Eidagale

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eidagale
Ciidagale
Flag of Somaliland.svgFlag of Ethiopia.svgFlag of Kenya.svg
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Somali, Arabic
Religion
Islam (Sunni)
Related ethnic groups
Habr Yunis, Arap, Habr Awal, Habr Je'lo, and other Isaaq groups

The Eidagale (Somali: Ciidagale/Ciidan Gale, Arabic: ‎إيداغالي, (which translates to "army joiner"), Full Name: Da'ud ibn Al-Qādhī Ismā'īl ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad, is a major Somali clan and is a sub-division of the Garhajis clan of the Isaaq clan family. Members of this clan are concentrated in the western portions Somaliland. The Eidagale are part of the four principal clans of the Isaaq clan family. They are the traditional holders of the Isaaq Sultanate since the 18th century.[1] As descendants of Ismail bin Sheikh Isaaq, its members form a part of the Habar Magaadle confederation, and they constitute the largest sub-clan of the Isaaq.[2][3][4][5] The Garhajis are divided into two major sub-clans: the Habr Yunis (Sa'īd Ismail) and Eidagale (Da'ud Isma'īl).[6][7] They are traditionally nomadic pastoralists, merchants and skilled poets.

Distribution[]

Map of Somaliland showing distribution of the Eidagale tribe in western and southwestern Somaliland

The Eidagale largely inhabit the eastern Maroodi Jeex region of Somaliland, as well as the Daroor Aware zone in the Somali region region of Ethiopia. They also have a large settlement in Kenya where they are known as a constituent segment of the Isahakia community.[8][9]

History[]

Part of the message from Isaaq Sultan Farah Guled to Sultan Saqr Al Qasimi in the 1820s
Shrine of Saint Aw Barkhadle, which is under the protection of the Eidagale clan

Lineage[]

The tomb of Sheikh Ishaaq, ancestor of the Garhajis clan, in Maydh, Sanaag.

Sheikh Ishaaq ibn Ahmed was one of the Arabian scholars that crossed the sea from Arabia to the Horn of Africa to spread Islam around 12th to 13th century. He is said to have been descended from Prophet Mohammed's daughter Fatimah. Hence the Sheikh belonged to the Ashraf or Sada, titles given to the descendants of the prophet. It is said he married two local women in Somaliland that left him eight sons, one of them being Ismail (Garhajis).[10]

Medieval period (Conquest of Abyssinia)[]

Historically the Eidagale took part in the conquest of Abyssinia and were part of the Adal Sultanate and are mentioned in the book Futuh Al-Habash (Conquest of Abyssinia) as the Habar Magaadle along with the Habr Yunis, Habar Awal, Arab and Ayub clans. The Habar Magaadle are known for producing a historical figure known as Ahmad Gurey bin Husain who was the right-hand man of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi.[11]

The Eidagale are the traditional holders of the Isaaq Sultanate since the 18th century. The Isaaq Sultanate was established in the mid-18th century by Sultan Guled Abdi Eisa of the Eidagale clan. His coronation took place after the legendary warrior Abdi Eisa led the Isaaq to victory in the battle of Lafaruug and defeated the Absame tribes, permanently pushing them out of present-day Maroodi Jeex region. After witnessing his leadership skills, noble conduct and valiance, the Isaaq chiefs recognized him as their Grand Sultan but Abdi instead put forward his son Guled. Guled's Sultanate predates the Habr Yunis Sultanate, which broke off from Eidagale tutelage several decades after the start of his rule. Sultan Guled ruled the Isaaq from the 1750s up until his death in the early 19th century, where he was succeeded by his eldest son Farah. Sultan Farah further expanded the influence of the Sultanate by establishing ties with various Muslim polities across the Gulf, particularly the Al-Qasimi family whom he corresponded with in regard to military action against the British Navy who blockaded Berbera and temporarily cut off vital trade.[12][13]

For centuries, the tomb of saint Aw Barkhadle, which is located between Berbera and Hargeisa, was used by the Isaaq clans to settle disputes and to swear oaths of alliances under a holy relic attributed to Bilal Ibn Rabah. As traditional leaders of the Isaaq clans, the Eidagale placed themselves as mediators during the disputes.

When any grave question arises affecting the interests of the Isaakh tribe in general. On a paper yet carefully preserved in the tomb, and bearing the sign-manual of Belat [Bilal], the slave of one of the early khaleefehs, fresh oaths of lasting friendship and lasting alliances are made...In the season of 1846 this relic was brought to Berbera in charge of the Haber Gerhajis, and on it the rival tribes of Aial Ahmed and Aial Yunus swore to bury all animosity and live as brethren.[14]

Sultan Deria's domain in an Italian map of the Horn, 1894

The Eidagale were renowned for their equestrian skills, and their devastating raids extended between the coast and the interior.[15] According to Swayne, who traversed through Somaliland in the late 19th century, the Eidagale were amongst the clans most addicted to raiding:

The tribes near the northern coast most addicted to raiding appear to be the Jibril Abokor sub-tribe of the Habr Awal, the Mahamud Gerad Dolbahanta, and the Eidagalla, Habr Gerhajis.[16]

Apart from their equestrian skills, the Eidagale are also famed for their eloquence in traditional Somali poetry (gabay), producing many famous poets such as Abdi Gahayr, Xasan Tarabi, and Elmi Boodhari. Historically, the Eidagale were viewed as "the recognized experts in the composition of poetry" by their fellow Somali contemporaries:[17]

Among the tribes, the Eidagalla are the recognized experts in the composition of poetry. One individual poet of the Eidagalla may be no better than a good poet of another tribe, but the Eidagalla appear to have more poets than any other tribe. "if you had a hundred Eidagalla men here," Hersi Jama once told me, "And asked which of them could sing his own gabei ninety-five would be able to sing. The others would still be learning."[18]

For centuries, the Eidagale (along with their Habar Yunis kin) were influential stakeholders in the long-distance Somali caravan trade. Eidagale merchants procured various goods from the Somali Region in present-day Ethiopia, such as livestock, acacia gum, myrrh and ghee, which were subsequently exported to Southern Arabia. The Eidagale caravan merchants founded several inland trade entrepôts in the interior, which also includes the modern city of Hargeisa, founded in the 19th century as a caravan junction between Berbera and the Somali interior.[19][20]

Somalis of the Habr Gerhajis tribe arrive from Ogadain with feathers, myrrh, gum, sheep, cattle, and ghee, carrying away in exchange piece goods; they also make four trips in the season; they remain for less than a month, and during their stay reside with fellow-tribesmen, taking their meals in the mokhbâzah or eating-house.[21]

Sultans of the Eidagale[]

Portrait of Sultan Abdillahi Sultan Deria, the Grand Sultan of the Isaaq clans
Name Reign From Reign Till
1 Abdi Eisa (Traditional Chief) Mid ~1700s Mid ~1700s
2 Sultan Guled Abdi (First Sultan) late ~1700s 1808
3 Sultan Farah Sultan Guled 1808 1845
4 Sultan Hassan Sultan Farah 1845 1870
5 Sultan Diriye Sultan Hassan 1870 1939
6 Sultan Abdillahi Sultan Diriye 1939 1967
7 Sultan Rashid Sultan Abdilahi 1967 1969
8 Sultan Abdiqadir Sultan Rashid 1969 1975
9 Sultan Mohamed Sultan Abdikadir 1975 2021
10 Sultan Daud Sultan Mohamed 2021

Clan Tree[]

A summarized clan family tree of the Eidagale is presented below.[22][23]

  • Sheikh Ishaaq Bin Ahmed (Sheikh Ishaaq)
    • Habar Habuusheed
      • Ahmed (Tol-Ja'lo)
      • Muuse (Habr Je'lo)
      • Ibrahiim (Sanbuur)
      • Muhammad ('Ibraan)
    • Habar Magaadle
      • Abdirahman (Subeer Awal)
      • Ayub
      • Muhammad (Arap)
      • Ismail (Garhajis)
        • Daud (Eidagale)
          • Esa
          • Bilal
          • Mohamed (Guyobe)
            • Ali Afweina
            • Urkurag
          • Musa
            • Abokor Musa
            • Abdirahman Abokor
              • Yunis Abdirahman (Rer Yunis)
              • Abdulle Abdirahman
                • Mohamed Abdulle (Ba Delo)
                • Ibrahim Abdulle
                  • Kul Ibrahim
                  • Abdi Ibrahim
                  • Abokor Ibrahim
                    • Barre Abokor
                    • Ismail Abokor
                    • Hussein Abokor
                      • Mataan Hussein
                        • Hamud Matan
                        • Roble Matan
                        • Adan Matan
                          • Burale Adan
                          • Abane Adan
                          • Muse Adan
                          • Barre Adan
                          • Ilgin Adan
                          • Wais Adan
                          • Abdille Adan
                          • Damal Adan
                            • Gobdon Damal
                            • Deria Damal
                            • Fatah Damal
                            • Gabib Damal
                            • Hode Damal
                            • Esa Damal
                              • Liban Esa
                              • Hassan Esa
                              • Warfa Esa
                              • Guled Esa
                              • Abdi Esa
                                • Ainashe Abdi
                                • Adan Abdi
                                • Afweina Abdi
                                • Guled Abdi Sultan Guled
                                  • Yusuf Guled
                                  • Roble Guled
                                  • Jama Guled
                                  • Deria Guled
                                  • Egal Guled
                                  • Gatah Guled
                                  • Farah Guled (Sultan Farah)
                                  • Dualeh Guled
                                  • Abdi Guled
                                  • Ali Guled
                                  • Rageh Guled
                                  • Wais Guled
                                  • Habrwa Guled
                                  • Awid Guled
                                  • Mohamed Guled
                                  • Sugulle Guled
                                  • Amareh Guled

Notable people[]

  • Abdillahi Deria – 5th Grand Sultan of the Isaaq clan and anti-colonial figurehead
  • Deria Hassan – 4th Grand Sultan of the Isaaq clan
  • Guled – 1st Grand Sultan of the Isaaq clan
  • Elmi Boodhari – Poet known as the “King of Romance” and is famous in the Somali world for his love poems
  • Rashid Abdillahi - 6th Grand Sultan of the Isaaq clan
  • Faysal Ali Warabe – chairman of UCID party (Justice and Development party of Somaliland)
  • Farah Guled – 2nd Grand Sultan of the Isaaq clan
  • Hassan Farah – 3rd Grand Sultan of the Isaaq clan
  • Ismail Mahmud Hurre - former foreign minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia
  • Abdiqadir Abdillahi - 7th Grand Sultan of the Isaaq
  • Hussein Hasan – famous poet & warrior
  • Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid - the Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia
  • Daud Mahamed - 9th Grand Sultan of the Isaaq
  • Mahamed Abdiqadir - 8th Grand Sultan of the Isaaq
  • Hussein Mohammed Adam (Tanzania) - foremost Somali intellectual and scholar who founded the Somali Studies International Association (SSIA)
  • Jama Mohamed Ghalib – former Police Commissioner of the Somali Democratic Republic, Secretary of Interior, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Minister of Transportation, and Minister of Interior
  • Mohamed Mooge Liibaan – prominent Somali instrumentalist and vocalist
  • Ahmed Mooge Liibaan – prominent Somali instrumentalist and vocalist
  • Hussein Arab Isse - former Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia
  • Jama Abdullahi Qalib - served as speaker of the Somali Parliament during the Somali Republic's early civilian administration. between 1960 and 1964
  • Abdillahi Mohamed Dahir - former Minister of Livestock and Fisheries and Minister of Information and National Guidance
  • Abdikarim Ahmed Mooge - current mayor of Hargeisa
  • Ahmed Mohamed Diriye - current Minister of Education and Science of Somaliland

References[]

  1. ^ Horn of Africa. Horn of Africa Journal. 1997.
  2. ^ Lewis, I. M. (1999). I.M Lewis, A pastoral democracy, p. 10. ISBN 9780852552803.
  3. ^ A General survey of the Somaliland protectorate 1944-1950, p.122, table 18
  4. ^ "Africa, Volumes 29-30, Oxford University Press, 1959, p.276". 1959.
  5. ^ "Welcome Home to Nothing: Refugees Repatriate to a Forgotten Somaliland, p.17" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Ethnographic Survey of Africa , p.24". 1969.
  7. ^ Lewis, I. M. (1994). I.M Lewis, Blood and Bone, p. 108. ISBN 9780932415936.
  8. ^ Waal, Alexander De (1993). "Violent deeds live on: landmines in Somalia and Somaliland, p. 63". |
  9. ^ Lewis, I. M. (3 February 2017). I.M Lewis : peoples of the Horn of Afrcia. ISBN 9781315308173. |
  10. ^ I.M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali, fourth edition (Oxford: James Currey, 2002), pp. 31 & 42
  11. ^ "مخطوطات > بهجة الزمان > الصفحة رقم 16". makhtota.ksu.edu.sa. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  12. ^ Al Qasimi, Sultan bin Muhammad (1996). رسالة زعماء الصومال إلى الشيخ سلطان بن صقر القاسمي (in Arabic). p. ١٩.
  13. ^ Genealogies of the Somal. Eyre and Spottiswoode (London). 1896.
  14. ^ "The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society Volume 19 p.61-62". 1849.
  15. ^ Osman-Omar, Mohamed (2001). The scramble in the Horn of Africa: history of Somalia. Somali Publications. p. 63.
  16. ^ Carlos-Swayne, Harald (1900). Seventeen Trips Through Somaliland and a Visit to Abyssinia. p. 40.
  17. ^ Diriye, p. 75.
  18. ^ Laurance, Margaret. A tree for poverty: Somali poetry and prose. McMaster University Library Press. p. 27.
  19. ^ Journal of African Languages. University of Michigan Press. 1963. p. 27.
  20. ^ Carlos-Swayne, Harald (1900). Seventeen Trips Through Somaliland and a Visit to Abyssinia. p. 96.
  21. ^ Hunter, Frederick (1877). An Account of the British Settlement of Aden in Arabia. Cengage Gale. p. 41.
  22. ^ Kirk, J. W. C. (31 October 2010). A grammar of the Somali Language, p.140. ISBN 9781108013260.
  23. ^ A general survey of the Somaliland Protectorate 1944-1950, p147
Retrieved from ""