Somali Migration between 1900s-1930s
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:30 pm
A short chronicle of the history of Somali migration into NFD Kenya from 1900-1934
In the 19th century (1800-1899), the Jubba valley, southern Ethiopia and NFD were ruled by the Borana and other southern Oromo like the Ormo and Warday.
In the 1860s, the Oromo were forced out of much of the Jubba valley by migration Darood clans; however up to 1899 they continued to use the Wells at Ceel-Waq.
In NFD, Somali clans like the Sukeye, Garre and Ajuran precede the Ogadan and Degodia. These clans had migrated to NFD a hundred years before the Great Somali migration and build alliances with the Borana.
Throughout the 1890s, the border frontiers of what would make up the colonial boundaries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia were afflicted by human epidemics (Measles, Smallpox) and livestock pandemics like Rinderpest. While these catastrophes devastated the cattle dependent Oromo, the Somali economy dependent on small stock animals and camels survived. By the early 1900s, the migrating Somali clans were on the move.
In the early 1900 the Ogaden were encroaching on the Grazing lands of the ormo along the Tana River also they were pushing further west toward Wajir. By 1909, the Somali clans had established a foothold in Wajir and continued to pressure the Oromo so much so that in 1911-1912 Mr. Deck first district Commissioner of Wajir intervened with the help of 30 KAR (Kings African Rifles) to re-establish the Oromo in Wajir. He however reported that it was like pushing water up a hill, it was clear that military operations to eject the Somalis were impossible.
The importance of Wajir was it wells, several hundred lay scatter across the region. These well are sunk through limestone to depth of 50 feet. Their supply of water seemed limitless. The wells were the focus of Somali migration from Deshek Wama in Jubbaland and also from Odo Ethiopia.
Somali infiltration to Wajir wasn’t always violent; many Somalis especially the Degodia came to Wajir around 1909 as clients (shegato) of the Ajuran. These were followed by more of their kin escaping across the border from Ethiopian punitive raids and taxation. Between 1923-1924 households, Families and clans began a massive migration toward Wajir. In 1924, the Degodia under their Sultan Wabbur Abdi left Ethiopia and crossed the Frontiers into Kenya using several entry points; from this stage they disperse themselves among the Garre and Ajuran to avoid detection. After several failed attempts to deport the Dagodia back to Odo Ethiopia the British give up and let them say however, they believe they could prevent future migration by crowding whole population along the border. By 1925, they number 3000 and had 30,000 heads of livestock. Ever in need of more pasture and water they relentless forced the Oromo further south.
When the administration interview Borana elders who live in Wajir at that time as to why the Somalis were so successful in displacing the Borana. They said that
"The British learnt and understood the Somali. They like the Somali and appreciated their values. The Borana they did not know. The Borana were not represented well by those who work for the government. They were all Somalis and even the interpreters they used where Somalis who spoke our language. They were sympathetic to the Somalis and would have influence the government decisions. Unlike the Borana the Somalis were persistent, as the Borana move backward gradually the Somalis encroached permanently on the lands left by the Borana. To pressure the Borana they would commit one crime after another exerting ever more pressure until the Borana left the land. "
Having succeed in displacing the Oromo in Wajir the Dagodia moved west across the Somali-Oromo line toward the Waso Grazing land. A clash between the two groups was inevitable. On one such occasion, a District commissioner on patrol intercept a raiding party of 500 Borana who had attack a Degodia Settlement when their leader Galma Dida was question as to what happen to the bodies of their victims, he said that the Spears had ate them. The camels of the Degodia were recovered and the Borana fined by the government in the worth of hundred of livestock: however, in retaliation the Dagodia wiped out an entire settlement of Borana.
The Last stand along the Frontier of the Oromo was at Buna. Here the age old alliance between Borana and the Ajuran already strained by the influx of Degodia further deteriorated due to shifting alliance and identity of the Ajuran who found that by declaring independence from the Borana and pronouncing their Somaliness (Somalinimo) they could gain concession over grazing land and water from the administration. The Problem was further compounded by the migration of the Degodia from Wajir to Buna which was equally shared by the Borana and the Ajuran.
It was only a matter of time before the Borana were forced out of the Buna wells that they still clung to some rights was entirely the result of the ability of Jattani Tuni their chief who negotiated with and influence the government on behalf of his people. For the Somalis especially the Degodia section of Gelebleh their problem could be summed up in one man; Jattani Tuni.
On the 20th of October 1925 in what appeared be foul play, Jattani Tuni was shot in a crowded hut by a Gelebleh man who was handling his gun. He died the following days from septic poisoning from the bullet. Following his death, his replacement was Jaldessa Jarso a wise leader said to be too soft on the Somalis. As it turned out Jaldessa Jarso would become the first ever Borana chief to embrace islam.
Jaldessa Jarso, however was unable to reconcile the two long time allies and matter quickly deteriorated to arm conflict, the conflict became so bad that the British had but only one alternative which was to move Borana further west along the Somali-Oromo line. This however did not stop the Somali migration, fights between the clients of the Ajuran and the Borana result in large number of casualties. The Borana attacked the Gelibleh and pursued them to Kenya where their livestock were looted and taken across the border into Ethiopia.
As a result of over 30 year of mismanagement the British administration was given wide ranging power to restrict the movement of Somalis in 1934. It required that individuals obtain travel permits and communities were required to report their movement out of their districts. The ordinance was strictly enforced. These efforts finally stop the mass migration of the Somali clans.
In the 19th century (1800-1899), the Jubba valley, southern Ethiopia and NFD were ruled by the Borana and other southern Oromo like the Ormo and Warday.
In the 1860s, the Oromo were forced out of much of the Jubba valley by migration Darood clans; however up to 1899 they continued to use the Wells at Ceel-Waq.
In NFD, Somali clans like the Sukeye, Garre and Ajuran precede the Ogadan and Degodia. These clans had migrated to NFD a hundred years before the Great Somali migration and build alliances with the Borana.
Throughout the 1890s, the border frontiers of what would make up the colonial boundaries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia were afflicted by human epidemics (Measles, Smallpox) and livestock pandemics like Rinderpest. While these catastrophes devastated the cattle dependent Oromo, the Somali economy dependent on small stock animals and camels survived. By the early 1900s, the migrating Somali clans were on the move.
In the early 1900 the Ogaden were encroaching on the Grazing lands of the ormo along the Tana River also they were pushing further west toward Wajir. By 1909, the Somali clans had established a foothold in Wajir and continued to pressure the Oromo so much so that in 1911-1912 Mr. Deck first district Commissioner of Wajir intervened with the help of 30 KAR (Kings African Rifles) to re-establish the Oromo in Wajir. He however reported that it was like pushing water up a hill, it was clear that military operations to eject the Somalis were impossible.
The importance of Wajir was it wells, several hundred lay scatter across the region. These well are sunk through limestone to depth of 50 feet. Their supply of water seemed limitless. The wells were the focus of Somali migration from Deshek Wama in Jubbaland and also from Odo Ethiopia.
Somali infiltration to Wajir wasn’t always violent; many Somalis especially the Degodia came to Wajir around 1909 as clients (shegato) of the Ajuran. These were followed by more of their kin escaping across the border from Ethiopian punitive raids and taxation. Between 1923-1924 households, Families and clans began a massive migration toward Wajir. In 1924, the Degodia under their Sultan Wabbur Abdi left Ethiopia and crossed the Frontiers into Kenya using several entry points; from this stage they disperse themselves among the Garre and Ajuran to avoid detection. After several failed attempts to deport the Dagodia back to Odo Ethiopia the British give up and let them say however, they believe they could prevent future migration by crowding whole population along the border. By 1925, they number 3000 and had 30,000 heads of livestock. Ever in need of more pasture and water they relentless forced the Oromo further south.
When the administration interview Borana elders who live in Wajir at that time as to why the Somalis were so successful in displacing the Borana. They said that
"The British learnt and understood the Somali. They like the Somali and appreciated their values. The Borana they did not know. The Borana were not represented well by those who work for the government. They were all Somalis and even the interpreters they used where Somalis who spoke our language. They were sympathetic to the Somalis and would have influence the government decisions. Unlike the Borana the Somalis were persistent, as the Borana move backward gradually the Somalis encroached permanently on the lands left by the Borana. To pressure the Borana they would commit one crime after another exerting ever more pressure until the Borana left the land. "
Having succeed in displacing the Oromo in Wajir the Dagodia moved west across the Somali-Oromo line toward the Waso Grazing land. A clash between the two groups was inevitable. On one such occasion, a District commissioner on patrol intercept a raiding party of 500 Borana who had attack a Degodia Settlement when their leader Galma Dida was question as to what happen to the bodies of their victims, he said that the Spears had ate them. The camels of the Degodia were recovered and the Borana fined by the government in the worth of hundred of livestock: however, in retaliation the Dagodia wiped out an entire settlement of Borana.
The Last stand along the Frontier of the Oromo was at Buna. Here the age old alliance between Borana and the Ajuran already strained by the influx of Degodia further deteriorated due to shifting alliance and identity of the Ajuran who found that by declaring independence from the Borana and pronouncing their Somaliness (Somalinimo) they could gain concession over grazing land and water from the administration. The Problem was further compounded by the migration of the Degodia from Wajir to Buna which was equally shared by the Borana and the Ajuran.
It was only a matter of time before the Borana were forced out of the Buna wells that they still clung to some rights was entirely the result of the ability of Jattani Tuni their chief who negotiated with and influence the government on behalf of his people. For the Somalis especially the Degodia section of Gelebleh their problem could be summed up in one man; Jattani Tuni.
On the 20th of October 1925 in what appeared be foul play, Jattani Tuni was shot in a crowded hut by a Gelebleh man who was handling his gun. He died the following days from septic poisoning from the bullet. Following his death, his replacement was Jaldessa Jarso a wise leader said to be too soft on the Somalis. As it turned out Jaldessa Jarso would become the first ever Borana chief to embrace islam.
Jaldessa Jarso, however was unable to reconcile the two long time allies and matter quickly deteriorated to arm conflict, the conflict became so bad that the British had but only one alternative which was to move Borana further west along the Somali-Oromo line. This however did not stop the Somali migration, fights between the clients of the Ajuran and the Borana result in large number of casualties. The Borana attacked the Gelibleh and pursued them to Kenya where their livestock were looted and taken across the border into Ethiopia.
As a result of over 30 year of mismanagement the British administration was given wide ranging power to restrict the movement of Somalis in 1934. It required that individuals obtain travel permits and communities were required to report their movement out of their districts. The ordinance was strictly enforced. These efforts finally stop the mass migration of the Somali clans.