by Shirley Adams
Imagine what it’s like to move to a new place – find a house, new doctors, new hair stylist, new grocery stores, new church, new school, get a driver’s license, register to vote and make new friends – when you speak the language. Now imagine what it was like for the Somali refugees who moved into St. Joseph, who had to do all those things not knowing our language.
I knew little about Somalia or the Somalian people before volunteering to teach English Language Learner classes and meeting members of Cultural Bridges, a non-profit organization in St. Joseph, which has been instrumental in helping the Somalis. Members of Cultural Bridges recommended I attend a Somali event at the summer Millstream Night Market so I could hear Somali music, see the dancers and try their food. They also introduced me to a few books that explained Somali culture.
“From Somali to Snow” is a book written by Hudda Ibrahim, a graduate of St. Benedict. Her book describes the history, customs and reasons Somalis end up in Minnesota.
“Home of the Brave” by Katherine Applegate is a children’s fiction book about a young African boy, Kek, who ends up living with a relative in Minnesota. He makes friends with a girl in foster care, an old woman who owns a rundown farm and an old cow. The reader is drawn into the story and his struggles to adapt to a new culture, winter weather and a less-than-welcoming environment. The story tells of his missteps as he tries to learn the culture and the mistakes he made such as washing dishes in the clothes washer instead of the dishwasher. It is a sad story in many respects, but it has a sweet ending.
A Google search brought me to “The Last Nomad Coming of Age in the Somali Desert,” a memoir by Shugri Said Salh, a nurse in California. Her book takes you through the trials and tribulations of growing up female in a male-dominated country that becomes engulfed in a civil war and her treacherous journey to Canada and eventually to California.
These stories demonstrate the strength, perseverance and resiliency of the Somali refugees. Many who fled their homes in the dark of night, lived in refugee camps, did not know where, when or if they would resettle into another country or see family members again. This was a reality for thousands of Somalis as they fled their country, many of them who live in St. Joseph.
Somali culture is enriching the mixed culture that is already here – the culture of the Germans, Scandinavians, French, Slovenians, Polish and more. And, like the immigrants before them, the older Somalis, as they are learning English, are working, often in lower-paying jobs, so their children can have a brighter future. They know the importance of a good education. They, like all parents, want the best for their children and grandchildren.
There are now three generations of Somalis living here – those who came as adults, those who came as children, and those born here. Like all immigrants, they must find the balance between their old culture and their new culture. Most Somali children will be multilingual, just as their parents are. Many adults speak three or more languages, including English.
It is up to all of us to learn about and respect the Somali culture and traditions and to help integrate their traditions into St. Joseph’s culture. We can do that by reading and learning about their history, by joining Cultural Bridges, by volunteering to teach them English or just by being a good neighbor.
To contact Cultural Bridges go to joetownculturalbridges@gmail.com or to learn more Cultural Bridges of St. Joseph, MN | Facebook.
