Somali Arts and Culture
AFDN focuses on the following areas:
PROMOTION OF CULTURAL EVENTS WITH LOCAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITY
Somali Community has established a program and cultural programs to promote social interaction between refugees and local Minnesotans. One of the major events includes annual cultural night. The first annual cultural night was held on July 3rd 2010 attracting over 125 individuals. The second annual cultural night was held on October 23, 2010 attracting over 145 individuals this year will be held on December 31st 2010 will be attracting more than ever before. The AFDN hopes to expand this event to include other refugee Communities.
A two-day book fair event aimed at reviving the Somali culture and literature among expatriates has ended yesterday at Boston’s main Islamic Cultural Center in Roxbury. The poems had left rippling effects in the minds of the young among the audience who often seem deflected to the hip-hop from their inspiring heritage.
Known as the “nation of poetry” by the British colony, Somalia is no longer attributed to any positive descriptions as Black Hawk Down movie and other images of war replaced its legacy. But Mohamed Sh. Hassan, author and owner of Scansom Publishers, is driven by a moral obligation to reclaim that era which embodies Somalia’s cultural epitome. His goal was to inspire the youth, while collecting and preserving an atrophying art, mainly literature, sports history and music from scattered Somali poets, cultural historians across the world.
“I don’t want books written in English. I want Somali books and that is where I’m needed in the efforts to preserve the Somali literature” said Hassan who expressed an urgency to rescue an ancient literature at the brink of extinction.
Despite an ongoing political crisis that mired Somalia, Hassan serves as the last cultural archive for a country that does not have one.
With experts presenting poems, children fables, nomadic stories, traditional working songs, the event has triggered nostalgic memories in the old crowd.
Among the speakers was the celebrated playwright of Somalia’s great Iftin Band, Abdiaziz Mohamed Liban, who recited several poems including Ashqaraar, an anti-war protest and critique for the country’s junta, which became a controversial during the Ethiopia-Somalia war in 1977. “O, may peace get the support it deserves and contain the fire of war” remarked Mr. Liban, who is currently compiling his poetry works in book format.
- Lobbying and advocating for the rights of Somali artists in Minnesota as well as defending their freedom of musical expression;
- Empowering young Somali artists through cultural exchange, and sharing of experiences with other regional and international artists;
- Promote Somali programs, including youth empowering and entertainment as well as ensuring continuing development of the Somali arts, literature and intercultural projects.
PROMOTION OF CULTURAL EVENTS WITH LOCAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITY
Somali Community has established a program and cultural programs to promote social interaction between refugees and local Minnesotans. One of the major events includes annual cultural night. The first annual cultural night was held on July 3rd 2010 attracting over 125 individuals. The second annual cultural night was held on October 23, 2010 attracting over 145 individuals this year will be held on December 31st 2010 will be attracting more than ever before. The AFDN hopes to expand this event to include other refugee Communities.
A two-day book fair event aimed at reviving the Somali culture and literature among expatriates has ended yesterday at Boston’s main Islamic Cultural Center in Roxbury. The poems had left rippling effects in the minds of the young among the audience who often seem deflected to the hip-hop from their inspiring heritage.
Known as the “nation of poetry” by the British colony, Somalia is no longer attributed to any positive descriptions as Black Hawk Down movie and other images of war replaced its legacy. But Mohamed Sh. Hassan, author and owner of Scansom Publishers, is driven by a moral obligation to reclaim that era which embodies Somalia’s cultural epitome. His goal was to inspire the youth, while collecting and preserving an atrophying art, mainly literature, sports history and music from scattered Somali poets, cultural historians across the world.
“I don’t want books written in English. I want Somali books and that is where I’m needed in the efforts to preserve the Somali literature” said Hassan who expressed an urgency to rescue an ancient literature at the brink of extinction.
Despite an ongoing political crisis that mired Somalia, Hassan serves as the last cultural archive for a country that does not have one.
With experts presenting poems, children fables, nomadic stories, traditional working songs, the event has triggered nostalgic memories in the old crowd.
Among the speakers was the celebrated playwright of Somalia’s great Iftin Band, Abdiaziz Mohamed Liban, who recited several poems including Ashqaraar, an anti-war protest and critique for the country’s junta, which became a controversial during the Ethiopia-Somalia war in 1977. “O, may peace get the support it deserves and contain the fire of war” remarked Mr. Liban, who is currently compiling his poetry works in book format.
