Abdi Sheik Abdi

Abdi Abdulkadir Sheik-Abdi (Somali: Cabdi Sheekh Cabdi, Arabic: عبدي عبد القادر الشيخ عبدي) (born 15 November 1942, Somalia) is a Somali author based in the United States.

Academia

Sheikh-Abdi, from Majerten clan, holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in English Literature and African Studies from the State University of New York and a doctorate in African History from Boston University. He has taught both in Somalia and the U.S., and is the author of numerous short stories, two novels, a collection of fables, as well as articles and essays.

Bibliography

• The Luncheon, 1975
• Rotten Bananas, 1979
• Arrawelo: The Castrator of Men - a Somali fable
• Divine Madness: Mohammed Abdulle Hassan (1856-1920), 1993

A book about Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, the Dervish leader who spearheaded the Somali resistance to British colonial interests in the early twentieth century; known by his followers as the Sayyid ("Master") and in the colonial literature as the "Mad Mullah". This book, which took Abdi more than ten years to complete, examines from a social and historical perspective the rise of the Sayyid and his movement. It consists of an introduction and six chapters.

• Tales of Punt, 1993

Tales of Punt is a collection of eight Somalia folk tales retold by the author. This book gives insight into the cultural beliefs of many Somalis.

• When a Hyena Laughs: A Somali Novel, 1994

Novel about a young boy growing up in Somalia in the early 19th century. It depicts the goings on of daily life. As the young boy grows, so does his fascination and desire to go to the city.