Somali language script

Civil war, famine, corruption, failed state, piracy at sea and Al-Qaeda on land, there is no much left for Somalis to celebrate, except, perhaps, to celebrate for their own mother tongue, the Latin scripted Somali language.

It is one of ancient Cushitic family spoken mostly in the Horn of Africa. But remained unwritten until as recent as 1972 when Somalia has finally managed to have its own written language, thanks to government at the time and more importantly thanks to Shire Jama Ahmed the man who had endured over the years to develop our Latin scripted Somali language.

Following the collapse of the Somali state together with its entire social, cultural, educational and political institutions, and in the inter-clan fighting in most of the country, the only thing left to tie communities, dispersed families by the conflict is their written Somali language.

In refugee camps, in diaspora and in Somalia, from mobile texting to writing books, from Newspaper to TV channels and from website to school text books, from radio broadcast to missing persons’ letters; perhaps it is the written Somali language which had played a vital role in alleviating 20 plus years of the Somali civil war. Yet it is not acknowledged that Somalis have a reason to be proud of and a cause for celebration!

This years’ 40th anniversary would be celebrated, the introduction of the Somali Latin Script in 1972, with the following objectives:-  

Objectives
1. To acknowledge - prior the introduction of the Latin Script of 1972 - and appreciate the enormous challenges associated with finding suitable characters and structures in the face of a competing forces and countries to influence the outcome in choosing our own language scripted.

2. To educate the general public about the historical evolution of writing Somali language, including how religion was employed to weaken the resolve and determination of Shire Jama Ahmed and others who were advocating for Latin Script and its benefits over other characters including the Arabic alphabet.

3. To celebrate for the immense achievements came with having a written language and to highlight the risk of losing most of t those achievements due to the protracted conflict in Somalia.

Having in mind the above objectives, good preparation were made for collecting valuable documents, images, articles and interviews of personalities with knowledge and background relating to the evolution and development of writing the Somali language, including:-

1. Dr Martin Orwin Head of African Languages Department, Senior Lecturer of Somali and Amharic at SOAS, University of London.

2. Husein Sheikh Kadare (He is the sole surviving person from the people who had language script models)

3. Sharif Saleh Chairman of National Language Commission (1972),

4. Fadumo Ahmed Alim (Ureji) the first Somali female University graduate, former Deputy Minister of Higher Education.

5. Ahmed F. Ali Idaajaa author and leading experts on Somali culture and language,

6. Maryan Farah Gooje former president, Somali Academy of Science, arts and literature.

7. Mohamed Salah, Afgoye District Commissioner during the illiteracy campaign of 1975.

These interviews were carried out in Mogadishu, Nairobi and London during August and September 2012 by Abdullahi Botan Hassan - Soohan Somali Arts Director (Poet for Somalia at this year’s London Cultural Olympiad Festival) in coordination with Kasmo Newspaper, an award winning Somali paper based in London.

This wealth of information, interviews and documents will be presented to the commemorating event on 27th October 2012 where around a 1000 participants will be attending at the Camden Centre. There would be a material exhibition at Sohan Centre, at 90 Cromer Street.

During the event live tv on various channels will be used to reach vast audience of Somalis across the globe. Artists will perform traditional dances, songs and poems.

Experts on Somali Language and Culture are invited to take part in the commemoration, including:
1. Ahmed Farah Ali (Idaajaa) from Nairobi, Kenya
2. Prof Cabddala Mansur from Roma, Italy 3. Prof.Annarita Puglielli, Head of Somali Studies Centre, University of Roma
4. Dr Georgi kaptchits,  Moscow, Russia
5. Dr Martin Orwin, SOAS – London
6. Prof Abdi Farah Hassan - Netherlands (Former Rector, Somali National University)  
In collaboration with the London commemoration organizers, Mogadishu and Nairobi will host larger commemoration and celebration events from 15th November.

Also another event will take place in Birmingham – West Midland England.

Abdulkadir Shire Farah, Kasmo Editor
Coordinator, 40th Anniversary Commemoration.  
Tel 020 3556 8723 –Mobile 0795 797 4885

Email: info@kasmonewspaper.com