Somalia's Incredible Maryam Mursal

Maryam Mursal born in 1950 is a Somali icon. Composer, vocalist and a socialite, she is a beloved of all Somalis with some of the most moving and biographical songs in the history of the nation that depict her own ups and downs, the struggle for freedom, unity, the military era, the opposition and the refugee exploision on the eve of the civil war.

She grew up in a family with four daughters and had to struggle early in her career against tradition, male domination of the music industry and a clan system that discriminated against people belonging to minority tribes.

But by 1966 she was a star across the country, introduced her own Somali jazz and broke the taboo of performing in night clubs and yet remaining an idol of the traditional population.

Like free minded Somalis, she soon fell out with the military regime who banned her from singing for 2 years forcing her to become the first Somali female taxi driver.

During the civil war, she and her 5 children joined the Somali exodus into neighbouring countries and ended up in Djibouti before finding refuge in Europe. This journey through 5 east African countries is depicted in her famous song "Qax" (refugee).

In a 2002 interview with the BBC, she said of this song: "Because so many Somalis are refugees, when they listen to that song they cry. They weep because we all have the same story."

Maryam Mursal has many Somali firsts. First young singer, night clubber, first Somali jazz singer, first star, first woman taxi driver, first woman lorry driver and the first woman with an international record.

In 2005 Maryan was invited at the Eden Project in the south-west of England to take part in Africa Calling, one of the Live 8 concerts which aimed at making poverty, especially in Africa, a thing of the past. She was invited by the organizers Bob Geldof and Peter Gabriel.

When will she go back? This is what this incredible lady says:

"I will be the first person to go back. At the moment my song Qax (Refugee) isn't finished yet. It's only when we come back to Somalia that the song will be finished."

An incredible super lady indeed! Watch here one of her videos where she admonishes her fellow Somalis to make peace: