# Abdullahi Qarshe (Cabdullaahi Qarshe)

> Abdullahi Qarshe (1924–1994): oud pioneer of the heello and composer credited with Somalia's anthem Qolobaa Calankeed.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/abdullahi-qarshe/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who was he?

Abdullahi Qarshe was a Somali musician, poet and playwright ([Wikipedia, Abdullahi Qarshe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Qarshe)). Music in Africa calls him "the first Somali to play oud while singing" ([Music in Africa, "Somali music through the ages"](https://www.musicinafrica.net/node/25169)).

## Early life

He was born in 1924 in the Somali community of Moshi, [Tanzania](/en/diaspora/tanzania/) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Qarshe)). His family came from [Maydh](/en/regions/maydh/) in [Sanaag](/en/regions/sanaag/) and is Habar Yoonis (Isaaq) (same source). In 1931 he moved to Aden for school and memorised the Qur'an. In Aden he heard Indian and Arabic music on radio and film, and bought a lute (same source).

## The heello

He made a new, shorter heello by joining Somali poetry with song ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Qarshe)). His first song in the 1940s was "Ka ka'ay" ("Arise"). Many of his songs called for independence (same source). He did not claim to have started it all. He said modern music was in the air, and that [Abdi Sinimo](/en/people/abdi-sinimo/) organised it into the balwo (same source, quoting *Bildhaan* vol. 2).

## Walaalo Hargeisa and the radio

In 1955 he founded the [Walaalo Hargeisa](/en/society/somali-bands/) troupe, which staged plays across [British Somaliland](/en/history/british-somaliland-1884-1960/) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Qarshe)). That group raised the heello on a wave of patriotic feeling ([Music in Africa](https://www.musicinafrica.net/node/25169)). In 1957, at Radio Hargeisa, he composed the [BBC Somali](/en/society/media-in-somalia/) signature tune ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Qarshe)). His 1961 song "Aqoon la'aan waa iftiin la'aan" ("To be without knowledge is to be without light") became the signature tune of Radio Mogadishu (same source). He later joined the Waaberi ensemble (same source). See [Somali music](/en/society/somali-music/).

## The national anthem

Somalia's anthem since 1 August 2012, "Qolobaa Calankeed" ("Every nation has its own flag"), is credited to him ([Wikipedia, Qolobaa Calankeed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qolobaa_Calankeed)). Sources date it to 1957 or 1959. Some credit the words to the poet Hussein Aw-Farah Dubbad (same source). See [Somali national anthems](/en/history/national-anthems/).

## Other works

In 1960 he wrote "Lumumba ma noole mana dhimane" in honour of Patrice Lumumba ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Qarshe)). He used guitar, piano and oud, and wrote plays for stages in Mogadishu and Hargeisa (same source).

## Death

He died in 1994 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullahi_Qarshe)).

## In short

A musician and composer who played the oud and wrote songs of the independence era.

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