Resources on Somalians

June 14, 2006 7:00 AM

Good resources - print, online - on the experience of Somali immigrants to the United States?

Looking for something informative - with some history of Somalia, some history of US Somali immigration, and illustrative descriptions of the immigrant experience.

And, let me open this up - any good books or online resources on Somalia in general?

posted by mammary16 to Society & Culture (6 answers total)

There is a large Somali immigrant population in Maine. Well, large by Maine standards. There are a number of stories in the local papers. You could probably find more at television station websites, etc.
posted by mikepop at 7:08 AM on June 14, 2006

For Somalia in general: Aman, the story of a Somali girl. The bulk of the book is the autobiography of a woman's childhood and teens, as told to two anthropologists. There is a preface and conclusion by the anthropologists that give some broader details about Somalia and Somali culture.
posted by carmen at 8:26 AM on June 14, 2006

Dennis the Peasant has some interesting stories about Somali immigrants to the USA.
posted by evariste at 12:22 PM on June 14, 2006 [1 favorite]

I would also suggest checking Minneapolis papers for stories, as there is a large Somali immigrant population there IIRC.
posted by anjamu at 2:02 PM on June 14, 2006

I did a short stint as a tutor for some Somali Bantu students through Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries here in Chicago.

Somali Bantu -- Their History and Culture

NPR: Officials Say School Violating Somali Students' Rights (with links to related NPR stories on Somani Bantu refugees)
posted by bleary at 10:21 PM on June 14, 2006

A little late, but this is a decent resource available online (also in pdf):
The Somali Bantu: Their History and Culture
Dan Van Lehman & Omar Eno
This booklet is a basic introduction to the people, history and cultures of the Somali Bantu. It is designed primarily for service providers and others assisting Somali Bantu refugees in their new communities in the United States.
(From Cultural Orientation Resources - scroll down for the link)
posted by imposster at 5:05 PM on September 24, 2006