Culture

Today, Somali religious scholars are no longer confined to their historical role of uniting people. Instead, they enforce their own sectarian interpretation of law and mislead by globalising problems that have local roots.

Ethiopian Muslims are more visible than ever—but is visibility the same as belonging? A faith once sidelined still negotiates its place in the nation’s story.

He has time, money and zero obligations. The Somali politician is living the 21st century dream.

Israel viewed Somali nationalism as a threat across the Horn of Africa and secretly collaborated with Ethiopia to contain it.

From the golden age of Ethio-jazz to the dawn of modern Ethiopian pop, Elias Melka stood at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. His musical innovations redefined the Ethiopian sound and empowered a new generation of artists.

Somali Quran schools are vital links in passing knowledge of the holy book from one generation to the next. Somali writer Abdihakim Mohamed explains how they work.

A legendary voice of Eritrea’s Tigre-speaking people, Idris Wed Amir turned heartbreak and hardship into lyrical brilliance — shaping a cultural legacy that endures to this day.

Once a city of art, resistance and riverside cafés, Khartoum now lies gutted by war. Displaced by the war, Reem Abbas reflects on loss, erasure and the urgent need to reclaim a city at the heart of Sudan’s identity.

Hudeidi transformed Somali music with his unparalleled mastery of the Oud. His legacy, marked by melodies of love, longing, and revolution, endures across generations.