Guri ann hooyo lahayni waa lama degaan, a house without a mother is deserted.
Hooyo, the word for mother in the Somali language, holds its roots in the word hoy, meaning home.
In Somali culture, women are the backbone of the household, the anchor of the community and the epitome of the resilience and hospitality that the Somali people are revered for.
From before the conception of a child, the Somali woman lives in service to those around her – her parents, her grandparents and anyone she may see that seeks help without requesting it. Her efforts and her actions are not merely external but are a reflection of the kindness and compassion that has been instilled in her.
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As she fuels the livelihood of those around her, she is nourished by her many Habo’s and Edo’s – her aunties – who resemble a safety net, present to catch her so she may never fall. In every aspect of her life, since the day she was born to the day she is old, they guide and support her so she may never meet the hardness of isolation or lack of love.
When she approaches her marriage to the man whom she loves, every woman endows her with her love and prayers, while sharing their unconditional support for her with their presence. The Somali woman feels as if she is the center of the universe and her wedding celebration continues for days, as she’s gifted with dowry, gold, and the most stunning Dirac, dresses. She is showered with an unimaginable amount of love and peace that she is subconsciously certain that no challenge that she may face in her life will be tackled alone.
Even after her marriage – whether a day, a year, or a decade has passed – her family and community, centered with the kindest women, remain in her life as if nothing had changed. She continues to enjoin the daily chatter of the women, sharing laughter that causes the heart to overflow with joy. And when she is blessed with a daughter of her own, the cycle begin anew. Her daughter becomes the pearl of the community, honored with the generational love that Somali women have been nurtured with for centuries.
In many societies today, the love of a mother is expected to emerge from a woman who has never truly known love herself. Many women grow up in the shadows of fear and instability, uncertain of what the future holds. They are denied the power of family and community, leaving them to navigate womanhood in isolation.
In many societies today, the love of a mother is expected to emerge from the heart of a woman that has not been touched with true love. Many women have been raised in the shadows of fear and instability, uncertain of what the future hold. Never having experienced the power of family and community, they are left to navigate being a mother in isolation.
Womanhood is not taught, let alone can it be birthed from nothing. It is the equivalent of a seed that has been watered, fertilized and provided with the sun and nutrients it needs to flourish – womanhood is experienced.
From Somaliland, “the nation of poets,” the great poet Maxamed Ibraahin Warsame, known as Hadraawi, meaning “Master of Speech,” wrote a poem called Hooyo (Mother). Below is an excerpt from his work:
Hooyoy dushaadaa
Nabad lagu hubaayoo
Oh Mother, through you
Peace is made certain
Hooyoy dhabtaadaa
Hurdo lagu gam’aayoo
Oh Mother, on your lap
The child falls to sleep
Hooyoy taftaadaa
Dugsi laga helaayoo
Waxa lagu hal-maalaa
Oh Mother, by your hem
Shelter is found
Hooyo ababintaadee
Oh Mother, the infants
Benefit from your teaching
Hayin lagu badhaadhaay
You gladden the camel calf
Hogol lagu qaboobaay
You, the rain cloud that cools
Gogol lama huraaneey
You, the essential sleeping mat
Dugsigii hufnaantaay
You, the clean shelter
Hidda lagu arooraay.
You, a heritage all journey towards.
The legacy of Somali motherhood is not simply one of bearing children, but of cultivating entire generations—passing down love, resilience, and wisdom like an heirloom. The warmth of a Hooyo is not just in her arms but in the home she creates, the community she upholds, and the future she nurtures.
A house without a mother is deserted, but a home touched by a mother’s love is eternal.
