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| An insider's guide to Mogadishu: 'There's no life without peace' | An insider's guide to Mogadishu: 'There's no life without peace' |
| (1 day later) | |
| In five words | In five words |
| Liido beach, canjeero (a sourdough pancake), hurrud (a saffron facemask) and frankincense. | Liido beach, canjeero (a sourdough pancake), hurrud (a saffron facemask) and frankincense. |
| Sound of the city? | Sound of the city? |
| It has to be the preparation of the traditional Somali breakfast, canjeero – a sourdough breakfast pancake. Similar to the Ethiopian injera - its preparation is a nostalgic sound for almost every Somali. Rich or poor, virtually every family eats this for breakfast. Canjeero is made from a mixture of flour, water and yeast. The batter is prepared in the early evening and is beaten to a porridge like consistency by hand. The unique sound can be heard throughout the city, adding to Mogadishu’s cacophony. | It has to be the preparation of the traditional Somali breakfast, canjeero – a sourdough breakfast pancake. Similar to the Ethiopian injera - its preparation is a nostalgic sound for almost every Somali. Rich or poor, virtually every family eats this for breakfast. Canjeero is made from a mixture of flour, water and yeast. The batter is prepared in the early evening and is beaten to a porridge like consistency by hand. The unique sound can be heard throughout the city, adding to Mogadishu’s cacophony. |
| Everyone’s tuning into ... | Everyone’s tuning into ... |
| Everyone is tuned into Universal TV’s Saameyn Ku Yeelo Soomaaliya (Inspire Somalia) show. The first of its kind, Inspire Somalia gives three entrepreneurs from Xamar (Mogadishu is know locally as Xamar and it’s citizens are called Reer Xamar) the chance to pitch their business idea to a panel of four successful businessmen and women. Similar to Dragons’ Den in the UK, the individual with the winning idea gets advice on how to take the idea forward. If the panellists can’t come to a decision the audience votes for the winning business idea. | Everyone is tuned into Universal TV’s Saameyn Ku Yeelo Soomaaliya (Inspire Somalia) show. The first of its kind, Inspire Somalia gives three entrepreneurs from Xamar (Mogadishu is know locally as Xamar and it’s citizens are called Reer Xamar) the chance to pitch their business idea to a panel of four successful businessmen and women. Similar to Dragons’ Den in the UK, the individual with the winning idea gets advice on how to take the idea forward. If the panellists can’t come to a decision the audience votes for the winning business idea. |
| Best venue? | Best venue? |
| Posh Treats is the newest venue in the Zobe area of Mogadishu. It is the first country club to be opened in the city after more than two decades of war. It houses a restaurant, spa and en-suite guest rooms for short or long stays. It also boasts luxury amenities such as a gym, a shisha spot and a snooker table. On Sunday evenings live solo performances of traditional music played on a Kaban, a Somali guitar similar to the Arabic Oud, take place. These are usually accompanied by dinner, story-telling or games. | Posh Treats is the newest venue in the Zobe area of Mogadishu. It is the first country club to be opened in the city after more than two decades of war. It houses a restaurant, spa and en-suite guest rooms for short or long stays. It also boasts luxury amenities such as a gym, a shisha spot and a snooker table. On Sunday evenings live solo performances of traditional music played on a Kaban, a Somali guitar similar to the Arabic Oud, take place. These are usually accompanied by dinner, story-telling or games. |
| Who’s top of the playlist? | Who’s top of the playlist? |
| Dayax Dalnuurshe is a young singer with rapidly growing popularity among the youth in Xamar. | Dayax Dalnuurshe is a young singer with rapidly growing popularity among the youth in Xamar. |
| Best local artist | Best local artist |
| There’s something beautiful about seeing a city and society on the mend. Mogadishu artist Aden Affei’s paintings are a reflection of untold stories of our present and our recent past. Affei was part of project supported by the Centre For Research and Dialogue in which a group of artists were selected to teach child soldiers basic skills in painting. Aden has amassed an incredible body of work and his paintings bear witness to Somalia’s struggles and debates. He deserves an international audience. | There’s something beautiful about seeing a city and society on the mend. Mogadishu artist Aden Affei’s paintings are a reflection of untold stories of our present and our recent past. Affei was part of project supported by the Centre For Research and Dialogue in which a group of artists were selected to teach child soldiers basic skills in painting. Aden has amassed an incredible body of work and his paintings bear witness to Somalia’s struggles and debates. He deserves an international audience. |
| What’s the look on the street? | What’s the look on the street? |
| Mogadishu has come long way from the days when women were forced to wear Niqab and kids were not allowed to play football in the streets. Now you will find ladies wearing the latest sunglasses or a pair of skinny jeans under their black Cabaya (Abaya). She might even kick a ball on the beach … | Mogadishu has come long way from the days when women were forced to wear Niqab and kids were not allowed to play football in the streets. Now you will find ladies wearing the latest sunglasses or a pair of skinny jeans under their black Cabaya (Abaya). She might even kick a ball on the beach … |
| Best cultural Instagram account | Best cultural Instagram account |
| ‘There’s no life without peace!’ is the message written on the wall but Zahra Qorane’s Instagram shows you all walks of daily life in Mogadishu. From the smiley faces of children playing in the streets to the camels of the city, the account builds up a genuine mosaic of how the people of Xamar live. So, if you’re bored hearing the stories of war here’s the place to come. | ‘There’s no life without peace!’ is the message written on the wall but Zahra Qorane’s Instagram shows you all walks of daily life in Mogadishu. From the smiley faces of children playing in the streets to the camels of the city, the account builds up a genuine mosaic of how the people of Xamar live. So, if you’re bored hearing the stories of war here’s the place to come. |
| What’s the big talking point in your city right now? | What’s the big talking point in your city right now? |
| The election of 2016 and whether women can hold the top job or not. For the first time we have a female candidate, Fadumo Dayib, is putting her name forward for the highest office. This has sparked heated debate about women’s role in society and whether a woman can become president? Leading this debate is SOMGEM; the Somali Gender Equity Movement. | |
| What your city does better than anyone... | What your city does better than anyone... |
| Dance. Xamar has a local dance called Niiko, which is the rhythmic shaking of the bum synchronized with drums. Thanks to increased peace and security in the city, the people of Xamar are now able to socialise and enjoy themselves more freely and come out to the streets to dance. | Dance. Xamar has a local dance called Niiko, which is the rhythmic shaking of the bum synchronized with drums. Thanks to increased peace and security in the city, the people of Xamar are now able to socialise and enjoy themselves more freely and come out to the streets to dance. |
| Comedy Gold | Comedy Gold |
| With more than 90K followers on Instagram, Ugaaso Boocow has become the new face of Mogadishu! She left Canada to visit her mother in Mogadishu and was surprised to see a different side to the city, a side the media never covers so she decided to share her experience with her friends back in Canada by posting selfies on Instagram. Her friends started sharing it online and the rest is history. Her Somali version of the popular show MTV’s Cribs is hilarious! | With more than 90K followers on Instagram, Ugaaso Boocow has become the new face of Mogadishu! She left Canada to visit her mother in Mogadishu and was surprised to see a different side to the city, a side the media never covers so she decided to share her experience with her friends back in Canada by posting selfies on Instagram. Her friends started sharing it online and the rest is history. Her Somali version of the popular show MTV’s Cribs is hilarious! |
| Greatest cultural moment | Greatest cultural moment |
| The return of Waayaha Cusub, a Nairobi-based, Somali Hip Hop group. Waayaha Cusub (meaning New Dawn) along with other musicians from around the world arrived in Mogadishu to perform at the Peace & Sunrise Music Festival in 2012. Members of New Dawn fled Mogadishu at the height of the civil war, but as Somalia’s Federal Government received recognition from the internationally community, Waayaha Cusub were able to return to support their city and once again advocate for peace and help deter young men from joining the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab. | The return of Waayaha Cusub, a Nairobi-based, Somali Hip Hop group. Waayaha Cusub (meaning New Dawn) along with other musicians from around the world arrived in Mogadishu to perform at the Peace & Sunrise Music Festival in 2012. Members of New Dawn fled Mogadishu at the height of the civil war, but as Somalia’s Federal Government received recognition from the internationally community, Waayaha Cusub were able to return to support their city and once again advocate for peace and help deter young men from joining the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab. |
| Best street art? | Best street art? |
| Mogadishu is an open gallery. Every shop, restaurant and market stalls use painters to make murals of the products they are selling. It is effective an effective sales tactic … even Tom and Jerry look like happy customers. | Mogadishu is an open gallery. Every shop, restaurant and market stalls use painters to make murals of the products they are selling. It is effective an effective sales tactic … even Tom and Jerry look like happy customers. |
| From me | From me |
| Sadia Ahmed is a freelance filmmaker, currently developing a documentary on gender based violence in Internally Displaced Peoples camps in Somalia. | |
| Five to follow | Five to follow |
| Warya Post | Warya Post |
| Mogadishu Images | Mogadishu Images |
| Eating in Xamar | Eating in Xamar |
| Idilay Bilan | Idilay Bilan |
| Abdikarim Hussein | Abdikarim Hussein |