Somali culture clash

Community Education - The Somali Experience

Earlier this year, ADEC continued with its mission to promote community education programs in the area of mental health to ethnic communities. As it was targeting the Southern region, ADEC chose to form an alliance with Prahran Mission's Ethnic Mental Health Outreach program.

Given the slow but steady increase in numbers of people from an African background, it was agreed that the Somali community be targeted. A Somali Women's Group existed which met in Prahran and it was felt that this group might play a crucial part in the consultation process with this community.

As with any community development, forming key links and networks were necessary first steps. This involves forming relationships with key individuals and peak bodies and developing a meaningful and trusting rapport with key community members.

Making inroads with this community was difficult as they are still at the early stages of establishment and do not have many resources such as community workers to facilitate work with them. They also do not accept information from people outside of their community easily. In working with the Somali community and by engaging peak organisations and their representatives, we became aware that we were often engaging a mainly male perspective. In order to be able to develop a community education program appropriately, we needed to understand the historical and political context that defined the Somali people. We were able to locate Somali workers who were actively engaged with their communities to do this. This involved consulting with people outside of the Southern region - something we had not envisaged.

SOMALI CULTURE AND RELIGION

With the networks we established, we were able to learn a great deal about the culture and religion of the Somalis. Somalis have their own language called Somali Land.

As Somalia was colonised by England and Italy until 1972, these languages were also known and spoken. These languages are no longer considered second languages of Somalia.

Islam is strictly adhered to in all aspects of their lives and this differentiates them from other African groups.

Indeed, children are usually expected to know the Koran before they start school. The interactions of Somalis with each other and with those from outside of their community are governed by Islam and the Koran. Gender roles are strictly delineated and very important. Clan and political alliances may affect interaction between men.

Family law in Somalia is totally aligned to the Koran even though there is a civil and criminal legal system. For example, rape does not exist as a crime. Women would not report it as it damages their "marriageability" status and responsibility for the crime would be placed on the woman.

The extended family (clan) enables men to have up to four wives but they are obliged to provide equally for each of them. Somali women are expected to look after the children of the other wives when necessary. Married women need the permission of their spouses in order to participate in any activities.

CONCLUSION

We realised that the presenting cultural issues necessitated a change in our approach with the Somali community.

Given that it was very difficult to provide information directly, we decided that the most effective means would be to provide this education to the community workers so that they are aware of the mental health system and would be in a better position to pass this information on.

We hope to be able to develop an appropriate education program for Somali community workers with the networks we have developed.

Barbara Ghiani and Malina Stankovska