Thursday, September 1, 2016
BY GUNNAR OLSON
The Faribault Somali community will host an event on Sunday afternoon to promote unity and friendship among all of Faribault’s religions and cultures.
Taking place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Central Park, the event will feature presentations about the history and culture of Somalia, some sambusa – a traditional Somali food – and demonstrations of decorative henna painting which are temporary tattoos.
In addition to those cultural presentations, the group intends to recognize local law enforcement and firefighters in Faribault.
According to the event’s director, Abdullah Hared, the idea stemmed from discussions at the Abubakar Islamic Center, but its intent is for all of Faribault to come learn.
“We want to bring people together and promote unity in the neighborhood,” said Hared. “It’s all about getting to know each other.”
As for honoring law enforcement, Hared noted the importance of their recognition.
“The police have done a wonderful job in the community in including diversity,” he said. “They have integrated us into the mainstream.”
He noted that the firefighters as well as the city and county law enforcement have allowed the Somali culture to thrive.
Some organizers, like Joy Watson and Father Henry Doyle, hope that people unfamiliar with the culture will come with questions.
“It’s an opportunity for people in the community to come together with their neighbors,” said Watson. “It’s for people who are afraid to ask.”
She explained that the day will be a great way for people to learn about a culture that’s becoming more prevalent in Faribault and for their questions to be answered.
“Once you spend an afternoon in the park with people it’s a little easier to get to know them,” she said. “They can get to know each other a little bit in a way they maybe haven’t before.”
Doyle said that preconceived notions about people of other religions and ethnicities can be harmful at times and he hopes to break down those barriers with this celebration.
“We are a religiously diverse community,” he said. “We have freedom of religion in this country. We should not fear religious groups that are not Christian. We should give our support and encouragement.”
The recent "Faces of Faribault" series in the Faribault Daily News was a good start to the conversation, according to Doyle, but he thinks that this event will expand and enlarge those ideas.
“It goes beyond just reading. It’s about interacting with someone,” he said. “The interaction is so important.”
The event also stemmed from something similar held at the mosque during Ramadan where the Muslim community invited people from Faribault to eat, learn and ask questions of their Somali neighbors.
As Watson explained, however, these kind of cross-cultural community events are increasingly pertinent.
“I think especially now in the world there is a lot of division,” she said. “This is an attempt to bring people together and to not think so much about ‘us vs. them’. We want people to think about the similarities people have rather than their differences.”
Hared believes the goal will be accomplished and said he cannot wait for Sunday to arrive.
“It will be a wonderful event. I’m so excited,” he said. “We expect to continue it every year to show the unity of Faribault.”
Doyle, who will participate in an interfaith prayer to open and close the event, said the event will be important for the fabric of the community going forward.
“We are fearful of what we don’t know,” he explained. “That’s when we put our guard up. Somali, Hispanics, Scandinavians, Germans, we all live in this community. We are doing the best we can to create a community with a quality of life that’s appealing and desirable.”
That effort starts with being welcoming.
“It’s important to learn about another culture and other people. Why is it so important to conform? Can we not also allow people to be the way they are?” he asked.
Organizers hope that Faribault’s inquisitive citizens will attend the event equipped with questions and an open mind on Sunday afternoon.