Somali Storytelling in Sonoma - a Tale of Resilience

Aspire with Osha: art, nature, humanity

Osha and Shugri Said Salh discuss The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert, a riveting story of survival & spiritual strength by a brilliant Somali American woman, Shugri Said Salh. We’ll explore the contrast between Nomadic life in the Somali desert and life in the city - and hear about her harrowing escape from war torn Mogadishu.

We’ll explore the contrast between Nomadic life in the Somali desert and life in the city - and hear about her harrowing escape from war torn Mogadishu. Above all, this is a story of a strong, resilient woman with a deep heart guided by wisdom and compassion.

Steeped in the art of Nomadic storytelling and poetry, Salh learned to weave entertaining tales with vivid imagery and descriptions. The Last Nomad is her first book; she is already working on the next one.

As a young girl in the Somali desert, Salh learned to navigate complexity. Osha Hayden and Shugri Salh discuss how Salh learned to navigate the changing landscape - from her nomadic pilgrimages with her grandmother to find water during the drought season, to dodging attacks by lions and warthogs. Inspired by the independence and strength of her nomadic Ayeeyo, (grandmother), and despite of the loss of her mother when Salh was just six, she excelled.

Salh describes the deep cultural and social roots of the Somali tradition of female genital mutilation, bringing a deeper understanding to how this practice is woven into the fabric of life there. Through the characters in her next book, she will illuminate more about the ramifications of female genital mutilation on women’s lives.

Balanced between the worlds of the desert and city, Salh learned to adapt to constant change. Her inner strength and xenial family connections helped her survive when the civil war tore her world apart, forcing her to flee and seek refuge as an immigrant. Osha and Salh discuss the signals that that a civil war is brewing.

Adapting to a new life, landscape and culture in North America was her next challenge. Then came the Covid pandemic; which thrust Salh, as an Infusion Nurse, into immediate danger in a rapidly changing medical environment. She knew how to adapt, navigate the challenges, and survive.

As the last in the line of her nomadic heritage, Salh is inspired to gather the stories of her life and her ancestors and capture them for her own children and entranced readers everywhere.

Shugri Said Salh was born in the Somali desert. In 1992, after civil war broke out in her home country, she emigrated to North America. She attended nursing school at Pacific Union College and graduated with honors. When she isn’t writing or telling stories, she works as an infusion nurse. Salh lives in Sonoma County with her husband and three children. Author of The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert, she is working on her next book.
You can learn more about her on her website: shugrisalh.com

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