Dhaqan Collective

The Aqal (House of Weaving Songs)

The Aqal is a structure vital to Somali life, built to endure the harsh landscape with limited resources. Constructing one is a communal effort, with women weaving the structure together while singing songs that have been passed down through generations. Each aqal, therefore becomes a tapestry of multiple hands, histories and sounds, reflecting the lives and dreams of its creators.

Blackburn Museum hosts The Aqal (House of Weaving Songs) by the Dhaqan Collective who have drawn on these traditional nomadic structures to co-create this interactive sound installation with Somali communities in Bristol and beyond, integrating weaving songs and woven tapestries into the structure in an attempt to connect us to cultural practices that can inspire us to build new futures.