Growing Up in Dayuuna

None of us attended school because my family lived as nomads. Nomads are people who travel or move with their animals to find fresh pasture and more importantly water or rain! 

Usually, the weather is beautiful and comfortable. Summers are a little hot but not too bad.

I grew up and spent most of my life in Dayuuna, Somalia. My father had many cows and camels. Lots of them! 

Parents would teach their kids using a special ink and write on a special piece of wood called Loox and learn about the Quran. 

 The Loox is like a chalkboard and the ink is erasable

We normally used the clean water to cook and clean our dishes or take showers. They also change some of our livestock for clothing and other items.

In Somalia, women are in charge of finding water and logs or wood. The men herd the camels and cows. They bring back other things to cook.

Umulkatum is a fourth grade student at Crawford Elementary School. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up. 

We ate a lot of grain and rice. My favorite fruit is marreer. We also made oil from cow milk. You have to shake it until it becomes oil. We normally use wood and charcoal to cook.

My favorite food is milk, both camel and cow. Why? Because camel milk cures a lot of diseases.

I had four sisters and a brother, but they passed away at an early age.

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