SOOMAALI MI'YAA?, Exploring Somalinimo in South Africa

158pp., maps, paperback, Langaa Research & Publishing CIG, Bamenda, 2025

ISBN: 9789956554454

In her ethnographic study Billan Omar reveals the diverse ways Somali migrants and refugees navigate belonging in Cape Town, and how Somalinimo (Somali identity) is constructed and maintained through cultural tools like clan ties, language, and faith.

“Billan Omar has written a moving and well-observed ethnography of Somali life in Bellville. The book delves into what is retained and what is lost through migration, and the fluidity and openness of Somali identity, or Somalinimo, in diasporic life.” Dr Matthew Wilhelm- Solomon, Senior Lecturer, Department of Anthropology, University of the Witwatersrand

“An insightful exploration of Somali identity in Cape Town, this work elegantly builds upon literature while offering fresh, reflexive insights. Drawing from auto-ethnographic methods, Billan Omar illuminates complex narratives of identity and belonging, significantly expanding connections and deepening understanding.” Dr Ingrid Brudvig, digital anthropologist and certified coach

Somali-American anthropologist  Billan Omar is currently a Doctoral Research Fellow at the Institute for Humanities in Africa at the University of Cape Town, pursuing a PhD in Anthropology.