Banaadiri Fishing Geeraarro

Abstract

THE BANAADIRI PEOPLE live on the coast of Southern Somalia, which stretches from Warsheikh to Kismayo geographically, but culturally from Warsheikh to Barawe. Haji Mehdi Haji, better known as Haji Malaakh Haji, is a member of the Reer Hamar Banaadiri community who live in the largest of the Banaadir stone walls in Mogadishu, or Hamar as it is commonly referred to by residents of the city. The fishing geeraarro below were transcribed and translated from my recordings of Haji. Haji Malaakh Haji is renowned among the Reer Hamar people for his prowess as a seaman. He comes from a long line of fishermen going back three centuries. His family have always resided in the Hamar Weyne district of Mogadishu, on the coast across from the Abu Hussein Jabal from where the fishing boats depart every afternoon. Haji was taught these geeraarro as a young boy by his father who in turn inherited them from his father. Many of his forefathers were the Malaakh (clan elders) of the Morshe clan including both his father and grandfather. Haji’s family are held in high esteem by the community as ‘garsoorka dhaqanka’ which translates as the ‘mediator’ or ‘judge’ of the ‘culture’ or ‘tradition’. Haji began his work as a fisherman at thirteen years old. He has learnt and practised a considerable number of fishing geeraarro to support the labour of fishing. These are highly imaginative and creative poems, brimming with stories which reference both historical sea figures and sea creatures from folk tales. Banaadiri fishermen begin reciting their poems as they prepare to board their boats, and continue to recite them whilst they travel to the fishing locations, throughout the time that they are fishing, whilst they bring in fish, and during their journeys back to the coast. When they return, they use the fishing geeraarro to express the success – or otherwise – of their expeditions and to barter and trade their fish in the market. ‘Geeraar one’ is recited as the fishermen prepare to board the fishing boat called Saddexleey. While the fishermen are on the boat on their way to hunt the fish, they recite ‘geeraar two’ to entertain themselves. ‘Geeraar three’ is recited by fishermen to encourage one another after they return to the coast after a long day at sea, whereas ‘geeraar four’ is recited when they have an unsuccessful fishing expedition.