# Said Salah Ahmed (Saciid Saalax Axmed)

> Said Salah Ahmed: Somali poet, playwright and director of the 1984–85 film The Somali Dervishes, later based in Minnesota.

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

## Who is he?

Said Salah Ahmed is a Somali playwright, poet, educator and filmmaker ([Wikipedia, Said Salah Ahmed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Said_Salah_Ahmed)). He was a biology teacher in Somalia (same source). See [Somali poetry](/en/society/somali-poetry/).

## The Somali Dervishes

In 1984–85 he directed his first feature film, *The Somali Dervishes*, produced by Amar Sneh ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Said_Salah_Ahmed)). It runs 4 hours 40 minutes and had a budget of 1.8 million dollars (same source). It tells the story of the [Dervish movement](/en/history/dervish-movement-1899-1920/) led by [Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan](/en/people/sayid-maxamed-cabdulle-xasan/) (same source). Its dialogue uses seven languages, including Somali, Arabic, Italian and English, and it has hundreds of actors and extras (same source). Wikipedia says the lead was played by [Sheikh Osman](/en/history/aw-bare-aiyanle-medieval-border-towns/) Mohamoud Omar, a descendant of the Sayid's family (same source).

## Minnesota

After the civil war began he moved to Minnesota ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Said_Salah_Ahmed)). He wrote the children's book *The Lion's Share*, which became a play he wrote and produced for SteppingStone Theatre (same source). Some of his poems have been translated into English by the Poetry Translation Centre (same source). See [Somalis in Minneapolis and St Paul](/en/diaspora/minneapolis-st-paul/).

## In short

A Somali poet and teacher who directed the 1984–85 film The Somali Dervishes and later wrote for the stage in Minnesota.

---
I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. Fix this page: email hello@calankii.com with the page link and your source.