Magan, Saar, Sheegato, Deris, some definitions.

[Cilmiile]

I was reading again the fascinating book on the peoples of the horn by Dr I M Lewis. Here is an excerpt:

There are in Somali various terms with slightly different shades of meaning used to designate the magan group which remains amongst its protectors. There range in degree of attachment and dependance(with associated inferiority) from Deris(neighbour), Saarka(those who are attached on top, also used to describe parasitic creepers on trees-brings to mind Aadan Carab's withering assessment of the minor subclans of the HJ, Saarkiyo ciniinkii dorraad sadada dhiibaayay), the Arabic Xulufo(those who are bound by compact), soo-raac(followers), to sheegad(pretenders), who take the name of their protectors. All are magan and sometimes these words are used indiscriminately to refer to any person or group in the status magan.


An Illustration

The words deris and saar are properly applied to small groups of Madigaan(Dir, Samaale) and Tol Jecle(Isaaq, habar Xabuusheed) and other fragments of elsewhere strong Isaaq clans such as small groups of Habar Yunis, and Akiishe(Galla) living in exile amongst the agricultural Jibriil Abokor lineage of the Habar Awal clan in the west of the British protectorate. These groups have their own 'Dia-paying groups' and Caaqils and are substantially independent of the stronger groups amongst whcih they live as magan. They are normally not really correctly clients at all, because they simply happen to live in isolation from the main party of their clansmen and among more powerful foreign lineage groups.

They are exiles who have no severed their ties with the agnatic kin of origin. In most day-to-day affairs they have little contact with the Jibriil Abokor amonst whom they live. they intermarry freely, subject to no disability, both amonst themselves and with the Jibriil Abokor, but they are considered by the Jibriil Abokor as slightly inferior to themselves. There are no formal treaties binding them in dependence or support to the Jibriil Abokor who dominate the area and who are in this sense the dominant lineage of the region. In the event of an external threat, however, affecting them equally with the Jibriil Abokor amongst whom they live, they would align themselves with the latter. There is no question of incorporation into Jibriil Abkor genealogies. For these small groups of a few hundred persons in strength are exiles wh have not severed their ties with their agnatic kin of origin.

An interesting exception, however, occurs in the case of the one group of Akiishe living among the Habar Awal, Cabdille Sacad, Reer Aadan Cabdille who are mainly nomadic. This group of Akiishe magan approached the Reer Aadan Cabdille in 1946 and asked to be naturalised into their protectors' lineage. There was much opposition at the time from other Akiishe groups who did not wish one of their number to lose their identity ang genealogy by being adopted into the genealogy of the Habar Awal. But in the end the group of Akiishe in question WAS ADOPTED INTO THE HABAR AWAL AS REER BARRE, CABDI CABAANE, CABDULLE.

This is a true example of sheegad(pretending, claiming to belong to a lineage to which one does not belong by birth). Comparable examples are hard to find. And the Akiishe are a special case because of their Galla origin is commonly recognised by Somalis although they themselves in part claim to be Dir Samaale.

[Cilmiile]

What I wanna know is, are there any Jibriil Abokor, Reer Barre people in the forum? I bet it will be a bit of a rude shock for them to discover that they are in fact Akiishe aka Oromo

Btw, the Cleric who starred in the fake torture video in Hargeysa is Akiishe.

[Sadaam_Mariixmaan]

wat bout Hawiye??

[Cilmiile]

i cant say I know too much about the Hawiye.

[Sadaam_Mariixmaan]

[quote="Cilmiile"]i cant say I know too much about the Hawiye.[/quote]

so wat bout Habar Yoonis

[PragmaticGal]

What does Magan mean exactly?

[Advocatar]

I think beggars, have you ever heard of the pharase magan-allah, poor people use to beg with that line.

[Ahmed-Gurey]

magan is someone who is protected by another. orphanage is the second meaning

[Sadaam_Mariixmaan]

[quote="Ahmed-Gurey"]magan is someone who is protected by another. orphanage is the second meaning[/quote]

^^ it's the name of who're Ayan Xersi

[Bagamundo]

Somalida dhan waa magan iyo sheegato.