Was the Muslim world more secular in the 1970s than now?

First, what comes to your mind when you think of Somalia? Wars? Famine? Islamic Fundamentalist’s intolerance? Oppressed women? Maybe, even pirates? These vintage pictures tell a history of Somalia that not many people know.

Lets go back in time

Somali women doing military drill

Female Fighter Pilot

Somali Prime Minister (white hat) with his Wife (in the yellow) at the White House 1960s

Somali School Girls 1970

Somali and Expat Children

Somali couples at dance

Somali women with her friends at the beach

Somali 1980s

Mixed race couple

Somali woman working at a Trade Fair

Somali children wearing traditional clothing with their non-Somali friends, doing chores and brushing their teeth with a miswak

Woman in traditional clothing collecting sea shells from the beach

Vintage photo of Somali women dabbing

This was Somalia up until the 1990’s it had once been a top tourist spot for foreigners because of its had the longest coastline in Africa and spectacular beaches. It was an inviting and openly tolerant country, even in 1960’s after their independence. Somalia has always been a Muslim country, for hundreds of years. The country had expats from all over the world, and in its constitution it allowed people freedom of worship , the ability to actively practice their different religions (Article 29).

The woman above is wearing traditional Somali dress which was common to see women walking around wearing.

Below are examples of the traditional dress that is worn by Somalis but now only indoors during celebrations.

After the war, it was a more socially expected for women to dress more conservatively, in public. Women wearing traditional wear in the street was replaced with more women covering their body in a burka, wearing headscarves and sometimes, if chosen, a face veil. After the collapse of the government in 1990’s and no protection for its people, it left people vulnerable. Many people died in the war, women raped by criminals, millions displaced as refugees in countries all around the world, and those who weren’t able to escape or were not able to get asylum , stayed behind for what would be many relentless years of violence and famines. The country left in chaos and the complete mercy of the extremist Wahhabi militia who took this opportunity to force their rule on the people by getting strongholds on many regions. After more than 20 years the Somali government has only recently been restored. They are working on rebuilding and making every effort to obliterate Islamic extremists and Al-Shabaab. Somalis were always known as resilient people. Today hundreds of young diaspora are coming to the nation for the first time, bringing with them their variety of education, experience, culture and skills to rebuild the land their forefathers once called “home”. Although there are still obstacles to overcome, there is a lot of promise for the land previously known as, “Switzerland of Africa”.