Somali Night teaches students about Somali origins and rich culture

Taehui Park

Staff Writer

The CSU was immersed in the Somali culture Saturday, March 17. The 2018 Somali Night took place in the CSU Ballroom from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The 2018 Somali Night: “Coming to America” was intended to raise awareness about the rich culture of Somali. The Federal Republic of Somalia, an East African nation, is located in the Horn of Africa.

This event, presented by the Somali Student Association at MNSU (SSA), provided various performances and entertainment with a vast array of authentic cuisine showing a richness of the Somali culture, including: Sambusa (a fried snack filled with ground beef and spices), roast chicken, Somali rice with spices and potatoes. The event was very enlightening to people who are not familiar with the Somalian culture since they could gain a good understanding of the Somali culture that has a considerable presence in Minnesota.

“I really had a good time. What I liked the most about this event was they spoke their language during the play and showed the audience how difficult immigrants’ lives were. Along with that, it was a great time to learn about the Somali culture,” said MNSU second-year student Heybin-Oh.

According to “The Mall of Somalia” written by Mike Mosedale, around 25,000 Somalis live in Minnesota with the Twin Cities home to the largest population of Somalis in North America. Ethnic Somalis first came to Minnesota as voluntary migrants in the 1980s and earlier. Other Somalis immigrated to the United States after the start of the civil war in Somali during the early 1990s. A majority of them moved to Minnesota through voluntary agencies (VOLAGS) that helped Somalis settle in. It was a major challenge for them to adapt to the new surroundings in America since many things were different.

“I, as a Somali, am very proud of myself today. A lot of non-Somalis showed up for today’s event. I’m happy that we could showcase the Somali culture—our value, the things that we believe in and are proud of. There are many people who are not familiar with our culture. I hope they not only enjoyed this event but also learned our culture,” said MNSU alumna Amina Adam.

Along with its aim at raising awareness of Somali culture, the night also focused on the theme of “Coming to America.”

“Somali night is held on campus every year around this time. We showcase our culture and make traditional food to promote the Somali culture. The food was great and I feel like I’m at home with my family. I’m glad that people like our traditional food. Sambusa was best of the best among other foods. I wish all people enjoyed this night,” said Adam.