Art, politics and resistance in Somalia

Art is a fundamental human phenomenon, inseparable from human existence itself. Wherever there is art, there is humanity—regardless of ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, or colour—across all ages and civilisations. Art, in its broadest sense, encompasses painting, sculpture, engraving, poetry, prose, and music.

This universal and deeply emotional phenomenon transcends geographical borders and holds a profound connection to human identity. Through art, societies express their emotions, ideas, history, and beauty—whether in times of peace or war. In this context, language emerges as a crucial medium, serving as the bridge through which art reaches the human soul. Language, alongside creed and culture, is one of the key pillars that shape identity.

The relationship between art and power is dialectical and often adversarial, shaped by political forces either positively or negatively. The greater the space for freedom, the more art flourishes, revealing its beauty and innovation. Conversely, the more oppressive the regime, the higher the likelihood of conflict between artists and authorities. Historically, ruling powers have sought to suppress or manipulate art for their own interests, while artists, in turn, have used their creativity as a tool to expose and challenge oppression.

The relationship between art and power is dialectical and often adversarial, shaped by political forces either positively or negatively. The greater the space for freedom, the more art flourishes, revealing its beauty and innovation.

In Somali culture, poetry has long been the supreme form of artistic expression, serving as the primary means through which Somalis have documented their joys, sorrows, victories, and struggles—including love and resistance. Poetry has not only enriched the Somali language but has also preserved it from extinction. Until the 1970s, Somali was an unwritten language, and without poetry and its custodians, much of the nation’s linguistic heritage could have been lost.

Modern Somali music, which emerged in the late 1940s in the town of Borama, further strengthened the role of art in Somali society. Abdi Sinimo is regarded as the father of Somali music, pioneering a genre initially known as Balwo. From its humble beginnings, Somali music evolved significantly in Hargeisa, eventually developing into its current form.

Under colonial rule, poetry became an essential weapon of resistance against foreign occupation. The legendary anti-colonial leader Sayid Mohamed Abdullah Hassan led an armed uprising against the British, and poetry, standing alongside conventional weaponry, played a crucial role in his movement.

Following independence and the unification of British Somaliland and Italian Somalia into the Somali Republic, political turmoil ensued. The assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke in 1969 led to a military coup led by Siad Barre, who dismantled democracy and plunged Somalia into a political crisis, the consequences of which persist today.

The military regime that ruled Somalia from 1969 onwards posed a great challenge to Somali intellectuals and artists. With press freedoms curtailed and state propaganda dominating all media, artists faced a difficult choice: comply, remain silent, or resist. Of those who chose resistance, many lost their lives, such as the religious scholars who were martyred in mass executions.

In such a sensitive atmosphere, the role of Somali art prevailed as a sharp-edged medium for resistance. Many poets and playwrights began using their works to express political defiance under the guise of romance.

One of the most famous incidents illustrating this resistance occurred when Siad Barre confronted a poet, asking: “Why do you use your words against my government?” to which the poet replied, “my intention was one thing, but how people interpret my words is another. I have no control over how they understand them.”

As tensions grew, Somali poets launched the famous Siinley poetic series, to which many renowned poets across the Somali lands contributed their share. Siinley was shortly followed by another series known as Deelley, which, according to Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame Hadraawi, one of the national icons of Somali poetry, was an outright declaration of war against the regime. In response, the government arrested and imprisoned several of the poets involved in these series, including Hadraawi.

This tension between political power and art is not unique to Somalia. As Toni Morrison once put it: “Every dictator gets rid of the artist first.” Throughout history, the struggle between artists and political authorities has been a global phenomenon. From the role of jazz in breaking racial barriers in the United States, helping Black communities reclaim their rights, to the graffiti and hip-hop music that sparked, sustained, and defined revolutions in Syria and Sudan, art has continuously served as a voice of resistance. Whenever oppressive regimes use force to suppress dissent and frame human life with barbed wire, art becomes a refuge for those yearning for freedom, justice, and a humane existence.

Whenever oppressive regimes use force to suppress dissent and frame human life with barbed wire, art becomes a refuge for those yearning for freedom, justice, and a humane existence.

Art has always been a champion of values, beauty, freedom, justice, and equality. This makes its belonging a human one, as these values are shared by all of humanity. However, belonging to a homeland, with all its geographical and political boundaries, necessitates that an artist takes a clear stance on the issues unfolding in their reality or country.

I won’t hide the truth when I say that I do not respect any artist who has no political stance on current events. In Hind’s Hall, the American rapper Macklemore put out a plea to his colleagues over their silence on the situation in Gaza: “What happened to the artist? What d'you got to say?” Reminding artists of their social responsibilities over the accolades that come with fame, he added: “If I was on a label, you could drop me today, I'd be fine with it cause the heart fed my page.” The message of art does not confine the artist to their concerts and gatherings; rather, it calls on them to express their opinions while upholding their ethical values as a leader within society. The notion that art and politics are separate is a falsehood—one invented by tyrants who fear the power of art.

In Somalia, poets and artists have always assumed the role of intellectuals and thinkers more than anyone else, as Somali society has not traditionally recognised intellectuals in the modern sense. Since an intellectual is someone who advocates for higher values such as freedom, justice, and equality, it is the poets and artists who have historically fulfilled this role in our modern history. For this reason, I prefer to call them thinkers and intellectuals.

Art is considered national in terms of geographical boundaries, yet it remains universal in its goals. Somali art stands as one of the few fields that have survived the tribal divisions that fractured the Somali people horizontally. It continues to unite all Somalis, serving as a guardian of their shared identity, a servant of religion when it remains committed, and a protector of the Somali language as a fundamental component of identity.

Somali art stands as one of the few fields that have survived the tribal divisions that fractured the Somali people horizontally.

With the collapse of the Somali state in 1991, Somali art was freed from the constraints imposed on it by the Siad Barre regime. Despite concerns about the decline in meaning and depth in contemporary Somali art, the newfound freedom has allowed for greater creative exploration. However, in Somali-inhabited regions across the Horn of Africa, political instability continues to affect artists, with some still facing exile for their work.

This enduring conflict between art and politics underscores a fundamental truth: while political power seeks to control, co-opt and suppress, art remains defiant, rebellious, and resistant. As history has shown, no matter how oppressive the system, the artist’s voice—whether through poetry, music, or visual art—will always find a way to be heard.