Step into the House of Weaving Songs, an immersive, multisensory installation by dhaqan collective, celebrating Somali heritage, women’s labour, and resilience in the face of climate collapse. Inspired by the aqal, a traditional Somali nomadic home.

As you trace your fingers along the tapestries the space comes alive with the lighting and sound shifting to immerse you in a 360-degree audio experience that echoes the musicality of Somali women’s weaving songs.

dhaqan collective, led by Ayan Cilmi and Fozia Ismail, is a Somali feminist art collective dedicated to reimagining futures that support Somali communities in the UK and East Africa.

The installation was developed as part of Playable Cities, an arts and creative technology programme funded through My World at Bristol University and Watershed.

Presented as part of Shambala festival, this installation is an invitation to wander, listen, and connect in a place where the past and future intertwine, and where the rhythms of weaving and song guide you through a story of creativity and resilience. 

Panel explores camels as keystone species, linking ecology, women’s labor, traditions, and art to imagine a resilient future.

From the shifting sands of Rajasthan to the coastal landscapes of Somalia, this panel brings together the Dhaqan Collective and camel pastoralism expert Dr. Ilse Köhler-Rollefson to explore the camel as both a keystone species and a vessel of living heritage. Tracing connections between ecological knowledge, women’s labour, oral traditions, and contemporary art practice, speakers will explore how indigenous wisdom and creative practice can help us imagine a resilient future in a changing climate.