by Ibrahim Abdi Dalahow
Sunday May 21, 2023
Recently, I read an article on Hiiraan Online with the subject 'Fallacies and Myths in the Nobility of Somali Clans ' (Irir, Dir, Darood) penned by one Ahmed Bashir
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First of all, my name is Ibrahim, a Somali, Kenyan Citizen...and I appreciate HIIRAAN ONLINE for publishing articles that concern Somalis. I have been a vivid reader of your articles, especially those that command deep research as well as those shallow in depth, since time immemorial. (almost since the start of the mellinium)
The author said he was writing to enlightens us on the fallacies of Somalis Nobility, Lineages and Clan hierarchies after having read two newer books written in the past 150 years by the names of :
1. Abyssinian Conquest: 1935-1936, by Philip Jowett
2. Grammar of the Somali Language: Cambridge University Press Warehouse, 1905, by J.W.C. Kirk. See APPENDIX III, pages 139-142
As a practice in somali culture and having initiated the topic, The author doesn't specifically tells us his ABATIRIS (Somali ancestry lineage) which is a central issue when discussing such matters of ancestry and lineages. So, for now, he can hide from our scrutiny and that is allowed.
On skipping that, he started on a wrong foot - not at par with Somali culture but we will allow him for the purpose of discussion - still, Somalis usually get to know each other through ancestry.
Somalis value ABATIRIS so much that, one can know your clan history 10-20 centuries ago. It is a culture ingrained in us by our forefathers as we expanded to the whole of Horn of Africa. A Somali first words to any other Somali will be ....yaa tihiin....Qolamaa tihiin...Yaa ka sii tihiin...to ascertain your somali family tree and relation.
Secondly, From what I read in his article, He tries to show us that, he know so much about Somali history, which he doesn't seem to, as pertains his statements which are not concurrent with Somali history as will be stated here.
It seemed to me that he has done little research on so many aspects of Somali History, poetry, the somali culture as well as modern contemporary studies on The Somali people, their origins, their ancestry and lineages.
Our GrandDad, Samaale Hill as he was called, is the father of all Somalis ( Dir/Hawiye) we have today. Others were born from the children of Dir.
Samaale Hill had several children and among the notable ones was IRIR SAMAALE. There are others like GARDHEERE SAMAALE, MEEYLE SAMAALE and so on.
IRIR SAMAALE three sons were Daqalo, Dir and Hawiya. These were brothers. Daqalo didn't leave much like the two, Dir and Hawiye and that is why much is not said about him. Some Somali history say, DOMBIRA DIREED - The mother of all DAROD Clans was born of Daqalo and not Dir himself as many claim...but because Daqalo didn't live much, she was always under her UNCLE DIR IRIR SAMAALE and everyone thinks she was born by Dir.
Dombira was given to Sheikh abdirahman Ismail Jabarti who bore her 5 main sons....that is history for another day.
The author doesn't have the history and ABTIRIS of IRIR SAMAALE but pretends to classify them as NOBLES and OUTCASTS. He describes Nobles as the pattern taken as the classification of the British Colonial administration that was in Northern Somalia 🇸🇴(currently Somaliland) as recent as 100 years ago. He doesn't explain to us the importance of 'ABTIRISIMO' in somali culture which is a core function of any somali clan or tribe.
By stating that IRIR SAMAALE was created recently, the person is not in tandem either with Somali history or is just trying to create a notion that Somalis have no history and are just a collection of tribes that came together....without proper genealogy.
First thing first, he thinks IRIR SAMAALE was created recently, pointing to us that, some like him even heard about it as recently as 1960's....during the founding of the present day SOMALIA
That is already a joke. My Father who is a descendant of IRIR SAMAALE was born in 1927 in Kenya, My Grandfather in 1850 in Ethiopia and my Great Grandfather around 1800....How come they were not even in Somalia and they were already running their genealogy to IRIR SAMAALE like us today. So, does that show his low level obstruction of Somalis history infront of historians, academicians, researchers and all type of methodologies used to ascertain the Origin of Somalis....then again, why would he pen such information (when he has not done proper research) in HIIRAAN ONLINE, an online platform that is responsible and respected by many somalis...?
What this fella is telling us is that, he is shallow in Somali history and that, the information he has is derived from those books, which are not an authority on somali history is wrong or may be his clan has a biased, mischievous agenda on Somali history and (them) being a bunch of 'wannabee Somalis' who having realised they have no proper lineage, decided or purport that, All Somalis then, have no history or lineage.
My personal Lineage runs 21 Grandparents to IRIR SAMAALE and this is taught to all our people immediately they attain 5 years.
So, please let us not try to deceive people and recreate fake history - because you think, when A LIE is told several times, it slowly becomes THE TRUTH. 1q
Ibrahim Abdi Dalahow
Dubai, UAE
[email protected]