Xasan Daahir Ismaaciil ‘Weedhsame’ is widely regarded as one of the most promising young Somali poets of his generation. Thanks to his close relationship with leading poet Maxamed Xaashi Dhamac ‘Gaarriye’, Weedhsame is steeped in the long and complex history of Somali poetry and, as a notably gifted practitioner, is committed to continuing its traditions. […]
Cabdulqaadir Cabdi “Shube” was born a settlement near Eyl District, Nugaal Region, in 1953. He grown up in the countryside and lived a nomadic life until the age of 16. In 1973 he joined the Somali armed forces as a private soldier. He later became a singer, songwriter and a poet of the Horseed Military […]
Maxamuud Maxamed Yaasiin “Dheeg” was born in 1945 in Lebi Sagaal settlement, Hargeysa District, North West Region of Somaliland. At the age of 18 he started reciting songs and poems. In 1967 he came to Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia. In the same year he joined Radio Mogadishu Band of poets, playwrights, song writers […]
Cabdiqadir Cabdirahman also known as Cabdiqadir Qalinle is a unique poetic voice and part of a new school of contemporary Somali poetry. Currently based in Hargeysa, Somaliland; he hails from Baalidhaye a town in the Somali Region of Ethiopia and was educated in Burco. He holds a Degree in Civil Engineering from Cammuud University in […]
Elmi is a writer, director, facilitator and translator based in the North-West. He writes poetry, short fiction and for the stage. His poetry has been received in venues across the country from the Power House Library in Mosside to The British Library in London. His writing is published in Scarf Magazine – of which he […]
W.N. Herbert, co-editor of ‘So At One With You’, an anthology of the last fifty year of Somali poetry, reflects on editing the book and his own relationship with the Somali poets he has translated.
Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf and her translator Clare Pollard wowed audiences, while Martin Orwin and Daljit Martin read from Catastrophe by Weedhsame, who was, sadly, kept away from the UK.
In this fascinating essay, poet Clare Pollard talks about how vital the process of learning about Somali culture – camels, khat and all – helped her translate Caasha’s poetry. And how she turned to early English alliterative verse for inspiration.
W N Herbert offers a fascinating insight into how he approached co-translating Somali poetry. In this essay he describes his induction into the marvellous complexities of Somali verse and how he came to terms with the formal dexterities of Gaarriye’s ‘non-lyric’ poetry.