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Halima Godane

1935 – 1994

Somali poet and activist

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About Halima Godane

Lived 1935 – 1994 (aged 58–59). Halima Godane was a Somali poet, writer and politician.

Halima Mohamed Yusuf, better known as Halima Godane ("the stooped one") (1935–1994) was a Somali poet and activist.

Biography Born in Kismayo, Godane was married at age nine to Bulqaas of Ali Seleebaan. She moved to Mogadishu in the later 1940s, joining the Somali Youth League; in the early 1950s, she was elected a member of the party's women's committee. On national occasions she would recite buraanbur poetry, entertaining crowds at the regular party meetings as well. On October 12, 1954, she first recited what would become her best-known work, an ode to the flag of Somalia. In 1958, she was among those who supported Haaji Mahammad Husseen in his desire to form the Greater Somalia League; that same year, she was elected to Mogadishu's city council. In 1967, she again switched parties, to the Workers' Socialist Party, and in 1974, she received an award and lifetime monthly pension from Mogadishu authorized by Mohamed Siad Barre. Godane remained steadfast in her socialist beliefs and desire to see a unified Somalia until her death.

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Important facts

Born
1935, Kismayo
Birth century
Died
1994
Nationality
Also known as
Halima Mohamed Yusuf

People in Halima Godane's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Halima Godane's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Halima Godane?

Somali poet and activist

When was Halima Godane born?

Halima Godane was born in 1935 in Kismayo.

When did Halima Godane die?

Halima Godane died in 1994.

What was Halima Godane's occupation?

Halima Godane was a poet, writer and politician.

What nationality was Halima Godane?

Halima Godane was Somali.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Halima Godane

· Wikidata: Q42409408

· DBpedia: Halima Godane

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Halima Godane. https://biography.guide/halima-godane/

MLA: "Halima Godane." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/halima-godane/.

Chicago: "Halima Godane." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/halima-godane/.

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