Musicians, actors and artists
Baxsan (Seynab Xaaji Cali Siigaale)
Baxsan (Seynab Haji Ali Siigaale, 1935 to 19 October 2020) was a Somali singer, songwriter and stage actress, one of the first women in Somali popular music. Born in Baabili, she began singing in Addis Ababa, fled to Hargeisa in 1960, formed a famous quartet with Magool, Guduudo Carwo and Maandeeq, and stayed in Mogadishu through the civil war.
BaxsanSeynab Haji Ali Siigaale · Seynab Xaaji Cali Siigaale
- Lived
- 1935 to 2020-10-19
- Known as one of
- Musicians, actors and artists
- Era
- Toward independence, 1920 to 1960; The Republic, 1960 to 1991; Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012; Who holds power, 2012 to now
- Sources
- 1 sources
Who was she?
Seynab Haji Ali Siigaale, known as Baxsan, was a Somali singer, songwriter and stage actress (Wikipedia, Baxsan). She was born in 1935 in Baabili, in the Haud, to a merchant family (same source). Wikipedia names her with Magool and Guduudo Carwo as among the most popular performers of the twentieth century (same source).
Early life
She ran a tea business in her home town, then worked in the coffee trade in Dire Dawa, and began singing professionally in Addis Ababa (Wikipedia). See Somalis in Ethiopia. After the 1960 coup attempt against Emperor Haile Selassie, she escaped to Somaliland, and Guduudo Carwo gave her the name Baxsan, meaning "escaped" (same source).
Music
She was one of the first women in Somali popular music, at a time when women singing in public was not widely accepted (Wikipedia). In 1963 she went to Hargeisa with Guduudo, where they formed a famous quartet with Magool and Maandeeq (same source). She later settled in Mogadishu (same source). See Somali music.
Later life
She stayed in Mogadishu through the civil war when many artists left, which earned her wide respect (Wikipedia). She died there on 19 October 2020, and the lack of a state funeral was widely criticised (same source).
In short
One of the first women of Somali popular music, who sang from Addis Ababa to Mogadishu and stayed through the war.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Baxsan · en.wikipedia.org
BaxsanSeynab Haji Ali Siigaale · Seynab Xaaji Cali Siigaale
- Lived
- 1935 to 2020-10-19
- Known as one of
- Musicians, actors and artists
- Era
- Toward independence, 1920 to 1960; The Republic, 1960 to 1991; Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012; Who holds power, 2012 to now
- Sources
- 1 sources
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Where this matters
- Muqdisho (Mogadishu) and BanaadirMogadishu (Muqdisho) is Somalia's capital and makes up the Banadir region, with about 2.97 million people in 20 districts.
- Hargeysa (Hargeisa) and Woqooyi GalbeedWoqooyi Galbeed is the north-western region that holds Hargeisa (Hargeysa) and the port of Berbera, with about 1 to 1.45 million people.
Same era
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