film

When Awa Farah arrived at the University of Cambridge University to study Mphil in African Studies, she was immediately overwhelmed with a feeling that this space was not meant for people ‘like her’. As a Somali woman, her identity is inherently political. Her feelings up for interrogation, and her identity up for debate, her experience is used to feed the curiosity of those around her. ‘Somalinimo’ is a short documentary, addressing what it means to be a first generation female Somali in Britain today. It discusses topics around identity, home, community and politics. Through intimate audio interviews, Awa explores what it means to live with the triple consciousness of being a part of three marginalised groups; black, female and Muslim, in her day to day life and at one of the ‘whitest’ institutions in Britain, Cambridge University. Unapologetically showcasing love for Somalia's colourful traditions and traditional dress, blackness and Islam without waiting for anyone's permission to do so, Awa ultimately finds the security that belonging in Cambridge as a Somali woman is as legitimate as that of any other person.