Somaliland Music

Somaliland Music

Somaliland Music and Art: For the outsider, the creative and performing arts scene in Somaliland can be a tough nut to crack.

During the war and following two decades of recovery, cultural life suffered greatly as most Somalilanders were engaged primarily in meeting more basic needs. Accordingly, the number of people engaged in creative pursuits is very small, and venues in which to showcase their work are almost non-existent.

There are no live music venues, museums, galleries or café exhibitions, and the national theatre in Hargeisa is only now being rebuilt, 20 years after it was bombed into the ground. As a result, the majority of live performances take place either in private homes (along with much of Somali socializing), or at weddings – one of the few occasions at which Somalis really let their hair down! However, unless you know someone who has offered to take you along, you’re not likely to be invited in off  the  street  to  join  the  festivities,  as  Somalilanders  tend  to  be  somewhat  reserved with  outsiders  until  they  get  to  know  them  well.  Nevertheless, as life continues to improve in the present climate of stability, music and arts are bound to be an integral part of Somaliland’s quest to define its nascent national identity. And for those with an interest, there is a rich heritage of creativity – it just takes a little digging to find it.

Somaliland Visual Arts: The  visual  arts  in  Somaliland  tend  to  exist  almost  exclusively  for commercial  purposes.  Any  shop  or  restaurant  worth  its  salt  will  have  a  brightly painted  mural  out  front  replete  with  smiling  fish  (on  a  plate),  larger-than-life medicine bottles, lopsided bananas, cheeseburgers (whether or not the menu actually features cheeseburgers is irrelevant), serene-looking camels, plates of pasta, floating forks, and whatever else they may or may not sell! These splashes of colour go a long way towards improving the sometimes lacking aesthetics of Somaliland cities.

The artists-for-hire behind these festive advertisements travel the city working for commissions, with some pursuing non-commercial art on the side. You’ll see stalls around the city that act as the base for many artists and feel free to stop at any of these and see what kind of work they have in stock. A few do more tourist and souvenir-oriented fare (landscapes, camels, etc) in addition to their standard repertoire of sodas and sambusas.

If  you  see  a  business  or  restaurant  that  particularly  catches  your  eye,  give  it  a close inspection as nearly all the murals are signed with the artist’s name and mobile number.  It  takes  a  little  negotiation,  and  likely  a  Somali  speaker  to  help  arrange things on your behalf, but it’s possible to arrange a commission of your own if you plan to spend more than a few days in town. Even the country’s best artists work this way. Check out the MiG jet in downtown Hargeisa – there’s a number on that too. Somaliland doesn’t yield much in the way of souvenirs, but with a little eff ort you can go home with a one-of-a-kind piece of art, purchased directly from the artist.

Somaliland Poetry: The country teems with poets – every man has his recognized position in literature’, said Sir Richard Burton in his 19th-century travelogue First Footsteps in East Africa, and this holds remarkably true in Somaliland today. Poetry has long been the most prized of Somali art forms, and as it requires nothing but ingenuity and  the  human  voice,  is  perfectly  suited  to  their  traditionally  nomadic  lifestyle. Somali poets have enjoyed a societal role not unlike the griots of west Africa, acting as both keepers of historical lore and commentators on the vagaries of life, love, and of course, politics.

With  poetry  featuring  so  centrally  in  the  cultural  life  of  Somalis  and Somalilanders,  many  poets  are  household  names,  enjoying  the  widespread recognition and esteem that would normally be reserved for pop stars in the West. Some of the most popular poets in Somaliland include Hadraawi, Abwaan Dheeg, Gaariye and Timacade, Timacade passed away in the 1970s, but this has seemingly done little to dent his popularity. You’re guaranteed a lively conversation any time these names are mentioned, and people are typically more than ready to defend and expound upon the skills and merits of their favourite.

Poetry recitation is typically performed either solo, or accompanied by an oud. This stringed instrument, widespread in the Middle East, helps set the tone for the poet according to the mood and subject of the performance. Cassette tapes of these performances are available, but the message is obviously lost to non-Somali speakers. Regardless, they still do make for an interesting listen, and any Somalilander friends you make will be more than happy to interpret for you. Poets are revered for their nuance and impeccable grasp of language, used to transport the listener into their story or convince them of a point of view. Prepare for some loss in translation.

Music: While poetry is without question the premier art form in Somaliland, there is also a music scene, albeit a small one. If you’re arriving from elsewhere in Africa, the Somalilander approach to music is a drastic change. Gone are the maxed-out amplifiers and distorted speakers on every corner and in every car – in Somaliland you’ll have ample opportunity to hear yourself think. This stems from Somaliland’s deeply-held conservatism. Certain schools of Islamic thought prohibit music, and while it is by no means forbidden in Somaliland, music plays a much smaller role than in neighbouring countries. The music that you do hear, however, tends to be local. The ubiquitous Western pop so difficult to escape elsewhere is largely absent here – farewell 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg. Today, due to music’s frowned-upon status among Somaliland’s more conservative elements, those in the business of selling boom-boxes have taken a clever step to prove their Islamic bona fides – keep your eyes out for ‘Islamic Stereo’ stores dotted around town. These places are fully stocked with the latest speakers and music players, ostensibly for the purpose of listening to Koranic recitations – with bass boost. Music is still very much enjoyed in Somaliland, only it is done so with a touch of discretion.

Given this relative absence of Western music, Somali and Somalilander music is widely listened to and for the casual observer can be broken down into the following styles.

Qaraami Traditional Somali music, or Qaraami, usually involves a singer (or poet) backed by an oud and a drum (increasingly a keyboard-preset drum track.) The oud pushes the melody along, and the sometimes mournful, sometimes joyful trills of the singer sit gently on top. Always atmospheric and often hypnotic, it’s the perfect soundtrack to get lost to in the desert scenery as you bounce, bump and  sweat  your  way  down  the  Hargeisa–Berbera road.  The late Omar Dhuule remains one of Somaliland’s most cherished musicians, and a true master of the Qaraami style.

Somaliland Contemporary popular music The popular music being produced in Somaliland today can be a mixed bag. Lifelong artists often find themselves competing with cheaply produced records made by relative unknowns.  Casio  keyboards  are  the instrument  of  choice,  and  songs  typically  build  on  a  call-and-response  theme. Thankfully,  most  of  it  remains  far  removed  from  the  cookie-cutter  Western-style pop found in much of the world. You will notice the Arab and Ethiopian influences, as  Somaliland’s  geographic  and  cultural  links  continue  to  inform  new  music, creating  a  sound  and  flavour  that  is  uniquely  Somali.  Check out Somaliland National Television (SLNTV) for whatever’s topping the charts this week. There are no clubs and cars in these videos, just a green screen and some G-rated dance moves. The talented Maryam Mursal is the doyen of Somali pop singers today, and one of the few whose music has gone international. Other popular singers include Ubax Fahmo and Mohamed BK, while the Canada-based K’naan creates hip hop with an unmistakably Somali twist.

Somaliland Pre-war pop: Pre-war Somali pop can be a real treat. The 1980s saw several full bands gain popularity throughout Somalia, playing a distinct brand of funk and pop. These were true bands: driving horns, screaming organs, growling basslines, razor-sharp guitars and unstoppable drumming set the tone for male and female singers delivering their messages with swagger and panache – no reservations here. Many of their songs were furiously modern updates of traditional Somali songs, while others wrote equally funky originals. A handful of these recordings can be tracked down on repeatedly dubbed cassettes or on YouTube, but these bands are one of countless pieces of Somali cultural heritage lost during the war. Waaberi, Iftin, Dur Dur and Sahra Dawo are all names to look out for.