Somali art is the artistic culture of the Somali people, both historic and contemporary. These include artistic traditions in pottery, music, architecture, woodcarving and other genres. Somali art is characterized by its aniconism, partly as a result of the vestigial influence of the pre-Islamic mythology of the Somalis coupled with their ubiquitous Muslim beliefs. However, there have been cases in the past of artistic depictions representing living creatures such as the golden birds on the Mogadishan canopies, the ancient rock paintings in Somaliland, and the plant decorations on religious tombs in Somalia, but these are considered rare. Instead, intricate patterns and geometric designs, bold colors and monumental architecture was the norm.
genres. Somaliart is characterized by its aniconism, partly as a result of the vestigial influence of the pre-Islamic mythology of the Somalis coupled...
culture of Somalia is an amalgamation of traditions in that were developed independently since the Proto-Somali era. The hypernym of the term Somali from a...
Arab and Somali merchants in their trade with the Roman and Greek world; the Romans and Greeks believed the source to have been the Somali peninsula...
in Somali Bantus of the Juba region. Politically, the Somali Bantu of different tribes form ethnic alliances in the parliament of Somalia. The Somali Bantu...
independent Somali Republic under a civilian government. Siad Barre of the Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) seized power in 1969 and established the Somali Democratic...
spoken as a mother tongue by Somalis in Greater Somalia and the Somali diaspora. Somali is an official language in Somalia and Ethiopia, and a national...
The Ogaden War, also known as the Ethio-Somali War (Somali: Dagaalkii Xoraynta Soomaali Galbeed, Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ሶማሊያ ጦርነት, romanized: ye’ītiyop’iya somalīya...
The Somali Civil War (Somali: Dagaalkii Sokeeye ee Soomaaliya; Arabic: الحرب الأهلية الصومالية al-ḥarb al-’ahliyya aṣ-ṣūmāliyya) is an ongoing civil war...
Villa Somalia (Somali: Madaxtooyada Soomaaliya, Arabic: فيلا الصومال) in Mogadishu, is the palace and principal workplace of the president of Somalia. The...
war in Somalia led to a large number of Somali immigrants, comprising the majority of the current Somali population in the UK. British Somalis are one...
Somalia 2009 timeline of the Somali Civil War 2010 timeline of the Somali Civil War 2011 timeline of the Somali Civil War 2012 timeline of the Somali...
The Somali shilling (sign: Sh.So.; Somali: shilin; Arabic: شلن; Italian: scellino; ISO 4217: SOS) is the official currency of Somalia. It is subdivided...
of Somalia has always been Somali, although throughout Somalia's history various exoglossic languages have also been used at a national level. Somali is...
sometimes consumed with Somali curry, soup, or stew. Muufo is another type of Somali flatbread popular within south Somalia and is usually eaten with...
military forces. Historically, Somali society conferred distinction upon warriors (waranle) and rewarded military acumen. All Somali males were regarded as potential...
Somali nationalism (Somali: Soomaalinimo) is a nationalist ideology advocating for the unification of all Somali people who share a common ethnicity, language...
Somali Canadians are Canadians of Somali origin or are dual Somali and Canadian nationality. Early Somali arrivals in Canada started in the 1970s, for...
The Somalia affair was a 1993 Canadian military scandal, prompted by the beating to death of Shidane Arone, a Somali teenager, at the hands of two Canadian...
Yemenite-Somali Jews served as prominent leaders in successive Somali governments of the 1960s and 1970s. However, in the 1970s when Somalia joined the...
Music of the Somali people (Somali: Muusiga Soomaalida) is music following the musical styles, techniques and sounds of the Somali people. Somali people have...
The Somali Democratic Republic (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Dimuqraadiya Soomaaliyeed; Arabic: الجمهورية الديمقراطية الصومالية, al-Jumhūrīyah ad-Dīmuqrāṭīyah...
The Federal Parliament of Somalia (Somali: Golaha Shacabka Soomaaliya; often Baarlamaanka Federaalka Soomaaliya; Arabic: البرلمان الاتحادي في الصومال)...
precolonial Somali poetry dating to around the turn of the 19th century, or through the usage of retrospection via its appearance in several Somali proper...
The Somali Republic (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliyeed; Italian: Repubblica Somala; Arabic: الجمهورية الصومالية, romanized: Al-Jumhūriyyat aṣ-Ṣūmālīyyah)...
president of Somalia (Somali: Madaxaweynaha Soomaaliya) is the head of state of Somalia. The president is also commander-in-chief of the Somali Armed Forces...
Women in Somalia form a key part of Somali society, with clearly defined and important roles in the family and structure. This includes Somali women in...
Global Information