Somalia, once a thriving cultural hub in the Horn of Africa, has seen its rich artistic heritage eroded by decades of conflict and the rise of conservative extremism. In the 1970s, Mogadishu’s National Theatre stood at the heart of a golden era, hosting musicals, plays, and performances by both men and women. Somali music, infused with poetic depth, blended traditional sounds with global influences, while radio amplified the nation’s cultural vibrancy. Artists like Maryan Mursal and Hassan Adan Samatar recall the 1970s with nostalgia an era of nightclubs, live concerts, and creative freedom. But today, much of this culture is gone. In areas controlled by Salafist groups, music is banned, folk traditions are denounced as superstition, and “secular” education is replaced with Arabic religious texts. Even the Somali language faces pressure as Arabic words and naming practices replace traditional ones, a trend novelist Nuruddin Farah calls “cultural suicide.”