Five regular street drunkards were noisy and rowdy. One was shirtless, as London is currently hot (we are in summer). Two wore shorts. All had beer cans and cigarettes.
The four kept yelling at shirtless. Shirtless, hopped up and down, around the quartet like a dancer in Michael Jackson’s 1980s Thriller video.
“I am not Somali!”
Shirtless shouted irritatingly.
The quartet jeered. Two spat phlegm and saliva, constantly. An approaching female quickly crossed the road. Another covered her mouth.
“You are Somali! I know where you live!”
The group’s ceaseless laughter resembled a motorbike with a broken exhaust pipe.
“If you are not Somali who are you then?”
“You idiots. I am Eritrean. My name is Abel! Is that Somali?”
The four kept roaring.
“Eritrea? Abel? You! Ahmed!”
Ha ha ha…
“Ahmed the Somali referee!”
Ha ha ha!
Shirtless rammed his beer can on the nearest mate. A rough scuffle of the drunkards, erupted.
We live in a world of pride and prejudice.
An 1971 incident at my former school Ilboru – flashbacks. Each month, we gathered, forming a circle to witness fellow boys, trading fists and neck locks (“Kabali”).
Now.
A Maasai had called Hehe class mate, Ol Meeeki (non Maasais).
Every tribe and race has a word for “others.”
Chaggas, we say – “Kyasaka”…
The angered Hehe boy cited Chief Mkwawa as a hero; the Maasai, equally proud, insisted, Ol Meeeki.
Both finished with swollen faces. Never spoke, till end of term.
Prejudice rides the world.
East Africans, we call whites, Wazungu. However, not as a slur. In Latin America, it is “Gringo” (Gringa for females), while Germans use, “Auslander” (Foreigner). All these words depend on context and how presented.
Black South Africans call black foreigners “makwerekwere”…
UK has “Pakis” a slur referring to South Asians… America owns the infamous, N word.
The past few years has seen rise of anti Islamic, Somali vibe, in the USA. And besides, Minneapolis; climaxed in the international referee Omar Artan being denied entry, for the ongoing World Cup. Fortunately, he shall get his salary. Fortunately, UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) shall let him officiate the August 2026 Super Cup final in Austria; Aston Villa versus Paris Saint Germain. Despite hatred, and prejudice; humanness, somehow, rules.
