Somali studies: Difference between revisions
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On of the earliest examples of [[archaeology]] in Somalia can be traced back to the [[19th century]] when [[George Revoil]] a [[French people|French]] [[explorer]] excavated several ancient sites in northern Somalia where he found large quantities of [[glass]] and [[pottery]], including [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] pottery.<ref>Arab seafaring in the Indian Ocean in ancient and early medieval times By George Fadlo Hourani pg 138</ref> After independence [[Government of Somalia|Somali government]] officials in collaboration with [[Soviet]] and [[British people|British]] archaeologists began excavating various parts of Somalia during the [[1970]]s.<ref> Africa in Soviet studies - Page 280</ref><ref> Azania Volumes XI by British Institute in Eastern Africa - History - 1975 Page 117 </ref> |
On of the earliest examples of [[archaeology]] in Somalia can be traced back to the [[19th century]] when [[George Revoil]] a [[French people|French]] [[explorer]] excavated several ancient sites in northern Somalia where he found large quantities of [[glass]] and [[pottery]], including [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] pottery.<ref>Arab seafaring in the Indian Ocean in ancient and early medieval times By George Fadlo Hourani pg 138</ref> After independence [[Government of Somalia|Somali government]] officials in collaboration with [[Soviet]] and [[British people|British]] archaeologists began excavating various parts of Somalia during the [[1970]]s.<ref> Africa in Soviet studies - Page 280</ref><ref> Azania Volumes XI by British Institute in Eastern Africa - History - 1975 Page 117 </ref> |
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Somali Studies is the scholarly term for research concerning Somalis and Somalia and related ethnic groups in the Horn of Africa. It consists of several disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, linguistics, historiography and archaeology.[1] The field draws from old Somali chronicles and oral literature, in addition to written accounts and traditions about Somalis and Somalia from European explorers and neighbouring regions in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. Since 1980, prominent Somalist scholars from around the world have gathered annually, either in Somalia or a different country, to hold the International Congress of Somali Studies. The first such International Congress of Somali Studies was held in Mogadishu, Somalia on July 6-13, 1980, and the 10th Congress was held in Djibouti in December 2007.
History of Somali Studies
The academic platform that would become Somali Studies has its origin with research done by 18th and 19th century Somali scholars such as Uways al-Barawi and Shaykh Aidarus concerning the Somali language and history. At the turn of the 20th century, other disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, and archaeology would eventually form part of Somali studies, which would now also include scholars of various origins.
Anthropology
Somali anthropology studies the way of life of the Somali people. Somalist anthropologists have in successive research papers and books taken traditional Somali social systems such as the ancient Xeer law and the clan system under the microscope and researched their role in Somali Society. In the field of Somali Islamic studies scholars such as Said Sheikh Samatar and Abdi Kusow both have detailed in books such as Racial and Religious Contexts (2007) and Oral poetry and Somali nationalism: the case of Sayyid Mahammad 'Abdille Hasan (1982) the impact of Islam on Somali self-conciousness and unity.[2] Enrico Cerulli and Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi in their works entitled Somalia: scritti vari editi ed inediti (1957) and Culture and Customs of Somalia (2001) have presented theories on the origins and ethnogenesis of Somali people.
Linguistics
The Somali language is by far the best documented of the Cushitic languages[3], with academic studies of it dating from before 1900.[4] Linguists such as Bogumil Witalis Andrzejewski, Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi and Martin Orwin are considered among the foremost scholars on the study of the Somali language[5][6] and the relation it has to the languages of neighbouring ethnic groups such as the Afars, Oromos and Bejas.
Historiography
Archaeology
On of the earliest examples of archaeology in Somalia can be traced back to the 19th century when George Revoil a French explorer excavated several ancient sites in northern Somalia where he found large quantities of glass and pottery, including Roman pottery.[7] After independence Somali government officials in collaboration with Soviet and British archaeologists began excavating various parts of Somalia during the 1970s.[8][9]
Prominent Somalist scholars
- Abdisalam Issa-Salwe – history
- Abdi Mohamed Kusow – sociology and anthropology
- Said Sheikh Samatar – linguistics and sociology
- Mohamed Haji Mukhtar – history
- Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi – linguistics
- Ali Jimale Ahmed – history and linguistics
- Martin Orwin – linguistics
- Enrico Cerulli – history and linguistics
- Abdurahman Moalim Abdullahi Badiyow – history and politics
- Ahmed Ismail Samatar – international relations
- Abdi Ismail Samatar – geography
- Mustafa Abdullahi Feiruz – linguistics
- Mohamed Abdi Gandi – anthropology
- Bogumil Witalis Andrzejewski – linguistics
Award ceremonies and conferences
Since the early 1970's, the Academy of Somali Studies began to hold professional award-winning poetry competitions after having been inspired by the traditional poetry competitions annually held throughout Somalia. The Somali Studies Association recognizes Somali scholars whose work concerning Somali studies stands out with the Musa Galaal award, a prize named after the Somali polymath. In 1994, Charles L. Geshekter, Professor of History at California State University, Chico, created an endowment for this award. Geshekter's mother and Musa Galaal (1914-1980) were friends. A financial prize is awarded annually.
Somali Studies journals
- Bildhaan - an international journal of Somali studies
- Horn of Africa - an independent Journal
- Anglo-Somali Society Journal
References
- ^ Somali Studies, by Lidwien Kapteijns, 1994 pg 581 - The Journal of African History, Vol. 35, No. 3
- ^ (Review) Oral poetry and Somali nationalism: the case of Sayyid Mahammad 'Abdille Hasan (1982) by John William Johnson pg 601 - Research in African Literatures, 1984
- ^ Agaw, Cushitic and Afroasiatic: the personal pronoun revisited by DL Appleyard Journal of Semitic studies - Page 196
- ^ A software tool for research in linguistics and lexicography: Application to Somali
- ^ The Traveller to Legendary Lands WardheerNews interview with Shiela Andrzejewski
- ^ The Internet Medium and Poetry Transmission by Abdisalam M. Issa-Salwe
- ^ Arab seafaring in the Indian Ocean in ancient and early medieval times By George Fadlo Hourani pg 138
- ^ Africa in Soviet studies - Page 280
- ^ Azania Volumes XI by British Institute in Eastern Africa - History - 1975 Page 117
Secondary sources
- Proceedings of the First International Congress of Somali Studies, edited by Adam M. Hussein and Charles L. Geshekter. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1992.
- Somali Studies: Land of the People by Anita Suleiman, 1991
- Proceedings of the Second International Congress of Somali Studies by T.Labahn, 1984