Blake Robinson recordings of Somali music and poetry

Item

Institution
The Library of Congress
Location
American Folklife Center (Jefferson, LJG31)
Collection Title
Archive of Folk Culture, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Item Title
Blake Robinson recordings of Somali music and poetry
Creator(s)
Robinson, Blake W., collector.;United States Information Services
Collector(s)
Robinson, Blake W., collector.
Description/Scope and Content
Field recordings of poetry, songs, and dances of Somaliland. Reel AFS 11923 are recordings of Somali songs and dances made August 2-4, 1959 during Dabshid, the new year of the Somali Bantu during which Istunka (traditional mock wars including stick fights) take place in Afgooye; other songs and dances of different ethnic groups were also recorded at Uanle Uen by Blake W. Robinson, public affairs assistant for USIS in Mogadishu. Reels AFS 11924-11929 are poetry performed primarily by Farah Elmi Ali (Farah Geed), who was born in Qorrahay in the Ogaden province of Ethiopia and belongs to the Ogaden tribe, and was a refugee in Somalia. He sings poems of other poets and his own compositions. The name of the collector, dates and places of recording of these reels is not identified. Reel 11930 includes a poem performed by Malayow Hussein.
Date
Recorded on August 2, 3, 4, 1959 in Afgooye and Uanle Uen, Somalia by Blake W. Robinson. Other recordings were made on unidentified dates.
Identifier
2012655271
Language
Somali and English
Extent
8 sound tape reels : analog, 7 1/2 ips ; 7 in.
1 folder manuscripts.
Collection Type
archival collection
Level of Processing
Mixed Processing
Type of Materials/Format
audio-tapes & cassettes
Related Collections: Types of Materials
other
Copyright
Unknown
Donor Information
Available
Usage
Low (permanent storage)