Hawiye

The Hawiye (Somali: Hawiye, Arabic: بنو هوية‎, Italian: Haouia, English: Hawiyah) is a major Somali clan. Members of the clan traditionally inhabit central and southern Somalia, Somali Region and the North Eastern Province (currently administered by Ethiopia and Kenya, respectively). They are also the majority in the capital Mogadishu.[1] The Fiqishini, a subclan of the Hawiye, inhabit the Sool region of Somaliland.[2]

Main article: Somali people
Hawiye
بنو هوية
Languages
Somali
Religion
Islam (Sunni, Sufism)
Related ethnic groups
Dir, Darod, Isaaq, Rahanweyn, other Somalis
The first President of Somalia Aden Abdulle Osman Daar

Like many Somalis, Hawiye members trace their paternal ancestry to Irir, the first son of Samaale.

Overview

According to many documented sources and historians, the patriarch Samaale arrived in northern Somalia from Yemen during the 9th century and subsequently founded the eponymous Samaale clan.[3] Two of the major clans the Hawiye and Dir trace descent from Irir the son of Samaale, who in turn traces his geneological traditions to Arabia of the Quraysh Banu Hashim lineage through Aqiil the son of Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib, who was the Uncle of the Prophet Muhammed.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

Distribution

Following an ancient pastoralist migration and population movement across the Somali peninsula in search of grazing land and water supplies over a period of a thousand years, Hawiye clans can today can be found inhabiting an area stretching from the fertile lands of southern Somalia between Barawa and Kismayo, to the coast surrounding Mogadishu and Warsheikh, west to the modern city of Beledweyne in the Hiran region and north to the ancient port town of Hobyo in the arid central Mudug region.[10]

Role and Influence in Somalia
The first Prime Minister of Somalia Abdullahi Issa Mohamud
Father of the Somali military Daud Abdulle Hirsi

The Hawiye have historically played an important role in Somalia. The majority of Somalia's founding fathers hailed from the Hawiye. The first President, Prime minister and the father of the Somali Military were all Hawiye. Aden Adde the first President was Udeejeen. The first Prime Minister Abdullahi Issa was Habar Gidir. The father of the Somali Military Daud Abdulle Hirsi was Abgaal. Since then the Hawiye have produced four more Presidents and three more Prime Ministers.

The Hawiye figure prominently in many important fields of Somali society, including the Business and Media sector. For example, Abdirahman Yabarow, the editor-in-chief of VOA Somali is kin. Yusuf Garaad Omar who was the Chairman of BBC Somali for over a decade and helped pioneer its rise during his tenure, is also a member. As are the Heads of major national Corporations - Jubba Airways and Hormuud Telecom.

Currently the Hawiye play a leading role in the regions of Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Benadir (Mogadishu), but also Somalia as a whole.

History

Hawiye along with some Samaale sub-clans migrated to central and southern Somalia in the 1st century AD to populate the Horn of Africa. They established farmlands in the fertile plain lands of southern Somalia and flourishing harbor ports in south and central Somalia.[11]

According to the 12th-century author Al-Idrisi mentioned the Hawiye clan occupied the coastal areas between Ras Hafun and Merca, as well as the lower basin of the lower Shabelle river. Al-Idrisi's mention of the Hawiye is the first documentary reference to a specific Somali group in the Horn. Later Arab writers also make references to the Hawiye clan in connection with both Merca and the lower Shabelle valley. Ibn Sa'id (1214–74), for instance, considered Merca to be the capital of the Hawiye, who lived in fifty villages on the bank of a river which he called "the nile of Mogadishu, a clear reference to the Shabelle river.[12]

Along with Rahanweyn, Hawiye clan also came under the Ajuran Empire control in the 13th century that governed much of southern Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, with its domain extending from Hobyo in the north, to Qelafo in the west, to Kismayo in the south.[13]

Hiraab Imamate was the successor state of Ajuran Sultanate. The reason for their rebellion was the Ajuran rulers, in the end, became extremely prideful, neglected the sharia law, and imposed a heavy tax on their subjects which was the main reason for the rebellion.[14] Other groups would follow in the rebellion which would eventually bring down Ajuran rule in the inter-riverine region and Benadir coast.[15]

Lee Cassanelli in his book, The Shaping of Somali society, provides a historical picture of the Hiraab Imamate. He writes:

"According to local oral tradition, the Hiraab imamate was a powerful alliance of closely related groups who shared a common lineage under the Gorgaarte clan divisions. It successfully revolted against the Ajuran Empire and established an independent rule for at least two centuries from the seventeen hundreds and onwards.[16]

The alliance involved the army leaders and advisors of the Habar Gidir and Duduble, a Fiqhi/Qadi of Sheekhaal, and the Imam was reserved for the Mudulood branch who is believed to have been the first born. Once established, the Imamate ruled the territories from the Shabeelle valley, the Benaadir provinces, the Mareeg areas all the way to the arid lands of Mudug, whilst the ancient port of Hobyo emerged as the commercial center and Mogadishu being its capital for the newly established Hiraab Imamate in the late 17th century.[16]

Hobyo served as a prosperous commercial centre for the Imamate. The agricultural centres of El Dher and Harardhere included the production of sorghum and beans, supplementing with herds of camels, cattle, goats and sheep. Livestock, hides and skin, whilst the aromatic woods and raisins were the primary exports as rice, other foodstuffs and clothes were imported. Merchants looking for exotic goods came to Hobyo to buy textiles, precious metals and pearls. The commercial goods harvested along the Shabelle river were brought to Hobyo for trade. Also, the increasing importance and rapid settlement of more southerly cities such as Mogadishu further boosted the prosperity of Hobyo, as more and more ships made their way down the Somali coast and stopped in Hobyo to trade and replenish their supplies.[16]

The economy of the Hawiye in the interior includes the predominant nomadic pastoralism, and to some extent, cultivation within agricultural settlements in the riverine area, as well as mercantile commerce along the urban coast. At various points throughout history, trade of modern and ancient commodities by the Hawiye through maritime routes included cattle skin, slaves, ivory and ambergris.[17][16]

Soon afterwards, the entire region was snapped up by the fascists Italians and it led to the birth of a Modern Somalia. However, the Hiraab hereditary leadership has remained intact up to this day and enjoys a dominant influence in national Somali affairs."[16]

Clan tree

Ali Jimale Ahmed outlines the Hawiye clan genealogical tree in The Invention of Somalia:[18]

  • Samaale
    • Irir
      • Hawiye
        • Karanle
          • Kaariye Karanle
          • Gidir Karanle
          • Sixaawle Karanle
          • Murusade Karanle
            • Sabti
            • Foorculus
        • Gugundhabe
        • Gorgate
          • Hiraab
            • Mudulood
              • Wacdaan
              • Moobleen
              • Ujajeen
              • Abgaal
                • Harti
                  • Angonyar
                  • Warsangeli
                  • Abokor
                • Wabudhan
                  • Da'oud
                  • Reer Mattan
                  • Mohamed Muse
                • Wa'esli
                  • Cabdiraxmaan
                  • Macalin Diblaawe
            • Duduble
            • Habar Gidir
              • Sacad
                • Reer Ayaanle
                • Reer Hilowle
                • Reer Jalaf
              • Saleebaan
              • Cayr
              • Saruur
          • Silcis
          • Wadalaan
        • Jambeelle
          • Hintire
        • Xaskul
        • Raarane

Notable Hawiye figures

Politicians

Military personnel

Leading intellectuals

Music and literature

Political factions and organizations

See also

References
  1. Society, Security, Sovereignty and the State in Somalia: 2001, Maria Brons, International Books, page 102
  2. "Dagaal beeleed dad badan ay ku dhinteen oo ka dhacay Gobolka Sool". BBC News Somali (in Somali). 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  3. Lewis, I. M.; Said Samatar (1999). A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa. LIT Verlag Berlin-Hamburg-Münster. pp. 11–13. ISBN 3-8258-3084-5.
  4. Lewis, I. M. (1999-01-01). A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa. James Currey Publishers. p. 12. ISBN 9780852552803.
  5. Ahmed, Akbar (2013-02-27). The Thistle and the Drone: How America's War on Terror Became a Global War on Tribal Islam. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 9780815723790.
  6. Mukhtar, Mohamed Haji (2003-02-25). Historical Dictionary of Somalia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810866041.
  7. Ng'ang'a, Wangũhũ (2006). Kenya's ethnic communities: foundation of the nation. Gatũndũ Publishers. ISBN 9789966975706.
  8. Noyoo, Ndangwa (2010-01-30). Social Policy and Human Development in Zambia. Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd. ISBN 9781912234936.
  9. Lewis, I. M.; Samatar, Said S. (1999). A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa. LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN 9783825830847.
  10. The Somali, Afar and Saho groups in the Horn of Africa by I.M Lewis
  11. Abdullahi, Abdurahman (18 September 2017). Making Sense of Somali History: Volume 1. Adonis and Abbey Publishers. pp. 43–. ISBN 978-1-909112-79-7.
  12. Fage, J. D.; Oliver, Roland; Oliver, Roland Anthony; Clark, John Desmond; Gray, Richard; Flint, John E.; Roberts, A. D.; Sanderson, G. N.; Crowder, Michael (1975). The Cambridge history of Africa: Fage, J. D. p. 137. ISBN 9780521209816.
  13. Lee V. Cassanelli, The shaping of Somali society: reconstructing the history of a pastoral people, 1600-1900, (University of Pennsylvania Press: 1982), p.102.
  14. Cassanelli, Lee (1982). The Shaping of Somali Society. p. 124. ISBN 9780812278323.
  15. Lee V. Cassanelli, Towns and Trading centres in Somalia: A Nomadic perspective, Philadelphia, 1980, pp. 8-9.
  16. Lee V. Cassanelli (1982). The Shaping of Somali Society: Reconstructing the History of a Pastoral People, 1600 to 1900. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-7832-3.
  17. Kenya's past; an introduction to historical method in Africa page by Thomas T. Spear
  18. Ali Jimale Ahmed (1995). The Invention of Somalia. Lawrenceville, NJ: Red Sea. p. 123. ISBN 0-932415-98-9.
  19. "De-classified Documents: Foreign Relations of the United States 1964-1968, Volume XXIV Africa:346. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach) to President Johnson: March 12, 1968". Somali Watch (source: US Department of State, Washington). November 29, 200. Archived from the original on 20 November 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  20. "Abdi Mude Ibrahim".
  21. "Shaaban Isaack Biography, Family and Contacts". 23 June 2016.
  22. "Omar Mohamed Maalim Hassan".
  23. "CRD Somalia". Center for Research and Dialogue. 2005-07-12. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-06-11. Retrieved 2012-09-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. "Somalia: Islamic Party Insurgents Declare War On New Govt". 8 February 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via AllAfrica.
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