Somali, Southeast Asian and Latine artists are exploring mortality, heritage and displacement head-on this weekend. 

The Somali Museum of Minnesota marks 13 years of preserving Somali history saved from civil war, Theater Mu debuts a supernatural play at The O’Shaughnessy, and the Festival de las Calaveras brings Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) traditions to Lake Street.

The Somali Museum’s 13th anniversary

The Somali Museum of Minnesota, the first museum in North America dedicated to Somali culture, offers a glimpse into traditional Somali home life. Ceremonial drums, coastal jewelry, radios, farming tools and beds made from cowhide reflect the country’s craftsmanship. 

The museum houses more than 1,500 cultural artifacts. Founder Osman Ali began gathering objects in 2009 to preserve Somalia’s cultural heritage after the country’s National Museum was destroyed during the civil war. 

Ali, a former Minneapolis restaurant owner, sought to create a home for his growing collection in Minnesota, which is home to the largest Somali population in the United States. 

“I was in diaspora for a long time and because of that, I wanted to know who I am, where I come from and where I belong to,”Ali said. “From 2009 up to today, I travel every year, collecting from all the states of Somalia and from different countries.”

The museum will celebrate its 13th anniversary Saturday at the Hopkins Center for the Arts with live music, dance, comedy, fashion and theater. 

Faarow, a pop and R&B sister-duo, will headline the celebration, alongside a performance by the Somali Museum Dance Troupe. Get a preview of Faarrow’s sound here. 

The program will also feature millennial and Gen Z comedians, a fashion show showcasing traditional Somali dresses, and the play “Laba Adduun,” written by the museum’s artistic director, Mohamoud O. Mohamed. 

“The play is talking about the current events happening in the Somali community, especially when it comes to generations not communicating well,” said Fadumo Ibrahim, the museum’s program coordinator. “We want every single audience member to walk away thinking about how we can work together as a community to uplift each other.” 

The anniversary comes as the museum prepares to expand its presence in Minneapolis. The institution recently purchased a $2.3 million building at 3430 University Ave. S.E. in Minneapolis, with plans to relocate from its current basement space at Midtown Global Market by this time next year. The new space is expected to include a coffee shop and gift shop.

Kung fu zombies in St. Paul

Minnesota writer Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay has built a universe of kung fu zombies in her plays. This weekend, you can enter that world when the supernatural descends on St. Paul. 

In one play, a young shaman-in-training fights zombies in the mountains of northern Laos. In another, a Lao American woman travels across a post-apocalyptic landscape to return her parents’ ashes to their homeland. 

Now, in the world premiere of “Kung Fu Zombies vs. Southeast Asian Girl Scouts,” a troop must protect St. Paul from the same invasion. Catch the show at The O’Shaughnessy, with a Halloween costume contest on Oct. 31 and a talk-back with Vongsay and director Fran De Leon on Nov. 1. 

Day of the Dead block party

Every year, the Festival de las Calaveras brings Día de los Muertos celebrations to the Twin Cities, with past festivals at St. Paul’s Union Depot and Minneapolis’ Cedar Cultural Center. This year, the festival takes over the streets with a block party along Minnehaha Avenue and Lake Street. 

Start at Midtown Global Market for the 5:30 p.m. parade, where you can walk alongside Mexican folk art and skeleton figures. The procession will arrive at the block party at 6:30 p.m., kicking off an evening of lucha libre wrestling, community altars, Aztec dance and aerial performances. The festival will also feature a Latino film showcase, food trucks, and local arts and crafts vendors. 

For live music, head inside The Hook & Ladder Theater to catch performances from bands and emerging artists, including psychedelic cumbia punk duo Tropa Magica. 

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