Hadrawi

{{Short description|Somalilander poet (1943–2022)}} {{more footnotes|date=May 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox writer | name = Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame Hadrawi | native_name = {{Native name list|name1=Hadraawi|tag1=so|name2={{Script|Arabic|هدراوى}}|tag2=ar|italics2=no}} | image = Hadrawi.jpg | imagesize = | caption = Hadrawi in 2018 | pseudonym = Hadrawi | birth_name = Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame | birth_date = {{Birth date text|1943}} | birth_place = Balli-Alanle, Togdheer, British Somaliland | death_date = {{Death date and given age|2022|08|18|79|df=y}} | death_place = Hargeisa, Marodi Jeh, Somaliland | occupation = {{Hlist|Poet|author|songwriter|philosopher}} | education = | alma_mater = Somali National University | period = | genre = | subject = Patriotism, love, faith, mortality | movement = | notableworks = {{Plainlist| * ''Siinley'' Qoraa : Sayid Cali Barre * ''Tawaawac'' * ''Isa Sudhan'' * ''Sirta Nolosha'' * ''Hooya la'aanta'' }} | spouse = | partner = | children = | relatives = Hurre Walanwal (brother) | awards = Prince Claus Award (2012) | signature = | website = | portaldisp = | nationality = Somalilander | language = Somali | resting_place = Hargeisa }}

'''Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame'''{{Efn|{{Langx|so|Maxamed Ibraahim Warsame}}, {{Langx|ar|محمد ابراهيم ورسمي|link=no}}{{Lrm}}}} (1943 – 18 August 2022), known by the pseudonym '''Hadrawi''',{{Efn|{{Langx|so|Hadraawi|link=no}}, {{Langx|ar|هدراوي|link=no}}{{Lrm}}}} was a Somali poet, philosopher and songwriter. Having written many notable protest works, Hadrawi has been likened by some to Shakespeare,<ref name="Somsh">{{Cite news|last=Ditmars|first=Hadani|title=Somali Shakespeare|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4679190.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205032813/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4679190.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 December 2013|access-date=26 August 2013|newspaper=The Independent|date=30 September 1994}}</ref> and his poetry has been translated into various languages.<ref name="McConnell">{{Cite news|last=McConnell|first=Tristan|title=Inside Somalia: Where poetry is revered|url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/africa/100210/inside-somalia-where-poetry-revered|access-date=17 September 2012|newspaper=GlobalPost|date=12 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Hadraawi: The Somali Shakespeare – The Documentary Podcast|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05b91mj|access-date=2 March 2020|website=BBC World Service|date=2 August 2017}}</ref> He is the older brother of Hurre Walanwal, another Somali poet and songwriter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Renowned Somali poet Hurre Walanwal, brother of Hadrawi, passes away at 75 |url=https://hiiraan.com/news4/2023/Dec/194232/renowned_somali_poet_hurre_walanwal_brother_of_hadrawi_passes_away_at_75.aspx |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=www.hiiraan.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ismaaciil |first=Cabdirisaaq Axmed |date=2023-12-16 |title=WAA KUMA HURRE WALANWAL? — W/Q. HADRAAWI. |url=https://bandhige.com/maqaallo/waa-kuma-hurre-walanwal-w-q-hadraawi |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Bandhige- Wararka Somaliland iyo faallooyinkooda |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Biography== {{Unreferenced section |date=April 2024}} Hadrawi was born in Balli-Alanle near Qorilugud, situated in the Togdheer region of Somaliland, then part of British Somaliland.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jama |first=Hussein, Said |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Ma_Innaguun_Baa/835-DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=qorilugud&pg=PA73&printsec=frontcover |title=Ma Innaguun Baa! |date=2018-11-23 |publisher=Ponte Invisible (Redsea Cultural Foundation) |isbn=978-88-88934-58-7 |language=so}}</ref> Hadrawi hails from the Ahmed Farah sub-division of the Habr Je'lo Isaaq. His family consisted of one girl and eight boys. In 1953, at the age of nine, he went to live with an uncle in the Yemeni port city of Aden. There Warsame began attending a local school, where he received the nickname "Hadrawi" (''Abu Hadra''), a pseudonym by which he is now popularly known. In 1963, he became a primary school teacher.

==Return to The Somali Republic == {{More citations needed | section|date=April 2024}} After British Somaliland gained independence on 26 June 1960 as the State of Somaliland and then formed a union with the Trust Territory of Somalia (who gained independence on 1 July 1960), Hadrawi relocated from Aden to Mogadishu, the newly formed Somali Republic’s capital, and began working for Radio Mogadishu. In Mogadishu, he both attended and later taught at the Lafoole University (Afgooye). He also worked for the government's Department of Information.

In addition to love lyrics, he was a powerful commentator on the political situation and critic of the then military regime in Mogadishu (former Italian Somalia section) who allegedly oppressed the former portion of British Somaliland, for which he was imprisoned between 1973 and 1978.<ref name="McConnell" />

In 1973, Hadrawi wrote the poem ''Siinley'' and the play ''Tawaawac'' ('Lament'), both of which were critical of the military government that was then in power. For this dissent, he was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Qansax Dheere until April 1978.

==Somali National Movement== {{More citations needed | section|date=April 2024}} Following his release from prison in 1978, Hadrawi became director of the arts division of the Academy of Science, Arts and Literature in Somalia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hadraawi Biography |url=https://www.poetrytranslation.org/poets/hadraawi/ |access-date=17 May 2026 |website=Poetry Translation Centre}}</ref> He later joined the Somali National Movement, an opposition group based in Ethiopia during the rule of Siad Barre.<ref>{{cite book |last=Samatar |first=Ahmed I. |title=Somalia: State Collapse, Multilateral Intervention, and Strategies for Political Reconstruction |publisher=Brookings Institution Press |year=1997 |page=78}}</ref> During the conflict, Hadrawi became known for poetry addressing political repression and the experiences of the Somali people.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Andrzejewski |first=B. W. |year=1985 |title=The Literary Culture of the Somali People |journal=African Affairs |volume=84 |issue=337 |pages=359–372}}</ref>

Hadrawi relocated to United Kingdom in 1991 after the liberation of (fr British) Somaliland and revocation of the union between fr. British Somaliland and fr. Italian Somalia. With Somaliland (Fr. British Somaliland going back to its original borders of 26 June 1960). During this period, he traveled frequently throughout Europe and North America to participate in folklore and poetry festivals.

In 1999, Hadrawi returned once more to his native Somaliland, this time settling in Hargeisa. The following year, the mayor of Chicago invited him to participate in the latter city's Millennium Festival. Hadrawi later lived in Burao, and reportedly made a (hajj) pilgrimage to Mecca.

==Death==

Hadrawi died in Hargeisa, Somaliland on 18 August 2022, at the age of 79.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.somalitimes.co.uk/great-somali-poet-hadrawi-passed-away-in-hargeisa/ |title=Great Somali poet Hadrawi passed away in Hargeisa |work=Somali Times|date=18 August 2022 |access-date=18 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-09-06 |title=Hadraawi: The Somali poet whose readings were like rock concerts |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-62793943 |access-date=2023-08-13}}</ref>

==Contributions to popular music==

Besides volumes of poems and dozens of plays, Hadrawi participated in numerous collaborations with popular vocal artists. His lyrical corpus includes: * "Baladweyn" – song performed by Hasan Adan Samatar in 1974 * "Jacayl Dhiig ma Lagu Qoraa?" – sung by Magool, and later translated by Hanna Barket as "Is Love Written in Blood?" or "Do You Write Love in Blood?". Another translation of the song by the British linguist and Somali Studies doyen Martin Orwin is "Has Love Been Blood-written?".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Orwin |first=Martin |title=Maxamed Ibraahim Warsame 'Hadraawi' |url=http://www.poetrymagazines.org.uk/magazine/record.asp?id=12338 |journal=Modern Poetry in Translation |publisher=King's College London |location=London |issue=17 |year=2001 |issn=0969-3572 |access-date=12 October 2012 |archive-date=3 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603192033/http://www.poetrymagazines.org.uk/magazine/record.asp?id=12338 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Awards==

In 2012, Hadraawi was awarded the Prince Claus Award for his contributions to peace through poetry.<ref name="Pppctpceaec">{{Cite news |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/premio-principal-principe-claus-2012-para-cooperativa-editorial-argentina-eloisa-cartonera-168809336.html |title=Prêmio Principal Príncipe Claus 2012 para cooperativa editorial argentina Eloísa Cartonera |trans-title=2012 Prince Claus Main Award for Argentine Publishing Cooperative Eloísa Cartonera |date=6 September 2012 |access-date=27 October 2012 |newspaper=PR Newswire |location=Amsterdam |language=pt}}</ref>

==Works==

* ''Hooya la'anta'' ('Motherlessness') * ''Beled Wayn'' * ''Hablaha geeska'' * ''Gudgude'' * ''Siinley'' * ''Sirta nolosha'' * ''Tawaawac'' * ''Aqoon iyo afgarad'' * ''Deeley'' * ''Hawaale warran'' * ''Bulshooy''

==Notes== {{Notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==General references==

* {{Cite news |url=https://www.voasomali.com/a/abwaan-maxamed-ibraahim-warsame-hadraawi-oo-geeriyooday-/6706588.html |title=Abwaan Maxamed Ibraahim Warsame Hadraawi oo geeriyooday |trans-title=Poet Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame Hadrawi who died |date=18 August 2022 |work=VOASomali.com |access-date=18 August 2022 |language=so}}

==Further reading==

* {{Cite book |first=Maxamed Baashe X. |last=Xasan |year=2004 |title=Hal Ka Haleel: Sooyaalka Hadraawi iyo Suugaantiisa |trans-title=Presence of Mind: Biography of Hadraawi and His Literature |language=so |location=London |publisher=Bashe Publications |isbn=9780995753334 |oclc=62124821}} * {{Cite book |first1=Maxamed Ibraahin |last1=Warsame |first2=Jama Musse |last2=Jama |year=2013 |title=Maxamed Ibraahin Warsame 'Hadraawi': The Man and the Poet |location=Pisa, Italy |publisher=Ponte Invisibile |isbn=9780995753334 |oclc=1077606703}}

==External links== * {{discogs artist|Hadraawi}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hadraawi}} Category:1943 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Somalian dramatists and playwrights Category:Somalian poets Category:Somali-language writers Category:People from Burao Category:Somalian Muslims Category:20th-century Somalian writers Category:20th-century poets Category:21st-century poets Category:Ethnic Somali people Category:21st-century Somalian writers Category:Somalian philosophers Category:20th-century Muslims Category:21st-century Muslims Category:Somalian male writers Category:20th-century male writers Category:21st-century male writers