4/26/2012

Women build the Somali hut

Anisha Hashi looking out from a Somali hut.

Somali hut at 2011 Kulma from April 26 to May 9, 2012. Open  12-18 (closed on Mondays). Kristiinankatu 1. Free entry.

The Capital of Culture year’s information desk, 2011 Kulma, will reopen from April 26 to May 9, 2012 for an exhibition of Somali culture

Kulma will display a typical Somali abode – the aqal or Somali hut and artefacts that usually accompany the hut. During the exhibition, special events will be organised that will include poetry reading, documentaries, music, stories and information about Somaliland as well as Somali food and drink.

– The aqal is a traditional Somali home, which is always built by women. The huts are still built in rural areas, where nomadic people roam from one place to another according to the seasons, says exhibition co-ordinator Fardowsa Musse Barale from Turun Nuorten Somalien Yhdistys.

The Somalia poems, stories and tales that will heard during the exhibition will fit with the themes for the afternoons. The poems will be presented by Fardowsa’s mother Hareed Habiibo Khayre, and will be interpreted into Finnish. The theme days will also feature music and dance, Somali cuisine and information about the current situation in Somaliland.

The exhibition will also display photographs of Somaliland and show documantaries made by the Somali-born Turku resident Wali Hashi and documantaries about the building of aqals and life in Somalia.

Somali culture in Finland

The exhibition arose from the desire of Somalis living in Turku to describe their culture. Somalis are Finland's fourth largest minority group. The exhibition especially aims to bring to the fore those aspects of Somali culture that are mostly invisible to the rest of the population in Finland.

– The cooperation with Somali associations when helping to produce the exhibition provides a good indication of how important it is for representatives of different cultures to learn about each other's customs. Finnish Somalis live in the midst of Finnish culture every day, so it's wonderful to be able to organise the opportunity for us to also gain a perspective on traditional Somali culture, says exhibition coordinator Pauliina Mäkinen of the Turku 2011 Foundation.

• Pop-up programme for the Somali hut exhibition (in Finnish)

The exhibition has been produced by the Turku 2011 Foundation (coordinating organisation for  the European Capital of Culture year Turku 2011) together with Turun Nuorten Somalien Yhdistys. The Finnish Red Cross Southwest District is also a partner

Photo: 2011 Foundation / Arto Takala

Read more:

• Aqal Somali
• Construction of Aqal Somali