The Withering of "WARYAA" in Diaspora

Introduction to WARYAA

1.      Introduction to WARYAA

WARYAA is a word used to casually call Somali men. It’s like ‘manong’—tol or pare in Filipino.  Are we less proud to be a WARYAA and speak Somali language? No matter how we try to run away from it, it’s embedded into our genes, and since we can’t change it, we will forever be a WARYAA ethnic. Ironically, when you call out ‘WARYAA’ to some Somalis in Diaspora to get their attention, they would most probably think of you as uneducated, and low- life person, but what they don’t realize is that WARYAA has gone far beyond their perceptions, instead they should appreciate the sound of it because today in Diaspora, WARYAA is interchangeable with Somali identity and language. Thus, the Somali official name is WARYAA.

The origin of WARYAA is unknown, but it has a four different meaning throughout Somalia. According to the elders interviewed during my initial draft of this book, I have come to know that in the Greater Somalia, the term ‘WAAR’ came to mean longevity—may Allah prolong your life because Somalis are Sunni Muslim and their daily interactions, they convey longevity to one another. During the course of my research, I have also found out in the rural areas of Somalia, the word ‘WAR’ came to mean damn— swamp, because Somalis are nomadic society, always in search of lush green pastures or grazing land which is very essential for them and for their livestock herds.

In urban areas of Somalia, it means ‘WAR’- news, because Somalis love news to be told by somebody else; they have less keen interest in reading it.  In Diaspora, however, it has evolved tacitly to define Somaliness—‘SOMALINIMO’, as other communities informally perceive it, and has become a Somali identity.

Moreover, it can be interchangeable with very Somali identity.  From whatever the word originated, one thing is certain, WARYAA has been extended to be synonymous with the Somali-speaker’s mother tongue. For example, informally, “Do you speak WARYAA” can mean to me “do you speak Somali?” I’m from WARYAA also means I’m from Somalia.

Needless to say, WARYAA has a many different linguistic applications and regional interpretations throughout Somalia; the word can be regarded as a symbol or sign of disrespect. To exemplify linguistic functionalism, say a stranger or younger person calls you ‘WARYAA’, it is considered as an insult if that person does not know you or is younger than you; still worst it can be offensive; whereas, the same word can be perceived neutrally in other part of Somalia.

However, in some areas of Somalia ‘WARYAA’ is not practiced at all or hardly known, then it’s unknown as an addressing word, it becomes an insult. What is more, in some other parts of Somalia, the usage of WARYAA defines social class, status, and power dynamics i.e. educational class. For example, if the person is educated enough, it would be an offensive or an insult to address him as WARYAA, in particular if that person with less educational background or with no formal educational background at all.  It is assumed WARYAA is used for those who do not have educational background, mainly soldiers. In the era of revolutionary military regime led by Major General Mohamed Said Barre, some Somali so-called capitalists erroneously held that myth by regarding soldiers as uneducated class.

In Somalia, when men are calling women out to show some respect, gender equality, and politeness, they call upon them ‘WARYAA’. In this context, WARYAA is regarded as an acceptable term by women. Therefore women prefer to call them out as ‘WARYAA HEBLA’ than ‘NAAYAA HEBLA’. On these grounds, why WARYAA is received as an insult, offense to some Somalis, when in fact, women are regarded as a term of respect?

Whatever the answer might be, during the colonial time, in some parts of Somalia, WARYAA had been used for political reasons.

When two Somali fellows of same political party— i.e.: SYL, meet they used to greet “WAR YAA HA NOOLAATO”.  It is regarded as an acceptable term for Somali unity and Somali independent.  Needless to say that one of the Somali Youth League member’s nickname was ‘HA NOOLATO’.