Disavowal of art is a new phenomenon in Somalia

 The Somali man has remained clinging to his creative heritage that extends from the earliest times, represented in the Stone Age cave drawings, poetic genres that exceeded ten arts, and songs and dances that varied in the diversity of regions and regions.

The historical developments in Somali societies over the past century have increased the importance of artistic and creative activity, from the emergence of political borders, which divided the land and divided society, in addition to the phenomena of alienation and migration to countries where the Somali was strange in face, hand and tongue.

However, a new phenomenon has recently emerged on the surface of society, which has a severe impact on the Somali artistic and creative circles, provoking a general state of discontent and frustration among hundreds of Somali creators inside and outside the country.

Salt on the wound of creativity

There is no doubt that the emergence of the phenomenon of “disavowing” some of those involved - previously - in the artistic field, of their role and tasks in the creative process, is a new matter that Somali societies have not previously dealt with.

The controversy that engulfed the retired artist Muhammad Saeed, known as “BK”, and Youssef Osman Abdullah, nicknamed “Youssef Shaer”, one of the prominent poets in the Somali literary scene, may be a real indication of the state of mind that is currently under development, given the name of "Youssef Shaer" on the lips of "BK" when he mentioned a group of creative people who retired from art, and "Shaer" went out to deny that he had ever joined the artistic community, and that all his artistic contributions did not exceed two poems, he allowed their performance to one of the artists, while "BK" returned to deny him His disavowal of the middle despite the revelation that there was a third poem sung!

Tahir Muhammad Guled, who is interested in collecting heritage artworks, says, "The Somali artistic community in general, and in Somaliland in particular, was one of the sectors of society that was most affected by the conditions that the country went through. These acrobatic behaviors are very painful on the psychological level for those interested in Somali art, because while they suffer from lack of appreciation in a society whose values ​​have changed, there come among them those who deepen their wound, and even sprinkle salt on a wound they have long endured.”