Abgaal

Abgaal
أبغال
Languages
	Somali and Arabic
Religion
	Islam
Related ethnic groups
	Habar Gidir , Murursade , Mudulood and other Samaale clans

Abgaal (Somali: Abgaal, Arabic: أبغال) is a subclan 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]

Etymology

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

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]

Role and influence in Somalia

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. 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.^[12]

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.^[13]

Clan tree

Ali Jimale Ahmed outlines the Hawiye clan genealogical tree in The Invention of Somalia:^[14]

Samaale
- Irir
  - Hawiye
    - Gorgate
      - Hiraab
        Mudulood
        Abgaal
        Harti
        Agoonyar
        
        Warsangeli
        
        Owbakar
        
        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 members

Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Former President of Somalia
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Current President of Somalia
Nur Hassan Husein, Former Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government
Ali Ghedi, Former Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government
Ali Mahdi Muhammad, President of Somalia from 1991– 1997
Hussein Kulmiye Afrah, vice-president of Somalia under the Siad Barre Regime
Ahmed Maxamed Xasan, Lieutenant Colonel in the Somali Airforce who defused the MiG-17 jet fighter bombs^[15]
Salaad Gabeyre Kediye, Major General in the Somali Military, and chairman of the Somali Revolution Waceysle
Ismail Jim'ale Osoble, Somali lawyer and Minister of Information in the government of Aden Abdulle Osman
General Daud Abdulle Hirsi, First Commander-In-Chief of the Somali National Army Forces Waceysle
Salad Ali Jelle, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Transitional Federal Government
Ali Jimale, Educator at the City University of New York
Mohamud Siad Togane, Somali-Canadian poet, professor, and political activist
Adde Gabow (Mohamed Ali Hassan), Politician, Governor and Mayor of Mogadishu
Abukar Umar Adani, Islamist, businessman who used to control the El-ma`an beach area which served as Mogadishu's port since the closure in 1995 of the city's main port^[16]
Bashir Raghe Shiiraar Leader of the Alliance for Peace and the Fight Against International Terrorism.^[16] Warsangali
Ali Dhere, Cleric and the Head of the first Islamic Court in northern Mogadishu ^[17]
Farah Weheliye Addow (Sindiko), Former Vice President of the Confederation of African Football^[18]^[19]
Abdulahi Afrah, Minister of Commerce^[20]^[21]
Abdi Mohamed Ulusso, PhD Holder, Intellectual and 2004 Somali Presidential Candidate ^[22]
Hussein Bood, Politician and Ex-Minister of National Planning, 1977–1981^[23]^[24]
Hilowle Omar, Chairman of the (Somali Reconciliation and Reconstruction Council) (SRRC)^[22]^[25]^[26]
Mohamed Ameriko, Somali Ambassador to Kenya^[27]
Ayub Daud, Professional Footballer
Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare, Orthographer and the Inventor of the Kaddariya Script^[28]^[29]
Abdirahman Yabarow, Editor-in-Chief of the VOA Somali Service
Omar Mohamed, Professional Footballer

References

^ ^a ^b Metz, Helen Chapin, ed. (1993). Somalia: a country study. The Division. p. 155. ISBN 978-0844407753. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Somalia Federal Parliament elects Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as President". Garowe Online. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.^{[dead link]}
^ 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.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 February 2007. Retrieved 31 March 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Lewis, I. M. (1 January 1998). Peoples of the Horn of Africa: Somali, Afar and Saho. Red Sea Press. p. 25. ISBN 9781569021057.
^ 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"
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ 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
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ "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.
^ Giorgio Banti and Francesco Giannattasio (1996). "Music and Metre in Somali Poetry". African Languages and Cultures. Supplement (3): 83–127. JSTOR 586655.
^ 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.
^ "Issue 335". Archived from the original on 1 July 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
^ ^a ^b John Pike (22 March 2006). "SOMALIA: Twelve killed in heavy fighting in Mogadishu". Globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
^ 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.
^ "Somalia: Farah Addo elected chairman of football federation". Mareeg.com. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
^ "Somaliuk Your Portal for News, Chat Rooms, Culture, Music, and Forums". Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
^ "CFS". Canadian Friends of Somalia. Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
^ John Pike (21 August 2006). "SOMALIA: Premier appoints new cabinet". Globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
^ ^a ^b "Mudulood PageA". Archived from the original on 23 November 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
^ "Rival Somali gunmen call it quits | News | Mail & Guardian". Mg.co.za. 1 January 2002. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
^ "Warlords agree on Mogadishu authority". BBC News. 22 December 1999. Archived from the original on 17 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
^ "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.
^ [1]^{[dead link]}
^ "PROFILE: Dr. Mohamed Ali "Ameriko"". Banadir.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
^ Laitin, David D. (1977). Politics, Language, and Thought: The Somali Experience. University of Chicago Press. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-226-46791-7.
^ Biber, Douglas; Finegan, Edward (1993). Sociolinguistic Perspectives on Register. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 213. ISBN 978-0-19-535932-9.

[Msacs-1] Metz, Helen Chapin, ed. (1993). Somalia: a country study. The Division. p. 155. ISBN 978-0844407753. Retrieved 10 June 2014.

[Gsfpehsmap-2] "Somalia Federal Parliament elects Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as President". Garowe Online. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.^{[dead link]}

[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.

[Archived_copy-4] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 February 2007. Retrieved 31 March 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[Lewis_25-5] Lewis, I. M. (1 January 1998). Peoples of the Horn of Africa: Somali, Afar and Saho. Red Sea Press. p. 25. ISBN 9781569021057.

[:33-6] 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.

[:02-8] 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.

[:12-9] 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

[:0222-10] 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.

[:22-11] 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.

[Cyouhis-12] "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.

[13] Giorgio Banti and Francesco Giannattasio (1996). "Music and Metre in Somali Poetry". African Languages and Cultures. Supplement (3): 83–127. JSTOR 586655.

[ali_jimale_ahmed-14] 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.

[15] "Issue 335". Archived from the original on 1 July 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.

[globalsecurity.org-16] John Pike (22 March 2006). "SOMALIA: Twelve killed in heavy fighting in Mogadishu". Globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2013.

[17] 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.

[18] "Somalia: Farah Addo elected chairman of football federation". Mareeg.com. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.

[19] "Somaliuk Your Portal for News, Chat Rooms, Culture, Music, and Forums". Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.

[20] "CFS". Canadian Friends of Somalia. Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2013.

[21] John Pike (21 August 2006). "SOMALIA: Premier appoints new cabinet". Globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.

[mudulood.com-22] "Mudulood PageA". Archived from the original on 23 November 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2008.

[23] "Rival Somali gunmen call it quits | News | Mail & Guardian". Mg.co.za. 1 January 2002. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.

[24] "Warlords agree on Mogadishu authority". BBC News. 22 December 1999. Archived from the original on 17 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2010.

[25] "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.

[26] [1]^{[dead link]}

[27] "PROFILE: Dr. Mohamed Ali "Ameriko"". Banadir.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2013.

[28] Laitin, David D. (1977). Politics, Language, and Thought: The Somali Experience. University of Chicago Press. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-226-46791-7.

[29] Biber, Douglas; Finegan, Edward (1993). Sociolinguistic Perspectives on Register. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 213. ISBN 978-0-19-535932-9.

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