Somali people
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| File:Somalipeople.jpg | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Somalia: 9,950,000[11] Ethiopia: 4,620,000[1] | |
| Languages | |
| Somali | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Oromo, Jeberti, Afar, Sidama, Saho, Bilen, Agaw, Amhara and Beja |
The Somalis are an ethnic group located in the northeast portion of the Africa adjacent to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. The majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic subgroup of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Ethnic Somalis number around 15-16 million and are principally concentrated in Somalia (over 9 million)[12], Ethiopia (4-5 million), northeast Kenya (over 400,000, due to migration), Djibouti (250,000), and an unknown but large number living in non-east African countries and parts of the Middle East, North America and Europe.
History
Somalia has experienced a turbulent past and as such the history of the Somalis is one that is fraught with a great deal of indigenous speculation. Most historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and other researchers believe that the modern Somalis are descendants of migrants from the northwest in what is today Ethiopia, while others support theories that include an indigenous origin for most Somalis. The Somalis, as a Cushitic-speaking people form a part of a diverse continuum of the larger Afro-Asiatic peoples, but do bear close ties to other Eastern Cushitic peoples including the Oromo, Afar, and Sidama.
Numerous old theories regarding origins in Arabia and other places, in part based upon local beliefs, have largely been discarded as increasing evidence now supports a more indigenous Somali existence in the region that can be traced back to the 1st millennium BCE.[13] The ancient ancestors of the Somali people appear to have split off from an early Cushitic group, whose geographic origins remain largely speculative, and are referred to as the Sam who were themselves a sub-type of the Omo-Tana and are believed to have lived in an area roughly corresponding to modern northern Kenya and southern Somalia over 2,000 years ago. These proto-Sam peoples evolved into the bulk of the Somalis as the Sam transitioned into Somaal and later the Somali people. The Somali people are believed to have moved into the Zeila region by at least 750 CE and then expanded into all of what is today Somalia by displacing the Oromo.
It's very likely that Somalis were already influenced with Islam through a small group of persecuted muslims who settled in parts of East Africa during the time when the Great Ethiopian Emperor Amrah of Aksum gave sanctuary to the Prophet's followers, but it wasn't until the coming of Arab traders in the 10th century CE that would significantly shape much of modern Somali culture. Trading communities that were already present since the first century AD according to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea began to trade with the Arabian Peninsula and it significantly altered Somali society as the vast majority converted to Islam. Arabic culture greatly influenced the Somalis as their language borrowed a significant amount of Arabic vocabulary and came to be written using Arabic script. Due to the conversion of the Somalis to Islam, conflict with the neighboring Christians of Ethiopia led to numerous wars from the 13th to the 16th century. After the Somali Ajuuraan Dynasty collapsed in the 18th century Omani rule started as a trade network spanning much of the Arabian Sea from Zanzibar to Arabia making Somalia an important center of early trade. In-spite of Arab rule along the coast, the Somali tribes of the interior exercised almost total independence and often raided the coastal settlements until the Arabs began to withdraw by the 19th century. Egypt and Britain both attempted to colonize Somalia with the British having been successful in forming a protectorate over northern Somaliland. Italy later claimed the southern portions of Somalia.
Following decades of British and Italian rule, the Somalis formed their own independent state in 1960, but one that obviously emerged having been influenced by all of its interactions with both local neighbors and distant colonial powers.
Genetics
Genetic genealogy, although a new tool that uses the genes of modern populations to trace their ethnic and geographic origins has also helped pinpoint the possible background of the modern Somalis. According to one prominent study published in the European Journal of Human Genetics, the Somalis appear to be more indigenous than previously believed:
The data suggest that the male Somali population is a race of men with predominant new cluster of lineages that were introduced into the Somali population 4000−5000 years ago, and that the Somali male population has approximately 15% Y chromosomes from Eurasia and approximately 5% from other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Which indicates that Somalis are genetically rare, compared to their African neighbors.
Generally, it is believed that most population movements involve male invaders and an indigenous Somali population, of the same general type as the Ethiopid may been established millennia ago with distinct characteristics that link them to all of their neighbors. This data points towards small paternal contributions from genetically Eurasian populations, most likely those of Arabian and North African origin. Genetic studies also show that there are not any substantial genetic variations between the Amhara of Ethiopia and their Cushitic neighbors, which, if the Semitic branch did not originate in the Horn of Africa, suggests substantial linguistic replacement rather than a large mass invasion from Arabia or elsewhere as an explanation for the languages of the Amhara and other Semitic-speaking peoples in Ethiopia. Overall, the Somalis genetically cluster with their neighbors in the Horn of Africa and represent a unique sub-group of the region.
The Northeast African people (i.e Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti) are closely related to the Ancient Egyptians, the Ancient Egyptians traced their origins in these locations known as "Punt" which some believe is now modern day Puntland. [14]
Geographic distribution
Somalis comprise the majority of Somalia's population at approximately 85% of the total. They are traditionally a nomadic ethnic group, but since the late twentieth century, many have moved to the cities. The majority of Somalis can be found between the Jubba and Shabelle Rivers in various cities and towns. Other large Somali populations are found mainly in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti.
Somali diaspora
The Somali civil war led to the Somali diaspora, where most of the best educated Somalis left for Northern Europe and America
In Europe, the distribution of Somalis by country is: UK: about 180,000 (there are no good statistics out for Somalis in the UK because many Somalis from other European countries have moved there since 1995); Netherlands: 21,733 (2005); Norway: 16,765 (2005); Denmark: 16,564 (2006); Sweden: 15,294 (2004). In the United Kingdom London, Sheffield, Birmingham, Cardiff and Leicester are home to the largest concentration of Somalis.
In North America, Toronto, Minneapolis, Columbus, Ohio, Washington, DC, Ottawa, Seattle, Atlanta, and San Diego have the largest Somali populations, although they are scattered throughout the continent in small numbers. [5]
Between 1992 and 2005, 64,439 persons born in Somalia were admitted to the United States as refugees, which was the vast majority of total emigration from Somalia during that period. Unlike the European figures, however, this statistic does not include US-born children. (Source: United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)
Clan structure
Somalis are split up into many clans and sub-clans, including but not limited to the following major clans:
- Dir(Issas, Gadabursi, Isaaq, Bimaal, Gurgure,Gadsan, Suure,and others)
- Darod
- Hawiye
- Rahanweyn (Digil and Mirifle)
Genealogical claims are an important part of Somali tradition and can appear to outsiders as a form of xenophobic isolation. [15] Loyalty to one's clan is important and in Somalia it often supersedes any central government authority.
Somali nationalism often relates to ancestral claims of a biblical and Quranic nature as most Somalis claim some sort of relationship with ancient Near Eastern religious figures and peoples. A hierarchical system exists as competing groups claim varying degrees of important ancient ancestral ties. These differing claims of ancestral origin have been historically used by imperialists such as the British and Italians to divide the Somalis and the civil war of the 1980s corresponded to this somewhat artificial ethnic cleavage between the Isaaq clan and southern Somalis. These tribal rivalries have continued to afflict the Somali people into the 21st century as no central government has managed to unite the disparate and sometimes hostile tribes.
Role Models
Athletes
Popular music
Main Article: music of Somalia
Most Somali artists in their music talk about love, but some recall how life was in Somalia before the Somali Civil War and some talk about how Somalis should come together to unite and restore the country to its former glory.
.
SomalyWood
Although it's nowhere near the level of Hollywood, the Somali Movie Industry also known as Somalywood is taking shape and becoming quite popular in the Somali Communities of the Diaspora and back in Somalia. The Somali Directors AbdiSalam Aato and AbdiMalik Isak are on the forefront of this revolution that's taking place in the Somali Society. Somalis are great fans of Bollywood movies and Somali Films are usually love stories mixed with Hollywood orientated action.
Livelihoods
In Somalia Many people continue to subsist upon agricultural and pastoral livelihoods as trade remains fairly limited. Due to the relatively arid conditions found throughout much of the Horn of Africa, water and irrigation are crucial to farming and the various internecine wars have ravaged much of the country's infrastructure and led to famines. Due to the turmoil experienced by various civil wars, the average Somali life expectancy hovers around 46 years.[16]
Education remains an important consideration for most Somalis, but, according to the CIA Factbook, only about 37.8% of the country is believed to be literate.[17] Clan rivalry, a rise in religious fundamentalism, and gender discrimination are some factors that continue to hamper Somali society as well.
Islam
The vast majority of Somalis are Sunni Muslims. Loyalty to Islam reinforces distinctions that set Somalis apart from their immediate African neighbors, many of whom are either Christians (particularly the Amhara and others of Ethiopia) or adherents of indigenous African faiths.
After the collapse of the Government numerous Qu'ranic schools have tried to fill in the vacuum. Qu'ranic schools also known as duqsi's remain the basic system of instruction in religion in Somalia. They provide Islamic education for children, thereby filling a clear religious and social role in the country. Known as the most stable local, non-formal education providing basic religious and moral instruction, their strength rests on community support and their use of locally made and widely available teaching materials. The Qu'ranic system, which teaches the greatest number of students relative to the other education sub-sectors, is the only system accessible to nomadic Somalis compared to the urban Somalis who have easier access to education.In 1993 a survey by UNICEF was conducted in which it found among other things, that about 40% of pupils in Qu'ranic schools were girls[18]this is quite amazing compared to other schools where gender disparity there is much larger.
In the Somali diaspora every year multiple Islamic fundraising events are held in cities like Toronto and Minneapolis where Somali scholars and professionals give lectures and answer questions from the audiences.The purpose of these events are usually to fundraise money for a new School or a University in Somalia ,or help Somalis that are struck by floods and droughts or for the funding of a new mosque like the Abuubakar-As-Saddique Mosque[19] that's now being build in the Twin cities.
Discrimination
Somalis also face various discriminations. In the West, there is a huge Islamaphobic attitude towards Muslims in general[citation needed]. Plus, Somalis also face discriminations from other Africans for their business savvy skills[citation needed]. An example of this is the violence against Somalis in South Africa. [20]But it is interesting to note that the native South Africans in their local communities have formed street committees and have started to patrol the streets, especially the places that have Somali shops. On top of that, Somali entrepreneurs have received local names as protection.[21].
References
- Ethnologue population estimates for Somali speakers
- US Library of Congress Country Study of Somalia
- European Journal of Human Genetics-High frequencies of Y chromosome lineages characterized by E3b1, DYS19-11, DYS392-12 in Somali males
- American Journal of Human Genetics-The Making of the African mtDNA Landscape
- Somali Planet Networks