By Goth Mohamed Goth
Boston – The Famed Somali Vocal Shankaroon Ahmed Yusuf, popularly known as Sagal and one of the most celebrated voices of Somalia’s legendary Waaberi band, died on Saturday in the United States, where she had resided for several years. Reports indicate she had been unwell prior to her death.
She rose to fame in the 1970s after joining Somalia’s vibrant state-backed arts movement. Shankaroon became a key figure in the Somali National Army band, which later merged with Radio Mogadishu’s ensemble to form the iconic Waaberi troupe based at the National Theatre.
Her death has drawn heartfelt tributes from fellow artists, who remember her as a gifted singer whose work resonated across generations of Somalis.
Veteran performer Khadijo Foodey, who worked closely with her, recalled first hearing Shankaroon’s voice while on tour in northern Somalia with a theatrical production titled Wad iyo Wacad. While in Boorama, the group was given a cassette of Shankaroon singing. “When we heard her sweet and melodious voice, we agreed she had to join the arts,” Foodey said. Poet Mohamed Ali Kaariye, who was part of the tour, urged that she be brought to Mogadishu for professional recording.
Shankaroon later moved to the capital and joined the Somali National Army band. When that group merged with the Radio Mogadishu ensemble to create Waaberi, she became a central member of the nationally celebrated troupe.
During her career, she performed at major national events, including the annual October Revolution festival, and sang works by prominent Somali poets such as Hassan Qawdhan, Mohamed Adan Dacar, and Mohamed Ali Kaariye.
Foodey described her as humble and kind. “She was a person of good morals who never distanced herself from others,” she said, adding that Shankaroon treated fellow artists with warmth and respect.
Shankaroon and Kaariye later married, though they eventually separated. According to Foodey, many of Kaariye’s poems reflected his love for her. One such song, “Haba Baran Lahayadaa,” was performed by Foodey herself.
Before her death, members of the Waaberi community in the United States had gathered for a regular meeting known as “Kulanka Waaberi,” where they prayed for her recovery upon learning of her illness. News of her passing came shortly afterward.
The Late Shankaroon Ahmed Yusuf’s voice was an integral part of Somalia’s golden era of music—a time when poetry, theater, and song converged to shape national culture. Her legacy endures through the recordings and performances that continue to define Somali artistic identity.
