The journey of two sisters through a poem titled SKIA!

Recently my sister (Fatima) and I were sort of reflecting back on our childhood and the countries that we lived in and more specifically on Somalia. We both are striving individuals who sincerely want to contribute to the betterment of our homeland. Fatima has better memories of Somalia, and I often get to live them through her eyes. We both vision a Somalia that is in peace with itself, we dream the younger generation of our nation including ourselves to strive to be better Muslims and adhere to the path of our beloved prophet (Peace Be upon Him) to build a country that is unified on the issues of Somalinimo and respect everyone.

This poem reflects our journey of being born in Somalia, spending early childhood in Kenya, growing up as a child and teenagers in India and finally being adults in America – a place where we are using each platform given to us in terms of education and work in hopes of serving our country, inshAllah.

Somali

Waking up with rainbows that decorating the beautiful sky
In the land famously known as the Nation of Poets
As I tipped topped to my mother’s room for my morning kiss
I heard loud thunders of gun shots that would drastically change my life leaving me homeless for decades to come
As the war of ignorance and hatred tore my people apart
I bid farewell to the beauty and comfort that Somalia once possessed in hopes of finding a new shelter
The strings of my heart will forever yearn for my homeland

Kenya

We made it to a land where my Somalis are famously known as the infamous waryas
Physically we are secured, mentality tortured with the continuous chants of wapi kipanda yako?
Failure in having this Identity card would result in police brutality
The only means to escape was bribery
Oh my dear Africa, aren’t you exploited not only by the oppressor but also by the victim?
Oh my dear Kenya, I pray for your well-being and the end of the vultures that prey on your resources
On your beauty
On your kindness
Your acceptance of refugees of all ethnicities and religion is truly admired
Dear Kenya, you remain home only second to the land of my forefathers

India

They say it happens only in India
Where the country has the ability to embrace you regardless of your color, religion and background
We say It also happens in India where the dark ones are alienated and frowned upon
Words like Kali and African ape are chanted as the National anthem of country…
You see skin color is what describes you in this great land
The blacks are naturally inferiors in this society
India is also the land where we spent our childhood and teen life
We learned of family values and loving others unconditionally
This land instilled the love of education in our hearts
It taught us of being ambitious and striving for the best
It taught us to be tolerant individuals
It taught us to ignore the ignorant
It taught us to appreciate our beautiful black skin!

America

The land of opportunities, the land of refugees, the land of gold, the land of this and that and that and this and the land of immigrants…We are here!
Compare to Somalia it’s relatively peaceful,
Compare to Kenya it’s relatively more accepting
And compare to India this land lacks respect for its elders…
Our hearts shattered seeing elders strolling carts in super markets.
Where are the children so they could serve and care for their parents?
As a refugee you learn and appreciate a lot of things, we hope to never learn and appreciate this side of our new home
Our dreams are finally being fulfilled here…
We are finally living the dream immigrants cherish and protect in their hearts.
Alhamdulilah, praise to Allah Ta’aal for this beautiful journey we have experienced

Fatima and Halima Ahmed
halimaahmedd@gmail.com

Halima’s blog: http://phenomenal20.blogspot.com/

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*Glossary: wapi kipanda yako? Where is your kipanda? Kipanda is an indentity card that was introduced during the British colonist in Kenya to restrict the movement of the Kenyans. Ironically, the Kenyans use this as a means to restrict the movement of refugees in the country.

Kali: A derogatory term in Hindi meaning Black.
SKIA is an acronym for Somalia, Kenya, India and America