Notes

HARGEYSA, Somalia (Achieve3000, September 8, 2016). When Mohamed Siad Barre took control of Somalia in the late 1960s, one of his first objectives was to increase his country's literacy rate. In 1973, Siad Barre's government adopted the Latin alphabet as the official alphabet for the Somali language, which is thousands of years old. Leaders also introduced a campaign to teach people to read and write Somali. Siad Barre's campaign was successful. In just one year, Somalia rose from a 5 percent literacy rate to 20 percent. But now, some people are concerned that Somali literature and culture are under threat. They're hoping that an annual book fair, which displays written works in the national language, will play a role in preserving them.

The written word has played an important role in Somali culture since the 1970s. That's when the rich oral literature of that culture began to be recorded. The 1970s also marked the emergence of new written works by talented Somali authors. But since the late 1980s, a civil war has devastated many of Somalia's schools. This had decreased the nation's literacy rate. It has threatened the written word and other aspects of the culture.

"[The war] diminished arts and productivity. Composing plays and finding spaces where youth can showcase their art and skill did not grow," said Ayan Mahamoud.

Mahamoud is the managing director of Kayd Somali Arts and Culture, the organization that coordinates the annual Hargeysa International Book Fair. Since its launch in 2008, the goal of the six-day festival of books, culture, and literature has been to ensure that the effects of the civil war do not lead to the disappearance of Somali culture.

The 2016 festival kicked off on July 23 in Hargeysa, a city located in Somaliland, a region in northwest Somalia. Authors, poets, composers, and artists displayed their work and creativity in what was the "biggest part" of the festival, according to Mahamoud. These members of the literary community, along with readers, converged not just for their common love of books, but also to preserve their culture.

"We are participating with our old work…to tell about the role of literature and how it benefits [our] mother tongue," said Farah Gamute, a participant in the fair.

Author Abdullahi Awad Cige said he came to pass on his experiences to the younger generation.

"The young [have] a chance to learn about what is missing from their work, grasp a lot, ask questions, and help preserve the language," he said.

To that end, the festival seems to be successful.

"The enthusiasm and encouragement [the fair] has created among the young people is immeasurable. There are reading clubs everywhere, [and] there are so many authors who want to present their work and books," Mahamoud said.

The event typically attracts authors, artists, and scholars from around the world. Representatives from 12 countries outside Somalia, including Nigeria, Germany, Britain, Ghana, Italy, France, and South Africa attended the 2016 festival.

The Hargeysa book fair specially invites authors and artists from African countries every year to learn about Somali culture. Ghana was the official guest country of the fair in 2016, in a demonstration of Somali officials' commitment to fostering tolerance through unity with other African nations. Previous years' guest countries included Nigeria and Malawi.

"Somalis have little knowledge about Africa," Mahamoud said. It works the other way around, as well, she added. "We believe [that] inviting the scholars from these countries…will shape the views of their people toward the Somalis in their countries."

The 2016 festival's theme was leadership and creativity, as well as the role that literature plays in good leadership. Mahamoud said she believes Ghana is a good representative of the theme.

"Ghana is a country where there has been no civil war, [so] it's a good example. It had a good leader," Mahamoud said.

The Hargeysa book fair has done more than offer a cultural event in Hargeysa. It has inspired the launch of similar events in the capital city of Mogadishu and in the region of Puntland. There have also been Somali heritage festivals in Kenya and Europe.

"There is an increased interest in culture and literature," said Mahamoud. "The goal is to reestablish cultural intuitions; no people progress without the development of their arts, culture, and literature."