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Somali Darod Clan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Marehan (Somali: Mareexaan, Arabic: مريحان) is a Somali clan, which is part of one of the largest Somali clan families, the Darod.[1][2][3]
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: Additional grammar checks needed as well as more citation sources for certain roles, stats, etc. (December 2022) |
Languages | |
---|---|
Somali | |
Religion | |
Islam | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Facaaye, Majerten, Lelkase, Warsangeli, Dhulbahante, and other Darod groups. |
The clan are the largest tribe in the Jubaland state and make the majority of the Gedo, Middle Juba and Lower Juba states, some major cities in these states owned by the tribe are Beled Hawo, Jilib, Saakow, Kismayo, Bardhere and Burgabo. They are primarily concentrated on the western part of Middle Juba primarily in Bu'aale where their camels graze deep into the Lower Shabelle and the coasts of Lower Juba. They live as far south as the towns Bilis Qooqaani, Bibi and Midi and the town Diff. The tribe are single handedly the majority of the Kismayo district, with a territory extending as far as the Badhadhe District region, dominating it almost completely comprisng the most territory followed by the Degodi and Gaaljecel tribes, primarily living in the coastal plains, with their main population centres being Ras Marehan and Burgabo. Some major towns/districts of the tribe include Birta Dheer, Istanbul, Qudus, Goobweyn, Berhan and Buulo xaaji.
The tribe can also be found in Galmudug, where they constitute the largest tribe in Galgaduud, owning the largest city and most urban district Abudwak. The tribe also make up the majority clan of the Wajir East Constituency, living all the way up to the road and have a huge presence in Mandera and Garissa. The tribe are also one of the largest in the South West State of Somalia, constituting the majority of the Yeed, Qansahdhere, Dinsoor districts. The grazing boundaries of the tribe also extend from the cities of Burgabo in Badhadhe District, to Barawe. The Hubeer and Yantar tribes are of Marehan origin and dominate the Dinsoor and Qansahdhere regions where they live with the unrahanweynized brothers the Yabar Husayn.
The tribe also own the majority of the Bajuuni islands including Kooyama. The Marehan settled in Raas Mareexaan during the early 1900's establishing it near the Bajuuni islands.
They are the largest Somali tribe in Ethiopia, constituting the majority of the Dollo Zone and the Shilavo (woreda), they can also be found in small numbers in Mustahil (woreda). In southern Ethiopia they dominate the whole northern half of the Liben Zone, extending into Oromia living in the city of Negele Borana. The tribe can also be found in Fafan Zone, living in Jigjiga and Tuli guleed. The tribe are the largest in Hararghe, however the majority of the tribe have been absorbed by the Oromo. The Marehan primarily population Babille and Meyu Kulle.
The tribe are also the majority of the city of Dire Dawa which was founded by them, however the majority have been Oromized, however there are still a huge number of Somalis in the city.
They can also be found in Bale in places such as Ginir (woreda), and Shewa, mainly in the city of Adama. The tribe can also be found scattered all over Amhara, Tigray and Gurage, the majority of which are descendants of remnants from the Adal wars.
The Amarar tribe are descendants of the largest branch of the tribe, Amanreer, they correspondingly divide into 4 sub clans,1) Weled Gwilei, (2) Weled Aliab, (3) Weled Kurbab Wagadab, and (4) the Amarar proper of the Ariab district. The tribe settled here during the conquests Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din who captured as far as Suakin in Sudan. To this day the tribe remains the majority of the city and the Ariab district. The Amarar are said to speak the purest form of the Beja language.[4]
Between the 17th and 18th centuries, the Marehan were reported to have lived in an area that extended from the Bandar Siyada on the Gulf of Aden to beyond Ras el-Khail on the Indian Ocean, or much of northern Somalia.[5] The clan are recorded as having played a significant role in Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi's campaigns against Ethiopia during the 16th century. The commander of the Somali forces and the closest deputy of the Imam was a Marehan commander, Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros. Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi was also a member of the clan, and his descendants can be found in Gedo Somalia and are part of the Reer Garaad sub clans. His descendants in Amhara and Gurage also claim descent from the tribe.[6][7][8] Together they helped push westward the enemies into the plains of Harar and farther, helping destabilize the highland Christian empire. Evident in these battles were the Somali archers, namely the Marehan and the Gerri archers, through whom al-Ghazi was able to defeat the numerically superior Ethiopian Army that consisted of 16,000 cavalry and more than 200,000 infantry. After the fall of the Sultanate, the tribe would go on to rule the Imamate of Aussa[9]
Another major ruler was Emir Nur ibn Mujahid who was the second conqueror of Ethiopia, he was the commander of the elite Melesay unit, and he would capture the south eastern provinces of Ethiopia. He successfully defeated the forces of Gelawdewos and killed him in the battle of Fatagar. He also built the walls of Harar spanning a whooping 3.9 kms, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the longest fortified walls in east Africa. His son aided Talha ibn Abbas, the son of Wazir Abbas in his war against the grand sons of Uthman the Abyssinian and his sub clan would go on to rule the Emirate of Harar.[10][11]
Marehan had multiple powerful important leaders within the Adal such as Garad Hirabu, who was given the title Emir of the Somalis. During the Adal war there were 3 generals who were Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros and Sultan Muhammad.[12]
Garad Hirabu would save the Imam from Sultan Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad, the arch rival of the Abadir dynasty who had killed the cousin of Garad Hirabu and Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, Abun Adashe. Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad in revenge for the take over of the Adal Sultanate by the Abadir dynasty would attempt to stage a coup and kill the Imam, however he was halted by the Emir Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros.[13]
He was the son of Goyta Ali (Tedros, a title given by the local Harla) which is the highest role in the sultanate, his father controlled all trading routes in the kingdom and held the keys to the gates of Harar during nocturnal periods, the title Goyta was third only to Emir and Sultan and was the title of the highest general. Garad Hirabu Goita Tedros successfully captured the provinces of Bale and Tigray.[14]
Hajji Aliyye the ancestor of the Silt'e people
One of the generals who participated in the conquests of the southern provinces, Hajji Aliyye, would settle in the region of Gurage with his army and would mix with the local woman. He would eventually father the Silt'e people. The neighboring Halaba ethnic group also claim to be descended from the tribe through their ancestor Abadir.[15]
The Sultanate of Adal had fallen into infighting turmoil and famine, and were being overrun by the expansionist Oromos, constantly taking swarthes of land by the Adalites. In 1577, Muhammad Gasa would be elected as ruler of Adal. The people believed due to his illustrious lineage he would be able to restore law and order in the Sultanate of Adal and defeat the pagan Oromo tribes who had ravaged countless towns and cities belonging to the Muslims. He would adopt the title of Imam, the title of the traditional religious leader of the Muslims, and the title used by Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi.
He would relocate the capital of the kingdom to Awsa, a city inhabited by the Marehan tribe, named after the ancestor of the largest branch Awsame. The relocation took place after the pagan Oromo tribes conducted frequent raids on Harar, and so to establish stability and focus on the military campaigns of the empire, he established the city deep in the plains of Afar. Gasa would successfully defeat the Oromo incurssion, defeating their forces and liberating the city of Zeila to the outskirts of Adal.He would be given the nickname "Gasaasle" as he arrived with multiple battalions. He would come to an unfortunate ending in 1584, when he would die against the Oromo forces in the battle of Warra Dayya.[16][17][18]
The Imamate would span from the eastern parts of Amhara, deep into the Somali region of Ethiopia, expanded into by the Marehan tribe. The kingdom would be prosperous, exploiting the Frankincense rich Myrhh districts of central Somalia, specifically in Buuro, while the Facaaye clan would act as an economic lifeline, taking part in the trade of salt, holding one of the largest salt lakes in the world, Lake Assal. The kingdom would successfully defeat the Oromo forces numerous times and would become the most powerful Muslim polity in all of east Africa.[19]
The kingdom would later fall with the expansion of the Mudaito dynasty of the Afar, who would exterminate the native Marehan and Facaaye of the Awash valley, pushing them eastwards, this would lead to the formation of the Gob'ad sultanate by descendants of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi and they would battle off the Sultanate of Aussa for over two centuries, during this time period expanding to the city of Dire Dawa and Harar, however due to the growing Oromo threats, the tribes of Afar and the Sade clans would ally to defeat their greater foe, forming the Assaimara and Adoimara confederations, the Adoimara consisting of these lost Somali tribes who banded to fight this threat, while the bulk of Facaaye remained in Afar, the majority of the Marehan would migrate eastwards forming their own powerful Ugaasate, stretching the largest territory in the whole peninsular, forming the Ugaasate of Himan. The Marehan and Facaaye who remained would form the Debne an We'ima tribes, forming an alliance which would last centuries.
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Amir Mohammed ibn Garad Abi baker (Gilgila) ibn Garad Matan
Amir Mohammed Garad Abibiker Garad Adam who was named as a wise man, was born in the city of Harar, and conquered the Sultanate of Ifat. This Emir attacked without orders the Abyssinians who were sitting in the region of Fatagar, Ifat, Dawaro and Shewa. Prince Mohammed, who ruled Zeila for thirty years (, was defeated in that war by Abun Adashe, who was the prince of Dawaro, and the same man whose daughter was betrothed by the Abyssinian king called Na'od. The Somali wars in Abyssinia led Emperor Na'od to send a cry to Christians all over the world saying that if they do not bring another Christian to the Horn of Africa. Portugal, which was one of the strongest naval powers at the time, was tasked by Europe to send ships and troops to the Horn of Africa, and those ships hit all the port cities of Somalia. On the third of January 1494 NCKD, an army led by Vasco da Gama arrived in Somalia and started their attack on the cities of Barawe and Mogadishu which were the main ports of supply and food for the Somali fighters who were fighting against the Abyssinian colonialists. The Portuguese army, still enraged by the way the Somalis killed Pero da Covilhã and his army, defeated the city of Barawe. The European Christian forces tried to capture Barawe, but according to Vasco da Gama they met with a fierce battle and they tried to escape with their lives The defeat of the European Christians in Barawe led them to change their previous plan of occupying the cities of Barawe, Mogadishu and Zeila. The mostly Portuguese forces were afraid to set foot in Mogadishu, so they beat the city from the sea. As a result of the war, for eight years, no Portuguese or European ships came close to the Somali coast. In 1507 King Emanuella sent six warships to the Portuguese Horn of Africa. The admiral of those ships was Tristão da Cunha, and the commander of the army was a man named Afonso de Albuquerque. Four hundred Portuguese infantrymen attacked Barawe and artillery ships pounded the city with mortars. Six thousand Somali troops successfully defeated their forces.[20]
Abadir crushed the rebellion with the aid of his followers and after the final victory; he transferred the control of the conquered land to this companions and an army from the Marehan kingdom of Mora, whilst staking a claim to the town of Harar for himself. According to oral tradition it was Abadir who created the five district neighborhoods associated to the five city gates from which their names are derived
Abadir used his influence to revamp the region's social structure. Abadir renamed the land to “Harar” or “Bander Abadir” and its inhabitants “Hararis”. This was in an effort to unite the local Muslim ethnic populace in to a single umbrella identity, the “Harari Muslim”. Abadir was instrumental in forming the confederation of Muslim states called Zayla, Somalia and Djibouti and had Harar as its capitol.
In 1234/35, Abadir and several of his companions left Harar for a pilgrimage to Mecca, where they stayed until 1279. Prior to his departure, Abadir handed the emirate over to his brother Abdurahim Musa WarWaje’le (Somali: Cabdiraxiin Muuse Warwaajecle) and some of his companions to govern the region in his absence.
Upon his return, he found the region devastated by the Portuguese and its inhabitants engulfed and weakened by internal strives. Some of his companions including his brother fell in the wars against the “Portuguese” or died in other ways. Abadir re-united and re-organized the demoralized Harar troops and pushed the Portuguese back beyond the boundaries of Zayla.
There is some uncertainty about his death. Local accounts dictate that he died the natural death whilst other reports mention that he was assassinated. However, what is indisputable is that Abadir achieved a fame and status that extended far beyond the Harari region in Muslim Ethiopia. In Harar, several songs in veneration of Abadir are still extant. As early as 1650, the Marehan were reported to have lived in Jubaland.[21]
Following the dissolution of the Imamate of Aussa, the Marehan tribe established the Kingdom of Himan, a dominant force with territories extending from the Shebelle River to the Nugaal Valley, and reaching as far east as the Hawd in Somaliland, including regions like Jarar, Gode, and Qelafe. This kingdom emerged as a formidable power, subduing numerous tribes and becoming the most expansive polity on the peninsula. The Marehan tribe was unique in Somali history, establishing their own significant ethnostates, as evidenced by various maps from the late 1700s to the mid-1800s, until the eventual decline of the kingdom.
In the 1830s, the Talha sub-clan of the Marehan migrated to the southern regions, including the South West State of Somalia, Jubaland, and the Northern Frontier District. Their settlement on the eastern banks of the Juba River led to encounters and subsequent conflicts with the Oromo tribes residing to the west of the river. Supported by other Guri tribes such as the Hawrarsame, the Reer Hasan, and the Soonfure, the Talha sub-clan expanded their territory significantly, even engaging with the British and Ethiopians in prolonged conflicts. This expansionist phase saw them extend their reach to areas like Wajir County, Garissa County, Isiolo County, and as far south as Kismayo, Jamame, and Badhadhe District, marking significant territorial conquests in the history of the Marehan.
The Marehan's resistance against colonial powers was notable, especially their refusal to succumb to British mandates in Kenya's NFD, leading to their expulsion and subsequent refuge with the Talamoge sub-clan of the Ogaden and other neighboring tribes. Despite the challenges, the Marehan's legacy of resistance and their impact on the regional dynamics of Jubaland and beyond remain a significant chapter in Somali history.
The Marehan eventually caused so much havoc in the Juba valley that it was sold by the British to Italy.
The Dthambari/AlDonabir clan is a subclan of the Marehan tribe, originating from the Hodanbari (Suhaywan) sub-family. Approximately 500 years ago, following the collapse of the Adal Sultanate, they emigrated to Yemen. Renowned as a warrior clan, the Dthambari/AlDonabir have left an indelible mark on South Yemen's history, known for their military prowess, strategic acumen, and fierce independence.
The roots of the Dthambari/AlDonabir clan can be traced back to the Marehan Darod tribe of the Horn of Africa. Belonging to the Hodanbari (Suhaywan) sub-family, they migrated to Yemen around five centuries ago, seeking refuge and opportunity after the fall of the Adal Sultanate. Their migration marked the beginning of a new chapter in South Yemen's tribal landscape.
The Dthambari/AlDonabir clan developed a reputation for raiding expeditions, targeting both rival clans and British allied caravans traversing the region. These raids were characterized by swift and decisive action, often resulting in the acquisition of valuable resources and livestock. Their mastery of guerrilla tactics and intimate knowledge of the terrain made them a formidable force in the region.
Within the Dthambari/AlDonabir clan, a complex social structure exists, organized around a system of subclans. These subclans, numbering 22 in total, are led by influential leaders who exercise authority and resolve disputes within their respective communities. Despite their warrior heritage, the clan places great emphasis on unity, cooperation, and mutual support.
They came under the Haushabi Sultanate and were known to be traders and nomads.
The Dthambari, who occupy the south-western part of the Radfan range, at first they behaved in a friendly manner and invited Colonel Stace , however, they refused to allow the party to proceed further except on terms which the Resident could not have acceded to. and negotiations were therefore broken off. [22]
The Juba Valley Alliance is a political faction of the Somali Civil War.[23]
The Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party was the ruling party of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1976 to 1991.[24][25][26][27]
The Somali National Front (SNF) was also a revolutionary movement and armed militia in Somalia After Somali Democratic Republic were clapsed.[28]
There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures and many lineages are omitted. The following listing is taken from the World Bank's Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics from 2005 and the United Kingdom's Home Office publication, Somalia Assessment 2001.[29][30]
In the Marehan clan-family, component clans are divided into two uterine divisions Marehan In Jubaland, Galgaduud and Mudug Somalia the World Bank shows the following clan tree:[31] In the World Bank shows the following Marehan clan tree.
Fiqi-Yacqub has the following Sub-Clan.
reer cismaan has the following sub-clan.
Reer agoon has also the following sub-clan
rer maxamed agoon:
deputy speaker of Somali's Upper House. 2017 - 2022
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