- artist:Sahra Halgan
- event type:WOMEX 24 Showcase - Official Selection
- date:26 Oct 2024
- time:23:15 - 00:00
- city/area:Manchester
- venue:Warehouse Stage B, Aviva Studios
- country:United Kingdom
- event posted by:Piranha Arts
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Iconic singer and cultural activist, Sahra Halgan, lends her powerful voice to the struggle for recognition of Somaliland’s independence. She gained national acclaim in the ‘80s, during the fight to overthrow the Barre regime, as a nurse on the frontline who also sang to comfort the wounded, earning her nickname 'Halgan' – Somali for 'fighter'. After the war, granted political asylum in France, she settled in Lyon, earning a living as a cafeteria worker, performing music on the side at community events. In 2008 a collaboration with two French musicians caught the attention of the Buda Musique label, leading to two albums forging their dynamic blend of Somali traditions with elements of Afro-beat, desert blues and Ethio-jazz. In 2013 she returned to Hargeisa to found an arts centre, while continuing to fly the Somaliland flag internationally.