IN 1920, a Somali colonial resistance movement which spanned over twenty-five years ended through the use of British colonial aerial bombardment, by the Royal Air Force.

The war was titled the ‘cheapest war in history’ by British papers and its leader, Mohamed Abdullah Hassan, was forever etched into history as the “Mad Mullah of Somalia”.

The year 2020 marks the centennial anniversary of a poignant moment in Somali history but also the remnants of colonialism on the continent of Africa.

To commemorate the Dervish movement, Dr. Said Salah Ahmed, a teaching specialist at the University of Minnesota and internationally-acclaimed poet and cultural historian will join The Royal African Society alongside other historians, academics, researchers and media professionals to provide a brief background on the history of the movement, while demonstrating how it is still relevant to Somalis and Somalia today.

We have partnered with the Anti-Tribalism Movement to debate the historical impact of the movement in these three key areas:

i) The impact of the Dervish Movement on the post-colonial Somali National Memory

ii) Dervish influence on post-colonial Somali literature and arts

iii) The future of Somali academia – specifically Somali Studies in History.

Book your tickets now to learn more about an almost hidden history of East-African colonial resistance and join the conversation!

DATE: April 8, 2020

TIME: 18:00 – 21:00

VENUE: Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, School of Oriental and African Studies, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG

PRICE: £5 – £6