Fear of falcons and enduring Somali mythology

I still recall with nostalgia the good olden days when I was a small kid in a small town called Garba Tula. Situated in the middle of Isiolo County, this little town which was barely an overgrown village was fondly referred to as the Golden Town. We had beautiful flora and fauna and were surrounded by the Kora National Reserve. Do you remember George Adamson, the mzungu who used to keep lions at home? He was the person looking after wildlife at Kora. It was common to hear male lions growling at night and frequently wild animals such as elephants would stray into the town and cause a stir. Unfortunately, most of the wildlife has been pushed out due to human and wildlife conflict, and currently, you will hardly find these beautiful animals.

But one notable visitor to our homestead then was a beautiful falcon that liked to lazily rest on a nearby tree. Once in a while, it snatched little chicks from the hens. But mostly, they just peacefully watched over the area like a watchman. I remember whenever she observed the falcon, my mother used to say, Abshir, meaning be the bearer of glad tidings. Many years later I realised that the word used by my mother was common amongst ancient Somali people. In the Pre-Islamic period, the Cushitic communities including the Oromo and the Somali, had a common religion. In these two communities, God is referred to as Waaq, a cushitic sky God. This religion is sometimes also referred to as Waaqism. But there was also Huur messenger of death symbolised by a large bird. Therefore generally birds were both feared and revered. It, therefore, made much more sense to me when I reflected on the use of the word Abshir. Such birds can scare but sometimes even kill people, especially little kids.

To date, the Somali community is heavily influenced by some of the traditional symbolism and cultural syncretism that took over from the traditional religion that predated Islam. A good example is the concept of Ayaanle, the good spirits that acted as mediators between God and humans. There are people in Cushitic communities who to date practice this ancient Ayaanle ceremony where priests, mostly pious women, make a person possessed by evil spirits to speak in tongues.

I have personally observed these female priests performing very strange acts such as putting burning charcoal in their mouths without getting burnt. Their eyes turn yellow or red and they start chanting to the demons occupying the body of the victims. The spirit of Huur and the Ayaanle, therefore, seems to be collaborating. If a victim who is not possessed by the spirit was not redeemed, it meant death or someone becoming completely mad. Even though orthodox Islam now is the dominant movement among most Somalis, people who practice some form of syncretism can be found among some isolated groups associated with the Sufi movement.

My obsession with birds has been caused by these intrigues around birds in ancient Somali culture. Powerful birds like the bald eagles or the peregrine falcons are probably some of the most powerful animals of prey, way more powerful than most wild animals. Next time you see a falcon flying over your head just say Abshir. You never know - you might be the target of attack by this bird; you need to avoid that.

Mr Guleid is CEO, Frontier Counties Development Council.