Rationalizing modern Somali origin theories with oral histor

[James Dahl]

I think the reason the two don't match up with current theories is that researchers consider all "Somali" tribes to have always been Somali.

I think there's a lot of grey area there. I think some tribes that were once considered "Somali" have since become non-Somali and other tribes who were not previously Somali are now Somali tribes. Here is my first try at a "history of Somalia".

The origin of Somalis definitely starts in the Tana river valley, north of Lamu. The Digil and Mirifle (Rahanweyn) people however, have a different origin, as they began as a Rendille tribe in southern Ethiopia, and migrated down the Shabelle to Bay and Bakool at a much later date (17th century). The Boni and Garre are also a Rendille people, but they migrated into Somalia shortly before the Somali, instead of afterwards (before the 10th century).

In Somalia, there were several tribes of interrelated Boon peoples. The Tunni in the south had been interacting with Arabs and Persians since 100 BC at the latest, and were a part of the Indian Ocean trade network from Barawe, living along the coast. In the southern interior the Jiiddu ruled. The Arabs and Persians ruled Mogadishu. North of Mogadishu the Midgan, Tumal, Yahar, Yihir and Yibir ruled their kingdoms, forming the civilization that Greek and Roman writers referred to as the "Other Berbers" These small kingdoms formerly dominated the Incense export market, from their great port of Malao (Berbera) traders from all over the world came to purchase incense and ebony, most of which was bought up by the ancient Eritreans. Modern evidence shows that the Eritrea was Punt, and the famous Punt goods that Egypt so craved were brought in from Punt's extensive trade network, which stretched all the way down to Tanzania.

The Somali moved north and invaded the Tunni and Jiiddu in the 11th century, capturing much of the interior and driving the Tunni to Barawe, where the Persian-build fortifications would protect them. Unfortified Merca however became the capital of the Somali.

Around this time, Sheikh Darod introduced Islam to the Somali (12th century), which by this time was ruled by two brothers, Hawiye and Dir. The now-Islamic Somali then swept north and each of the three men carved massive empires for themselves, conquering various weaker Boon tribes. Sheikh Issaq arrived from Arabia about a century later (13th century) and joined in the conquests, defeating the last Midgan kingdom in a battle outside Hargeisa.

[James Dahl]

The Somali in the 14th century suffered several setbacks. The Ogaden and much of the interior of Somalia was invaded by Galla tribes, who were just finishing THEIR part of the great East Cushitic migrations, and the Somali lost many of their recent conquests. The Issa and Isaaq clans fell under the influence of Ifat and Adal in the 14th century, the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century, Egypt in the 18th century, and Britain in the 19th.

The state founded by the grandson of Hawiye, Ajuuraan, built a powerful force under one of his descendants, Gareen.
Under Gareen and his descendants, the Ajuuraan attacked the Galla, driving them out of the Shabelle valley and establishing a centralized state. The Ajuuraan's ambitious building projects and domineering hegemony over the other Hawiye and Darod clans led to heavy taxation and great resentment, leading to the titanic Hiraab Revolt in the 17th century, which drew in the Geledi and Ogadeen as well. The Ajuuraan empire was torn into two pieces, with the southern Ajuuraan scattering to the four winds.

The Rahanweyne moved down the Shabelle and finished off the last Galla holdouts in Somalia based in Bur Hakaba, and filled the vacuum left by the Ajuuraan in the 17th and 18th century.

The Geledi took up something of the Ajuuraan mantle in the 18th century, but no Somali state would have that level of hegemony again.

The Omanis would come to dominate southern Somalia, which they handed off to the Italians in the late 19th century, thus leading to modern Somalia.

[gurey25]

[quote]Around this time, Sheikh Darod introduced Islam to the Somali (12th century), which by this time was ruled by two brothers, Hawiye and Dir. The now-Islamic Somali then swept north and each of the three men carved massive empires for themselves, conquering various weaker Boon tribes. Sheikh Issaq arrived from Arabia about a century later (13th century) and joined in the conquests, defeating the last Midgan kingdom in a battle outside Hargeisa[/quote]

this is a clear error, Islam was introduced through zeila and berbera and Moqadishu and other coastal cities in the south.
This was around 700AD. by 1000AD most somalis were muslim.

[James Dahl]

Somali Oral history clearly states that Sheikh Darod converted the Somali to Islam.

Islam was present in Somalia before that in Zeila and Mogadishu, but those were not yet Somali cities.
By 1000 AD the Somali had not yet left the Tana valley, and had very limited contact with the Muslims of the coastal cities.

There were probably Muslim Boon clans in and near Berbera between 700 AD and 1000 AD, but they aren't Somali per se.

[e!]

[quote="James Dahl"]

The Somali moved north and invaded the Tunni and Jiiddu in the 11th century, capturing much of the interior and driving the Tunni to Barawe, where the Persian-build fortifications would protect them. Unfortified Merca however became the capital of the Somali.

[/quote]


LoooooL, I pictured Muiska running for barawe with his khamis flaring in the air and screaming for mercy in swahili

[e!]

so digil and those other shit clans are not somali

I knew it

[James Dahl]

The Darod and Isaaq, strictly speaking, aren't Somali either, though Darod married Dir's daughter.
700 years is a long time, and all the clans are heavily Somali-ized today.

The Afar and Oromo are as closely related to the Somali as the Rahanweyn and Boon. Until about 700 AD the Oromo, Somali and Rendille lived as neighbors in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia, and they all probably have a common ancestor.

According to Amhara oral history, they are all descended from an Amhara princess.

[e!]

so what are they, the darods and isaaq? Oromo

[James Dahl]

Sheikh Darod and Sheikh Isaaq were both from Hadramut in eastern Yemen.
The Hadramutis were leaving Hadramut because it was slowly drying out, destroying livelihoods for whole clans of Hadramuti arabs.

[neocon_2007]

Correction: Sir Issaq was from Iraq


Issaqs are closer to the Iraqwi of Tanzania who trace there paternal linegae to Iraq

[e!]

Neo, dont make me expose ur boon ass, i ve seen ur pic on ras

[neocon_2007]

boon How the fock could I be boon

[James Dahl]

I stand corrected.

Isaaq was probably leaving Iraq due to the Mongol invasion and the Crusades. It was a crappy time to be an Arab in the 13th century.

[Basra-]

Excuse me! Isaaq are British! Darood are Italians! And Hawiyes--well... they are Aboriginis.

[e!]

[quote="neocon_2007"]boon How the fock could I be boon [/quote]

u looked boon