Clan, family and social stratification Somalis

1 clan, family , social stratification

1.1 clans
1.2 kinship
1.3 social stratification
1.4 marriage

clan, family , social stratification

clans

tomb of sheikh darod in haylaan.

somalis ethnically of hamitic ancestry, have genealogical traditions of descent various arabian patriarchs associated spread of islam. segmented various clan groupings, important kinship units play central part in somali culture , politics. clan families patrilineal, , divided clans, primary lineages or subclans, , dia-paying kinship groups. lineage terms qabiil, qolo, jilib , reer interchangeably used indicate different segmentation levels. clan represents highest kinship level. owns territorial properties , typically led clan-head or sultan. primary lineages descended clans, , exogamous political units no formally installed leader. comprise segmentation level individual indicates or belongs to, founding patriarch reckoned between 6 , ten generations.

the 5 major clan families traditionally nomadic pastoralist darod, dir, hawiye , isaaq, , sedentary agropastoralist rahanweyn minor somali clans include benadiri.

sheikh isaaq s tomb in maydh.

the dir, hawiye, gardere( gaalje el, degodia, garre), hawadle , ajuran trace agnatic origins patriarch samaale arabian banu hashim origins through aqiil abu talib ibn abd al-muttalib. sheikh darod is, in turn, asserted have married woman dir, establishing matrilateral ties samaale main stem. darod have separate paternal traditions of descent through abdirahman bin isma il al-jabarti (sheikh darod), said have arrived @ later date arabian peninsula, in 10th or 11th centuries. isaaq clan traces paternal descent islamic leader sheikh isaaq bin ahmed al hashimi (sheikh isaaq), held have married magaadle subclan of dir in northwestern somaliland area. rahanweyn or sab trace stirp patriarch sab. both samaale , sab supposed have descended common lineage originating in arabian peninsula. these traditions of descent elite arab forefathers, settled on littoral, debated, although based on arab documents , northern oral folklore.

the tombs of founders of darod, dir , isaaq major clans, abgaal subclan of hawiye located in northern somalia. tradition holds general area ancestral homeland of somali people.

kinship

the traditional political unit among somali people has been kinships. dia-paying groups groupings of few small lineages, each of consist of few hundred few thousand members. trace foundation between 4 , 8 generations. members socially contracted support each other in jural , political duties, including paying or receiving dia or blood compensation (mag in somali). compensation obligatory in regards actions committed or against dia-paying group, including blood-compensation in event of damage, injury or death.

social stratification


traditional distribution of ethnic somali clans.

within traditional somali society, other ethnic groups in horn of africa region, there has been social stratification. according historian donald levine, these comprised high-ranking clans, low-ranking clans, caste groups, , slaves. rigid hierarchy , concepts of lineal purity contrast relative egalitarianism in clan leadership , political control.

nobles constituted upper tier , known bilis. consist of individuals of ethnic somali ancestral origin, , have been endogamous. nobles distinguished europid physical features, different of negro africans. believe great pride of arabian ancestry, , trace stirp muhammad s lineage of quraysh , of companions. although not consider culturally arabs, except shared religion, presumed noble arabian origins genealogically unite them.

the lower tier designated sab, , distinguished heterogeneous constitution , agropastoral lifestyle linguistic , cultural differences. third somali caste strata made of artisanal groups, endogamous , hereditary. among caste groups, midgan traditionally hunters , circumcision performers. tumal (also spelled tomal) smiths , leatherworkers, , yibir (also spelled yebir) tanners , magicians.

according anthropologist virginia luling, artisanal caste groups of north closely resembled higher caste kinsmen, being caucasoid other ethnic somalis. although ethnically indistinguishable each other, state mohamed eno , abdi kusow, upper castes have stigmatized lower ones.

outside of somali caste system slaves of bantu origin , physiognomy (known jareer or adoon). distinct physical features , occupations differentiated them somalis , positioned them inferior within social hierarchy.

marriage

a traditional somali wedding basket.

among somali clans, in order strengthen alliance ties, marriage ethnic somali different clan. according i. m. lewis, of 89 marriages initiated men of dhulbahante clan, 55 (62%) therefore women of dhulbahante subclans other of husbands; 30 (33.7%) women of adjacent clans of other clan families (isaaq, 28; hawiye, 3); , 3 (4.3%) women of other clans of darod clan family (majerteen 2, ogaden 1).

such exogamy followed dia-paying group , adhered primary lineage, whereas marriage lineal kin falls within prohibited range. these traditional strictures against consanguineous marriage ruled out patrilateral first cousin marriages favored arab bedouins , specially approved islam. these marriages practiced limited degree northern somali subclans. in areas inhabited diverse clans, such southern mogadishu area, endogamous marriages served means of ensuring clan solidarity in uncertain socio-political circumstances. inclination further spurred on intensified contact arab society in gulf, wherein first cousin marriage preferred. although politically expedient, such endogamous marriage created tension traditional principles within somali culture.

in 1975, prominent government reforms regarding family law in muslim country set in motion in somali democratic republic, put women , men, including husbands , wives, on complete equal footing. 1975 somali family law gave men , women equal division of property between husband , wife upon divorce , exclusive right control each spouse on or personal property.