Somali Week Festival 2009: opportunity to get a taste of ‘Suugaan’
by Bilan Yusuf
Baqayo Rogad.
I was very excited at the prospect of watching a play performed live and following the traditional Somali theatre format. For too long I have heard about ‘riwayads’ taking place in London, only to find that they were merely music concerts and no theatrical performances were taking place. Baqayo Rogad was different in every way to the normal London ‘riwayad’ and it was refreshing to see that a well written and acted play could keep an audiences’ attention without the need to resort to music or even use of microphones.
The story line was entertaining, reflecting the mood of the times and the growing number of older men marrying younger women, the latest being the recent marriage of a 112 year old man to a willing 17 year old girl. The play tackled the issues well and even the older men were able to laugh at themselves without any offence being caused. The fact that the actors weren’t using any microphones meant that they were free to move around and this added to the enjoyment of the audience. I doubt anyone will forget the main characters attempt at ‘baqayo rogad’, this being an indication of the freedom that comes with not being constrained by microphones.
The fact that there were no songs meant that I was able to follow the storyline more closely and felt I had a greater understanding of the plot, as opposed to having to pick it up again after each song. The only criticism I have is that it ended far too soon, but I will put this down to time constraints and I am sure that it would have been even better in its completed form.
I end with a word of congratulations to the writer for having the courage to rely on the strength of his written play and plot without the need to keep the audience entertained with trivial songs or gaps in the theatrical performance. Credit is also due to the youngsters who managed to undertake the enormous task of preparing in under a week for the performance. Many of the actors have undoubtedly grown up in the diaspora and it is encouraging to know that Somali theatre will be able to continue in all its glory thanks to their interest in Somali culture, I hope that many other youngsters will have been inspired to follow their lead.
Somali Week:
As always, Somali week has brought together Somali literature, oratory, dance and culture under one roof. Despite the disappointment of some of the headline acts missing, I was nevertheless happy to attend each day knowing that I wouldn’t be disappointed by what was on offer. This year saw a great deal of interest from younger Somalis who are keen to maintain links with their mother tongue and culture. Sometimes their presence was not positive but I blame this on issues around language and the loss of the Somali language amongst the youth who as a result were not able to fully understand the concepts and issues being discussed.
Young Somalis are always looking for positive ways to integrate into the genre of Somali literature and oratory but often this is stifled by their Somali language skills. However, it was refreshing to see these youngsters shine on the ‘youth day’ and show that they have carved their own Somali-British identity, which can have positive effects on their achievement. Somali week was useful in giving these youth a platform and showing that the younger generation has its place amongst the old greats and can make their own contribution to Somali culture.
The best thing for me, and the reason why I will continue to come back, is that Somali week gives us the opportunity to get together and celebrate the achievements and positive things about Somalis. As a youngster growing up in the diaspora it is hard to associate anything other than war and chaos with Somalia, since this is all I see in mainstream media. I was fortunate to have a father who encouraged my interest in Somali literature and oratory, so Somali week serves to encourage my interest and gives me an opportunity to physically engage with this rich culture. For those who haven’t had that early interest, Somali week serves as an opportunity to get a taste of ‘Suugaan’ and offer opportunities for further exploration of this aspect of Somali culture.
I am always proud of the strong poetic traditions of Somalis and hopefully with the continuation of the Somali week festival, more Somalis (especially the young) will benefit from the positive influences of this aspect of Somali life.
Bilan Yusuf, UK
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