Zahra Mohamed

Zahra was born in Kismayo, Somalia. In 1997, she left Somalia and spent three years in Kenya. Later she moved to the United States and settled in Portland. She learned the art of henna painting from a neighbor when she was a young girl. Henna is a natural dye made from plant leaves that is made into a paste. For special occasions, especially weddings, Somalian women decorate their hands and feet in traditional flower designs using henna paste as a type of paint or ink.

Area: Portland Metro Area
Type: Workshops
Grade: K-12
Cost: See fee schedule for workshops

Zahra draws traditional designs on student’s hands and talks about the history of henna art in her culture. Students do not handle the henna themselves. **Henna will permanently stain clothing so students should wear older clothes or smocks. The henna will temporarily color the skin but it wears off after about one week.

The Arts: Historical and Cultural Connections; Creating Social Sciences: World History; Geography