Oral Poetry and Somali Nationalism: The Case of Sayyid Mahammad Abdille Hasan

by Said S. Samatar

This book explores the influence of oral poetry on Somali politics. By reconstructing the history of the Somali nationalist resistance movement, mainly through the use of political oratory in verse form by its leader, Sayyid Mahammad 'Abdille Hasan', the 'Mad Mullah' of British history, Said Samater shows how an indigenous resource can be harnessed in a non-literate society, not only as a medium of mass communication but also as a tool for acquiring political power. He traces the intimate correlation between language, politics and oral poetry and seeks to suggest to students of African societies ways of examining indigenous forms of communication used by traditional African creators of large-scale organisations in the absence of writing, to influence public opinion. The book is an important contribution to the history of the Horn of Africa and its new material on the role of oral literature in a non-literate society will interest linguists, sociologists and anthropologists, as well as

Genres: Somalia, Africa

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 1982

Reviews

[Zakaria Noor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read if you are Somali or interested in Somali studies. I always wondered why language was a big part of Somali culture, why Somalis are super proud of their vernacular and how come there is a poem or a proverb for just about anything and any situation. with that, You also get a little peak into the Somali Pastoral life and a little history on the dervishes and the movement's leader who is also the book's main subject, Sayid Mahammad.