From Somalia to Snow: How Central Minnesota Became Home to Somalis

by Hudda Ibrahim

From Somalia to Snow: How Central Minnesota Became Home to Somalis gives readers an invaluable insider's look into the lives and culture of our Somali neighbors and the important challenges they face. Designed with a diverse audience in mind, this book is a must-read for students, health-care professionals, business owners, social service agencies, and anyone who wants to better understand the Somali people.

In providing a great understanding of Somali culture, tradition, religion, and issues of integration and assimilation, this book also focuses on why thousands of Somali refugees came to live in this cold, snowy area with people of predominantly European descent.

Genres: Nonfiction, Book Club, Memoir, History

283 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Emily Goenner Munson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books I find hard to review. It is an important topic, filled with incredibly valuable information. Its written in such a way as to be easily accessible and useful as a reference book. With these purposes in mind, this book is excellent. If you're looking for literature, nope. Books have such different purposes it's hard to rate them all on the same scale. For what it's supposed to be, this book is excellent.

[Emmareader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fast read with easy-to-understand overviews of Islam and Somalia and customs specific to each. It was very informative about Somalis in central MN (specifically St. Cloud). Lots of tidbits about differing customs between Somali immigrants and white Minnesotans.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting book! I recommend it to anyone who wants to know about Somali immigrants; or wanting to learn more about the immigration process.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book helped me understand the Somalia people who have moved to Central Minnesota.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about immigration in Minnesota. Some good insights into the barriers that immigrants face as they enter the host culture. Also a good book for understanding Somali culture and some of the history.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's quite informative and seems like it would be good for a class textbook.

[Allison6876 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall interesting, however thought it was a bit disingenuous that the author did not discuss several issues that impact the Somali community and the ability of some to integrate into the larger community including the use of khat, gender roles/sexism and when discussing healthcare, specifically women's healthcare, that she did not address the issue of female circumcision and the impact it has on women's health.

[Laurie Tritabaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was particularly interesting to me as I am working with Somalis in the St. Cloud community. Sometimes there were too many details but I found it beneficial for the work I do. It broadened my limited knowledge base and provide helpful information moving forward.

[C.C. Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative, clear, and approachable

An informative book about the history of Somali people in Minnesota and the challenges they continue to face. Great for educators, healthcare professionals, and anyone wanting to get to know their neighbors.

[Dixie · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there is helpful information, much of what Ms. Ibrahim writes is repetitive.. It read more like a research paper turned into a book.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew that Somalians were a large (or, larger than perhaps any random place in the US) group in Minnesota, but I didn't know why and it sounded like this would be a good way to learn. I know nothing about the author but saw this book and thought it would be a good read. Author Ibrahim takes the reader through a history of Somali people, their culture, why and how they came to the US, etc.

That's really it. If you're unfamiliar with Somalian people this would probably be a good place to start.It's not an in-depth history of how and why and when Somali people ended up in some place like Minnesota (nor does it claim to be!) but it's written for people who might be curious about their new neighbors (MN specific but I'd bet this could also at least partially apply even if you were in Phoenix, AZ or New York City).

So if you're looking for a deeper, detailed story about Somali immigration to the US, their history, what it's like for them in the present day, etc. this not that book. But if you want a basic overview of their people, customs, food, language, history, etc. this could be a good read. As others say, it's not the best-written book but it would also be a good add to your local library.

So, it was a good library borrow for me and I'd expect that would be the same for most people unless you happen to have Somali refugees or neighbors, etc. in your community and you'd like to know more.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good introductory read to learn about Somali culture, written in an informational yet not academic way making it very accessible to readers. Many anecdotal stories and interviews with Somali community members help make it very relatable. When I first moved to MN in 2009, I knew nothing about Somalis living in the United States, and now I was living among one of the highest populations of Somali refugees in the country. I wish this book was around then! Over the years I learned a lot and really appreciated the diversity of the region - I miss it now that I have moved away. However, the St. Cloud area has a lot of racial, especially anti-Somali/anti-Muslim, tension, and there is a lot of misunderstanding about the Somali community. I picked up this book shortly after it came out because I wanted to learn more so I could engage in conversations in a more educated way and better understand and advocate for the students I was working with, though I just got around to reading it now. I wouldn't say I learned a lot of new information, but again, I had previously sought out learning in other ways - but I would highly recommend this read for anyone living in Minneapolis, St. Cloud, or greater MN to help them learn more about their neighbors, strengthen communities, and decrease ignorance and hate.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know much about Somali culture, so this book seemed like an interesting exploring, and it was. I lived in Scandinavia in the early 1990s when the first wave of Somalis arrived, and it took a long time for them to integrate, and the locals to learn about them. Since that era I discovered many Somalis and Eritreans who were fluent in Italian, and it was weird on travels to Minneapolis where everyone looks Scandinavian and many dress like them, to not he able to do Finn spotting, yet have no difficulty being able to tell the Somalis from “regular” Black Americans who have been here for generations.
This was well written, and will work whether someone is in high school or works in healthcare, legal, transport or other fields. No background info needed about US immigration either as it briefly describes the long processes. It covers history to healthcare problems in population level, and cultural beliefs to how fast the next generations are Americanizing.
The only thing I wished it would have had were some recipes. What is Somali style pasta compared to the Italian or US cooking variants?

[The Book Nerd's Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a great job at explaining many important topics involving Somali people in Minnesota and their culture. Unfortunately, it is very specific. The target audience of this book is most definitely teachers, medical professionals, and business owners that live in central Minnesota. Despite this, at least three fourths of this book is still relevant to the average person. The ending of the book heavily focused on politics and business, which are two topics that I find quite boring, making the last two sections not the most relevant to me.

Overall, this book is an easy to read guide on the Somali community that lives in Minnesota today. Much can be gleaned about broader topics in this book, such as immigration, Islam, and Somali culture that are not specific to Minnesota, which makes it applicable to all readers to a certain degree. I always find it hard to rate nonfiction books, because they oftentimes aren't super entertaining, but if they are interesting and good teachers, this means the book's goal has been fulfilled. I found Ibrahim's book to both be interesting and informative, so therefore, I think this book was great.

[Colleen Spillers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I loved this book!

I found it to be incredibly informative about the Somali culture and history. I thoroughly enjoyed the detailed information to help me understand more deeply the students I teach, their families, the members of the community where I live and my friends.

I believe deeply that the more we understand each other, the more we can love one another and live together in harmony. This book exemplifies that philosophy. I felt that the entire time reading it - and get to the end and find this line:

"I strongly believe building relationships and developing true are crucial at this juncture. I hope you will join the effort."

I felt like this quote was bringing me home. And perfectly suited for our world today even more.

[Lavon Court · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Somali refugees had nothing in their possession when they arrived in Minnesota.”(p.179.) Easy to read and extremely informative. The book is based on many interviews and personal accounts. An excellent reference book for educators, healthcare workers, and people who want to learn about other cultures. Ibrahim covers the Somali history, differences between immigrants and refugees, integration vs. assimilation, culture and religion, and so much more. A timely account of the struggles and triumphs of moving to St. Cloud.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This gave me great insights as it pertains to those from Somalia. I was a little disappointed that it pertained only to those Somalis living in St. Cloud, but at the same time, I wondered if it was for her doctoral thesis or something, so she had to be very specific. Also, I felt that autism and / or vaccination use (non use) beliefs with children was not addressed, as I have heard that is a big issue in their community.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am certainly part of the target audience in that I am a white Minnesotan who wants to learn more about the growing Somali population in the state. The style and language is very accessible, works hard to not only give specific examples on the many topics via interview quotes, but also concise summaries at the end of the sections. In many ways, as is so very very often the case, there are more similarities between the different cultures than differences, at least at the fundamental level.

[Anne Nerison · Rating 3 out of 5]

From Somalia to Snow is an important addition to Minnesota's book scene. In it, Hudda Ibrahim gives a brief history of Somalia and why people have fled, and then delves into topics ranging from religion to health care, from business to cultural customs. Of course, no group of people is a monolith, but this well-researched book can help give the reader a better understanding of the Somali population in the United States, particularly in St. Cloud.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A woman from my state who helps people from Somalia integrate into American society. She also educates people not from Somalia about people from Somalia. She educates others in business, family, healthcare, religion, culture, and history of people of Somalian culture. This helps me as a nurse who cares for people from Somalia understand their views on healthcare and know better how to care for this population.

[Julie Van Dover]

I think this is a great read for anyone who's curious about how the frozen northlands of Minnesota have such a large population of people of Somali descent. It also goes into detail about how adapting to the culture has gone for them, the challenges they've faced, and how they have adapted. I'm finding it a bit of a slow read, but it's interesting.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and well written. There's a little bit of repetitiveness in the narrative, but this works because she frames the same examples in different scenarios. Highly recommend for people who work with different cultures.

[Brandy Pelzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defined and compared terms, such as refugee vs immigrant and assimilation vs integration. Explained how there came to be a large population of Somalis in St. Cloud. Also took a deep dive into topics of healthcare and business. Overall, very informative.

[Donna Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good primer covering a wide range of topics for those seeking to understand our Midwest America Somali immigrants. Although written as a lightweight textbook, Ibrahim offers interesting insights through her interviews with first and second generation Somali families living in St. Cloud, MN.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an informative book and an easy quick read. If you are looking to learn about Somalian culture this books covers many aspects, focusing on the community in Saint Cloud.

[Kirsten Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential read for any Central Minnesotan

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a wide breadth of information here, but I wished that there had been more specificity (so many statements using "most" or "many" without backing it up with numbers), and I noticed that the topics I was most interested in understanding were basically left out of the book (ex: vaccinations, LGBT community). It gives a good starter on Somali-American culture, but I'm still looking for more.

[Abdi Mahad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book that focuses on why Somalis chose to come to snowy Minnesota

Merged review:

A good book that focuses on experiences and challenges of new somali refugees in the US.

[Kristen Heimerl]

As I was doing low rows at the gym this morning, I noticed two Somali women enter the personal training area. They were covered head to toe—one wearing a bomber jacket and skirt to the floor; the other in pants under a mid-length skirt with a long-sleeve shirt and bulky athletic jacket on top. Of course, their heads were entirely covered except for their fresh, young faces. I was both excited and curious to see them there—how would they exercise bundled so intentionally as so very completely?

I got frustrated—"WTF! Don’t do this to yourselves, young ladies!” And then I remembered what I learned from the book I finished last night—From Somalia to Snow: How Central Minnesota Became Home to Somalis—they reflect the culture and religion to which they have committed.

20% of the U.S Somali population resides in Minnesota. They have made their home across the state including corners of Minneapolis that I once called home. The massive, ramshackle Cedar Square apartment complex that Kathy, Jan and I lived in as sophomores in college is now called “Little Mogadishu” reflecting the ethnic composition of the building today. And there is a television pilot underway (also called Little Mogadishu) to bring the new culture of my old community to life across America.

I’m still unraveling my thoughts about the book or, rather, my visceral response to it—a tough thing to do when you are seeking to understand and empathize, yet the beliefs and values fly in the face of your own.

The book did its job: it educated me. I learned about Somali culture and religion, and their perspectives on integration and assimilation. I was informed of the challenges Somali’s face in business and in health because of language, employment, dietary and other challenges. However, in full transparency, as a professional woman who spent a lifetime fighting for girl’s and women’s equality—including my own, I walked away from the book feeling both sad and concerned.

I felt sad because the expectation for young Somali women is unequivocally clear and unequivocally marginalized: get married, have as many children as you possibly can to elevate your stature in your community, commit your life to Allah and to your husband and, generally, live your life in the shadow of others.

The problem for me? What IF a young Somali woman’s dream flies in the face of cultural convention? What if she wants to create shadows, not hide in them? What’s to happen to her dreams, her hopes, her life?

Then there are the larger societal issues. The Muslim religion is the fastest growing religion in the world. Today, they face crushing obstacles and discrimination as a minority in a white and Christian-dominated America. What will happen when the tables turn—when Caucasians and Christians are the global minority? Will racial and religious diversity be embraced? What about gender equality? Will conservative social values dominate our world and our culture? And in a world where Muslims are the majority, why should they treat us any differently than we have treated them in our homeland? Why can’t we think bigger? See farther? And see that we must learn to coexist if we wish to exist at all.

Rational or irrational, these are the things reading From Somalia to Snow that stirred inside me. You give it a read. What does it stir inside you?

This is a good book for connecting to yourself, your world and your future. It’s also a good book for connecting to them, their world, and their future. In truth, we are one in the same.