Heritage, resilience, and creativity on the Horn of Africa
Somalia, located at the crossroads of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, is known for its oral poetry, nomadic traditions, and rich cultural heritage. For centuries, its people have lived closely with the desert, savannah, and coastline, developing resilient practices in art, architecture, and storytelling. Today, Somalia faces acute ecological challenges — drought, desertification, deforestation, and climate change — that threaten both livelihoods and heritage. In this fragile context, Somali artists are embracing sustainability in the arts, drawing from tradition while experimenting with recycled art, eco-fashion, and cultural storytelling to address resilience and identity.
Somalia’s heritage reflects deep adaptation to its arid environment:
Poetry & oral traditions: Known as a “nation of poets,” Somali verse often celebrates camels, water, and land stewardship — embedding ecological values in identity.
Nomadic crafts: Pastoralist communities make portable mats, baskets, and containers from palm fronds, reeds, and grasses, reflecting resource efficiency.
Wood carving & furniture: Artisans craft stools, headrests, and utensils from local wood, often passed down through families.
Textiles & weaving: Handwoven cloths and embroidered garments incorporate natural fibers and dyes.
Architecture: Vernacular houses in coastal and desert regions use clay, coral stone, and palm thatch — renewable and climate-adaptive.
Music & instruments: Traditional instruments such as the oud, drums, and hand-clapping rhythms reflect sustainable materials and oral transmission.
These ancestral practices embody eco-consciousness as cultural heritage.
In Mogadishu and Hargeisa, artists and youth collectives are creating sculptures, murals, and crafts from plastic, metal scraps, and discarded tires. These initiatives raise awareness of urban waste and inspire green innovation.
Somali designers are reviving traditional fabrics and embroidery while incorporating upcycled textiles and natural dyes. This blends cultural pride with global slow fashion trends.
Somali musicians and poets use performance to highlight drought, migration, and resilience, keeping ecological issues in the public consciousness through creativity.
Grassroots theatre and spoken-word performances dramatize themes of water scarcity, desertification, and peacebuilding, connecting ecological resilience with social healing.
Emerging festivals, such as Hargeisa International Book Fair, provide platforms where artists explore themes of heritage, sustainability, and climate resilience through literature, art, and performance.
Hargeisa International Book Fair – a hub for literature, art, and climate-conscious dialogue.
Somali poets – continuing to embed ecological themes into contemporary spoken word.
Eco-art collectives in Mogadishu – transforming plastic and metal waste into public art.
Women’s weaving cooperatives – sustaining traditional crafts with eco-materials.
Diaspora artists – highlighting Somali ecological struggles through global exhibitions.
Severe drought and desertification, undermining resources for crafts and agriculture.
Deforestation, especially from charcoal production.
Conflict and insecurity, limiting cultural infrastructure and mobility.
Economic hardship, making eco-art practices difficult to scale.
Eco-tourism & heritage: Linking eco-arts to Somalia’s coastline and cultural heritage could support both conservation and livelihoods.
Youth engagement: Eco-art programs in schools and communities could combine creativity with climate education.
Diaspora collaboration: Somali artists abroad can amplify sustainability movements with global visibility.
Regional eco-arts networks: Somalia can connect with eco-art initiatives in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti, creating a Horn of Africa cultural resilience network.
In Somalia, sustainability in the arts is both a survival strategy and a form of cultural pride. From oral poetry about land and water to recycled sculptures in Mogadishu and climate storytelling in Hargeisa, artists are turning creativity into resilience. As Somalia faces desertification and climate change, its arts serve as a bridge between tradition, innovation, and sustainable futures.