CULTURAL HUMILITY SERIES:
The Somali Community
To experience civil war is to experience fear in the place you call home. It is to experience political instability, violence, and famine. It means living in constant uncertainty about one’s safety.
The Somali Civil War began over 30 years ago. It continues today. It has forced many Somalis from their homes, their homeland, and all things familiar, in the search for safety and security. This is part of the story of many members of the Somali community in Minnesota.
Only a handful of Somalian people resided in Minnesota prior to 1992. The community then grew rapidly as people sought refugee status to escape the violence of civil war. Suddenly, every Somali Minnesotan had to become an educator and ambassador, introducing their culture to a mostly White population that had little to no familiarity with Somalia.
The journey to find safety and security continues today. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Somali community has experienced unjustified bigotry and mistreatment as a result of their Islamic faith. Drastic and discriminatory changes to immigration law enacted in 2017 further damaged the feelings of security the community sought when they claimed refugee status nearly thirty years earlier.
The Minnesotan Somali community’s courage and commitment to building upon traditions in the face of hardship inspires admiration.
Community Demographics and History
Let’s break down these barriers and open some doors and speak to each other.”
Malika Dahir, Executive Director, Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE)
Why Minnesota?
Many Somali people migrated to Minnesota as refugees from civil war in 1992. Minnesota had an established history of welcoming refugees into Minnesota when Hmong refugees resettled in the United States in the 1970s after aiding the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. As with Hmong refugees, humanitarian and faith-based organizations such as the International Institute of Minnesota, World Relief Minnesota, Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities, Somali Family Services, and the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota, provided essential advocacy and support for Somalian refugees.
The Somali community in Minnesota is now the largest Somali diaspora community in the United States. Minnesota is also a popular state for Somali migrants to relocate to after arriving elsewhere in the U.S., whether to be closer to family members, other community members, and for work and educational opportunities.4
COMMUNITY CULTURAL HEALTH
As with many cultural communities, the Somali community is made up of different ethnic groups, each with their own beliefs surrounding health and healthcare. However, there are certain cultural customs and beliefs widely held by the Somali community that bear directly on providing culturally competent care.
For many Somali households, the family structure is patriarchal. It is therefore not unusual for husbands to accompany their wives to doctors’ appointments, and to expect to be the primary communicator during the appointment.5 A cultural value of modesty also impacts treatment. For example, Somali people have a strong preference to be treated by a doctor of the same gender, and will undress only as much as necessary to perform a particular treatment.6
Many members of the Somali community practice Islam, which influences many aspects of healthcare.7 Some members of the Somali Minnesotan community also practice traditional healing, a practice that fuses medicine and spirituality.8
KEY CHALLENGES
A significant portion of the Somali population in Minnesota are refugees, or their parents were refugees, and this status significantly influences overall community health. Chronic conditions such as anemia, lead toxicity and viral Hepatitis B are commonly contracted due to living conditions at refugee camps, where many refugees must first stay before migrating to Minnesota.9
The Somali community has a history of being the targets of miscommunication from anti-vaccine activists, which led to the undervaccination of Somali children, specifically the MMR vaccine, and a subsequent measles outbreak in 2017.10
The Muslim community in Minnesota, many of whom are Somali, have been the targets of anti-Muslim hate crimes, such as the April 2023 arson attacks on two mosques in the Twin Cities.11 Attacks on one’s community, even if someone is not directly affected, have proven to have physical and mental damage to community members due to stress.
The combined stressors of immigrating to a new country and processing the trauma of civil war in their home country has led to a high use of commercial tobacco among the Somali community as a form of stress relief and community bonding – 24% of East African Minnesotans use cigarettes or hookah, compared to 13.8% of the state’s total population. Cigarettes and hookah are equally risky, whose use places users at high risk of nicotine addiction, as well as heart conditions and cancer.12
Female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) is a cultural norm that, while prohibited legislatively in many places and whose elimination is advocated globally, is still prevalent in Somalia. Survivors of this procedure require specialized care.13
CULTURALLY-BASED SOLUTIONS TO HEALTH CHALLENGES
Many gaps and contradictions exist between the values and customs of Somali culture and Western approaches to medicine. These gaps must be bridged by healthcare providers to offer culturally competent care.
Align care to respect the Islamic faith of Somali Muslims. For example, practitioners should keep in mind that Muslims will fast during the holy month of Ramadan, which could affect their ability to take certain medications. Muslims abstain from all pork products and alcohol at all times, both of which can be present in certain medications.14
Demonstrate respect for traditional healing practices. Treatments related to traditional healing practices range from beneficial or benign to harmful. For instance, massage, cupping and prayer are common treatments, which have positive physical and mental health benefits. By contrast, the practice of FGM/C also falls under traditional healing practices, which can create serious complications.15 The relationship between traditional healing practices and medical care is therefore complex, and requires practitioners to be respectful of Somali patients’ beliefs to disentangle benefits and harms.
SNAPSHOTS OF
Somali Culture & Customs
Somalia is often referred to as “a nation of poets.”16 Gabay is chanted oral poetry embraced by the Somali community,17 and a younger generation of Somali artists continue to embrace this art form as a means of expression.
Dar Al-Hijrah is the oldest Somali mosque in Minnesota. It was founded in 1998 in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis, also known as “Little Mogadishu,” due to its high density of Somali residents. The mosque has since expanded to become a multi-purpose space for the benefit of the Somali community, and was renamed the Islamic Civic Society of America in 2013.18
The Somali immigrant community and those of Somali heritage born in the U.S. have played an invaluable role in combating Minnesota’s declining population, and are essential contributors to the state’s economy. Over 15% of the Somali community works in the home healthcare industry. They comprise 11% of total Minnesota workers in the animal food processing subsector,19 leading to their settling outside of the metro area in smaller cities like Willmar, Minnesota.
The Somali community celebrates and shares their culture. They host an annual Somali Independence Day Festival in July to celebrate Somalia’s Independence Day (July 1), and more broadly, to celebrate soomaalinimo – “an innate pride in community and self.”20
TODAY'S LEADERS IN MINNESOTA
Ilhan Omar
is a Somali-Minnesota congressperson, and became the first African refugee congressperson when she was sworn into office in 2019. She has distinguished her time in office through her advocacy for inclusive policies in immigration, wages, education and climate change.21
Nadia Mohamed
was elected mayor of St. Louis Park and Minnesota’s first Somali American mayor in 2023. She arrived as a 10-year-old refugee with her family and grew up in the St. Louis Park School District. Before becoming mayor, in 2020, she took office on the City Council at just 23 years old, making her the youngest person to ever serve on St. Louis Park City Council.
Nuruddin Farah
is an acclaimed Somali novelist, whose works boldly delve into the culture and history of Somalia.22 He has taught at the University of Minnesota as the Winton Chair at the Liberal Arts College.23
Everybody wants to be part of a community that is strong and together and helping each other and supporting each other.”
Abdilahi Botan, Founding Teacher Leader, Acacia Montessori
Resources to Further Explore the Community
Continue learning and share with others.
+ Somali and Somali American Experiences in Minnesota, MNopedia
+ Somali-Americans in Minnesota: Secondary Sources: Books & Articles
+ Cultural Competence in the Care of Muslim Patients and Their Families - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
