MEMORIALIZING THE PAST

Yesterday, I had a hectic day searching for a memory card for my Sony HI-8 Camera. Finally, close to sunset, a Gikuyu friend sold one to me. It was bought in Mororo. Strange enough, even the memory card is Sony. Nowadays, every Dick, Tom, and Harry is a Photographer. The same applies to every Diifley, Deredleey, and Dareenleey with a Smartphone.

Due to globalization and human inter-connectedness and the world transforming into a global village, our own Geeljire and Jilley, whether in Addoo Booddaa, Wallu Gabaaba, Dheekaa Harja, Asaaqo or Kamoor Arba or Arba Daboolo, can now, with ease, teleconference and as well video-conference with the livestock owners anywhere in the world as long us data bundles are available from Safaricom and other carriers.

To better memorialize our past, I'd suggest we look for hand pictorialization or graphic experts who can redraw the special changes or events our people have been through that are worth recollecting. We need to have a vivid recollection or depiction of the old bridge, the one and only loudspeaker around the main prison that blazoned "Dheerow, Dheerow, Dheerow--Dheerooow adigana Dheeroow--dhinaca iga soo joogsoo dhunkashada mar ii dhiibee", and the only two main gates--one around where Garissa Yarey and Sankuri Road converge near the graveyard where there was a mtaro and the other one was near the old Father John. This was the era of forced villagization--a kind of concentration camp.

The old town deserves pictorial recreation. It is worth recollecting the afternoon and evening children's play times and playgrounds. The hide-and seek after maqrib song like:

Loo loo loow
Loon daaroow
Kureydi ciddaa
Waan boornaa
Waana bakisnaa
Sac la booranaa
Waa balaayee
Soo baxaay...

Boys teasing of young girls with the song:
Foodleey fajo
Fiijaan isgeli
Faataxa burburi
Loodaayn horteed
Heey noo dheh

The insulting language can be paraphrased to give it better, appealing taste that rhymes with modernity.

The dress code of the men and women of old should be put into perspective. The men's bafta and hidha (ceylon) and ladies' baluugleey that were garxir (gareys) with one breast visible on one side, the kabo Carbeed sandals (dacas) and men's Dood and Leylon (nylon) shoes, the hagoog headscarf, and other olden regalia could be included.

Fauna and flora of all types deserve enumeration. What were the favorite fruits children ate those days? Later miraa chewers started from munching the Kamoora shrub. Mareer fruits, Janow branches, Dheekaa Booneed, Lika, and roots and tubers were delicacies. Those who could not afford Big-G or chewing gums enjoyed Hambaq (xabag). What happened to the Dana plant?

Please note that I'm a trained Photographer previously (1998) employed by QUALEX Inc, USA.