| Mohammed Wardi محمد عثمان حسن وردي |
|
|---|---|
Photo of Mohammed Wardi |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mohammed Osman Hassan Salih Wardi |
| Born | July 19, 1932 [1] |
| Origin | Swarda, Wadi Halfa, Sudan[1] |
| Genres | Music of Sudan, Nobiin, Arabic Music |
| Occupations | primary-school Teacher, Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Singing, Oud, Tanbur, multiple instruments |
| Years active | 1957–present |
Mohammed Osman Hassan Salih Wardi (Arabic: محمد عثمان حسن وردي) (born 1932 - ) is a Nubian Sudanese singer and songwriter.[1]
Contents |
Wardi was born on July 19, 1932 in the small village of Swarda close to Wadi Halfa.[1] His mother, Batool Badri, died when he was an infant.[1] His father, Osman Hassan Wardi, died when he was nine.[1] He was brought up in a diverse and culturally rich background and developed an interest in poetry, literature, music and singing.[1] Wardi traveled to Shendi to complete his education, and returned to Wadi Halfa as a secondary school teacher.[1]
In 1953, Wardi went to Khartoum for the first time to attend a convention as a teaching representative for his area.[1] He moved to Khartoum and started his career as a musical performer.[1] In 1957, Omdurman Radio chose him to record and sing on national broadcast in an arena with legendary singers such as Abdelaziz Mohamed Dauod, Hassan Atia, Ahmed Almustafa, Osman Hussaein and Ibrahim Awad.[1] Wardi recorded 17 songs in his first year.[1] A committee formed by Omdurman Radio's president that included top singers and songwriters such as AlKashif, Osman Hussaein and Ahmed Almustafa promoted Wardi to highest level as a professional singer.[1]
Wardi performs using a variety of instruments including the Nubian Tanbur and sings in both Arabic and Nubian languages.[1] He has been described as "Africa's top singer", with fans mainly in the Horn of Africa.[1] His songs address topics such as romance, passion, Nubian folklore and heritage, revolution and patriotism with some of his political songs resulting in him being jailed.[1] After the introduction of Sharia in 1989, he left Sudan to voluntary exile in Cairo.[1] He returned in 2003.[1]
He was also awarded an honorary doctorate in literature from the University of Khartoum for his continuous exposure and research of the Nubian language.
Mohamed Abdi Mohamed (opel)