12 Signs You Are From Hargeisa, Somaliland

Hargeisa is a city that is home to vast numbers of people from it and from across the world and while not every Hargeisan is those things listed below, a large number of Hargeisan’s possess 12 specific qualities. Read on for 12 signs you are from Hargeisa, Somaliland.

1. You Are Hard Core

The people who are from Hargeisa, Somaliland are raised to be very tough. The millennial generation in Hargeisa, Somaliland have parents who were young adults when the civil war that broke Somalia apart (Now Somalia and Somaliland) started. As a result children grow up with the mentally that if it doesn’t kill you it makes you stronger, children are told growing not to fear anyone but Allah and launch ahead.

2. On That Note Of Being A Hardcore

Hargeisans and their siblings formed a mini gang as kids, not to steal or harm anyone, but to stick up for each other when the need arises and believe me the need would arise often.

3. You Are A Passionate Speaker

If you’re from Hargeisa not speaking passionately is almost nonexistent especially about politics and soccer. When family members who aren’t from Hargeisa come back to the country they always comment on how loud everybody is. But then again it shows how much passion Hargeisans have for life.

4. Soccer & Politics

Ok! Can we talk about how much the majority of the people in Hargeisa love soccer (Talking about it and playing it) and politics? If a politician does something, you best believe you’ll hear elaborate deliberations on the subject from family, neighbors, commute to work, coworkers, social media you name it, it’s there. Soccer is the same, growing up the male children in Hargeisa are extremely athletic, even when they don’t have access to soccer balls they stuff a bunch of socks to mimic a ball and play with it.

5. Kids Self Entertain

Here is the thing, while Hargeisa is a beautiful capital with almost all the means in well off countries, it wasn’t always like that. Especially when the civil war came to an end and people were resettling there wasn’t much to do as a child and so kids would always invent all kinds of games from chagi chagi, to riyo ka dalis, to shabadaan (all are children’s games involving sand and rocks) to entertain themselves.

6. Passion Isn’t Restricted To Talking

Hargeisans have close passionate relationships with their family members, it doesn’t always have to involve distant family like cousins, aunts or uncles but your siblings and parents. People are usually very close and so sometimes they fight, they argue up to almost killing each other but they never do, they make up immediately after fighting and nothing really separates a Hargeisan family.

7. Abroad & Hargeisa

Again going back to the issue of civil war, in the advent of war, the people of Somaliland had to flee their country in hope of a better life for both them and their dependents, one of the signs you’re from Hargeisa is if some portion of your family lives abroad.

8. No Water

Because of the civil war and resettlement the people of Somaliland didn’t have access to many activities growing up, one of those activities being swimming. Unless you’re from those parts of the country that has seas you don’t know how to swim, especially Hargeisans, Hargeisa doesn’t have water bodies and so Hargeisans can’t swim.

9. Private Schools Vs Public Schools

Signs you’re a Hargeisan is if half the kids went to a private school growing up while the other half went to a public school and both parties obsessed over how their educational system is far better than the other and both parties possessed an incorrect notion about the other party, Private School kids are cocky and soft vs Public School kids are rude and gangstery. But when people get to university which combines people from everywhere across the country even from different Somali countries everybody is always baffled at how similar they actually are. I know I was!

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10. Siesta

The people from Hargeisa are used to taking noon siesta that if they ever move to a different country it gets very difficult for them to actually stop. Due to school – work times in Hargeisa plus the weather it makes sense to take a nap at noon but boy does giving it up take persistence.

11. Umrah

The people from Hargeisa have a close bond with Islam (The Faith of the people of Somaliland) and so the biggest dream at top of their dream list is to perform Umbrah (The Holly Pilgrimage To Mecca) with their parents and/or spouses. Which is why the moment someone starts making good money the first thing they do is Umrah.

12. Allah, Parents, Everything Else

Hargeisans grow up with the mentality that Allah is at the heart of their universe, their parents come second then everything else in life. It is established in households that the key to life is your creator Allah. It all starts and ends with him. Then your parents, which is why people from Hargeisa, Somaliland possess a strong moral compass. Every time someone does something bad the first thing they’re told is “Illaahay baa ku arkaya” meaning “Allah can see you so stop.

Children are taught from a very young age to respect and regard their parents. “Your parent even if they’re wrong deserve your at most compassion and care” is a notion that every Hargeisan is taught. Which is why you’ll see a hooligan sometimes that has no regard for anything crumble when his/her mom shows and will immediately start behaving.

What do you think of these signs you are from Hargeisa, Somaliland? Let us know in the comments below!

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