FAARROW is the project of sisters Iman and Siham Hashi, who were born in Mogadishu, Somalia. After fleeing their home to escape civil war, the sisters and their family relocated to Toronto, Canada as refugees. Iman, meaning “FAITH” and Siham, meaning “ARROW” gives light to the group’s name, FAARROW. Their sound fuses African rhythms with modern production resulting in a drum-heavy fusion of world, hip-hop and pop music.
Watch a video overview of FAARROW’s Spring 2019 Residency via The Cedar’s Youtube Channel.
The sisters released their EP “LOST” in 2016 with Warner Brother Records. In 2017 FAARROW made their debut at SXSW for the “ContraBanned” showcase highlighting artists from countries affected by Trump’s travel ban. FAARROW is currently working on a new album set for an independent 2019 release. Iman and Siham also serve as United Nations Spokespeople with the UN Refugee Agency and are actively involved with humanitarian efforts for other human rights organizations. They recently launched a podcast called POWHER that discusses spirituality, mental health, soul health, mysticism, healing, culture, identity and beauty through their eyes as recording artists, refugees, and black Muslim women living in a patriarchal world.
Midnimo, the Somali word for "unity," is a program that presents the world's leading Somali musical artists in the form of month-long residencies. Midnimo aims to increase understanding of Somali culture in Minnesota, which is home to the largest Somali immigrant population in North America. The program was launched in 2014 in collaboration with Augsburg University, and in 2016 expanded into Greater Minnesota. During residencies, Midnimo artists connect with Minnesotans through in-depth community engagement across the state, including activities like workshops, class visits and education programs, discussions, and live performances in Minneapolis, Mankato, and St. Cloud.
Marla Khan-Schwartz from 89.3 The Current sits down with FAARROW to talk about their identity as a Somali pop duo, and the relationship to their music.
One hallmark of Midnimo is the opportunity for Somali singers and musicians of a variety of genres to perform with a live band - a practice that nearly died out in the wake of war in Somalia in the early 1990s. While in Minnesota, FAARROW worked with Astralblak, who learned the sisters’ music and performed as their live backing band during the residency. Astralblak, known for their exploratory modern sound that merges hard grooves, Afrofuturist themes and soulful melodies, consists of musicians/producers MMYYKK, Proper T, Greg Grease, DJ Just Nine, and Art Parté.
FAARROW and backing band Astralblak conducted performances and community-based activities in Minneapolis, Mankato, and St. Cloud, with a public live finale performance in each city. Primary partners for this residency included The Cedar and Augsburg University in Minneapolis; Somali Community Barwaaqo Organization and Minnesota State University Mankato Area International Festival in Mankato; and Paramount Center for the Arts and St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud.
FAARROW’S MIDNIMO RESIDENCY EVENTS INCLUDED:
MINNEAPOLIS (March 19-24)
Tuesday, March 19
7pm - 9pm Welcome Dinner for FAARROW
FREE
Canabey Restaurant, 312 W Lake Street, Minneapolis
It is Somali tradition to welcome visitors with a dinner on the night of their arrival. After dinner, FAARROW will conduct interviews with press and pose for photos with a live DJ.
Wednesday, March 20
1pm - 3pm Buraanbur Session
FREE. Women only.
Brian Coyle Center, 420 S 15th Ave, Minneapolis
In January The Cedar and the Immigrant Women Advocacy Project launched a series of ongoing Buraanbur dance sessions to foster intergenerational and community connection to support the wellbeing of Somali elder women in Cedar Riverside. Join FAARROW and neighborhood women to learn this traditional poetry and dance form, led by Asha Buraanburtoy.
Thursday, March 21
11am Drop-in at Sisterhood Boutique
Sisterhood Boutique, 2200 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis
FAARROW stage a drop-in to check out the fashions at Sisterhood Boutique, the neighborhood’s entrepreneurial thrift store run by East African youth.
Friday, March 22
6pm Aar Maanta and Friends "Ubadkaa Mudnaanta Leg" Album Release Show
The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis
Ubadkaa Mudnaanta Leh (“Children Have Priority”) is a new bilingual Somali-English children’s album by London-based Somali musician Aar Maanta written and created with 20+ youth and teenagers from the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. For their album release show Aar Maanta & Friends will be joined by storytellers from The Children’s Theatre Company and a fashion show curated by Sisterhood Boutique. FAARROW make a surprise guest appearance, making intergenerational connections with Somali youth and families.
Saturday, March 23
5pm Annual Cedar Riverside Women’s Night Out
FREE event. Women only.
Brian Coyle Center, 420 S 15th Ave, Minneapolis
Pillsbury United Communities’ Immigrant Women's Advocacy Project presents the 13th Annual Cedar Riverside International Women's Night Out celebrating women and multiculturalism in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. Join us for dinner, music, and a discussion about health and healing with guest speakers FAARROW and Dr. Farhiya Farah. The evening will close, as always, with Buraanbur dance.
Watch FAARROW Speaking About Creating Their Artist Identities (Recorded at St. Cloud State University's KVSC)
ST. CLOUD (March 25-30)
Monday, March 25
3:30pm - 5pm Tech/Apollo Dance Party
Women Only
Private event
Apollo High School, 1000 44th Ave N, St Cloud, MN 56303
FAARROW will meet with high school and middle school dance teams from Tech and Apollo schools to discuss their identity as empowered women, Somali women, and hip-hop artists, followed by leaning a new collaborative, expressive dance routine choreographed and taught by FAARROW.
6pm - 7pm | Welcome Reception for FAARROW and Astralblak
FREE
Paramount Center for the Arts Lobby, 912 West St Germain Street, St. Cloud, MN 56301
Help welcome FAARROW and Astralblak to St. Cloud. Enjoy introductions and light fare and refreshments catered by Jules' Bistro.
Tuesday, March 26
9:30 – 10:50am Heartland St. Cloud Technical & Community College Classroom Visit (Music in World Culture, Terry Vermillion)
Private Event
Heartland St. Cloud Technical & Community College, 1540 Northway Drive, St. Cloud, MN 56303-1240
FAARROW visit Terry Vermillion’s Music in World Culture class to discuss the musics of Oceana, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe with an introduction to FAARROW and their music.
4pm - 5pm St. Cloud State University SSA and OSA General Meeting
Private Event
SCSU 720 4th Ave S, St Cloud, MN 56301
The Somali Student Association and Oromo Student Association invite FAARROW to join their regular general meeting as a special guest for a Q&A about topics relevant to their groups on campus and in the world.
5:30pm - 7pm St. Cloud State University Classroom Visit (Global Feminism, Peter Mwangi)
Private Event
SCSU 720 4th Ave S, St Cloud, MN 56301
FAARROW join Peter Mwangi’s Global Feminism class to discuss African feminism and women in Islam.
Wednesday, March 27
9:30-10:45am St. Cloud State University Classroom Visit (Feminist Theory, Elizabeth Berila)
Private Event
SCSU 720 4th Ave S, St Cloud, MN 56301
FAARROW join Elizabeth Berila’s Feminist Theory class to discuss decolonizing feminism and transnational feminist theory including notions of home and displacement and forging connections across borders.
11:00-12:15am St. Cloud State University Classroom Visit (Community and Culture, Eddah Mutua)
Private Event
SCSU 720 4th Ave S, St Cloud, MN 56301
FAARROW join Eddah Mutua’s Community and Culture class to discuss transnationalism, identity, the Somali “marker,” and living with and without privilege.
4:30pm - 6:30pm College of Saint Benedict & Saint John's University Campus Visit (Senior Seminar, Ted Gordon, and African Student Union, Fatou Sane)
Campus Event
O’Connell’s Coffee Lounge, Haehn Campus Center, 37 South College Ave, St. Joseph
Ted Gordon’s Senior Seminar and the African Student Union host FAARROW and Astralblak for a sneak preview of their musical collaboration, followed by a Q&A led by Fatou Sane, President of the African Student Union.
Thursday, March 28
9:30 – 11am District 742 Area Learning Center, McKinley - Allicia Fischer and Stephanie Peterson – writing
216 8th Ave, Waite Park, MN 56387
4:30pm- 5:30pm Eastside Boys and Girls Club Visit with Three St. Cloud Dance Groups
Private Event
FAARROW teach young students from three local dance groups a dance routine of their own choreography.
Friday, March 29
10:00-10:50am St. Cloud State University Classroom Visit (Music in World Culture, Catherine Verilli)
Private Event
SCSU 720 4th Ave S, St Cloud, MN 56301
FAARROW join Catherine Verilli’s Music in World Culture class to talk about the cultural taboo of musicians, music's role as a tool of resilience, and how FAARROW’s reception as women and pop stars.
11:00-11:50am St. Cloud State University Classroom Visit (History of Music, Shannon Stadler)
Private Event
SCSU 720 4th Ave S, St Cloud, MN 56301
Shannon Stadler’s History of Music Class hosts FAARROW in the Performing Arts Center for a performance and dialogue about the complexity of FAARROW's artistic identity and artistic inspiration. Open to the full Music Department.
Saturday, March 30
7:30pm show, 7pm doors Midnimo Finale Concert: FAARROW with backing band Astralblak with iLLism
$10 advance/$15 day of show, FREE with Augsburg ID
Paramount Center for the Arts, 912 West St Germain Street , St. Cloud, MN 56301
FAARROW celebrate the close of the St. Cloud residency performing live with Astralblak! They will be joined by openers husband and wife-fronted hip hop and soul group iLLism.
Watch FAARROW speaking about creating a“Fusion Third Culture” (Recorded at St. Cloud State University's KVSC)
MINNEAPOLIS (April 1-6)
Monday, April 1
10:30am - 11am FAARROW: Faith/Arrow in the Chapel
Augsburg University, Hoversten Chapel (Foss Center), 623 22nd Ave S, Minneapolis
Fardosa Hassan, Augsburg’s Somali/Muslim interfaith scholar and leader of interfaith conversations and the Somali Student Association host FAARROW as a musical intro to morning chapel focused on health and healing. FAARROW will engage the students in singing exercises as a form of spiritual grounding and connection.
Tuesday, April 2
1:50pm - 3:30pm Augsburg Classroom Visit (Intercultural Communication, Kristen Chamberlain)
Private Event
Augsburg University
FAARROW visit Kristin Chamberlain’s Intercultural Communication class to discuss the role of new media outlets like podcasting in furthering the goals, identities, and messages of artists and activists in the 21st century.
Wednesday, April 3
11am - 12:20pm Augsburg Classroom Visit (Music Business, J. Anthony Allen)
Augsburg University
Private Event
FAARROW visit J. Anthony Allen’s Music Business class to discuss their experience both working with record labels and working independently.
Thursday, April 4
9am - 10am Educational Program with Hopkins High School
Private Event
Hopkins High School, Small Theater, 2400 Lindbergh Drive, Minnetonka
FAARROW perform and discuss their work and background, artistically speaking to the identity of many young third-culture Somalis in a school that has experienced a rapid demographic shift.
6:00pm – 7:30pm FAARROW Presents POWHER: A Live Podcast Recording
FREE
Moon Palace Books, 3032 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis
FAARROW invite you to a live recording of their podcast POWHER – A portal dedicated to the rise, awakening, and balance of the Divine Feminine Energy. POWHER discusses spirituality, mental health, soul health, mysticism, healing, culture, identity, and beauty through their eyes as recording artists, former Somali refugees, and Black, Muslim women living in a patriarchal world. Let the talking and healing begin! Join us after the podcast taping for free refreshments in Moon Palace's Geek Love Café.
Friday, April 5
7pm doors/8pm show Midnimo Finale Concert: FAARROW with backing band Astralblak with Ashley DuBose and DJ Flavio
$10 advance/$15 day of show, FREE with Augsburg ID
The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis
FAARROW celebrate the close of the Minneapolis residency performing live with Twin Cities’ favorites, Astralblak! They will be joined by openers soul-pop recording and performing artist Ashley DuBose and leading Somali DJ, DJ Flavio.
MANKATO (April 7-10)
Sunday, April 7
9pm -11pm FAARROW with backing band Astralblak and special guests at Mankato’s International Day 2019 Celebration
FREE
MSU’s Centennial Student Union, 228 Wiecking Center, Mankato
FAARROW kick-off their Midnimo Mini-residency in Mankato with a live concert at Mankato’s International Day 2019 hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato. Special guests Ifrah Mansour, Aisha Ali, Nimo Farah, and Farah Ali Habad will open the evening with spoken word and poetry.
Monday, April 8
10am - 11:45am MSU Classroom Visit (Somali Literature, Danielle Haque)
MSU
Private Event
FAARROW visit Danielle Haque’s Somali Literature class to discuss their identity and perceived role as Somali Muslim women in entertainment and the arts.
1pm - 2:30pm Mankato East High School Visit
Tuesday, April 9
10:00am - 11:30am West High School Visit
2:00pm - 3:45pm MSU Classroom Visit (Speaking and Listening, Thomas Maldonado)
MSU
Private Event
FAARROW visit Thomas Maldonado’s TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) class, using art and culture as a gateway to engage in discussion for English language learners.