Soomaali Mi'yaa? an ethnographic exploration of Somali identity formation in Cape Town

Omar, Billan

Soomaali Mi'yaa? an ethnographic exploration of Somali identity formation in Cape Town

Thesis / Dissertation

2024

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

African Cinema Unit

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

Somalinimo is the blood, breath, and bone of this research. Meaning “the essence of being Somali,” this word walks through borders, creating transnational communities. Somalis are viewed as one people, and Somalis believe themselves to be one people. This thesis explores the meaning and transformation behind this essentialism and how Somalis in South Africa employ this one ness to form interconnecting Diasporas with ease. This ethnography pieces together the stories of a few Somalis I had the privilege of working with during my time volunteering with the Somali Association of South Africa (SASA). With the office located in Bellville, truly at the heart of Somali society in Cape Town, I attempted to understand and document the ways Somalis construct and hold together their multiple identities, while also unpacking my own. Belonging, conviviality, movement, and performance are significant themes throughout this research. As oral history is a historically significant part of Somali culture and society, it is especially important to preserve the Somali voice, and those voices outside of Somali lands. In a world that is actively decolonising and recolonising every day, perception and power are everything. How do Somalis express themselves culturally in a generally “non-Somali” like place? Can South Africa be considered a “home” at all? Thus, my principal research questions are as follows: 1) How do Somalis in Cape Town define their Somalinimo? 2) What cultural tools do Somalis utilise and essentialise in efforts to mobilise? While Somali Studies is a small, but growing field, the pool of research surrounding Somalis in South Africa hovers steadily around a series of themes: the shopkeeper, the victim, the foreigner. Somalis in Cape Town are nimble-footed and nimble-minded, forever marked by their journeys, and their Somalinimo travels with them.