Kaana Xusuuso, Kanna Xus:
Orality, Visuality and the Colonial Archive
of Somalia, 1885-1960
by Kaamil A. Haider
June 25 - August 21, 2022
Soomaal House Gallery
Kaana Xusuuso, Kanna Xus: Oraah, Muuqaal iyo Kaydkii Gumeysiga ee Soomaaliya, 1885-1960 waa mashruuc ka kooban kayd, cilmi-baaris iyo farshaxan. Waxay sahaminaysaa gabayada afka Soomaaliga ah iyo heesihii la soo saaray intii u dhaxaysay dabayaaqadii sagaal iyo tobnaad iyo bartamihii qarnigii labaatanaad kuwaasoo ka soo horjeeday gumaysigii ka jiray dhulka Soomaalida.
Intii lagu jiray muddadaas taariikhiga ah, muuqaallada farshaxameysan ee ay Soomaalidu abuureen aad bay u koobnaayeen; lama horumarinin, ama way lumeen, ama waa la burburiyay. Wixii haray ee la xafiday waa gabayadii iyo heesihii afka ahaa ee la curiyay intii muddadan lagu gudo jiray. Qaababkaan waxisgaarsiineed ayaa aasaas u ahaa nidaamka ay Soomaalidu ku xiriiri jirtay iyagoo ku kala sugnaa jaalliyado iyo deegaanno kala duruqsan, oo isku soo uruurin jirtay dad tiro badan, una keydin jirtay dhacdooyinkaas jiilka dambe. Si kastaba ha ahaatee, goobaha kaydka ah ee gumaystuhu leeyahay waxaa dhex yaallo tiro badan oo ah sawiro, kaararka boostada, shaabbada boostada, iyo sawiro kale oo kala duwan oo ay Soomaalidu leedahay oo lagu sawiray iyagoo lagu saleeyay aragtida reer Yurub/gumaysiga.
Kaana Xusuuso, Kanna Xus wuxuu soo bandhigi doonaa gabayadii iyo heesihii gumaysi-diidka kaasoo niqaash la sameyn doono kaydkii gumaysiga, ka dibna wuxuu Kaana Xusuuso, Kanna Xus soo saari doonaa sawiro muujinaya tixraacyada muuqaalka ah ee loo soo gudbiyay qaab ah erayada farshaxankan si dib loogu milicsado, oo dib loogu fasiro, dibna loogu soo celiyo muuqaalkii xilligaan iyadoo laga eegayo dhanka qofka Soomaaliga ah.
Mashruucani waxa uu ka soo baxay cilmi-baaris ballaaran iyo wada-sheekeysi lala yeeshay farshaxanyahanno kale, dadka wax keydiyo, iyo taariikhyahannada si loo helo taariikhda, qaababka iyo tixraacyada muuqaalka farshaxameysan ee dhaqanka Soomaalida. Kaana Xusuuso, Kanna Xus waa mashruuc baadi-goobkan ku koobaya uun xilligii gumeysiga ee Soomaaliya. Sidaa awgeeda, mashruucan waa inaan loo qaadan inuu yahay mid dhammaystiran maadaama uu sii kobcin doono wada-hadallada ku xeeran muuqaalka farshaxameysan, oraahda, farshaxanka, iyo kaydka Soomaalida.
Remember That One, and Commemorate This One: Orality, Visuality and the Colonial Archive of Somalia, 1885-1960 is an archive, research and art project. It explores Somali oral poetry and songs produced between the late nineteenth and mid twentieth century as an opposition to colonial rule within Somali territories.
During this historical period, visuals created by the Somalis were very limited; they were either not developed, lost or destroyed. What remained and has been preserved are the oral poetry and songs composed within this timeframe. These forms of communication were the foundational apparatus with which the Somalis corresponded across society and lands, rallied the masses and recorded the events for posterity. However, colonial archival repositories contain a large number of photographs, postcards, stamps, and various other iconographies of the Somalis framed through the European/colonial gaze.
Kaana Xusuuso, Kanna Xus will bring the anti-colonial poetry and songs in conversation with the colonial archives, and subsequently produce images that illustrate the visual references communicated through the words of these artforms to reimagine, reinterpret and restitute the visuality of this period through the lens of the Somalis.
This project emerged from a period of extensive research and conversations with fellow artists, archivists and historians in locating the history, forms and references of visual art in Somali culture. Kaana Xusuuso, Kanna Xus isolates this search within the colonial period of Somalia. Therefore, the project should not be considered complete as it will continue to further develop the conversations surrounding visuality, orality, art, and archives of the Somalis.
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The exhibit had two components. The first part was to be viewed from June 25th till July 24th, and the second and final part from July 30th till August 21st. Together, both parts complete the project and artist’s journey of investigations, complexities and ongoing conversations with the findings of his search.
Project by Kaamil A. Haider with contributions by Wasima Farah.
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PROGRAMMING:
June 25, 5-8 PM
Opening
July 2, 5-8 PM
Open Mic
July 30, 6 PM
Artist Talk with Kaamil A. Haider, part 1
August 12, 8 PM
Film screening
L’Esclave blanc (The White Slave), 1936, 77 minutes
August 13, 6 PM
Activation of the Archives, Its Communal and Representation
with Abdi Roble, Mohamud Mumin & Kaamil A. Haider
August 20, 6 PM
Artist Talk with Wasima Farah, part 2
This exhibit was made possible by Heritage Studies and Public History program–University of Minnesota, and the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.