Afgooye ( Sh.M.Network) Citizens in Afgoye, a rich agricultural town in the south of Mogadishu compeleted their freedom from the grip of Al Shabab militants yesterday after they restarted to hold a long existing traditional dance locally known ’’Istunka’’ which was banned during the control of that town by Al Shabab for almost four years.
Istunka which literally means ’’Beating’’ is an annual traditional dance which is celebrated after the harvest of the year and it is charcterised by men armed with sticks who fight and beat each other in a competation and thousands of viewers from Afgoye, Mogadishu and other neighbouring towns come to watch.
But the event was banned and not staged for four years during which Al Shabab militants were in control of that town before they were routed out last year by African union forces and Somali National Army.
Ali Shiekh Abdullahi Ali Afgoye, a former Somali MP and a local politician who was present at a cermony which Istunka was reinstated told that it was a big happiness that Afgoye regained its symbolic event which it was famous for years.
Shabelle news desk
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