derek-thomas/squad-v1.1-t5-question-generation huggingface dataset:
The exact number of speakers of Somali is unknown. One source estimates that there are 7.78 million speakers of Somali in Somalia itself and 12.65 million speakers globally. The Somali language is spoken by ethnic Somalis in Greater Somalia and the Somali diaspora.

Question: About how many people in Somalia speak Somali? Question: In millions, about how many global Somali speakers are there? Question: Along with Greater Somalia ethnic Somalis, who speaks Somali?
Somali dialects are divided into three main groups: Northern, Benaadir and Maay. Northern Somali (or Northern-Central Somali) forms the basis for Standard Somali. Benaadir (also known as Coastal Somali) is spoken on the Benadir coast from Adale to south of Merca, including Mogadishu, as well as in the immediate hinterland. The coastal dialects have additional phonemes which do not exist in Standard Somali. Maay is principally spoken by the Digil and Mirifle (Rahanweyn) clans in the southern areas of Somalia.

Question: Along with Northern and Maay, what is the third main group of Somali dialects? Question: What dialect is Standard Somali based on? Question: What dialect is spoken on Mogadishu? Question: What is another name for Benaadir? Question: In what geographic part of Somalia do the Rahanweyn live?
A number of writing systems have been used over the years for transcribing the language. Of these, the Somali alphabet is the most widely used, and has been the official writing script in Somalia since the government of former President of Somalia Mohamed Siad Barre formally introduced it in October 1972. The script was developed by the Somali linguist Shire Jama Ahmed specifically for the Somali language, and uses all letters of the English Latin alphabet except p, v and z. Besides Ahmed's Latin script, other orthographies that have been used for centuries for writing Somali include the long-established Arabic script and Wadaad's writing. Indigenous writing systems developed in the twentieth century include the Osmanya, Borama and Kaddare scripts, which were invented by Osman Yusuf Kenadid, Abdurahman Sheikh Nuur and Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare, respectively.

Question: What is the most frequently used writing script for the Somali language? Question: Who introduced the Somali alphabet? Question: In what month and year was the Somali alphabet introduced? Question: Who created the Somali alphabet? Question: Who invented the Osmanya script?
In addition to Somali, Arabic, which is also an Afro-Asiatic tongue, is an official national language in both Somalia and Djibouti. Many Somalis speak it due to centuries-old ties with the Arab world, the far-reaching influence of the Arabic media, and religious education. Somalia and Djibouti are also both members of the Arab League.

Question: Other than Somali, what is an official language of Somalia? Question: To what language family does Arabic belong? Question: In what neighboring country is Arabic also an official language? Question: For how long has Somalia had connections to the Arab world? Question: What organization do both Djibouti and Somalia belong to?
The culture of Somalia is an amalgamation of traditions developed independently and through interaction with neighbouring and far away civilizations, such as other parts of Northeast Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, India and Southeast Asia.

Question: Civilizations from what geographic part of Africa influenced Somali culture? Question: Along with Northeast Africa, Southeast Asia and India, what locale had a significant influence on Somali culture? Question: What Asian country notable influenced Somali culture? Question: Civilizations from what geographic part of Asia influenced Somali culture?
The textile-making communities in Somalia are a continuation of an ancient textile industry, as is the culture of wood carving, pottery and monumental architecture that dominates Somali interiors and landscapes. The cultural diffusion of Somali commercial enterprise can be detected in its cuisine, which contains Southeast Asian influences. Due to the Somali people's passionate love for and facility with poetry, Somalia has often been referred to by scholars as a "Nation of Poets" and a "Nation of Bards" including, among others, the Canadian novelist Margaret Laurence.

Question: Along with textiles, wood carving and pottery, what ancient cultural activity still dominates Somalia today? Question: Somali food contains influences from what region? Question: Of what nationality is the person who called Somalia a "Nation of Bards"? Question: What is the profession of the individual who referred to Somalia as a "Nation of Bards"? Question: Who called Somalia a "Nation of Bards"?
All of these traditions, including festivals, martial arts, dress, literature, sport and games such as Shax, have immensely contributed to the enrichment of Somali heritage.

Question: Along with sport, games, literature, dress and festivals, what is a notable Somali cultural tradition? Question: What is a notable game that is played in Somalia?
Somalis have a rich musical heritage centered on traditional Somali folklore. Most Somali songs are pentatonic. That is, they only use five pitches per octave in contrast to a heptatonic (seven note) scale, such as the major scale. At first listen, Somali music might be mistaken for the sounds of nearby regions such as Ethiopia, Sudan or Arabia, but it is ultimately recognizable by its own unique tunes and styles. Somali songs are usually the product of collaboration between lyricists (midho), songwriters (lahan) and singers ('odka or "voice").

Question: What scale is used by most Somali songs? Question: How many notes are in a hepatonic scale? Question: What is an exaple of a hepatonic scale? Question: Along with Arabia and Ethiopia, what land has songs that sound similar to those of Somalia? Question: What does midho mean in English?
Growing out of the Somali people's rich storytelling tradition, the first few feature-length Somali films and cinematic festivals emerged in the early 1960s, immediately after independence. Following the creation of the Somali Film Agency (SFA) regulatory body in 1975, the local film scene began to expand rapidly. The Somali filmmaker Ali Said Hassan concurrently served as the SFA's representative in Rome. In the 1970s and early 1980s, popular musicals known as riwaayado were the main driving force behind the Somali movie industry. Epic and period films as well as international co-productions followed suit, facilitated by the proliferation of video technology and national television networks. Said Salah Ahmed during this period directed his first feature film, The Somali Darwish (The Somalia Dervishes), devoted to the Dervish State. In the 1990s and 2000s, a new wave of more entertainment-oriented movies emerged. Referred to as Somaliwood, this upstart, youth-based cinematic movement has energized the Somali film industry and in the process introduced innovative storylines, marketing strategies and production techniques. The young directors Abdisalam Aato of Olol Films and Abdi Malik Isak are at the forefront of this quiet revolution.

Question: In what decade were the first Somali feature films made? Question: In what year was the SFA founded? Question: Who was the representative of the Somali Film Agency in Rome? Question: What are riwaaydo? Question: What was the name of Said Salah Ahmed's first feature?
Somali art is the artistic culture of the Somali people, both historic and contemporary. These include artistic traditions in pottery, music, architecture, wood carving and other genres. Somali art is characterized by its aniconism, partly as a result of the vestigial influence of the pre-Islamic mythology of the Somalis coupled with their ubiquitous Muslim beliefs. However, there have been cases in the past of artistic depictions representing living creatures, such as certain ancient rock paintings in northern Somalia, the golden birds on the Mogadishan canopies, and the plant decorations on religious tombs in southern Somalia. More typically, intricate patterns and geometric designs, bold colors and monumental architecture were the norm.

Question: Along with wood carving, architecture and pottery, what is a notable Somali artistic tradition? Question: What is a notable characteristic of Somali art? Question: In what geographic region of Somalia are ancient rock paintings located? Question: What animals are depicted on the Mogadishan canopies? Question: In what area of Somalia can one find the tombs decorated with plants?
Additionally, henna is an important part of Somali culture. It is worn by Somali women on their hands, arms, feet and neck during weddings, Eid, Ramadan, and other festive occasions. Somali henna designs are similar to those in the Arabian peninsula, often featuring flower motifs and triangular shapes. The palm is also frequently decorated with a dot of henna and the fingertips are dipped in the dye. Henna parties are usually held before the wedding takes place. Somali women have likewise traditionally applied kohl (kuul) to their eyes. Usage of the eye cosmetic in the Horn region is believed to date to the ancient Land of Punt.

Question: What do Somali women wear on their feet during Eid? Question: Along with triangular shapes, what are common henna designs in Somalia? Question: What activity is often held before Somali weddings? Question: What do Somali women traditionally put around their eyes? Question: From what ancient region did kuul application come?
Football is the most popular sport amongst Somalis. Important competitions are the Somalia League and Somalia Cup. The multi-ethnic Ocean Stars, Somalia's national team, first participated at the Olympic Games in 1972 and has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since then. The equally diverse Somali beach soccer team also represents the country in international beach soccer competitions. In addition, several international footballers such as Mohammed Ahamed Jama, Liban Abdi, Ayub Daud and Abdisalam Ibrahim have played in European top divisions.

Question: What sport do Somalis most enjoy? Question: Along with the Somalia Cup, what is an important Somali football competition? Question: What is the name of the Somali national football team? Question: In what year did the Ocean Stars first compete in the Olympics? Question: Along with Liban Abdi, Ayub Daud and Abdisalam Ibrahim, who is a notable Somali football player?
The FIBA Africa Championship 1981 was hosted by Somalia from 15–23 December 1981. The games were played in Mogadishu, and the Somali national team received the bronze prize. Abdi Bile won the 1500 m event at the World Championships in 1987, running the fastest final 800 m of any 1,500 meter race in history. He was a two-time Olympian (1984 and 1996) and dominated the event in the late 1980s. Hussein Ahmed Salah, a Somalia-born former long-distance runner from Djibouti, won a bronze medal in the marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He also won silver medals in this event at the 1987 and 1991 World Championships, as well as the 1985 IAAF World Marathon Cup. Mo Farah is a double Olympic gold medal winner and world champion, and holds the European track record for 10,000 metres, the British road record for 10,000 metres, the British indoor record in the 3000 metres, the British track record for 5000 metres and the European indoor record for 5000 metres. Mohammed Ahmed (athlete) is a Canadian long-distance runner who represented Canada in the 10,000 meter races at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2013 World Championships in Athletics.

Question: Who hosted the 1981 FIBA African Championship? Question: When did the 1981 FIBA African Championship take place? Question: In what city did the 1981 FIBA African Championship take place? Question: For what nation did Hussein Ahmed Salah compete? Question: Who did Mohammed Ahmed compete for in the Olympics?
In the martial arts, Faisal Jeylani Aweys and Mohamed Deq Abdulle also took home a silver medal and fourth place, respectively, at the 2013 Open World Taekwondo Challenge Cup in Tongeren. The Somali National Olympic committee has devised a special support program to ensure continued success in future tournaments. Additionally, Mohamed Jama has won both world and European titles in K1 and Thai Boxing.

Question: Who came in fourth in the 2013 Open World Taekwondo Challenge Cup? Question: What medal did Faisal Jeylani Aweys win in the 2013 Open World Taekwondo Challenge Cup? Question: Where did the 2013 Open World Taekwondo Challenge Cup take place? Question: Along with Thai Boxing, in what has Mohamed Jama won a European title?
When not dressed in Westernized clothing such as jeans and t-shirts, Somali men typically wear the macawis, which is a sarong-like garment worn around the waist. On their heads, they often wrap a colorful turban or wear the koofiyad, an embroidered fez.

Question: What do Somali men wear when they aren't wearing Western clothing? Question: What piece of clothing is the macawis similar to? Question: Where is the macawis worn? Question: Aside from the koofiyad, what do Somali men wear on their head? Question: What is a koofiyad?
Due to Somalia's proximity to and close ties with the Arabian Peninsula, many Somali men also wear the jellabiya (jellabiyad or qamiis in Somali), a long white garment common in the Arab world.

Question: Along with jellabiyad, what is the jellabiya called in Somali? Question: What is the jellabiya? Question: In what region do men commonly wear the jellabiya?
During regular, day-to-day activities, Somali women usually wear the guntiino, a long stretch of cloth tied over the shoulder and draped around the waist. It is usually made out of alandi, which is a textile common in the Horn region and some parts of North Africa. The garment can be worn in different styles. It can also be made with other fabrics, including white cloth with gold borders. For more formal settings, such as at weddings or religious celebrations like Eid, women wear the dirac. It is a long, light, diaphanous voile dress made of silk, chiffon, taffeta or saree fabric. The gown is worn over a full-length half-slip and a brassiere. Known as the gorgorad, the underskirt is made out of silk and serves as a key part of the overall outfit. The dirac is usually sparkly and very colorful, the most popular styles being those with gilded borders or threads. The fabric is typically acquired from Somali clothing stores in tandem with the gorgorad. In the past, dirac fabric was also frequently purchased from South Asian merchandisers.

Question: What is the regular garment of Somali women? Question: What is the guntiino normally made from? Question: What is the usual formal attire for Somali women? Question: Along with silk, saree fabric or chiffon, what might the dirac be made out of? Question: What is the underskirt of the dirac called?
Married women tend to sport headscarves referred to as shaash. They also often cover their upper body with a shawl, which is known as garbasaar. Unmarried or young women, however, do not always cover their heads. Traditional Arabian garb, such as the jilbab and abaya, is also commonly worn.

Question: What is the name of the headscarf worn by married women? Question: What is the name of the shawl that married women wear on their upper bodies? Question: Along with abaya, what is a traditional Arab garment sometimes worn by Somali women?
Additionally, Somali women have a long tradition of wearing gold jewelry, particularly bangles. During weddings, the bride is frequently adorned in gold. Many Somali women by tradition also wear gold necklaces and anklets.

Question: What is the jewelry worn by Somali women commonly made from? Question: What type of jewelry do Somali women wear at their weddings? Question: Along with anklets, what pieces of jewelry are traditionally worn by Somali women?
The Somali flag is an ethnic flag conceived to represent ethnic Somalis. It was created in 1954 by the Somali scholar Mohammed Awale Liban, after he had been selected by the labour trade union of the Trust Territory of Somalia to come up with a design. Upon independence in 1960, the flag was adopted as the national flag of the nascent Somali Republic. The five-pointed Star of Unity in the flag's center represents the Somali ethnic group inhabiting the five territories in Greater Somalia.

Question: In what year was the Somali flag invented? Question: What was Mohammed Awale Liban by profession? Question: Who devised the Somali flag? Question: How many points does the Star of Unity have? Question: What is the star at the center of the Somali flag called?
Somali cuisine varies from region to region and consists of a fusion of diverse culinary influences. It is the product of Somalia's rich tradition of trade and commerce. Despite the variety, there remains one thing that unites the various regional cuisines: all food is served halal. There are therefore no pork dishes, alcohol is not served, nothing that died on its own is eaten, and no blood is incorporated.

Question: What is the one culinary tradition that is present among all Somali regional cuisines? Question: What type of meat is never present in halal dishes? Question: What beverage is not halal? Question: Along with alcohol, what liquid is never present in halal food?
Qado or lunch is often elaborate. Varieties of bariis (rice), the most popular probably being basmati, usually serve as the main dish. Spices like cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and garden sage are used to aromatize these different rice delicacies. Somalis eat dinner as late as 9 pm. During Ramadan, supper is often served after Tarawih prayers; sometimes as late as 11 pm.

Question: What is the English word for qado? Question: What is bariis in English? Question: What is the most popular variety of bariis? Question: After what event during Ramadan is dinner served? Question: When is the latest a Somali might eat dinner during Ramadan?
Xalwo (halva) is a popular confection eaten during festive occasions, such as Eid celebrations or wedding receptions. It is made from sugar, corn starch, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and ghee. Peanuts are also sometimes added to enhance texture and flavor. After meals, homes are traditionally perfumed using frankincense (lubaan) or incense (cuunsi), which is prepared inside an incense burner referred to as a dabqaad.

Question: What is another term for xalwo? Question: Along with wedding receptions, when is xalwo often consumed? Question: What do the Somalis call frankincense? Question: What is the English word for cunnsi? Question: What do the Somalis call incense burners?
Somali scholars have for centuries produced many notable examples of Islamic literature ranging from poetry to Hadith. With the adoption of the Latin alphabet in 1972 to transcribe the Somali language, numerous contemporary Somali authors have also released novels, some of which have gone on to receive worldwide acclaim. Of these modern writers, Nuruddin Farah is probably the most celebrated. Books such as From a Crooked Rib and Links are considered important literary achievements, works which have earned Farah, among other accolades, the 1998 Neustadt International Prize for Literature. Farah Mohamed Jama Awl is another prominent Somali writer who is perhaps best known for his Dervish era novel, Ignorance is the enemy of love. Young upstart Nadifa Mohamed was also awarded the 2010 Betty Trask Prize. Additionally, Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame 'Hadrawi' is considered by many to be the greatest living Somali poet, and several of his works have been translated internationally.

Question: When did Somalis begin to render their language using the Latin alphabet? Question: Who is the most well-known modern Somali writer? Question: In what year did Nuruddin Farah win the Neustadt International Prize for Literature? Question: Who wrote Ignorance is the enemy of love? Question: Who won the 2010 Betty Trask Prize?
Somalis for centuries have practiced a form of customary law, which they call Xeer. Xeer is a polycentric legal system where there is no monopolistic agent that determines what the law should be or how it should be interpreted.

Question: What is the Somali system of customary law?
The Xeer legal system is assumed to have developed exclusively in the Horn of Africa since approximately the 7th century. There is no evidence that it developed elsewhere or was greatly influenced by any foreign legal system. The fact that Somali legal terminology is practically devoid of loan words from foreign languages suggests that Xeer is truly indigenous.

Question: In what region did the Xeer system develop? Question: In what century did the Xeer system begin? Question: What fact about Somali legal terms implies that Xeer developed locally?
The Xeer legal system also requires a certain amount of specialization of different functions within the legal framework. Thus, one can find odayal (judges), xeer boggeyaal (jurists), guurtiyaal (detectives), garxajiyaal (attorneys), murkhaatiyal (witnesses) and waranle (police officers) to enforce the law.

Question: In the Xeer system, what are judges called? Question: What does xeer boggeyaal mean in English? Question: What does the Xeer system call attorneys? Question: By what term are witnesses known in the Xeer system? Question: What does the Xeer system call cops?
Somali architecture is a rich and diverse tradition of engineering and designing. It involves multiple different construction types, such as stone cities, castles, citadels, fortresses, mosques, mausoleums, towers, tombs, tumuli, cairns, megaliths, menhirs, stelae, dolmens, stone circles, monuments, temples, enclosures, cisterns, aqueducts, and lighthouses. Spanning the ancient, medieval and early modern periods in Greater Somalia, it also includes the fusion of Somalo-Islamic architecture with Western designs in contemporary times.

Question: What material was used to make Somali cities? Question: Along with the early modern and ancient, during what period did Somali architecture exist? Question: Along with Somalo-Islamic architecture, what influences modern Somali architecture?
In ancient Somalia, pyramidical structures known in Somali as taalo were a popular burial style, with hundreds of these dry stone monuments scattered around the country today. Houses were built of dressed stone similar to the ones in Ancient Egypt. There are also examples of courtyards and large stone walls enclosing settlements, such as the Wargaade Wall.

Question: What do Somalis call their ancient pyramids? Question: What were taalo used for? Question: What were ancient Somali houses made out of? Question: Ancient Somali houses were similar to houses in what country? Question: What is a notable stone wall built in ancient Somalia?
The peaceful introduction of Islam in the early medieval era of Somalia's history brought Islamic architectural influences from Arabia and Persia. This had the effect of stimulating a shift in construction from drystone and other related materials to coral stone, sundried bricks, and the widespread use of limestone in Somali architecture. Many of the new architectural designs, such as mosques, were built on the ruins of older structures. This practice would continue over and over again throughout the following centuries.

Question: During what period was the Muslim faith introduced to Somalia? Question: Along with Arabian influences, where did architectural influences come from in the medieval period? Question: Before Islam was introduced, what was a common building material in Somalia? Question: Along with sundried bricks and coral stone, what construction material was widely used after the introduction of Islam? Question: In the medieval period, what buildings were notably built atop older ruins?