Ali Bu'ul


Ali Bu'ul, was a famous Somali poet, military leader and sultan from the 19th century originating from the North Western part of Somalia and Djibouti. Renown for his short lined poems who were in vogue before the early 20th century. Many of his poems are still known today

History

Originally from the Aden Yonis section of the Makahil Samaron. A renown poet from the 19th century among the ranks of Adan Gurey and Mahamed Abdille Hassan. Ali Bu'ul has produced numerous poems that still to this day are read and presented at gatherings. He was born in the Awdal region in the district of Borama.
He opposed the Abyssinians from taxing the Somali inhabitant in current area we know Somali region of Ethiopia. He was celebrated for his geeraar. Geeraars are traditionally mostly recited during challenging times of war and battle. The Gadabursi were renown for praising their horses in their geeraar and echoing their name. Ali Bu'ul as a military leader he met the Sayyid or Mahamed Abdullah Hassan somewhere within the current borders the Somali region of Ethiopia. The Sayid was amazed to hear that the Gadabursi are renown for praising their horsing very much and long in their geeraar and echoing the horses their names. The religious leaders Mahamed Abdullah decided to hear for himself and challenged Ali Bu'ul. They slinged insults and threats at each other. It was then that the famous poem Amaan Faras was recited by Ali Bu'ul while riding his horse, which till this day is taught in Somali schools and is widely known among the Somali people.
The poem is titled Amaan Faras which translated to In Praise of My Horse:
Here is where he coined the term Guulwade, which Somalis still use up to this day and especially during Somalia's revolutionary council years A fraction of the poem illustrated in the Gadabursi script translated as:
Another famous poem by Ali Bu'ul is Guulside, which translates to Victory-Bearer, here is an extract from the poem:
this particular poem alliterates echoing the horse's name.
Here is the full English translation of the extract mentioned above in Somali:
Here is the full translation of Guulside translated, translated and compiled by B. & S. Andrzejewski, published by Indiana University Press in An Anthology of Somali Poetry:
The full translation of Guulside