The question of how Xiinow al Mozambiqui's descendants arrived in the Jubbas is commonly asked. For those who are curious, I will help you understand.
The mystical Xiinow al Mozambiqui descends from the once powerful Bantu tribe of Ngoja, precisely from the clan Banu Mzame.
His ancestor, Tambe Nyoyi, was captured by Arab slave traders in the village of Dondo before the arrival of the Portuguese. He was sold to a noble family who owned a plantation in present-day Jamaame. At first, Tambe found it difficult to adapt to life as a slave. In his early days on the plantation, he displayed dissent on many occasions, but after many lashes, Tambe soon realized that there was no benefit in being rebellious. He married a slave girl named Chiwa and they soon started a family.
The status quo remained the same until the early twentieth century. In the year 1928, Jeesow, a descendant of Tambe, was the first slave to earn his independence in the Jubba region. After earning his independence, with little options, he continued to work on his ex-masters’ plantation. Jeesow’s son Axmedey continued in his father’s footsteps and worked as a farmer until he moved to Mogadishu in 1965.
In 1970, Axmedey’s wife Xalimo gave birth to Xiinow. His birth marked the beginning of a promising era. When he was 10 years old, his father told him, “You will be the one to return to Dondo.” At the age of 18, Xiinow enrolled in the army. Immediately following his enrollment, he was deployed to Hargeisa. It was during his stay in Hargeisa when he experienced his darkest hour. Xiinow and a few other troops were patrolling a district of Hargeisa when they encountered a group of rioters. After a barrage of stones and bottles, Xiinow yelled out “Gurigiina ku nooqda! Gurigiina ku nooqda an dahey ani waraa!” After many warnings, a stone hit his helmet. Infuriated, Xiinow and the rest of the troops opened fire and killed 18 rioters. He suffered severe depression from his guilt for the rest of his tenure in the army.
After he returned home from his stint in the army, Xiinow began university and soon received a degree in business from the Somali National University. His life was improving and he started to come to terms with the massacre in Hargeisa. This was short-lived due to the outbreak of the civil war. In 1994, Xiinow immigrated to the United States. He adapted to the American way of life very quickly and soon received his Master’s degree in business. He prospered at his occupation and shortly afterwards moved into a suburban neighborhood. Xiinow was living the American dream!
Something was missing in his life. He needed to discover more about his ancestors. In the summer of 2008, Xiinow traveled to Mozambique. After landing at Maputo International Airport, he was overcome with emotion. He asked a taxi driver to take him to the village of Dondo. After a long journey, they arrived at the desolate village. Soon a crowd gathered and he told the taxi driver to tell them that he was finally at home. He told them and an elderly woman shouted, “Quem é você?! (Who are you?!)” The driver translated and Xiinow said, “I’m a son of Ngoja.” When the driver translated that to them, the people cried out in jubilation. After a year, Xiinow returned to Somalia for the first time in 15 years. In 2010, he founded the Xiinow Mozambique Movement and urged restraint after countless attacks on the Bantu community by Al Shabaab.
