Abdullahi Qarshe
Abdullahi Qarshe عبدالله قرشي | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cabdilaahi Qarshe |
| Born | 1924 Moshi,Tanganyika Territory (present-dayTanzania) |
| Origin | Somalilander |
| Died | 1994 (aged 69–70) United Kingdom |
| Genres | Balwo,Heello,[1]Qaraami |
| Instrument(s) | Oud,piano, guitar,lute |
| Years active | 1940s–1970s |
| Labels | Wadani |
Abdullahi Qarshe(Somali:Cabdilaahi Qarshe,Arabic:عبد الله قرشي) (1924–1994) was aSomalimusician, poet and playwright known as the "Father ofSomali music".[2]In 1957 he wrote and composed the Somali National Anthem,Qolobaa Calankeed.[3]
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Qarshe was born in 1924 in the Somaliexpatriatecommunity inMoshi,Tanzania. He belonged to the Mousa Arreh subdivision of theHabar Yoonissub clan ofGarhajisIsaaqthat mainly inhabits theTogdheerregion ofSomaliland.[4]Before migrating to Tanzania, his family was based in the town ofMaydh,in theSanaagregion in eastern Somaliland, where they were the keepers of the tomb ofShaykh Ishaaq,the common progenitor of the widerIsaaqclan family.[5]
In 1931, at the behest of his family, he left Tanzania and settled inAden,Yemenfor his education, where he subsequentlymemorizedthe entireQuran.[5]It is in Aden where Abdullahi also had his first encounter with cinema and radio playingwestern filmsandIndianandArabic music,which inspired him to buy aluteto accomplish his new goal of creating music in theSomali language.He was married to Adaiya Qarshe whom he had four children with, Rukiyo Qarshe, Safiyo Qarshe, Anab Qarshe and Mahad Qarshe.
Career
[edit]Qarshe, along with other first generation artists such asAli Feiruzand Mohamed Nahari, was among the pioneers of modern Somali music. An innovative musician, Qarshe often employed a wide variety of instruments in his art, such as the guitar, piano andoud.He was also known for his poems and histheatricalwork atMogadishuandHargeisavenues.
TheBalwogenre, was however founded byAbdi Sinimoas was mentioned by Qarshe. In an interview with Abdullahi Qarshe published by Bildhaan Vol. 2 page 80, he affirmed that "modern music was in the air at the time of Abdi Sinimo, who is widely regarded as the genius who formulated and organized it into the belwo and thus took well deserved credit and honor for it."[6]
Heellooy
[edit]Qarshe introduced a new and shorter form of Heello by combining traditional Somali poetry with song. In the 1940s he created his first songKa ka'ay(Arise). Qarshe utilized many of his Heello songs to express Pro-independence and anti-colonial sentiments. In tribute toPatrice Lumumbahe wrote the songLumumba ma noole mana dhimane(Lumumba is neither alive nor dead) in 1960. In 1957 he composed the currentSomali National AnthemQoloba Calankeeda waa cayn(Every nation has its own unique flag). In 1955 Qarshe founded the Walaalo Hargeisa troupe which performed various plays around Somaliland, one of them beingSoomaalidii Hore iyo Somaalidii dambe(Somalis past and present). Qarshe's 1961 songAqoon la'aan waa iftiin la'aan(to be without knowledge is to be without light) was the signature tune ofRadio Mogadishu.In addition, Qarshe was a member of the pioneering Somali musical ensemble Waaberi and would influence nearly all subsequentHeellooy.[7][8][3]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^Ph.D, Toyin Falola; Jean-Jacques, Daniel (14 December 2015).Africa: An Encyclopedia of Culture and Society [3 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Culture and Society.ABC-CLIO.ISBN9781598846669.
- ^Johnson, p.82
- ^abTurner, B. (12 January 2017).The Statesman's Yearbook 2014: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World, by Barry turner, p.1116.Springer.ISBN9781349596430.
- ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 13 August 2017.Retrieved12 August2017.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^abHassan, Mohamed-Rashid (4 November 2008)."Interview with the late Abdullahi Qarshe (1994) at the Residence of Obliqe Carton in Djibouti".Bildhaan.2(1): 65–66.ISSN1528-6258.
- ^"Interview with the late Abdullahi Qarshe (1994) at the Residence of Obliqe Carton in Djibouti".1994.
One cannot say, therefore, that I am the "Father of Somali Music." Even modern music was in the air at the time of Abdi Sinimo, who is widely regarded as the genius who formulated and organized it into the belwo and thus took well deserved credit and honor for it.
- ^Mukhtar, Mohamed Haji (25 February 2003).Historical Dictionary of Somalia by Mohamed Haji Mukhtar. pp. 13-14.Scarecrow Press.ISBN9780810866041.
- ^Agency, Central Intelligence (22 November 2016).The CIA world factbook 2007, p.778.Skyhorse.ISBN9781510712898.
References
[edit]- Johnson, John William (1996).Heelloy: modern poetry and songs of the Somali.Indiana University Press.ISBN1-874209-81-2.
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