An Oud, a Traditional Arabic/ Turkish stringed Instrument

Somali American Artists Association

The Somali American Artists Association’s objective is to reinvigorate and rejuvenate the role of the Somali artists played in setting the goals and visions of their nation in the Diaspora. Moreover, the association’s aim is to render the Somali music as the best and only language in educating and entertaining the Somali-speaking communities in the Diaspora in amalgamating their respective communities in the United States.

Before the collapse of the Somali state in 1991, the Somali artists played a pivotal role in entertaining, educating and addressing national issues and grievances to the government and the whole population. However, their role has dramatically changed since then as healers as the community makes the transition to recovery and development. In this healing process, Somali artists reflect, motivate and light up the richness of their homeland. Their music and poetry keeps the dream of normality alive and will eventually soften the challenges of rebuilding lives emotionally as well as physically.

Hence, the association deems as its duty to reintroduce the richness of the Somali music, poetry, local puzzles, and traditional folklore dances and children entertainment programs to its people living in the Diaspora and the Somali-American youth, thus attending to their nostalgic thirst for their homeland. In addition to that, the association is determined to organize after school and summer classes and other relevant events for the youth in introducing and teaching musical instruments, theatrical plays, American idol-like competitions folklore dance instructions.

Overall, the association ultimate goal is to fill the institutional vacuum created by the civil war and will finally retrieve the lost treasures of the Somali national heritage, and will condense the evaporated aroma of the Somali literature. Nevertheless, it will also address the dilemmas facing Somali music and musicians in Somalia and the subsequent censorship and imprisonment of the artists.