To tell you the truth, I am not a music guy myself these days. But I cherish Somali folklore tradition, literature and poetry. Rich culture translates rich language and tradition. A society without tradition would be a lost tribe like many black Americans and new Somali urban gangs with no foundation and tradition to lean on. If you listened Somali Qarami in the old days , the chances are the man playing the Oud (Kamanka ninka garaccaya) was no other than Xudaydi. Suldaanka, Riftoon type songs and Balwo could be hundred years old and still could be sang by every generation. Xudaydi has been playing Oud for seventy years. While Balwo and some Somali folklore is rooted in deeb west(Galbeed iyo AWdal), Hargeisa is certainly the " Mother of Somali Suugaan" and fun. Even today they lead in terms of creating new generation young stars. Xidigaha Geeska could not have flourished without Hargeisa as their base. Look at this new modest way of presenting time tested songs with new modest young men and women. Ilahhayaw ummada isku soo celi iyagoo nabad ah.

Allah ha u naxarristo Ustaad Xudaydi. Here in my home , I have a volume 8 edition of " Bidhaan" a Somali international journal published by Mcalister collage with Ahmed Samatar and other like minded Somalis. It was 2008 and Ustaad Hudaydi had a chapter narrating his life and times. I even use some of those quotes here in SOL. In memory of Hudaydi, let me write here some excerpts of that interview. AIS: What form of transportation you took from Eden? a plane? Hudaydi: No. I took a boat to little coastal fishing village of Maydh. during those days there was a cohort of young educated and professional somali men who dominated social life in hargeisa. to cut down their uppity prominence, they were exiled to the remote outpost of dayaha, near Erigaabo. Among them were Abdisalam Hassan, Hassan cali Henry, ku cadeye and nine. AIS: who exiled them ? the colonial British? Hudaydi: No. They were posted by the new political and business class who became somewhat envious of this educated groups popularity .The assignment was to make this cohorts teach at the new intermediate school in Dayaha. At the Maydh , a custom man sent a word of this young man of maddening skill.The Dayaha associates sent me a vehicle (a nice Landrover) immediately. When I arrived , they requested me to9 arrange a play. The day was coincided with Eid celebrations and a football game against Burco. AIS: How long were you in Djibouti? Hudaydi: I had spent seven years in the 1960s. Later I will live in Djibouti another six years. AIS: When did you return in Somalia? Hudaydi: in fact, the French throw me out and I returned to Hargeisa some what unwittingly. THere I put togethera play with the title " Macal cume". I drafted a number of school teachers to participate. Among them Muhamed Hadraawi, Faisal Cumar Mushteeg, Mohamed Mooge and Abu Shiraa. AIS: Who were the singers and musicians in Hargeisa at this time? Hudaydi: this was late 1960s. Among them were individuals of exceptional abilities. Maandeeq, Magool, Guddudo Arwo, Saynab Bahsan, Farhiya Ali, Young Hibo Nuura, Mohamed Saleeban, Mohamed Mooge, Mohamed Ahmed, Mohamed Yusuf and musicians like Ali Fayruus, Mohamed SaidAli Dheere, Abdialhi Haamari and Mohamed Afweyne. AIS: Compared to other Somali Fuun centres like Mogadishu and Djibouti, how good was the talent pool in Hargeisa? Hudaydi: Generally speaking, when it comes to rhythm and therefore music, the southern Somalis by far were superior. Just think of the fantastic Huseen Banjuuni and Ahmed Naji , if not the second generation headed by the breathtaking Oud master , Daud Ali Mashaf. But, when you compare poetic composition and Luuq (singing)northern Somalis and Hargeisa was captivating. AIS: In the 1960s, how would you characterize the relationship between art and politics of independence? Hudaydi: A few years after 1960, the nationalist fever, which was high, begun to sag. It felt as if we entered post honeymoon period in which what was seemed like an era of limitless possibilities was disappearing. one could hear some anti-regime Heesayn (Song). AIS: What was the central points of disapproval by the artists? Hudaydi: In the beginning the main issue was rather petty.it related to a perception among some that the distribution of the ministerial appointments overlooked some kin groups. But one could see the potential for greater danger. , the beginning of the divisive manipulation of communal identity by individual greedy for self promotion. Still , this feeling was marginal. among the citizens. and many of us saw that way AIS: if, you assert, " self promotion " by the politically ambitious, why do you think the democratic and constitutional order laster only nine years (1960-1969).? Hudaydi: From my prospective, i think it come down to number of key elements : exaggerated expectations and a craving for unearned material privilege that began to blunt the daring and honourable creative mind and spirit.This was an early warning: if we, as a people, didn't see decolonization as the opening chapter of a long journey of hard work and nation building, the future will be a massive disappointment. Few were paying attention but the majority were intoxicated with easy pickings delivered by the new political order, and particularly, the arrival generous foreign aid. All in all a normalizing of of a corrupt small mindedness started to eclipse social art (FUUN) that moved listyerners to in to civic belonging. President Aadan Ade and A/risaq Haji hussen tried hard to resist , by example in leadership, a rising imbecility( Garaad Xumo) and equation of manliness ( Raganimo) with looting of the commons. Anyway, these words of unearned material gain and expecting foreign aid mentioned by Ustaad Hudaydi still persist among consecutive Somali leaders and generation. This are the time tested words I learned from Ustad Hudaydi. Will try to post more tomorrow, InshAllah. Allah ha u naxariisto.