Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame 'Hadrawi'
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Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame 'Hadrawi' (Somali Spelling: Maxamed Ibraahim Warsame 'Hadraawi') is a Somali poet and songwriter. He has been involved with the Somali opposition movement.
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[edit] Early life
Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame was born in Somalia in 1943, in Burco in the region of Togheer. His family was poor and consisted of one girl and eight boys. In 1953, at age nine, he went to live with his uncle in the Yemeni port city of Aden. There he began attending a local madrassa where he received his nickname, "Hadrawi" (Abu Hadra). It was here that he first began to hone his abilities, singing every Thursday evening at school celebrations. While attending the madrassa, he also learned to tell stories about hyenas, jackals, and lions, which would later become a staple of his public appearances.[citation needed]
In 1963, Warsame became a primary school teacher.[citation needed]
[edit] Return to Somalia and subsequent imprisonment
After the Somalia became independent, Warsame relocated from Aden to Mogadishu and worked as a story teller on "Radio Mogadiscio." There, he attended and taught at at "Lafoole" (Afgooye) University and worked for the government's department of information.[citation needed] In 1973 he wrote the poem Siinley and the play Tawaawac (Lament), and was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Qansax Dheere until April 1978.[citation needed]
[edit] Global travels
In 1978, following his release, Warsame became the director of the arts section of the Academy of Science, Arts, and Literature. He later joined the Somali National Movement and fled to Ethiopia in 1981, and then to Great Britain in 1991. During this period, he traveled frequently throughout Europe and North America to participate in folklore and poetry festivals.[citation needed]
In 1999, Warsame returned to his native country once more, settling in Hargeisa. In 2000, the mayor of Chicago invited him to participate in the Millennium Festival of that city. Warsame now lives in Burao and has made his pilgrimage to Mecca.
[edit] Contributions to popular music
Besides volumes of poems and dozens of plays, Warsame has participated in numerous collaborations with popular vocal artists. His lyrical work includes Baladweyn, sung by Hassan Aden Samater in 1974; Saxarlaay ha Fududaan, sung by the late Mahamed Mooge; and Jacayl Dhiig ma Lagu Qoraa?’ (roughly translated as "Do you write love in blood?", sung by Halima Khaliif Magool.
[edit] Bibliography
- Aqoon iqyo afgarad, (co-authors: Saciid Saalax Axmed, Maxamed Xaashi Dhamac 'Gaarriye' and Muuse Cabdi Celmi), Mogadishu, 1972
- Hal-Karaan, Kleppe (Norway), Den Norske Somaliakomiteen, 1993
