hewani

Hewani is a traditional Somali devotional vocal music style performed by community groups in religious and social settings. It is typically operatic in its group singing, often featuring a cappella harmony with simple percussion such as frame drums. Lyrics are usually in Somali and address religious themes, praise of God and the Prophet Muhammad, moral exhortations, and commemorations of religious events. Performances commonly employ call-and-response or antiphonal arrangements, allowing participants to alternate singing lead lines and refrains. Melodic features vary by region but commonly use modal scales and expressive vocal inflections, with ornamentation that may include melismatic phrases and flexible tempo.

Historically, hewani developed within Somali-speaking communities from the late 19th century onward, drawing on the broader Somali oral-poetic and religious traditions, including influences from Sufi devotional practices and contact with neighboring cultures. It has been transmitted primarily through oral tradition and community practice, with repertoires evolving through performance and memory rather than formal scores. Regional variants exist in Somaliland, Puntland, and southern Somalia, as well as among the Somali diaspora, with occasional modernization incorporating contemporary instruments and media.

Today, hewani remains an active element of Somali cultural life, performed at mosques, weddings, and community gatherings, and in concert settings abroad. It is regarded as part of the living tradition of Somali music, reflecting religious devotion, social values, and linguistic artistry.