Somalia's poets keep hope alive for storytelling and for peace

Masters of rhythm.

No, not the dancers on stage, the audience - some of Somalia's most prestigious poets.

The men, some with hennaed beards and glaucoma eyes, represent a fading measure of hope for a country that has been slowly stripped of its cultural wealth during decades of conflict.

There may be no higher art in Somalia than oral poetry, which is recited in the most remote outposts and even by militants in the bush.

Somalis, after all, are often described as 'a nation of poets'. Their work often venerates pastoral well-being and the traditional roles of men and women in the predominantly Islamic society.

Some poets like Hadraawi — the “Shakespeare of Somalia” who died in 2022 — have achieved universal recognition. “Hadraawi’s oeuvre includes a broad repertoire, from love songs to laments of war,” Harvard University's Archive of World Music noted after his death.

Poets flourished during the reign of Siad Barre, who ruled Somalia with an iron hand but was known to respect the intellectual work of artists. His removal in 1991 by clan-based militias provoked a civil war as warlords fought for authority — chaos that eventually led to the deadly rise of the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Shabab.

Somalia is now known far more for bombings than poetry. The violence has not spared its cultural institutions, now mostly in limbo as the fragile federal government spends the bulk of its budget on national security.

The National Theater, like the National Museum next door, is largely inactive. To reach the venue in a heavily guarded area near the presidential palace, visitors traveling in a vehicle must notify the intelligence agency in advance, part of security precautions that demand not just the car’s license plate number but even its make and colour.

It's little wonder that a major focus for these poets is peace.

"One common thread among all Somali poets, whether in Jigjiga (Ethiopia) or in Somalia, is their commitment to peace," says poet Hirsi Dhuuh Mohamed.

"These poets focus solely on promoting peace and do not engage directly in politics. Instead, their work emphasises security, good governance, and community integration," he adds.

Traditional poets still perform at community gatherings like weddings, and poems are recited daily on local radio stations.

But it's a far cry from how they were once viewed.

"The current administration does not treat poets and singers well," says poet Hassan Barre.

"During Siad Barre's (former president of Somalia) reign, we were treated like royalty and received everything we desired from the government," he adds.

In 2003, seven poets traveled across Somalia to preach reconciliation.

That kind of journey is impossible now. The federal government has little hold on territory outside of Mogadishu, and at least two semi-autonomous regions are seeking secession.

Even the National Theatre, where the poets gathered, has its own turbulent history.

Inaugurated in 1967, less than a decade after independence, the theatre shut down in 1991 following Barre's ouster. It reopened in 2012 after African Union peacekeepers pushed al-Shabab fighters out of Mogadishu in a counter-terrorism campaign.

Months later, however, a suicide bomber blew herself up at the theatre during a speech by the prime minister, killing the head of Somalia’s Olympic committee and at least seven others. The prime minister survived.

"The Somali people share the same language, religion, culture, and rights," says another poet, Barre Mohamed Fidow

"I am dismayed when I see divisions among us, with one tribe disrespected and another honoured. This is what I find intolerable, and it angers me."