Somalia is known as the Nation of Poets because of the history, complexity and sophistication of its poetry traditions. The Somali tradition foregrounds oral delivery, and is very inclusive – while great poets achieve prestige, the art form is practised by many, and poems are memorised and passed from generation to generation. The use of form, structure and language in both traditional and diaspora poetry develops students’ GCSE Literature skills, while the context and content of the poems develop students’ powerful knowledge about a growing community in Bristol.
