SUFI POETRY IN SOMALI

196.

Text 23

In Somali traditional law, when there is dispute between
individuals, an ad hoc arbitration council is summoned. The
proceedings of such a council can be attended by all adult
male members of the community. It has no official position
and there is no hierarchy.of courts and the participants can

meet at any time at any place. Customarily, however, the

councillors sit under the shade of a tree in a circle near a
nomadic hamlet. The meeting is started with a prayer and
recitation of Quranic verses. When the prayer ends, the
disputants are summoned to present their cases to the council.
The plaintiff is heard first, then the defendant and an ex-

change of arguments follows. In the end, the council

deliberates over the matter and reaches a decision which has

to be approved by the majority of the judges. This decision

can either be accepted by both parties or rejected by one of

the parties if he so desires. In this poem, Pride and

Greed, which are personified, act as disputants who are

brought before an arbitration council to present their
respective argumen't"s. It should be noted that a dispute
brought before an arbitration panel need not concern the re^6
dress of a grievance. It could be a dispute over a matter of
a principle or conflicting point of vie~. In this poem which
is presented as if it were a dispute of such type, the poet

delivers a sermon in disguise, showing the odious nature of

the two disputant's. FaT an account of such ad hoc arbi tration

courts see Lewis, 1961, p~.228-38.