Cultural References:
The father and son in the short story were from Ogaden and spoke Somali. Their country was independent and powerful until forces came over to Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia) and made them stronger. The people that came over used their weapons and strength to capture Harar in 1884 and raid Ogaden villages. Eventually, the Ogaden people gave in and signed a treaty, and Abyssinia took over their country in 1948. The narrator’s father was the translator for the Ogaden people and was present during the signing of the treaty.
http://www.sidamaconcern.com/articles/ogaden_past_present.htm
Vocabulary
Factotum- an employee who does all kinds of work
Boiled sweets- hard candies
Truant- wandering, straying
Jaamuus-
Euneched- castrated
Ignominous- deserving or causing public disgrace or shame
Class Notes
-Father is a translator for an Englishman.
-Father is short-tempered with his family and people he’s comfortable around.
-Kid is three years old and didn’t eat the candy out of respect for his mother.
-Father acts very passive towards Englishman, when the child knows he doesn’t act like this in the house.
-Before the child had to leave with his father to visit the Englishman, he remembers his parents arguing. His mother were asking why do you deal with these people who are taking over our county. Why don’t you stand up to them.
-Pivotal occasion in the child’s life.
-Child is saying that his father beats his older brother. The father was either very aggressive or patting them on the head. Remembered his hands.
-The child knew that even at the age of three, he had to behave when his father pushed him forward.
-Kid heard arguing and yelling going on between the people and screamed as loud as he could. Englishman looked down at the kid and apologizes to him and adjorns the meeting to another time.
-At the next meeting, the Ogaden people signed the treaty.
-He says that maybe is his mother was around, she could have had a say in it, but really, she didn’t have a say in anything.
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2 comments:
Good. This cultural reference gives context to the story and helps us understand the behavior of the parents in the story - ex. the strength and pride of the mother, the father's aggression at home yet submissive behavior with the Englishman... In the future, please link the url so we can have easier access to the sites.
Thanks mr nurrudin Farah, you are member of intellectuals of Somali people.
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