama barteenoo Hooyoy la'aantaa Hadal lama kareenoo Ruuxaanad habinoo Kolba aanad hees iyo Hoobey ku sabinoo Hawshaada waayaa Hanaqaadi maayee Hoygii kalgacalkee Naxariistu hadataay. Hooyoy dushaadaa Nabad lagu hubaayooo Hooyoy dhabtaadaa Hurdo lagu gam'aayoo Hooyoy taftaadaa Dugsi laga helaayoo Waxa lagu hal-maalaa Hooyo ababintaadee Hayin lagu badhaadhaay Hogol lagu qaboobaay Gogol lama huraaneey Dugsigii hufnaantaay Hidda lagu arooraay. Intaad hooyo nooshahay Hambalyiyo salaan baan Hanti kaaga dhigayaa Hamrashiyo xaq dhowr baan Dusha kaa huwinayaa Hooyo dhimashadaaduna Hooggayga weeyoo Hiyiga iyo laabtaan Kugu haynayaayoo Weligay hogaagaan Ka dul heesayaayoo Hengel baan u xidhayaa Inta haadka duushiyo Gidi habar dugaaggee Ifka hibo ku noolow Aakhiro halkii roon Hooyo aakhiro halkii roon Translated and commented by: Rhoda. A. Rageh Member of Farshaxan website www.farshaxan.com Oh Mother! Without you The world would surely Be perpetual darkness, Devoid of light. Folks wouldn’t reach Planets in heavens. Like hawks wouldn’t Soar to looming stars With guided ambition Nay, wouldn’t have aspired at Sphere in space. Verily one led by your flawless Devotion the right path never would lose. Oh Mother! Where the world is today Surely you paved the route. The many valiant you have carried Held dear on your bosom, Fed from your breasts Are countless, and Incalculable. When your daring son awe inspire others, You give birth to a fierce knight, Oh Mother!Thou are remembered. When your charitable son In whose house the destitute Rely to feast freely, gives kindly to please Allah. In the presence of indispensable man Oh Mother!Thou are remembered When your son of purpose with clear vision, Achieving an objective sets another and leads his flock hither. When you give birth to an envied gallant Oh Mother! Thou are remembered. When your impartial son of foresight Thwarts conflict through persuasion, When halting the perils of war, he snuffs Firestorm, and intercedes to lead humanity. Oh Mother! Thou are remembered. When in composition and song Your famous artist Creative and ingenious Transporting through poetry Reveals God given talent, When you give birth to an endowed instinct Oh Mother! Thou are remembered Women Surely are the founts of life. Those much desired women coalescing Like concentrated forest, The clamour of all men, These beauties Are thy daughters. When thoughts of matrimony invade Your poised lofty girls, Like the boughs of a tree Adept and stylish, Splendour abound Unblemished duly wed. Oh Mother! Thou are remembered Oh Mother! Without you Spelling would have been inconceivable. Without you Mother, Expression would render unthinkable One, whom you have not indulged, Not seldom with lullabies fed One,you haven’t doted upon, Surely won’t mature. Thou, are the house of adulation Thy abode is of compassion. Oh Mother! On your back One attains peace. Oh Mother! On your lap Sleep is pure. Oh mother at your hem Shelter is most secure Grandeur! Oh mother Thy cultivation is. Resilience and richness and Tranquil Downpour. Thou are boundless delight Thy school is of moral rectitude. Thou are root of ritual. In thy existence, Oh Mother! Compliments and salutation I impart upon thee. The cape of distinction I drape around thee Oh Mother! Oh Mother! Your demise Is my eternal woe. I will forever Sing on your tomb In my head and heart I will embrace thee prized I will bewail thee with every Winged and wild beast Live resplendently here. Prosperity in the hereafter. Oh! Mother Prosperity in the hereafter.

Published and posted by:Fu,ad Bahda Mareegta Farshaxan

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