Abgaal
ابگال
Languages
Somali
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Habar Gidir , Murursade , Mudulood and other Samaale clans-->

Abgaal (Somali: Abgaal, Arabic: أبگال) is a sub-clan of the Hawiye and the even larger Samaale clan. It is one of the major Somali clans and has produced many prominent historical Somali figures including 3 presidents, and the father of the Somali military.[1][2]

History

Italian scholar of Somali and Ethiopian studies Enrico Cerulli studies discusses the origin story of the name Abgaal in his book How a Hawiye tribe used to live.[3]

The mother of Hirabä was Faduma Karanlä. The mother of Abgal was Faduma Sargellä, who was an Aguran. She was espoused by 'Isman Darandollä. By him she had a son, who was called by the name 'Ali 'Isman. Later one went to Sargellä Garën. A learned old man went to him. He said: 'O noble Sargellä, I saw in the books that the children of the boy born to your daughter Faduma will chase your children from the earth. I saw it in the books.' 'Did you see these things?’ 'Yes, I saw them,’ he answered. 'So be it!’ the noble Sargellä replied; and into his heart came the thought: 'Rather than that your children, whom you have begotten, be killed, the son of your daughter might rather die!’ This came into his heart. After this he prepared two different amulets, one good and one bad. The bad one would kill the one who drank it. The good one would protect from any evil of this world. Then he went to his daughter. 'My Faduma, I am bringing you these two amulets: this one here – and it was the good one – you drink; and the other one – and it was the bad one – give to your son 'Ali 'Isman!’ The girl took the two amulets; but when it came to drinking them, she made a mistake! Faduma Sargellä drank the bad one and died immediately. 'Ali 'Ismän drank the good one and survived. Sargellä went back to the hut and saw his daughter dead. And the boy, when he heard his grandfather arrive, ran to the side of a saddle camel and hid behind it. 'Oh 'Ali, oh 'Ali! Come! I am your grandfather!’ Sargellä cried out, looking for the boy. 'You are not my grandfather ( abkäy ), my grandfather is the camels.' The camels ( gel ) in the language of one time were called gal. So afterwards he ('Ali 'Isman) had the name of Ab-gal ('Camel-grandfather').” The tradition substantially recalls the ancient fights between the Abgal, nomadic pastoralists who from places farther north tried to open a way to the river, and the Aguran, who dominated the region of the Middle Webi. This historical content, of course, has been adapted in popular dress with the theme, so widespread in the folklore of quite different peoples, of the prediction of the unborn child destined to drive the reigning prince from the throne. 'In this tradition Abgal has, besides his Somali name, which is explained, also a Mussulman name, 'Ali 'Isman. It does not seem necessary to me to suppose that the name 'Ali replaced the Somali one of Abgal in the genealogies in order to make them more Islamized, as one might say. The custom of several names for one single person, among which names, for the Mussulmans, are found an Arab one and one (or more) in the local language, is common in East Africa, even now.'

—Enrico Cerulli, How a Hawiye Tribe use to Live

Overview

Current president of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud

The Abgaal are part of the Mudulood and the even larger Hiraab clan.[4] The Hiraab consists of the Mudulood, Habar Gidir, Sheekhaal and Duduble.[4] Besides the Abgaal, Mudulood includes Wacdaan, Moobleen, Hiilibi and Udeejeen. The Imam of both the Mudulood and Hiraab traditionally hails from the Abgaal. Currently Imam Mohamed Yusuf is the Imam of the Mudulood and also carries the dual position as Imam of the Hiraab.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Distribution

The Abgaal primarily live in the capital city of Mogadishu, which they traditionally inhabit, as well as the Middle Shabelle region where they are the majority. The clan also lives in neighbouring Galmudug region, specifically the El Dher District where they make up the majority as well as the Harardhere District in Mudug. Abgaal also inhabit the Lower Shabelle [12] region as well as the Middle Juba[12] and Lower Juba[12] regions. In addition to this the Abgaal can also be found in the Somali Region of Ethiopia as well as the North Eastern Province of Kenya.

Role and influence in Somalia

Father of the Somali military Daud Abdulle Hirsi

The Abgaal have historically played an important role in Somali affairs. They are the Somali sub-clan that has produced the most Somali Presidents. These three politicians are Ali Mahdi Muhammad, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud.[1][2] These officials constitute three of the four living former Presidents of Somalia. Additionally they are the first and only Somali sub-clan to have had consecutive presidencies in the terms of Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamed. The father of the Somali military Daud Abdulle Hirsi was also Abgaal.

The capital Mogadishu is also considered to be their land. The current Governor/Mayor of Banadir, Yusuf Hussein Jimaale is Abgaal and the position always been held by the Abgaal clan. Most other various Banaadir positions are held by them as well.

Moreover, the clan has prominent members within the Somali business and media communities. For instance Abdirahman Yabarow, the editor-in-chief of VOA Somali hails from this clan.[13]

Poetry

The Abgaal have their own form of Somali poetry. The guurow and shirib are unique poetical genres that are performed by the Abgaal and sometimes neighboring clans. Their poetry has distinctive dialect characteristics. For instance "iyo" with a long 'o' is a feature within their poetry. The most popular of Abgaal poetry is the shirib. The shirib are short songs that usually accompany dancing. They are sung during various gatherings such as family meetings, clan meetings, and celebrations.[14]

Clan tree

Ali Jimale Ahmed outlines the Hawiye clan genealogical tree in The Invention of Somalia:[15]

  • Samaale
    • Irir
      • Hawiye
        • Gorgate
          • Hiraab
            • Mudulood
              • Abgaal
                • Harti
                  • Agoonyar
                  • Warsangeli
                  • Owbakar
                  • Yeber Maxamed
                  • Ciise Harti
                • Wabudhan
                  • Da'oud
                  • Kabaale
                  • Galmaax
                    • Celi Cumar
                    • Reer Mataan
                    • Mohamed Muse
                  • Xuseen Yonis
                • Waceysle
                  • Abdirahman Saleebaan
                  • Absuge Qombor
                  • Ali Gaaf
                  • Macalin Dhiblaawe
                  • Dhagaweyne Cumar
                  • Haruun Waceysle

Prominent Abgaal members

Politics

Others

References

  1. 1 2 Metz, Helen Chapin, ed. (1993). Somalia: a country study. The Division. p. 155. ISBN 978-0844407753. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Somalia Federal Parliament elects Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as President". Garowe Online. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  3. ↑ Enrico, Cerulli, How a Hawiye Tribe Used to Live chapter, published in: Somalia, scritti vari editi ed inediti, Vol. 2, edited by Enrico Cerulli, Roma, 1959.
  4. 1 2 3 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 February 2007. Retrieved 31 March 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ↑ Lewis, I. M. (1 January 1998). Peoples of the Horn of Africa: Somali, Afar and Saho. Red Sea Press. p. 25. ISBN 9781569021057.
  6. ↑ Lewis, I. M. (1 January 1998). Peoples of the Horn of Africa: Somali, Afar and Saho. Red Sea Press. ISBN 9781569021057. At the end of the book "Tribal Distribution of Somali Afar and Saho"
  7. ↑ Verdier, Isabelle (31 May 1997). Ethiopia: the top 100 people. Indigo Publications. p. 13. ISBN 9782905760128. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  8. ↑ Hayward, R. J.; Lewis, I. M. (17 August 2005). Voice and Power. Routledge. p. 242. ISBN 9781135751753. Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  9. ↑ The Quranyo section of the Garre claim descent from Dirr, who are born of the Irrir Samal. UNDP Paper in Keyna http://www.undp.org/content/dam/kenya/docs/Amani%20Papers/AP_Volume1_n2_May2010.pdf Archived 17 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ↑ Adam, Hussein Mohamed; Ford, Richard (1 January 1997). Mending rips in the sky: options for Somali communities in the 21st century. Red Sea Press. p. 127. ISBN 9781569020739. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  11. ↑ Ahmed, Ali Jimale (1 January 1995). The Invention of Somalia. The Red Sea Press. p. 121. ISBN 9780932415998. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 "From the bottom up: Southern Regions - Perspectives through conflict analysis and key political actors' mapping of Gedo, Middle Juba, Lower Juba, and Lower Shabelle" (PDF).
  13. ↑ "Cabdiraxmaan Yabarow oo ugu hanjabay inuu Shaqada VOAda ka ceerini doono Cabdullahi Kolombo". IjaraNews. 21 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  14. ↑ Giorgio Banti and Francesco Giannattasio (1996). "Music and Metre in Somali Poetry". African Languages and Cultures. Supplement (3): 83–127. JSTOR 586655.
  15. ↑ Ali Jimale Ahmed (1995). The Invention of Somalia. Lawrenceville, NJ: Red Sea. p. 123. ISBN 0-932415-98-9. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "Issue 335". Archived from the original on 1 July 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  17. ↑ "PROFILE: Dr. Mohamed Ali "Ameriko"". Banadir.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  18. ↑ "CFS". Canadian Friends of Somalia. Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  19. ↑ John Pike (21 August 2006). "SOMALIA: Premier appoints new cabinet". Globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  20. ↑ A. Duale Sii'arag (15 November 2005). "The Birth and Rise of Al-Ittihad Al-Islami in the Somali Inhabited Regions in the Horn of Africa". Newbanadir.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  21. ↑ Laitin, David D. (1977). Politics, Language, and Thought: The Somali Experience. University of Chicago Press. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-226-46791-7.
  22. ↑ Biber, Douglas; Finegan, Edward (1993). Sociolinguistic Perspectives on Register. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 213. ISBN 978-0-19-535932-9.
  23. ↑ "Somalia: Farah Addo elected chairman of football federation". Mareeg.com. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  24. ↑ "Somaliuk Your Portal for News, Chat Rooms, Culture, Music, and Forums". Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
  25. 1 2 "Mudulood PageA". Archived from the original on 23 November 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  26. ↑ "Declaration on Cessation of Hostilities and the Structures and Principles of the Somalia National Reconciliation Process (S/2002/1359) | ReliefWeb". Reliefweb.int. 13 December 2002. Archived from the original on 27 January 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  27. ↑
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