'Like roots:' Somali Museum of Ohio seeks to preserve and share history, culture with all

For every individual, there is a journey completed by those who came before that eventually comes to define the current days and shapes stories. These are roots, origin stories and for many, it provides a sense of grounding in navigating the world.

When Mohamed Ali saw a growing Somali population in Ohio — the state now has the second largest Somali population in the U.S. after Minnesota — he also recognized a growing need for active maintenance and retelling of the Somali American story and its vibrant culture and history to keep it alive.

"Whatever we tell (our kids) today is whatever they're going to tell their kids in the future," Ali said. "However they see us behave today, a certain way of life, is however they're going to be living down the road. Culture and tradition are like roots. If you don't have the foundation and the roots, you will not have a base to lean to."

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Inspired, Ali began to envision a space of engagement, learning and appreciation. Future generations wouldn't have to travel 10,000 miles to reconnect with their roots; curious community members wouldn't have to look far to learn about their Somali neighbors' cultural and historical backgrounds.

All they have to do is step into the Somali Museum of Ohio.

"The Somali American community has a rich and vibrant history that we wanted to ensure was not lost to time," Ali said.

"Seeing how other culture groups have established museums to celebrate their heritage inspired me to create a similar space for the Somalis in Ohio. We want this museum to be a place where both Somalis and non-Somalis come, where they can come and understand the depth and the beauty of our culture."

After years of preparation, the Somali Museum of Ohio is ready to open its doors to the public this weekend, offering the chance to explore Somali culture and history through historical artifacts, exhibits and documents. The museum will also function as a community center, hosting educational programs, workshops, cultural events and children's book readings.

The goal, Ali said, is active engagement. As visitors walk through the museum, their experience will not be passive, as they will have the chance to learn about the artifacts and cultural items through activities that encourage learning.

Though Ali is the founder of the museum, he said his efforts are a continuation of the existing community efforts that came before him, including his own community advocacy and organization initiatives like the Somali Cultural Festival , which he helped found and run alongside his friend Leebaan Osman.

In his preparation process, Ali's efforts drew from the support and input of community members and elders and are, in many ways, an extension of the work of those like Mohamud Dirios, a collector and preserver of Somali ethnography and a contributor to the Somali Museum of Minnesota who passed down his expertise to Ali.

Another way the museum is reaching into generational wisdom is by collecting stories of the "firsts" in Somali Ohioan history, seeking journeys of the first Somali families to settle in Ohio, the first business owners to open Somali stores, the first Somali American state representatives. Ali said these will soon form into an exhibit of their own.

In that sense, there is a multigenerational motion at play in the creation of the museum. As the museum looks to the past, it also seeks to leave behind a legacy for future generations.

"You know, Ohio is my second home," Ali said. "As a father whose kids were born here, my main goal here is, when I die, the culture to remain, to continue. The kids who are here today, I want them to inherit our culture so that they pass it along to their kids in the future."

At a glance

The Somali Museum of Ohio is opening its doors to the public this weekend at 1780 Morse Road, within International Mall, from 3-7 p.m.

The museum is free for visitors, and there will be a store selling goods to support the museum. All are invited to check out the museum, regardless of their cultural background, and join in on the grand-opening celebration, which will include performances, feature guest speakers and interactive activities.

For more information about the museum, reach out to somalicommunity614@gmail.com .

elim@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 'Like roots:' Somali Museum of Ohio seeks to preserve and share history, culture with all