Somaliland
International Book Fair and Literary Festival open in Hargeisa
July 20, 2010 · 15 Comments
Hargeisa (Somalilandpress) — Redsea-online.com Cultural Foundation and its partners Kayd Somali Arts and Culture and Ilays are delighted to announce the 2010 Hargeysa International Book Fair and the Mooge 2010 Literary Festival. This year, the festival will explore the theme of ‘citizenship.’ The weeklong program will take place from the 23rd to the 27th of July 2010 in Hargeysa. Last year, the theme of the festival was ‘Censorship.’ This year we will explore the theme of ‘Citizenship’. During the weeklong festival, different panels and well-known poets will debate and explore issues related to citizenship and political identity in the Somali society.
The public will be encouraged to examine their own relationship with the concept of citizenship including the different literary expressions and poetic forms in Somali culture. Writers and poets will survey and discuss written literature that deals with the wider issues concerning citizenship and how it is related to Somalia political crisis and tribal structure. Well-known artists will share heir ideas about citizenship and nationhood and what role art and culture play in nation building. The overall programming of the festival aims to celebrate creativity and to debate the importance of arts as a vehicle of change.
Hargeisa Literary festival 2009
The celebrated poet Mahamed Ibarahim Warsame Hadraawi and will open the festival on the 23rd of July. Lecturers and participants also include Dr. Hussein Bulhan, Hargeisa University Chancellor, Prof. Saleebaan, , Dr. Ahmed Hussein Isse. Expected participants are Chairman of Unugga Waddaniyada Organization in Somaliland, Cabdiraxmaan Aw-xasan Macallin “Baas”, and Cabdirisaaq Maxamed Muuse (Hirga). Visitors will have a chance to explore books available during the book fair and participate in discussion panel. Books also will be available for college students and for public libraries. AfrikaNation arts will showcase paintings and other art exhibitions. Novelist Nadifa Mohamed, the feature guest of the festival, will discuss her debuted novel, ‘Black Mamba Boy,’ which has already been short-listed for the Orange Prize in Fiction. Black Mamba Boy is biographical depiction of Nadifa Mohamed’s father childhood and his journey through many countries in East Africa, Yemen and all the way to England.
The festival will be attended by international and local writers and artists including; Nadifa Mohamed author of ‘Black Mamba Boy’, Jama Musse Jama, Hadraawi, Dr. Bulhan, Dr. Ahmed Hussein Isse, Saiid Jama Hussein, Dr. Adan Yusuf Abokor, Ahmed Gahair, Ahmed Mohamed, Shukri Haji Ismail, Yusuf Shaacir, Xasan Ganey, Hadraawi, Gaarriye, Kayd, Dr Fadal, Axmed Aw-geeddi, Ahmed Mohamud Madar, Nimco Gabaydo, Fowzia Hormood, Abdillahi Xaaji, Belolow, Abdinasir Ma’alin, Anab Guled, Faysal Omar Mushtashteg, Mahamed Ahmed Kuluc and many others.
Presentations and plays by SOCSA, MURTIMAAL, NEGAAD, SONYO, HAVOYOCO, UNUGGA WADANIYADA Somaliland, and readers’ clubs from across Somaliland.
Come celebrate with us in Hargeisa at the main cultural event in Somaliland.
For further details, write to info@redsea-online.com or ayan_mahamoud@kayd.org or call one of the following phone numbers: Jama Musse Jama (+ 2522) 4255155 – Ayan Mahamoud (+2522) 4096140
ALL ARE WELCOME! First come, first served – spaces are limited.
PROGRAMME: Click here to see the full programme
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Tags: Books, Festival, Hargeisa, Kayd, Nadifa Mohamed
Readers Comments (15)
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All those mentioned men are legends in their own fields. Specially Hadraawi who gave us unless creative plays and songs over the years. His wonder hit "Beledweyne" performed by Hassan Adan Samatar is perhaps one of the greatest Somali song in it's time.
Beledweyne song talks about his personal encounter with a beautiful girl called Berlula; when Hadrawi went to the Somali central city of Beledweyne an officer in the Somali National Army, when there was a country called Somalia.
He was heart broken and sadden when he heard the news, the army was relocating to another town—it was time to go; he said he didnt even say goodbye to her and he was forced on an army truck; he climbed to the highest section.
The way he tells the story is amazing. He divided the song into three parts each with different tone of music. At the beginning when he met her all new to the place, curious young man who was ignorant about "love" — "inuu yahey bir caashaqu been baan uu haystee" — basically saying he had doubt love was like a chain that links hearts together. Then he falls for her. Finally it was time to go when the army generals announced it was relocating; he says it was like someone blew the vuuvuzula.
That song is deep.
The future is bright as long as our people promote education and peace and not bombs and extremism.
The future is bright;- the U.S. is happy to deliver thousands of books to Somaliland as long as someone will cover the shipping cost. They have 10,000 books ready.
I did not understand about this festival . are new books being shown? or is it only a talk about citizenship? if it is only about a citizenship I think it is not abook festival.
Ahmed
hargeisa
Dhoore22@yahoo.com
I've been to the book fair last year and they had a lot of interesting books. I was greatly disappointed that all the english novels were just for show and were not for sale. That was a major turn off because they had really interesting titles that i can't find in Hargeisa book stores.
Maybe this year they will actually SELL the books. You can always hope for the best.
To be honest the books in Somali language and some university books were going for sale.
Also about your question. Yes there are four new books that are being shown. Here's the names from the hargeisa book fair site :
Adduun iyo Taladdii – A Collection of Essays about Citizenship by Rashid Sheikh Abdillahi ‘Gadhwayne’
Taxanaha Cursiyo – 4. Ponte Invisibile (redsea-online.com)
ISBN 88-88934-16-2. Pisa, 2010
Tolow Colka Jooja: Salaan Carrabey- The life and literature of a legendary Somali poet by Yusuf Shaacir
Ponte Invisibile (redsea-online.com)
ISBN 88-88934-10-3. Pisa, 2010
Hiil – Waayaha Dadka La Hayb-sooco by Hassan Abdi Madar
Taxanaha Cursiyo – 3. Ponte Invisibile (redsea-online.com)
ISBN 88-88934-15-4. Pisa, 2010
‘Fanka, Masraxa iyo Suugaantiisa’ – Somali Theatre and Literature by Abdirahman Yusuf Arten
Ponte Invisibile (redsea-online.com)
ISBN 88-88934-14-6. Pisa, 2010
There is no comparison between Mogadishu and Hargeisa. and the world should take a notice of this. Book Fairs and Festivals, you don’t hear that in Somalia.
Jeff well art and literary began in Hargeisa; its called in Somali “Hoogayga faanka iyo sugaanta” which means the home of art and literature. It all began with a small group called Kaba Caas (red shoes) who went to Aden in the 1920s to learn Arabic and the religion (Islam) even though poetry and storytelling has been part of the Somali race for milleniums. It was in Aden they discovered how to play the Oud which we call Kabaan, which is that Middle Eastern instrument that looks like a guitar.
The group eventually returned to Somaliland where they met another gifted talent called Ina Sanweyne (one with big nose).
From there it led to man such as Abdullahi Qarshe (lived in Aden too but originally born in Tanzania) who modernized the Somali art and it came just as the British established the first radio in the Horn – Radio Hargeisa (“halkani wa radio Hargeysa”)…the rest is history it was eventually take to Mogadishu by a group called Walaalaha Hargeisa (brothers of Hargeisa) led by Aw Farah.
The British also built a theater in Hargeisa in 1930s which Mogadishu dictator Siad Bare bombed. Mogadishu got its first theater in the 80s built by the Chinese.
I visited Mogadishu theatre many times in 1968-69, so it was built earlier than the 80s. A small point, but let's be accurate!
This is a fantastic fare that should really be supported. I will do my best to attend this professional gathering. I will contact you soonest possible. Please keep up the excellent work of reviving our culture and all the best. Waad-mahadsantihin!
I just ordered "Black Mamba Boy" to my book shop, hopefully I'll get it soon. It would be so awesome to be in Somaliland just now (and at any time ofcourse).
Im going to order Black Mamba, I so want to ready that book — I dig that book because in a way I relate to the story.
The book festival in Hargeisa is a symbol of peace and the building of a nation.
I wish i was there
………………
It might be small but its symbolic for us; books books books not bombs. It will only get bigger from here.
I wish I was there. Why such great events and discoveries always happen at home when I am not there? Grrrrrrrrrr lol