Somalia is recognized for its unstable conditions like territorial conflicts, civil wars, poverty, and unsteady government. Besides this, it has its own unique cultures and exciting destinations. In 1967, China’s leader Mao Zedong gifted “The National Theater” to Somalia. This act of kindness resulted in the evolution of cultural development. It is located in Central Mogadishu and was considered a pivotal factor in Somalia’s cultural advancement and capital landmark.
During the civil war in the early 1990s, The National Theater was the first building as a target and it was destroyed. After the war, the purpose of the theatre completely changed. Later military forces used the theatre as a base for fighting over the capital. It was basically the hub for suicidal bombs. During the war, the theater went silent.
Revival of Literature in Somalia
In the early 2000s, the Director of Central Research and Dialogue along with the local authorities decided to rebuild the theater. After the reestablishment, the opening ceremony was in 2012 and national TV broadcasted it. After 30 years, the first republic of Somalia in East Africa raised hope of cultural revival by hosting a first public screening. That evening, Somali Director, Ibrahim CM, displayed two short films, “Date from Hell” and “Hoos”. The audience had to pay $10 for two films and it was quite expensive for many.
The whole theatre had heavy security at that time. The filmgoers had to go through several inspection points to reach the green zone which had a humongous amount of guards. And it was a secured and incident-free night in Somalia. But, after a few weeks, the building was blown up by the Al-Shaba group because they considered theaters as corrupt places.
The director of theatre, Abdikadir Abdi Yusuf added his statement that it was a historic night for our people. Many filmgoers interviewed AFG News Agency and added their remarks. Some said that after so many years of challenges in Somalia, this show brought hope to people. The National Theater also brought many opportunities for songwriters, scriptwriters, storytellers, and movie directors. They got the opportunity to present their ideas and talent publicly.
Literature History of Somalia!
Mogadishu, Somalia was famous as an exciting destination due to its nightlife. During the interview with the AFP news agency, Osman Yusuf Osman(one attendee) added, during the old days, they used to watch pop shows, concerts, movies, and concerts in the national theater. A schoolgirl, Hakimo Mohamed said. She used to watch theater dramas and concerts often with her friends after school, and how they missed watching dramas after civil wars. After the civil war, people didn’t feel safe going out and watch the theater late at night. One of the filmgoers said it is so good to see residents enjoying the nightlife after so long.
Chinese engineers built The National Theater and their leader gifted it to Somalia. It was a pivotal factor in cultural development in the early 1980s. After the civil war in the early 1990s, the theater was in disrepair as a result. Later, many authorities decided to develop the unique aesthetic by re-establishing the theater. In 2012, AMISOM – African Union Mission in Somalia reopened the theatre. This theater attracted a huge number of people. Residents of Somalia once again had a chance to watch dramas and enjoy the nightlife.
After that, Al-Shabaab militants – a fundamentalist group in East Africa, blew up the whole building. They labelled live entertainment, theatres, and films as corrupt.
For many Somalis, the theater was a memory lane and was a reminder of happier times
