Hasan Adan Samatar (Xasan Aadan Samatar)

Who is he?

Hasan Adan Samatar is one of the best-known Somali singers. He is also a guitarist and a stage actor (Wikipedia, Hasan Adan Samatar). He has more than 200 songs and has sung duets with many leading artists (same source).

Early life in Bay

He was born on 23 May 1953 in Diinsoor, in the Bay region, to a family of artists. He grew up in Baidoa and went to primary school there, then moved to Mogadishu for secondary school (Wikipedia).

He has said his love of performing began in Diinsoor:

"As a young boy growing up in Diinsoor, I used to go to the town centre to watch dances and celebrations by townsfolk. These were mesmerizing and I think because of seeing all of that I always wanted to sing and perform." (Hiiraan Online, August 2010, as quoted in Wikipedia)

Rise to fame

After high school he planned to study at a university in Italy. Friends talked him into entering the 1971 Heesaha Hirgalay, a national talent contest. He won it (Wikipedia). Soon after, he joined Waaberi, the leading Somali music and theatre ensemble of the time (same source). His first widely known song was "Haddaad diido hadalkayga" in 1974 (same source).

Many of his early songs were in Maay, the language of much of the south, as well as standard Somali (Wikipedia). This made him a voice for listeners in Bay and Bakool as well as the whole country.

Songs and stage

He has acted in more than two dozen plays, from dramas about society to romances (Wikipedia). Some of his best-known songs are:

• "Baladweyn", words by Hadraawi
• "Qalanjo", words by Hadraawi
• "Dookh" and "Caashaqa ha baayicin", duets with Magool
• "Darmaan", a duet with Saado Cali
• "Hakaba banaanshee" and "Iyooyow iyooyow", sung in Maay, words by Sahal Macallin Ciise

(all from Wikipedia). See also Hadraawi and Saado Ali Warsame.

Abroad

He left Somalia in the late 1980s and lived between Toronto and Amsterdam while still touring. He settled in Djibouti in 2015 (Wikipedia). On 14 August 2010, Somali community leaders in Minneapolis gave him a lifetime achievement award (Hiiraan Online, August 2010).

He urges Somali parents abroad to teach their children Somali songs and poetry, so they can take pride in their traditions (Wikipedia).

In short

A singer who performed in Maay and in standard Somali, and who later lived and sang abroad.