Here is me reciting this poem on Somali Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVTwdkFvwfw
Do not ask me about my tribe.
For I am not only a tribe.
Ask me about my profession, about my education, my passion, my ambition!
Ask me about what interests me or about my love for my land and people.
Ask me how are you and not who are you.
Do not ask me about my tribe.
For I am not a tribe perpetuating subject matter.
And I know that tribe speaks in Somalia!
Oh I know that it has a very loud voice and eyes too!
But do not ask me about my tribe.
I refuse to be enemies with my brothers and sisters because of tribe.
I refuse shallow thinking.
I refuse tribe because war is not my language.
I refuse tribe because our bodies are shaking with grief.
And tribe has failed us.
Tribe has broken us into pieces.
Oh tribe has destroyed us.
We refuse tribe because we want no more of divide and rule.
We scream in desperation stop the murder, stop the tribalism!
Forget about my tribe.
And I don\’t care about yours.
Let the women live with dignity!
Let the girls go to school!
Let the boys swim in the sea!
For we are all not only tribes!
