An art project explores the cassette culture that brought news from home – while providing a vehicle for political opposition and a thriving music scene
Born at the start of Somalia's civil war, Maryan Ali Mohamed dreamt of one day performing live on stage. Now, the 33-year-old is one of 40 musicians forming a Somali orchestra. The East African country does not have an official national orchestra, but for the first time, an ensemble of musicians were brought together for a series of televised performances.
Beneath the defiant flag of their self-declared republic, young Somalilanders considered life as fresh university graduates in their unrecognized homeland a country in name only, proud but alone in the Horn of Africa.
Unrecognised but unbowed, Somaliland youth carry the flag modernghana.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from modernghana.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
BERBERA AND HARGEISA
In july ist 1960, five days after it cut its colonial ties, the former British Somaliland merged with the one-time Italian Somaliland to form a united Somalia. It was a bad move. The dictatorship of Siad Barre, who took office in 1969, marginalised and massacred Somalilanders. On May 18th 1991, five months after his fall, what was by then simply Somaliland declared independence. It was a statement of intent and regret. Exiles returned home to rebuild their nation. “Hargeisa had been destroyed to rubble,” recalls Suad Ibrahim Abdi, a campaigner for women’s rights. “There were no buildings, no water.