Ali was born in the Hobyo district of Mudug in 1927. At the age of 17, he joined the Signal Corps of the British Occupation Forces in 1944 where he took upon radio engineering. As it was the norm of many Somali activists at that time, he joined the incipient Somali Youth League in 1944 […]

Figure 1 illustrates a marbled mihrab (niche) inside the Fakhr Al-Din Masjid in XamarWeyne (HamarWeyne). It is perhaps one of the oldest Islamic sites in Somalia. It was constructed by one Xaaji bin Maxamed bin Cabdallah in the month of Shacban of the year 667 after Hijra (AD 1269). The Ayaatul al-Kursi (Throne Verse) is […]

It is said that ancient Somali tribes have had several pacts (good or bad) with serpents (Somali: mas). Some use a designated name to call them so as not to upset them. Some tribes boasted of an innate connection with snakes. A connection that was established when their progenitor was born and was put on […]

When the European ‘scramble for Africa’ began in the late 19th century, the ancient Somali city Marka was infamously known amongst the Europeans as a city hostile to foreigners. Whilst the Darawiish forces were waging anti-colonial campaigns in northern Somalia, similiar campaigns were being conducted in southern Somalia. One particular instance was the Biyomaal anti-colonial […]

Mohammed Tukaale composed the lyrics of this famed song (Ducaysane Wiilkayoow – Oh my blessed son – sung by Hassan Aden Samatar) with the intention to advise his son with words full of wisdom and the struggle that life will throw at him. It carries a symbolic message revealing the natural and intricate bond between […]