Somali festival is annual event held Oxford House in London every year to promote the Somali culture. As standard, the event offers a mix of events including poetry, literature, panel discussions, documentary film screenings, music and theater. Normally, the festival provide a platform from which artists and intellectuals will explore the impact of movement, migration and exile on Somali arts and culture. We will invite writers, poets, scholars, and musicians of Somali heritage, and scholars who work with Somalis to share their experiences and discuss a broad range of concepts including exile, alienation, adventure, exploration, personal and collective change, identity, rights, and tolerance and coexistence with people from different cultural backgrounds. These artists and thinkers will explore the influences of migration and travel on peoples’ everyday realities. Among the guests this year (2014) who came outside UK includeSaid Salah Ahmed who was my principle in Banadir secondary ,Mogadishu in early seventies. I remember apart being school principle, Said was also maths teacher for us.
The festival in 2014, includes an event remembering the late Abdi Yousuf Abokor who passed away on January on 2nd 2014 in London. As few may know, Abdi was the first black actor to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Abdi Gouhad was a renowned Somali actor, and He worked regularly in theatre companies including Common Stock where he was a founding member, the influential Shared Experience, and the Theatre Melange, a professional, cultural development organisation. The event for remembering Abdi started with screening an interview with him in the festival for year 2012. The short documentary was about a question as what influenced Abdi to go for acting career.
The interview with Abdi was conducted by Muna Elmi who was also the event toastmaster . Toastmaster is a general term introduced in the middle 20th century, referring to a person in charge of the proceedingsspeaking event. The toastmaster is typically charged with organization of the event, arranging the order of speakers, introducing one or more of the speakers, and keeping the event on schedule. Such meetings typically include civic events. Abdi explained the reasons that made him to go for that profession in fashion that pleased the ears of the audiences. Abdi said when was small boy, his father’s home was adjacent to an open air cinema, and every summer night as the family slept on the roof of their house, he heard the sound-track of the movies being screened next door. He has since described this treat as “a bed-time story every night”. At school he took part in plays as diverse as the ‘Caucasian Chalk Circle’ and ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In the event anyone would like to see that documentary from the U-TUBE, just enter “Desire to Inspire: Two Inspirational British Somalis”. As said by his friend Gerry, during his acting career, Abi used the stage name Gouhad and reverted his first name to its original.his film features actor Abdi Gouhad (star of TV series Strike Back, Brogen) and the film director Mo Ali (Shank), both of whom have made waves in the world of film and television in the UK. In this film they share their inspirational stories of success against all odds. late Abdi has influenced many young Somali talents joining for the career of acting and last night, I have seen many of those that extremely pleased the ears of the audiences . Among them Yusra Warsame, Abdi Bahdoon, Asha Lul Mohamed, Ali Goolyad and Mo Ali. The event included a music programme played by Abdikhalaq and Ikran Arale that also extremely liked and pleased the audiences. Yusra Warsame appears to be the most closet person to Abdi as their shared profession influenced them tom be close to each other. Ayaan is also reported being close tom him.
Even though the event was start on 6 p.m which was become effective and schedule to last at 10 pm. however, as the audiences liked the event, the same was continued until mid night. For me, it was the first time to attend such even, however, in reality I would have gone earlier had I know the high standard
The festival is running at present in its ninth years row and participated in the past personalities such as Hadraawe that most Somalis consider him the shakes[pare of Somalia in view of his Somali poetry and cultural background. The Somali weekly festival organizers produced famous magazine known as in Somali Dhaxaklreeb demonstrated the speakers of the events and also all the issues related to the events. Zooming, I consider this type of events as a unique opportunity that brings the Somalis in UK to pursue their shared interest. Finally ,we appreciate the efforts taken by the organizers such as Ayaan. The beauty is when you appreciate the accomplishment achieved by others as this human nature. There is more to life than simply increasing its speed. “Those who have the ability to be grateful are the ones who have the ability to achieve greatness.” appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” Life is not made up of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years, but of moments. You must experience each one before you can appreciate it. Being in the habit of saying “Thank you,” of making sure that people receive attention so they know you value them, of not presuming that people will always be there–this is a good habit, regardless. We anticipate future events in this nature will produce fruitful benefits to the Somalis in general, as the same is not only limited to UK. Horn cable television crew leading by Abdul Hafid ( TV marketing manager) recording the event.
Ismail Yusuf
rabasoro55@hotmail.co.uk
