My Friend Jamal - what do Somalis like to eat?

The foods that Somalis like to eat are influenced by both their religion and their country’s traditions. Most Somali are Muslims. This means they do not eat any meat that comes from pigs. This includes pork chops and sausages.

Many Somalis only eat Halal meat which has been butchered in a particular way.

Becuase Somalia is a very dry country, it is difficult to raise beef cattle. Because of this, many Somalis do not eat beef, even though it is not forbidden by their religion. They simply do not have a tradition of eating it.

Back to My friend Jamal page 3

In the 1800s, the European powers became very interested in Somalia as the country’s ports granted them access to the strategically important Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aden. They first gained a foothold in Somalia through the signing of various pacts and agreements with the Sultans that then controlled the region.

One part of Somalia (also known as Italian Somaliland) was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1942. Though only ever a true colony of Italy for a little over a decade in the early 1900s, when Italy annexed Eritrea and Somalia, the Italians nevertheless left many influences in the region including the Somali fondness for pasta and the Eritrean love of coffee.

This is why Jamal’s family like to eat spaghetti so much.

Back to My friend Jamal page 4