Balwo

Last updated

Balwo is a style of music and poetry practiced in Somalia as well as Djibouti. Its lyrical contents often deal with love and passion. The Balwo genre was founded by Abdi Sinimo. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Origins

The Balwo genre was founded by Abdi Sinimo, [4] [5] a Somali of the Reer Nuur subclan of the Gadabuursi. The first Heelo (Which is considered a sub genre of Balwo) was brought fourth by Abdi Sinimo as well. [6]

In 1945, while working as a lorry driver for the Djiboutian Port Authority, [7] Abdi Sinimo was driving his truck and had experienced misfortune when around the Zeila area, thus the first Balwo was created. He called it "Balwo" (meaning misfortune in Somali), because of the remoteness of where his truck had experienced difficulty. [8] The Balwo is a simple love lyric that has revolutionized modern Somali music. [9] Another artist who made significant contributions to the genre was Abdullahi Qarshe, who is credited with the introduction of the kaban (oud) as an accompaniment to Somali music. [10]

In an interview with Abdullahi Qarshe, he affirmed that "modern music was in the air at the time of Abdi Sinimo, who is widely regarded as the genius who formulated and organized it into the belwo and thus took well deserved credit and honor for it." [11]

History

Abdi Deeqsi (Abdi Sinimo) was born in a place in the Borama area named Jarahorato, where he spent most of his youth. Unlike the overwhelming majority of Somali poets, his family were never rural nomad in the Somali bush, living in the traditional manner; Abdi Deqsi and his family was urbanized from the beginning. Early in youth, he went to Djibouti (At the time was known as French Somaliland) where he studied about vehicle mechanics as an apprentice. After returning to Borama around 1941, he was employed as a lorry driver mechanic by a wealthy merchant, by the name of Haji Hirsi.

By now, Abdi had passed his thirtieth birthday and had acquired the nickname Sinimo (Cinema in Somali). Abdi was a well known orator of stories and jokes because of his passion to deliver the story, the nickname fit him extremely well. His outgoing personality made him very popular, especially among the youth. Abdi's trade route took him from Zeila, to Djibouti to Borama and Hargeysa and sometimes even as far away as Dire Dhabe in Ethiopia. One day, sometime between 1943 and 1945, his lorry broke down in the bush. Somali oral tradition debates the whereabouts of this happening. Some say it occurred in a place called Habaas; others say in Ban Balcad; while still others claim the place was Selel on the plain of Geryaad, thirty miles south of Zeila. Abdi was unable to determine what was wrong with his vehicle and was thus unable to repair it. Finally after much frustrating work and failed repair, he sat down and (as the Somali poet Hasan Sheekh Muumin states) these words escaped from his mouth: "Belwooy, belwooy, hooy belwooy....Waha i baleeyay mooyaane. Belwooy, belwooy, hooy belwooy!" (I am unaware of what caused me to suffer)

The following variation is also sometimes quoted as the first Balwo by some Somalis: "Balwooy, hooy balwooy, Waha ii balweeyay mooyaane, Waha i balweeyay baabuure, Balwooy, hoy balwooy !" ( I am unaware of what caused me to suffer; What caused me to suffer was a lorry.)

When Abdi returned to Borama after having his lorry towed back to Zeila, he recited his short poem in public. It was an immediate success which inspired him to compose other Balwo. Other poets also began to compose in the new genre, and it began to spread rapidly. [6]

Below is a sample from a poem by Abdi Sinimo . [12]

Controversy

Balwo was becoming increasing popular, with members of the upper class in northern Somali towns hosting Balwo listening parties. [14] This rapid expansion of the Balwo genre, after its establishment, caused many members of Somali religious orders to speak out against it.

Religious leaders such as Shaykh Abdullah Mijlrtain and Muhammad Hassan, started to compose poems against the spread of Balwo. Their position was, the singing of love poems of the Somali Balwo genre is offensive to Muslim morality and decorum, and is against Islamic morals. [15] Nonetheless, the spread of the genre did not stop, Abdi established a troop and performed the genre in many cities in Somalia, thus becoming a modern Somali music innovator.

Influence on Somali Music

Balwo, was the immediate predecessor of the Heello, and thus Heelo become a sub genre of Balwo. Abdi's innovation and passion for music revolutionized Somali music forever. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Somalia</span>

The Music of the Somali people is music following the musical styles, techniques and sounds of the Somali people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohamed Abdi Hashi</span> First Vice president of Puntland (died 2020)

Mohamed Abdi Hashi was a Somali politician, who served as the president of USP during the 1990s. He hailed from the Dhulbahante clan, Qayaad sub clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dir (clan)</span> Somali clan family

The Dir is one of the largest and most prominent Somali clans in the Horn of Africa. They are also considered to be the oldest Somali stock to have inhabited the region. Its members inhabit Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, and northeastern Kenya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gadabuursi</span> Northern Somali clan

The Gadabuursi, also known as Samaroon, is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barawa</span> Capital City of South West Somalia State

Barawa, also known as Barawe and Brava, is the capital of the South West State of Somalia. It functions as a port town in the southwestern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia. Facing the Indian Ocean, Barawa serves as the main port of the South West State.

Over the course of the Somali Civil War, there have been many revolutionary movements and militia groups run by competing rebel leaders which have held de facto control over vast areas within Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali literature</span>

Somali literature is the literature used by the ethnic Somalis of Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Yemen, Eritrea, Ogadenia, and Kenya.

Abdillahi Suldaan Mohammed, known as Timacade, was a Somali poet. He was one of the most prominent bards of his day.

Abdi Sinimo was a Somali singer, songwriter, poet and musical innovator. He is noted for having established the Balwo genre of Somali music, which was the forerunner of the Heelo genre and thus gave birth to modern Somali music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali studies</span>

Somali studies is the scholarly term for research concerning Somalis and Greater Somalia. It consists of several disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, linguistics, historiography and archaeology. The field draws from old Somali chronicles, records and oral literature, in addition to written accounts and traditions about Somalis from explorers and geographers in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. The Somali Studies International Association is the primary organization for Somalist scholars. Bildhaan, Somali Studies, Horn of Africa and the Anglo-Somali Society Journal likewise serve as the field's main periodicals. Since 1980, prominent Somalist scholars from around the world have also gathered annually to hold the International Congress of Somali Studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdullahi Qarshe</span> Somali musician, poet and playwright (1924–1994)

Abdullahi Qarshe (1924–1994) was a Somali musician, poet and playwright known as the "Father of Somali music". In 1957 he wrote and composed the Somali National Anthem, Qolobaa Calankeed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali alphabets</span> Writing systems for the Somali language

A number of writing systems have been used to transcribe the Somali language. Of these, the Somali Latin alphabet is the most widely used. It has been the official writing script in Somalia since the Supreme Revolutionary Council formally introduced it in October 1972, and was disseminated through a nationwide rural literacy campaign. Prior to the twentieth century, the Arabic script was used for writing Somali. An extensive literary and administrative corpus exists in Arabic script. It was the main script historically used by the various Somali sultans to keep records. Writing systems developed locally in the twentieth century include the Osmanya, Borama and Kaddare scripts.

Jarahorato is a village in the northwestern Awdal region of Somaliland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhaanto</span>

Dhaanto is a style of traditional Somali music and folk dance. It is a cultural folk dance native to Somali people in the Horn of Africa.

Ughaz Nur II' or Ugas NurII' also known as UghazNur Robleh, was a Somali King and poet of the Gadabuursi clan.

Elmi Boodhari was a Somali poet and pioneer in the genre of Somali love poems. He is known among Somalis as the King of Romance. He was born near the border between Ethiopia and Somaliland in 1908 and hailed from the Eidagale sub-clan.

Ughaz 'Elmi Roble Warfa or Ughaz 'Elmi Roble Warfa also known as 'Elmi Warfa was a Gadabursi King. his other nicknames were 'Elmi Dheire "'Elmi the Tall", because he was a very tall man and Kun ‘Iil " which means A Thousand Sorrows",

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio Hargeysa</span>

Radio Hargeisa is a Somaliland public service broadcaster, Its headquarters are at Ministry of Information, Hargeisa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gadabuursi Ughazate</span> 1575 to 1884 Northern Somali kingdom

The Gadabuursi Ughazate or Ugasate evolved from and was a successor kingdom to the Adal Sultanate and Sultanate of Harar. The first Ughaz (Ugaas) of this successor kingdom, Ali Makail Dera was the son of Makail Dera, the progenitor of the Makayl-Dheere. During the late 19th century, as the region became subject to colonial rule, the Ughaz assumed a more traditional and ceremonial leadership of the clan. The Gadabuursi give their King the title of Ughaz. It's an authentic Somali term for King or Sultan. The Gadabuursi in particular are one of the clans with a long tradition of the institution of Sultan.

References

  1. ↑ Johnson, John William (1996). Heelloy: Modern Poetry and Songs of the Somali. Indiana University Press. ISBN   978-1874209812.
  2. ↑ Mukhtar, Muhammad Haji (2003-02-25). Historical dictionary of Somalia. Scarecrow Press. p. 12. ISBN   9780810866041.
  3. ↑ Mukhtar, Muhammad Haji (2000). Historical dictionary of Djibouti. Scarecrow Press. p. 2. ISBN   9780810838734.
  4. ↑ African Language Review, Volume 6. The University of Michigan: F. Cass. 1967. p. 5.
  5. ↑ Andrzejewski, B. W.; Pilaszewicz, S.; Tyloch, W. (1985-11-21). Literatures in African Languages: Theoretical Issues and Sample Surveys. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9780521256469. Cabdi Deeqsi, who created a genre of love poetry called Balwo
  6. 1 2 Johnson, John William (1996). Heelloy: Modern Poetry and Songs of the Somali. Indiana University Press. p. 100. ISBN   978-1874209812.
  7. ↑ Mukhtar, Mohamed Haji (2003-02-25). Historical Dictionary of Somalia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN   9780810866041.
  8. ↑ AFRICA DIARY: A WEEKLY RECORD OF EVENTS IN AFRICA. South Africa: Africa Publications (India). 1964. p. 4.
  9. ↑ Stovel, Nora Foster (2008-08-19). Divining Margaret Laurence: A Study of Her Complete Writings. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. ISBN   9780773533769.
  10. ↑ Brinkhurst, Emma (2012). Music, Memory and Belonging: Oral Tradition and Archival Engagement Among the Somali Community of London's King's Cross. University of London. p. 61.
  11. ↑ "Interview with the late Abdullahi Qarshe (1994) at the Residence of Obliqe Carton in Djibouti". Macalester College. 1994. p. 80.
  12. 1 2 Mukhtar, Mohamed Haji (2003-02-25). Historical Dictionary of Somalia. Scarecrow Press. p. 12. ISBN   9780810866041.
  13. ↑ Historical Dictionary of Somalia, 2003
  14. ↑ Finnegan, Ruth (2012), "Lyric", Oral Literature in Africa, World Oral Literature Series, vol. 1, Open Book Publishers, pp. 235–263, doi: 10.11647/obp.0025.09 , ISBN   9781906924706
  15. ↑ Andrzejewski, B.W.; Lewis, I.M.; O'Fahey, R.S. (1994). "New Arabic Documents from Somalia". Sudanic Africa. 5: 39–56. ISSN   0803-0685. JSTOR   25653242.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.