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I finally got my copy of The Invention of Somalia edited by Ali Jimale Ahmed. I've been referencing this book all year from Google Books, even though you can only see like a third of it there.

If you want me to find any info in there for you guys I'll be happy to.
Awesome book

You mean Somalia was invented?

I think Somalia evolved like many nomadic tribes everywhere, whether in the Arabian Peninsula or on the Central Asian steppes. Before colonialism there were periods of large isolation from others where a common identity was forged...I don't even know if we're all from the same ancestors.

The title is misleading, the book is a very scholarly and dry work that delves into the various elements such as culture clash and ethnic fusion, islamic and pre-islamic religion, the evolution of the clan system, and a common way of life as well as various other factors that led to the creation of a "Somali" identity, and later how this identity evolved into the drive for a Somali nation state culminating in 1960 with independence. Thus the "invention of Somalia".

I'd be interested in knowing what somalis were like pre-Islamic, but I would suspect it's got a healthy dose of speculation/conjecture since the word 'Somali' was first recorded maybe in the 15th/16th century.

By then, Somalis were well Islamicized.

BTW, I spoke to an Oromo guy and the numbers 1-10 are almost identical to Somalis...that and the 'Waaq' connection.

Gedo_Boy wrote:I'd be interested in knowing what somalis were like pre-Islamic, but I would suspect it's got a healthy dose of speculation/conjecture since the word 'Somali' was first recorded maybe in the 15th/16th century.

By then, Somalis were well Islamicized.

BTW, I spoke to an Oromo guy and the numbers 1-10 are almost identical to Somalis...that and the 'Waaq' connection.

That's nothing man, I studied Oromo genealogy and there are common ancestors around Hiil, Sabe and Samaale, and there are Oromo subclans of Jiddu.
Half of Qaldho subclans are Oromo and the other half are Dir.
I don't have solid proof, but I'm about 99% certain Samaale was Oromo.

Anything about Sheikh isxaaq ibn axmed al ridaawi in that book

The_Emperior5 wrote:Anything about Sheikh isxaaq ibn axmed al ridaawi in that book

I'll let you know what I find.

It sounds like a good book, I might get it inshallah

[quote="James Dahl"]
That's nothing man, I studied Oromo genealogy and there are common ancestors around Hiil, Sabe and Samaale, and there are Oromo subclans of Jiddu.
Half of Qaldho subclans are Oromo and the other half are Dir.
I don't have solid proof, but I'm about 99% certain Samaale was Oromo.[/quote]


Interesting! Lemme know if you find anything. 8)

Where can I get one?

AlphaMale wrote:Where can I get one?

You won't find it in the bookstore, I ordered mine from Amazon.

^In that Case, I can order one. I have ordered books from Amazon in the past, it is safe.