Deqa’s recent work has been exploring the evolution of culture and the extent of tradition’s impact upon it. The rush for social and economic growth has clearly had an effect on the development of culture and as we observe the emergence of our urban, globalized environment, it becomes ever more obvious that our malls and skyscrapers are standing on shaky foundations.
With cities growing bigger and the world getting smaller, what can be done to strengthen the foundations of society? Could tradition help solidify these foundations or provide the next generation with an understanding and respect for the reason why things were done they way they were? Which traditions enrich our cultures and which traditions impoverish them?
With this body of work Deqa has selected one Somali tradition to explore the questions above. The Somali traditional hut, also known as a “waab” is a symbol of traditional life and a foundation of Somali nomadic culture. Today, they have come to symbolize the despondent and hopeless existence of a refugee. Will we conserve, restore and rebuild traditions honouring forgotten principles; or will we keep creating a new city and culture, pressing our foundations ever further into the earth?