Abdi Sinimo (Cabdi Sinimo)

Who was he?

Abdi Sinimo was a Somali singer, songwriter and poet. He is credited with creating the balwo genre, which led to the heello and so to modern Somali music (Wikipedia, Abdi Sinimo). His real name was Abdi Deeqsi Warfaa (Music in Africa, "Somali music through the ages").

Early life

He was born around 1920 in Jaarahorato, a village north-east of Borama (Wikipedia). He was the fourth son in a family of eighteen children (same source). As a boy he learned many kinds of Somali poetry (Music in Africa). He spent much of his working life in Djibouti, driving a lorry between Djibouti and Addis Ababa (Wikipedia).

How balwo began

The story is told of a breakdown on the road from Zeila to Borama. His lorry stopped, and he worked under the bonnet for many days (Music in Africa). Missing the woman he loved, he hummed short lines that became the first balwo (same source). Wikipedia dates this first song to 1943 (Wikipedia). "Balwo" means misfortune. Castagno describes the balwo as a "miniature" love song of one or two lines, invented in 1944 (Castagno, Historical Dictionary of Somalia, 1975, "Balwo").

The first band

He formed the first Balwo band in Borama in 1944 (Music in Africa). Its members included the singer Khadija Eye Dharar, known as Khadija Balwo (Wikipedia). Balwo spread across British Somaliland, though some religious men opposed it (Music in Africa). He also broadcast his songs on Addis Ababa radio (same source).

Credit from his peers

The composer Abdullahi Qarshe gave him the credit. Qarshe said Sinimo "formulated and organized it into the belwo" (Wikipedia, quoting Bildhaan vol. 2). Later bands added the oud and turned balwo into the longer heello (Music in Africa). See Somali music.

Death

He died in 1967 (Wikipedia).

In short

A musician credited with creating the balwo song form, which led to the heello.