A Centenary Celebration
Dualeh Mohammed came to Cardiff at the beginning of the twentieth century. Soon, his grandson, Said, and his family will be celebrating a century living in the Welsh capital city.
"Hakim is three and a half years old and Uthman is two. They are my sons and they are the fourth generation of Dualeh family to settle in Cardiff.
Dualeh Mohammed - my grandfather - nicknamed Aftaag, was born in a small city of Erigabo, North Somalia and he was the first Dualeh in Cardiff. He came to the city in 1908 as a seaman, and in 1910 became a member of the Merchant Navy until he retired. During this time he fought for Britain in the First and Second World Wars. Whilst Aftaag was in Cardiff, he never forgot his home country and campaigned for Somalia's independence.
In 1939 he went to The League of Nations with delegates from Somalia to support the cause. In 1960, Aftaag took his two boys, Ibrahim - my father - and Jusef to Somalia for the first time. His campaigning had paid off and while they were on their way, he was told that Somalia had become an independent country at last.
My father stayed in Somalia, married and had children, but longed for his home back in Cardiff, and so returned as soon as could. We joined him in early 1990 - when I was a teenager - and now he has his six children and 17 grandchildren surrounding him.
He tells me he feels like a Welsh man and he's even able to speak Welsh.
In 2000 I married a local girl and now have Hakim and Uthman, the fourth generation and the lights of my life. In three years time we will celebrate 100 years of Dualeh family in Cardiff and we are looking forward to another 100 years in the city we call home."
Said Dualeh
