Hawa Jama Abdi

Biography

Hawa Jama Abdi is a gifted blind poet who was born into a pastoralist family in a rural village in Mudug region. Like other children in the area, Hawa and her brother used to look after the family’s goats.

One evening she got lost in the forest and ran into a hyena while searching for her brother. She remembered a folklore story her mother had told her about a young girl who was helped by a lion after she sang for it. So she started reading a poem for the hyena.

Here are few lines from that poem.

Ana waxaan caweys iyo dharaar kaa cabsoodoo la igu kaa canaantaba
Waa cibaaro duniduye caawa hadii aan cagahaaga joogsaday
Wallow aan camool ahayon ceynadaa arag
Aan weheshade codkaagee ciirsi kaalay ii noqo.

I lived in fear of you, day and night
It is a miracle world if I am standing in front of you, tonight
Since I am blind and cannot see anything
Come to my rescue and let your voice be my company

She was about eight years old and that was her first poem.
She later moved to Hargeisa city where she grew up and went to school.

Despite her visual impairments, Hawa is active on social media thanks to smart screen reader technology. She currently lives in Mogadishu and uses her poetry to advocate for people living with disabilities.

Hawa Jama Abdi is a gifted blind poet who was born into a pastoralist family in a rural village in Mudug region. Like other children in the area, Hawa and her brother used to look after the family’s goats.

One evening she got lost in the forest and ran into a hyena while searching for her brother. She remembered a folklore story her mother had told her about a young girl who was helped by a lion after she sang for it. So she started reading a poem for the hyena.

Here are few lines from that poem.

Ana waxaan caweys iyo dharaar kaa cabsoodoo la igu kaa canaantaba
Waa cibaaro duniduye caawa hadii aan cagahaaga joogsaday
Wallow aan camool ahayon ceynadaa arag
Aan weheshade codkaagee ciirsi kaalay ii noqo.

I lived in fear of you, day and night
It is a miracle world if I am standing in front of you, tonight
Since I am blind and cannot see anything
Come to my rescue and let your voice be my company

I lived in fear of you, day and night
It is a miracle world if I am standing in front of you, tonight
Since I am blind and cannot see anything
Come to my rescue and let your voice be my company

She was about eight years old and that was her first poem.
She later moved to Hargeisa city where she grew up and went to school.

Despite her visual impairments, Hawa is active on social media thanks to smart screen reader technology. She currently lives in Mogadishu and uses her poetry to advocate for people living with disabilities.

All poems by Hawa Jama Abdi

Akhris iyo Qoraal

Sida sheekh arlada oo qudcura, kaligii eedaama


Uunkana qiyaamaha danbiyo, aakhiraw sheega 


Alaylkaan u toosaa inaan, khayr abaabulo’e


Islaamkiyo quruumaha dadkaan, oohow leeyahaye


Ugbaadkiyo qormada dooga laan, aada leeyahaye


Ayaguna orkiyo qayladaa, ma istixyeeyaane


Anna kama adkaystoo qastigay, waan addimayaaye


Aan idhaahdo weedh kale qalbigu, aamus kari waaye.

Soomaalidu waxay qunu ogtahay, asal ahaantiisa


Ayuun bay iswaydiin qalalan, kugu asqeeyaane 


Akhris iyo qoraal inuu ahaa, shay aftaxa guusha 


Ama qotonkii aas-aaskiyo, udub-dhigii koonka 


Oo aan ifkeenani mar qudha, abid ka maarmaynin 


Amintuu Allaha Qaadirka ah, uumay nolosheenna


Qalin buu abuurkiisa wacan, ugu horraysiiyay


Ayaantuu qur’aan soo diriyo, amaradiisiina 


Iqra waatii loo soo qadimay, aayadaha diinta 


Amuuraha qarsoon iyo Rabbaa, garan ujeedkiise


Aadmigu intuu qeexi karo, iniq-yar weeyaane 


Ufiirsada qorshaha Eebbeheen,  ina tusaaleeyay 

 


Afartaa qaryaan arartii iyo, gabay abbaartii dheh 


Afar kalana qawlkii abwaan, odhan lahaa jeer dheh.



Allaylehe qiraa’ada cilmigu, waa iftiin baxaye


Umadaha ilayskaa ka qada, aayatiin malahe 


Hadba qoom awood gaaban baa, soo adoonsada’e


Anfacada la quutiyo ma helo, oon la dhuunyado’e 


Arrad bay la wada qaawanyiin, aaran iyo dooge
Ubadkooda qawlaysatiyo, oorfanaw badane
Astaantoodu waa qaanso iyo, eebo iyo leebe 


Ambadkiyo qasaaraha umiga, waan ogsoonahaye 


Omoskaa qodxaha badan intaan, nalagu aafaynin


Orda qaata buugtoo jahliga, xidha albaabkiisa 

 

Afartaa qaryaan arartii iyo, gabay abbaartii dheh


Afar kalana qawlkii abwaan, odhan lahaa jeer dheh.

Afrikaay qabaar moog adaa, gabay intaadiiye
Qayrkaa wuxuu awr ku furay, ururtii dheerayde


Qorraxdaa la ootoo cirkaa, loo aroor tagaye 


Oogada saree qamarka waa, lagu ekaadaaye 


Obocdaa dhulkaa laga qotaa, agabyo waawayne 


Ardaa lagu qaxweeyiyo baddii, aagag laga seesye 


Qalab iyo intaa aalad baa, lagu adeegtaaye 


Aynigaa wuxuu quwad tabcaday, iidheh haw filine 


Aqoon iyo waxqabad buu ku tagay, agaha Fiinaase


Ka aflaxa waxbarashada adaa, qaday ayaankaaye 

 


Afartaa qaryaan arartii iyo, gabay abbaartii dheh


Afar kalana qodob aan ku xidhay, iyo afmeerkii dheh.

Akhris iyo qoraal saw tacliin, ibafurkeed maaha 


Ardaynimo adoon afartan sano, qaxar la eedaadin


Aqoonyahan la qiimeeyo saw, aayar noqo maaha


Indheergaradka qaaradaha idil, iniba meel joogto 


Iyo odayo iilkiyo qabriga, waayo lagu aasay


Aqal inaad kuwada qaabishiyo, edeg yar saw maaha


Erayada qurxoon iyo kasmada, ururso saw maaha 


Aqligaaga inaad qaybisiyo, aragtidii maanka


Ood iimahaagiyo qabyada, ebiddo saw maaha


Arrinka iyo qaabkay dunida, tahay akhbaarteedu 


Uurkaagu saw inuu runtii, oon u qabo maaha


Oollinkii qarniga iyo tagtada, nalaka awd-awday.

Dib inaad u eegtoo quftoo, aragto saw maaha
Qadarkiyo xilliga imanayee, loo alkumanaayo 


Aashaa qiyaas oo wakhtiga, saw oddoros maaha 


Ilduuf iyo adoo qalad ka jiray, awal go’aankaaga
Ambaqaad qaraar horumarloo, idibil saw maaha


Qulquloo asaagaa ku dhaaf, orodka saw maaha 


Abbaanduule qaanuunka iyo, haga aduunkoo dhan 


Akhristoow qofkii noqon lahaa, adiga saw maaha! 

 

Dansheeg

Duxda hadalka maahmaahda waa, lagu dalleeyaaye 


Duqaydii daliilkay dhigtiyo, dura haddaan eegno 


Diraac iyo abaar diirato'a, duunyo kala reebta 


Dawadeedu waa dirir di’iyo, daalaliyo roobe


Dan waxaan ku qabin waa midkii, dagalo caydhoobay.

Dirir iyo colaad lagu dugee, dunida saamaysa


Dawadeedu waa nabad du'dada, lagu dabaalaaye 


Dan waxaan ku qabin waa midkii, shalay la soo duugay. 

 
Gudcur dama habeen dadan dhulkoo, dugul madoobaaday 


Dawadiisu waa dayax iftiin, lagu dareemaaye.

Dan waxaan ku qabin waa indhool, araga loo diiday. 

  




Dulkaxaadis maansada haddaan, kuu dulmaray jaale


Dulucdiyo ujeedada haddaan, hoos u dagayeeye


Dagmadiyo dalkeenaa ifkiyo, nuurka laga daaray 


Duhurkiyo dugsiiyada aroor, laysku daba joogo


Darka ubadka soo joogsadee, Diinta baranaaya


Digriigiyo daraasaadka sare, uunka wada doonay


Dar Allee daryeelkaa cilmigu, darajo weeyaane 


Dan waxaan ku qabin naafo aan, cidi danaynaynin
Oo daranyadiisii jahliga, wali la diidaysa.

Haldoor iyo haddaad daaci tahay, sama u doodaaya 


Ama duubka odayadaa sitiyo, dawlad talinaysa 


Ama aad digigixootoo damiir, wali ku diiraayo 


Dadaalkiina Naafada maxaa, loogu dari waayay? 


Dulka dhago dalooliyo kuwaan, maqalka loo daynin
Daymada kuwaa laga xidhee, muuqa laga daahay 


Duubiyada kuwaa laga jareen, daqaqan gaadhynin


Oo dabakhyadaa aad gasheen, daana kori waayay
Dulmi iyo waxay tabanayaan, duudsi iyo liide 

Dabiibkiyo aqoontaa maxaa, loogu dari waayay? 


Degta iyo koluu duudka iyo, dusha xamaal saaro 


Ama uu dafiyo haad sideed, doollar ula boodo 

A
ma uu ugaadhaba dabtiyo, deeradiyo cawsha
Ama daasadaha hoorsadee, dawarsi meeraysto
Dadka kale xalbaa loo dayaa, dawga nololeede 


Ayagaan darsiga loo dhigoon, diraya mooyaane 


Daraf nolosha kuu buuxinayn, dacal banaanaaye


Dugsiiyaay tacliintaa maxaa, loogu dari waayay? 


Inkastoon dixeed iyo dhadhaab, didib u heesayno 


Oo doorka ruux noo damqada, maanta lagu diimo
Dibnahaan xaqoodaa dafirin, abid ka daalayne 


Dabuubtiyo waxaan deeladiyo, gabay ku soo duubay 


Dambarkiyo haddii daribta iyo, dahabka loo qaybsho 


Dadka maal ma deeqee waxaa, doojin kara uunka 


Duruustiyo cilmiga daabacanee, daaska wada yaala


Iyo daacadiyo waa cadliga, laga durduurtaaye


Docdayada nasiiyaay anaba, duul jiraan nahaye.

Hawa Jama Abdi in media

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