March 22, 2013

Somali & European American Intercultural Communication

INTRODUCTION

i. Service Learning Experience and Focus Culture

This paper interprets the beliefs, values, norms, and social practices of Somali

culture juxtaposed against my own European American culture. Facts were collected

through a combination of online research, interview, class assignments, and more than

30 hours of service learning experience.

The Somali community has fascinated me ever since I began volunteering at

Markham Elementary school in October, 2012, where I work one-on-one helping

multicultural first grade students learn to read. My Somali experience is limited to those

encounters, as well as their parents in the hall and other Somalis on the street near the

school. I interviewed the Somali community advocate, Roda, who is a part-time first

grade ELL teacher at Markham and who also works with other Somalis on the east side,

many of whom are Bantu Somalis.

ii. Somali Cultural Background

To understand Somali culture, one must begin with the understanding that most

Somali families belong to one of 6 primary clans, after which they are subdivided

into smaller clans, and then into families. Since they are members of a collectivist1

1Lustig, M.W. and Koesler, Intercultural Competence. J. GLOBE Cultural Taxonomy. Individualism-Collectivism: “The degree to which people express pride, loyalty, and cohesiveness in their family.”

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culture, their personal identity is linked to their clan and family. For that reason, they

would greet a new person by asking “Whom are you from?” instead of “Where are you

from?”2 All Somalis have been Muslim since the 11th and 12th centuries, when Islamic

religion came to Somalia. Although other African countries have populations with mixed

religions and languages, the Somalis do not, and they all speak the same language:

Somali. Their culture is a tapestry of ancient traditions interwoven with Islamic beliefs.

. iii. Somali Emigration

When their civil war broke out, clans competed for power with using “weapons of

mass destruction” that were provided by the U. S. and Russia. By 1992, 45% of the

population was displaced, and by 1993, 50% of the children under 5 had died from

violence, starvation, and disease. Approximately 1,000,000 Somali refugees from many

different backgrounds have left their country. Some had been urban government

workers, business people, or worked in different trades, whereas others were farmers

with nomadic backgrounds.

Most of the Somalis who arrived in this country before 1991 came voluntarily to

better themselves, but in the Portland area, many came from Kenyan refugee camps

where they gone to escape from the horrors of their war-torn homeland. Many are

homesick for their own country, their way of life, friends, and for family members who

could not travel. Sometimes the residual stress from civil war violence and the loss of

family members in this collectivist society makes their life difficult.

2 Diversity Council of Rochester, Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.diversitycouncil.org/RISESomalia.shtml

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I interpret this kind stress as PTSD, for which they could get help. However,

Somalis do not acknowledge mental health problem, so they don’t ask for the kind of

help they need.3 By contrast, my family is several generations away from relatives who

migrated to the U.S., so I can’t really comprehend how they feel about what has

happened, nor how difficult life was in a refugee camp.

Since I am part of an individualist4 culture, I do not have the same sense of group

identity as their collectivist culture. I cannot know what it is like for them to move halfway

around the world, leaving members of their family behind because they are too sick or

too old to travel. As a European American, I am culturally and personally an

individualist, so I have moved away from Oregon many times by choice, never

experiencing the kind of loss a Somali would feel when leaving extended family.

3 Diversity Council of Rochester, Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.diversitycouncil.org/RISESomalia.shtml4 Lustig and Koester.

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I. CULTURAL VALUES

a. POWER DISTANCE

In Somali culture, most Power Distance5 affiliations apply to age, gender, and

professional relationships, such as teachers and doctors. In addition, Power Distance

social hierarchies do exist with the Somalis’ relationship to Bantu Somalis. The Somalis

are “ethnically and culturally distinct from the Somali nomads and the coastal people,

who generally disdain agriculture and value a tribal lineage system that does not include

the Bantu”.6

The Somalis consider the Bantus “beneath them” because the Bantus were

slaves in their homeland. On this note, Kate Naganuma, the first grade teacher I help at

Markham Elementary School, said she cannot tell the difference between the two

cultures, but some of the children in her classroom were told by their parents that they

were not supposed to play with certain other children.

Personally, this seems very similar to the racist attitudes many European

Americans had before the Civil Rights movement, and where in some areas of this

country, racism is still alive in my culture. For example, about 5 years ago an hispanic

woman friend went to a wedding in Texas, but the country club where the wedding was

to take place refused to let her in because of her dark skin and hair.

5 Lustig and Koester. Intercultural Competence. GLOBE Cultural Taxonomy, Power Distance: “The degree to which people believe that power should be stratified, unequally shared, and concentrated at higher levels of an organization or government.” 6Van Lehman, Dan, and Eno, Omar. (2003) The Somali Bantu, Their History and Culture. Culture Profile No. 16. Center for Applied Linguistics, The Cultural Orientatin Resource Center, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.culturalorientation.net

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Another personal Power Distance example of European American racism

involves some of my grandchildren, who are half-Black. About 10 years ago they lived in

Tualatin before it was multicultural. One day the kids came home from school and

asked their mom what nigger meant: a playmate had used that word with them.

For another surprising European American cultural fact, I attended a recent

lecture at PCC Sylvania about why there are not more Blacks in Oregon. Even though I

grew up here, she presented astonishing facts I was not aware of. Up until recently, an

Oregon law prohibited Black people from living in Oregon, and when there was a vote to

repeal the bill, some people objected on “historical” grounds. At one time Oregon had

about 6000 Blacks but 250,000 Ku Klux Klan members.

b. GENDER EGALITARIANISM

Somali gender roles are clear: men support the family, women take care of the

house and children, and women always defer to men, especially in public. By

comparison, European Americans have no Gender Egalitarianism7 standard because

my culture incorporates a wide range of backgrounds. However, some conservative

religions in this country follow the same gender roles. Some Baptists, for instance,

believe that the man is in charge: he is the breadwinner, he should be obeyed, and

the woman should stay home and take care of the house and children. I have been

there, and will pass that fork in the road next time.

7 Lustig and Koester. Intercultural Competence. GLOBE Cultural Taxonomy, Gender Egalitarianism means: “The extent to which people minimize gender role differences and gender discrimination while promoting gender equality.”

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Although it is not required, most Somali women wear hijabs over their heads to

communicate their dedication to Islamic faith, to honor their husband’s wishes, and

sometimes to maintain a sense of cultural identity. At the beginning of my Markham

volunteer experience, I naively assumed everyone who covered her head was

Somali, including those who cover their face with a veil. As I learned through research

in this class, the hijab indicates the women are Muslim, but not necessarily Somali. In

fact, Somali women have never worn veils.

c. HUMANE ORIENTATION

Our textbook defines the GLOBE Cultural Taxonomy Humane Orientation as:

“The degree to which people encourage others to be fair, altruistic, friendly, generous,

caring, and kind”. This definition accurately defines the Somalis’ caring attitude and

actions, which stem from their Islamic religion. One of the many ways Somalis

demonstrate their charity towards others is by inviting travelers into their home to stay

for as long as they need to, including people they do not know.

I wonder if the practice of inviting travelers into the home might have originated

with their past nomadic desert lives. From my perspective, this is an incredibly generous

offer, especially to strangers, and it makes me want to meet them. I appreciate selfless

people and would like to become friends with Somalis. My first thought is that I cannot

imagine inviting a stranger into my home unless referred by someone, or unless I met

them first so I could make some kind of personal judgment.

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After writing the former sentence, I realized that I actually have met strangers

and helped them, some of whom I would have brought home if they needed it. Winter

term I met an Iraqui teenager who was trying to figure out how to finish high school at

PCC. She did not speak English well and I didn’t know how much she really understood,

because she was always quick to say yes. I worked with PCC and Reem off and on for

about a week or ten days until we got it straightened out, and she has just completed

the MAP English program and is read for the Gateway program, and I’m so pleased that

I could help her. If she were in trouble I would take her in, so I guess I do have some of

the same charity of spirit as the Somalis.

Somalis take care of each other with whatever is needed, including money. It is

against Islamic religion to pay interest, so they find creative ways to help fund each

other. Sometimes they form groups and pool their money on scheduled dates. Each

person in the group takes a turn receiving the money, and if one person needs extra

cash for some reason, such as to start a business, the group gives that person extra

turns at receiving the money pool.8

In the same context, when people see Somalis driving newer cars, they often

wonder how the Somali refugees can afford them. What they don’t realize is that several

families often own a car together, and many Somalis work 2 or 3 jobs to support their

large families. In addition, most of them also send money back home to Africa for

support of elders and family members who could not travel.

8 Roble, Abdi, The Somali Dispora in America, University of Minnesota Press,

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On a personal note about Somalis and charity, one day when I was helping a first

grade Somali girl learn to read, she told me I would go to heaven. I asked what she

meant, and she replied that her mom told her: “People who do good things for other

people go to heaven.” I smiled and accepted the compliment, impressed that a 6 year-

old would understand that as a volunteer, I was “doing good things”.

II. VERBAL COMMUNICATION

a. Pets

One day at Markham the subject of pets came up when we were reading a book

about a family with a dog. I asked one of the girls if she had a dog, and she looked up,

shocked, and exclaimed: “No! We cannot touch dogs! If I touch a dog I must wash my

hands 7 times with a special soap and dry them 7 times”. I really wondered what kind of

soap it might be, but it was not the time or place to ask. Somalis consider dogs

“impure”, and they are never allowed inside a Somali’s home.

By contrast, consider the European American cultural attitude towards dogs,

which is just the opposite. Dogs are pets that become a reason for dialogue with others,

even strangers. Many Portland families more than one dog, and “doggy daycare”

businesses thrive because people like my daughter want to make sure their pet is

having a fun day if they are not home. It is a custom that seems strange to me, as I was

brought up that a dog is a pet that must be fed, kept clean, and given affection, but is

NOT exactly a “family member” in the way today’s dogs are.

b. Celebrations

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I once asked a Somali girl when her birthday was, and she replied that they don’t

celebrate birthdays or any other holidays . . . only Muslim celebrations. Roda, the

Somali community advocate, told me they have one large celebration when the religious

month of fasting is over. During that month, they fast during the day and only eat at

night.

In European American culture, by contrast, we celebrate everything, from our

own birthdays to presidents’ birthdays to country’s birthdays. Personally, I look for every

possible opportunity to celebrate something because I enjoy celebrating small special

moments with friends and relatives.

Some of the Somali girls I work with are talkative, some less so, but all are very

friendly and happy. I find Somali women friendly, also, in the halls at school and on the

street when we pass. They always smile and say hi, which is more than I can say for

most European Americans in Portland. There is no specific cultural European American

characteristic relating to verbal communication, but after spending most of my life in

Portland, then living in Santa Fe, NM, and Honolulu, HI, I find people much friendlier in

those places, and have always felt that people in Portland are not particularly friendly.

Instead of culture-related, I wonder if the local verbal attitude is weather-related. Are

people in sunny climates friendlier than those in dark dreary climates? If so, I wonder if

that means once the Somalis have been here a while, they will adapt to the dark

weather and not be as friendly.

c. Voice and Gestures

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When Somalis communicate with each other it can sound like they are arguing

even when they are not, because they often use animated and loud voices.9 From my

perspective, loud voices are very disturbing and disruptive if they are angry or hostile

because I respond emotionally to conflict. If the voices are just loud and animated, such

as when I am riding the bus, it can be a little disturbing.

III. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

a. Eye Contact

Looking someone in the eye is considered rude and disrespectful10 in Somali

religion and culture. However, I see adaptation11 in my service learning, where women

walking in the halls or on the street look me in the eye and smile or say hello. In

European American culture, by contrast, people who do not look another person in the

eye when speaking are sometimes be perceived as not telling the truth. In realty, they

might just be shy.

b. Personal Space

In Somali culture, people stand very close each other during a conversation, and

often use large gestures and touch12. I have not seen this at Markham because I work

with children; when parents bring children to school, they do not stay and talk with each

9 Somali Culture: An Overview, Diversity Tip Sheet, Diversity Toolkit for Businss)10 Alomari,O.11 Lustig and Koester, GLOBE Cultural Taxonomy: Adaptation is the process by which people establish and maintain relatively stable, helpful, and mutually shared relationships with others upon relocating to an unfamiliar cultural setting.12 Literacy Handbook Somalia, University of Minnesota

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other. By contrast, European American culture does define a cultural trait for personal

space. However, I do not like people standing too close when they talk, nor do most

people that I know.

c. Touch

Somalis do not touch people of the opposite gender except for family and close

friends, and only female physicians may examine women, so Muslim countries have the

most female gynecologists in the world. We European Americans, however, greet

everyone with handshakes, hugs, and sometimes a kiss, which is more international,

the specifics depending on individual countries. Personally, I don’t really like the “false”

hug greetings of people I don’t like or don’t feel close to.

Somalis shake hands the same way I do, with a gentle handshake. Some other

people of European American descent, especially men, shake hands briskly and

squeeze hard, which hurts because I have arthritis in my hands. I want to scream at the

shock when it happens, but I bite my tongue. Somalis always use the right hand,

because using the left hand is an insult. European Americans also use the right hand,

as does most of the world. However, the reason is not because it is rude to use the left

hand, but instead because it is common practice and it would be hard to shake using

with the left hand if someone extended her right hand.

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d. Pointing a Finger

To Somalis, the act of pointing a finger at someone is insulting, whereas in

European American culture, it is just rude. I was not aware of this difference until

recently, but now that I know, it explains a situation I encountered at Markham only a

few weeks ago. One of the Somali girls complained that another child was pointing a

finger at her. She seemed very distressed, and I thought it was out of proportion to the

deed, because I didn’t know the cultural norm. One of the reasons it is insulting to

Somalis is because that is a gesture one uses to call a dog.13

e. Snapping Fingers

When a Somali snaps the fingers, it means that person is trying to remember

something that happened a long time ago14. I have also snapped my finger when I

remembered something, but not when trying to remember, so I don’t know if it’s the

same thing and possibly a translation issue or not. Snapping the fingers in European

American culture has a variety of other meanings, and some are quite rude, such as

trying to get someone’s attention or calling a waiter.

f. Crossing Legs

Somalis believe crossing the legs is rude. Apparently it was used in the past to

express power and wealth, which Islam rejects. In my culture, it has no meaning.

13 Alomari, O.14 Alomari, O.

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g. Shoe Soles

In Somali culture, it is rude to show the soles of one’s shoes because they are

dirty and show the “impurity of the ground in the face of others”.15 In European American

culture, of course, there is no cultural interpretation for showing the soles.

IV. RELATIONAL COMMUNICATION

When I interviewed Roda, the Somali community advocate and ELL teacher at

Markham, she explained that teachers often have a difficult time communicating with

Somali parents, primarily because Somalis believe parents should never question the

teacher. In their culture, they believe meeting with the teacher to discuss their child

shows disrespect, and that they are never supposed to question what a teacher says or

does. They believe they are supposed to stay out of it and let the teachers do their jobs,

so they just don’t understand the premise of a parent-teacher meeting. By contrast, U.S.

Americans often complain to and about teachers, who are certainly not given the same

respect as in the Somali culture.

For the same reason, very few parents read the school newsletter or a teacher’s

note in the child’s backpack. Markham Principal Shawn Garnett has found a creative

way to counter this problem. The Somalis are friendly and enjoy getting together with

other Somalis, so she invites them for a monthly social gathering with refreshments, at

which time she can talk with them as a group and individually.

15 Literacy Handbook Somalia

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V. REFLECTION

As I reflect upon what I have learned about the Somali culture, I realize I have

barely touched the tip of the iceberg. To some extent, I think the only way I can learn

more is to volunteer with a social service agency that helps them, which I don’t have

time for now, or to learn more about Islamic faith. Of course, I can research through

books and internet, but I will never really know much unless I become friends with a

Somali. I may learn more from Principal Shawn Garnett, but one way or another I am

connected to this school and to the Somali in this neighborhood.

Socially, they connect with each other through the Muslim faith, as there are

several mosques nearby. I do not know if there are community advocates like Roda in

other Portland locations where groups of Somalis were placed or have settled, but

refugee and immigrant advocacy groups like IRCO16 who help them.

Intercultural communication now plays a key role in communities and

neighborhoods, and it would be helpful for neighborhood associations to include people

on their board who could speak to the issues, and explain the beliefs, norms, values,

and social practices of their culture for a more common understanding between people.

As my bibliography indicates, some European American “white bread” communities

have formed groups to help in places like Canada, Minnesota, and Ohio. The more I

learn, the more I realize I don’t know. This class has fueled my passion even more to

direct my educational path towards helping immigrants and refugees, and particularly

the Somalis. My antennae are out to explore what I can do help and what my education

should be.

BIBLIOGRAPHY16 Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization

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Alomari, O. A Guide to Somali Culture, Ohio Homeland Security, Ohio Dept. of Public Safety. Retrieved from http://www.publicsafety.ohio.gov/links/HLS0075.pdf

Diversity Council of Rochester, Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.diversitycouncil.org/RISESomalia.shtml

Hardwick, S.W. and Meach, J.E.. Placing the Refugee Diaspora to Portland, Oregon: Suburban Expansion and Densification in a Re-Emerging Gateway. Retrieved

Literacy Handbook Somalia. Diversity Tip Sheet: Somali Culture: An Overview. Diversity Council of Rochester, Minnesota. University of Minnesota. Retrieved from:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:yVYa5-GhFhYJ:www.diversitycouncil.org/toolkit/Resources_TipSheet_SomaliCulture.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgdIv8N8RHDpmQ0tgkoAenPddCXxnanR7UnGSiA5ZCWjyNUqyAGe0ua41xiGYyrXoDvQ-UpAyzm7tY66DkLOsOajvvtkWTMudsWb-4EP3KFyD0UEA_TpsfgkiTrfvb_L5AI9kBe&sig=AHIEtbRGYCcvhELeilKVwc4miN_hDS34ZA

Putman, DB and Noor, MC, The Somalis THEIR HISTORY AND CULTURE. (1999) The Refugee Service Center, Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/CulturalGuide-Somali.pdf

Roble, Abdi, The Somali Diaspora in America, University of Minnesota Press. Retrieved from http://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/the-somali-diaspora

Somali Cultural Guide. The Center for Advance Studies in Child Welfare. University of Minnesota. Retrieved from www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw

Van Lehman, Dan, and Eno, Omar. (2003) The Somali Bantu, Their History and Culture. Culture Profile No. 16. Center for Applied Linguistics, The Cultural Orientatin Resource Center, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.culturalorientation.net

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