somali culture
DESCRIPTION
Somali Culture. Fast Facts. Population 1975--10,428,043 2000 estimates—9-14 million 44 percent of population below age 14 Heaviest populations of US Somalis are in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Washington, DC; Columbus, Ohio; NYC; Buffalo; Kansas City; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Somali Culture
Fast Facts• Population
1975--10,428,0432000 estimates—9-14 million
• 44 percent of population below age 14
• Heaviest populations of US Somalis are in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Washington, DC; Columbus, Ohio; NYC; Buffalo; Kansas City; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle
History & Colonization
• The French controlled the northernmost region (now Djibouti)
• British colonized northern Somalia creating a country called British Somaliland,
• Italians governed southern Somalia, creating Italian Somaliland,
• Ethiopia controlled the inland region of the Ogaden
• Kenya controlled land on its northern border inhabited by Somalis, called the Northern Frontier District (NFD).
Clan Structure
Clan identity is central to identity
Children memorize paternal ancestry from young age
Most of Somalia’s armed clashes since 1991 have been fought in the name of clan, often as a result of manipulation of clannism by political leaders
Remember: just because there are 2 Somali students in a class doesn’t mean they will get along!
Languages
Rich oral tradition
No written language until 1972
Somali= official language 16.6 speakers worldwide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu-S4MDvCoc
http://somaliaholland.free.fr/somali_language.htm
Arabic
Some older generations in northern Somalis speak French, Southern Somalis speak Italian
Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThgWQPq-RPE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUMzqW0l0G8
Religion
Majority Sunni Muslim
Fasting during Ramadan—ninth month of Muslim calendar year
Teenage immigrants in US faced with many challenges that oppose faith Dating
alcohol
Helpful Links
• FAQs about Somali culture and conversation norms:http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=so#cn-2
• Immigration history and barriers in the classroom: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CC0QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macrothink.org%2Fjournal%2Findex.php%2Fije%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F334%2F325&ei=KwpIVJyrA-mIiwLk_4AQ&usg=AFQjCNHiYiEIM_nwbR7logYv4bB2HeUJ_g&bvm=bv.77880786,d.cGE