The confederation of the Marrehan occupies the interior of the territory of Obbia (northern Somalia). Its territory is limited on the south by the territory of the Hawiyya and the Mijirtein of Obbia, who occupy the coastal zone; on the east by the Migiurtini, with whom the Marrehan have in common the wells of Mudug; on the west by the Bah Geri and by the Hawiyya of Benadir; on the north the Marrehan border the Ogaden. The principal center of the Marrehan territory is the wells of Gal-ka ayo (2. Cf. Vol. I, p. 102.). This is the principal nucleus of the confederation; but it thrusts its branches much farther beyond Obbia.
In relatively recent times, a group of Marrehan separated from the confederation and went toward the south. This group then divided into two branches: one settled in Benadir to the north of the territory of the Wagosa on the Juba (nowadays this Marrehan territory is included in part in the circumscription of Bidi and in part in the territory of Bar-dera); the other branch went to the north and settled in part on the left bank of the Juba to the south of Luq (nowadays these Marrehan are part of the residence of Luq) and in part on the right bank (today their territory is part of Farther Juba).
The Marrehan of Obbia have kept and are keeping the federative bond with these tribes of theirs so far away. Some decades ago the Marrehan of the then British East Africa, having risen against the English, sent an ergo (a kind of legation composed of four or more elders) to the Marrehan of Obbia, requesting their intervention in the strife. The Marrehan of Obbia sent a corps of warriors who had to cover about 800 kilometres to reach the place of the strife. The jihad was proclaimed against the English.
http://marehansade.blogspot.com/2008/06 ... ts-of.html
