Somaliland: Eye On Somali Culture at the British Museum – Hudeydi: The King of the Oud

[Deeq A.]

 

 

Hudeydi is a Somali-British oud player, singer and composer and is commonly referred to as the ‘King of the Oud’. The Oud is a pear-shaped string instrument that is often considered an ancestor of the modern guitar, and it is a popular accompaniment to Somali singers. Known as the ‘King’, Hudeydi learned the oud from Abdullahi Qarshe, the “Father of Somali music” and played in Somalia during the 1950s and 1960s. At one point, Somali officials tried to ban music as a distraction, outlawing musicans which prompted Hudeydi to move to the United Kingdom in 1974, where he has performed at family parties and community events, passing on the traditions to young Somalis in the UK. This video was filmed at the “Eye on Somali Culture”, an Object Journey’s special even held at the British Museum on Friday 7th October 2016. Find out more about the Object Journeys Project: http://objectjourneys.britishmuseum.org/