Afgooye ( so, Afgooye, ar, أفجويى, it, Afgoi) is a town in the southwestern Somalia
Lower Shebelle
Lower Shabelle ( so, Shabeellaha Hoose, Maay: ''Shibelithy Hoosy'', ar, شبيلي السفلى, it, Basso Scebeli) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southern Somalia.
Geography
Lower Shabelle is bordered by the regions of Banaadir ...
(Shabellaha Hoose) region of
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
. It is the center of the
Afgooye District
Afgooye District is a district in the southeastern Lower Shabelle (Shabeellaha Hoose) region of Somalia. Its capital lies at Afgooye
Afgooye ( so, Afgooye, ar, أفجويى, it, Afgoi) is a town in the southwestern Somalia Lower Shebelle (Sha ...
. Afgooye is the third largest city of
Southwest State. Afgooye is one of the oldest towns on the lower
Shebelle
The Shebelle River ( so, Webi Shabeelle, ar, نهر شبيلي, am, እደላ) begins in the highlands of Ethiopia, and then flows southeast into Somalia towards Mogadishu. Near Mogadishu, it turns sharply southwest, where it follows the coast. ...
valley, 30 kilometers north of
Mogadishu
Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port ...
. Afgooye is the site of Lafoole college, the first college of education in
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
, built on the site of the battle of Lafoole of 1896. Afgooye is also known for the
Istunka
Istunka, also known as isgaraac, is a festival held annually in Afgooye, Somalia on the Somali new year.Somalia in word and image - Page 23 The tournament was developed during the medieval Ajuran period, and was centralized in the 19th century ...
, the annual "stick fight" carnival commemorating the
New Year
New Year is the time or day currently at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system to ...
in the
riverine region. It was a trade center for the
Silcis Dynasty in the medieval period then fell under
Ajuran rule. Around the late 17th century, Afgooye became the capital of
Geledi Sultanate
The Sultanate of the Geledi ( so, Saldanadda Geledi, ar, سلطنة غلدي) also known as the Gobroon Dynasty Somali Sultanate: The Geledi City-state Over 150 Years - Virginia Luling (2002) Page 229 was a Somali kingdom that ruled parts of th ...
.
Etymology
In the
somali language
Somali (Latin script: ; Wadaad writing, Wadaad: ; Osmanya: 𐒖𐒍 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘 ) is an Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language belonging to the Cushitic languages, Cushitic branch. It is spoken as a mother tongue by Somalis in ...
"Afgooye translates to split mouth or open/ split closing.
Location
It is situated about 30 kilometres west of
Mogadishu
Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port ...
, the nation's capital. The
Shabelle River
The Shebelle River ( so, Webi Shabeelle, ar, نهر شبيلي, am, እደላ) begins in the highlands of Ethiopia, and then flows southeast into Somalia towards Mogadishu. Near Mogadishu, it turns sharply southwest, where it follows the coast. ...
passes through the middle of the town.
History
Medieval Period
The
Silcis Dynasty were a section of
Ajuran that governed the Afgooye district. Neither the Silcis nor the Ajuran developed the town, but limited themselves to controlling the caravan routes and collecting taxes and tribute. The Silcis center of power was in Lama Jiidle (present day Afgooye). Lama Jiidle means "two roads" in Somali.
The Silcis imposed taxation on their subject clans, such as the Wacdaan, a fellow subclan of the Gurgate Hawiye, and the Geledi, a Rahanweyn subclan. According to Virginia Luling, "The Sil'is imposed their dominion on the Geledi, who had to pay as tribute a measure (suus) of grain every day from each household; it was collected and loaded on a camel, others say a donkey. A tax was also imposed on those who brought their stock to water at the river”. Barile also describes the taxes levied by the Silcis.
The final ruler of the Silcis in Lama Jiidle (Afgooye) was the sultan 'Umur Abukar Abroone. According to Luling, "His daughter Imbia used to go round collecting the daily tribute of grain, accompanied by her slaves" from her father's Wacdaan and Geledi subjects. Oral accounts hold that one day, "when the Sultan's daughter came round to collect the tribute, she got a beating instead of the grain", as the Geledi refused to pay. When Imbia reported this event to her father, he exclaimed "waa la i afgooye", literally "they have cut off my mouth", meaning that the regime's source of provision had been terminated. Lama Jiidle's name became Afgooye to commemorate this victory over the Silcis.
The Geledi mobilized and under
Ibrahim Adeer
Ibrahim Adeer ( so, Ibraahin Adeer, ar, ابراهيم أدير) was a Somali ruler. He founded the Sultanate of the Geledi. He subsequently established the Geledi sultanate's ruling house, the Gobroon dynasty, after having to successfully rebe ...
a general who used to serve the Ajuran drove the Silcis out of Afgooye and established the
Geledi Sultanate
The Sultanate of the Geledi ( so, Saldanadda Geledi, ar, سلطنة غلدي) also known as the Gobroon Dynasty Somali Sultanate: The Geledi City-state Over 150 Years - Virginia Luling (2002) Page 229 was a Somali kingdom that ruled parts of th ...
.
[Lee V. Cassanelli, ''The Shaping of Somali Society: Reconstructing the History of a Pastoral People, 1600-1900'', (University of Pennsylvania Press: 1982), p.271.]
Early Modern
![Afgoye, Somalia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Afgoye%2C_Somalia.JPG)
Afgooye was in its golden age in the early modern period under the reign of the
Gobroon dynasty
The Sultanate of the Geledi ( so, Saldanadda Geledi, ar, سلطنة غلدي) also known as the Gobroon Dynasty Somali Sultanate: The Geledi City-state Over 150 Years - Virginia Luling (2002) Page 229 was a Somali kingdom that ruled parts of th ...
which was not only a powerful military machine but, by its use of Asraar or Ta'daar the feared "secret mystical language" was a formidable force in other respects as well. Afgooye at that time was a trading hub center controlling the trade route between the coast and interior. All roads were linked to Afgooye which gave the city immense leverage. During the early 19th century, the city's population was estimated to have exceeded 80,000 making it one of the largest cities in East Africa of that time.
The city was surrounded by a large wall with five fortified gates. It had many complex structures such as multi-story high buildings, big palaces in the center, mosques, residential houses, shops, roads, and bridges. They also built an advanced plumbing system, a drainage system, and a sewage system. The city was very vibrant and developed in its time.
The
Sultanate
This article includes a list of successive Islamic states and Muslim dynasties beginning with the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (570–632 CE) and the early Muslim conquests that spread Islam outside of the Arabian Peninsula, and continui ...
ruled most of the inter-riverine region and Benadir coast. Its headquarters was located in Afgooye which was an extremely wealthy and large city. Afgooye having some thriving industries such as
weaving
Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Other methods are knitting, crocheting, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The longitudinal th ...
,
shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear.
Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand, often by groups of shoemakers, or cobblers (also known as '' cordwainers''). In the 18th century, dozens or even hundreds of masters, journeymen ...
,
tableware
Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of o ...
,
jewellery
Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry (U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a wester ...
,
pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and por ...
and produced other various products. Afgooye was the crossroads of caravans bringing ivory, leopard skins, and aloe in exchange for foreign fabrics, sugar, dates, and firearms. Afgooyans also traded livestock and slaves. The outside inhabitants of Afgooye grew sorghum, beans, cotton, bananas, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. The Afgooyans say "Laka Beere beerwaye" (you can count on your farm), as opposed to the nomads who counted their camels. Afgooyans raised cows, goats, sheep, and chicken for meat, milk, and ghee. It is said that every household in Afgooye was wealthy and you could not find a single poor person.
Afgooye
merchants
A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as industry ...
boasted their wealth; one of their wealthiest said
''Moordiinle iyo Mereeyey iyo mooro lidow, maalki jeri keenow kuma moogi malabside''.
''Bring all the wealth of Moordiinle, Mereeyey, and the enclosures of lidow, I scarcely notice it.''
Italian Somaliland
At the turn of the 20th century, Afgooye was incorporated into
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somalia ( it, Somalia Italiana; ar, الصومال الإيطالي, Al-Sumal Al-Italiy; so, Dhulka Talyaaniga ee Soomaalida), was a protectorate and later colony of the Kingdom of Italy in present-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th centur ...
. The Italians occupied the town in 1908 and in the process abolished the local
slave market
A slave market is a place where slaves are bought and sold. These markets became a key phenomenon in the history of slavery.
Slave markets in the Ottoman Empire
In the Ottoman Empire during the mid-14th century, slaves were traded in special ...
. There was also a station in Afgooye on the
Mogadishu-Villabruzzi Railway, which connected the town to the capital
Mogadishu
Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port ...
.
Modern
In the 1980s, Afgooye was a common destination for investors from the
Gulf states. The Emir of
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
also reportedly used to visit the town during the holy month of
Ramadan
, type = islam
, longtype = Religious
, image = Ramadan montage.jpg
, caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
.
After the outbreak of the
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
in 1991, parts of the town became a place of refuge for many of southern Somalia's internally displaced people.
On May 25, 2012,
Somali government
The Government of Somalia (GS) ( so, Dowladda Soomaaliya, ar, حكومة الصومال الاتحادية) is the internationally recognised government of Somalia, and the first attempt to create a central government in Somalia since the colla ...
forces backed by
AMISOM tanks re-captured Afgooye from
Al-Shabaab, which had established a base in the area.
Istunka Afgooye Festival
Istunka
Istunka, also known as isgaraac, is a festival held annually in Afgooye, Somalia on the Somali new year.Somalia in word and image - Page 23 The tournament was developed during the medieval Ajuran period, and was centralized in the 19th century ...
, also known as ''isgaraac'', was the name for annual mock combat festival in Afgooye, which marks the new year and one of the best known tourist attractions in the region.
[Somalia in word and image - Page 23]
The festival was developed during the medieval
Ajuran period. It was later expanded upon by Sultan
Ahmed Yusuf (Gobroon)
Ahmed Yusuf Mahamud ( so, Axmed Yuusuf Maxamuud, ar, أحمد يوسف محمود) was a Somali ruler. He was the fourth Sultan of the Geledi sultanate, reigning from 1848 to 1878 and succeeded his father Yusuf Mahamud after his demise at the ...
becoming a centralized tournament separate teams were established, each supported by an assembly of poets, female vocalists and dance groups throughout the duration of the contest.
In the modern era, the festival evolved into a local attraction; particularly during the 1970s and 80s. It is still practised annually in the town.
Demographics
![British_ethnologist_Virginia_Luling_with_a_Somali_woman_in_Afgooye_in_1967](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/British_ethnologist_Virginia_Luling_with_a_Somali_woman_in_Afgooye_in_1967.jpeg)
Afgooye has a population of around 79,400 inhabitants.
The broader
Afgooye District
Afgooye District is a district in the southeastern Lower Shabelle (Shabeellaha Hoose) region of Somalia. Its capital lies at Afgooye
Afgooye ( so, Afgooye, ar, أفجويى, it, Afgoi) is a town in the southwestern Somalia Lower Shebelle (Sha ...
has a total population of 135,012 residents.
Afgooye District is predominantly inhabited by the
Geledi
The Geledi are a Somali clan that live predominantly in the environs of Afgooye city. They are a sub-clan of the Rahanweyn and led the Geledi sultanate during the late 17th to early 20th century. They are divided into two main lineage groups: the ...
clan with a small minority of Begedi and Garre clans all sub-clans of
Rahanweyn
The Rahanweyn ( Maay: ''Reewin or Roowing'', Northern Somali: ''Raxanweyn'', ar, رحنوين), also known as the Digil and Mirifle () are a Somali clan. It is one of the major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa, with a large territory and dense ...
.
Geodesy
Afgooye is a
geodetic datum
A geodetic datum or geodetic system (also: geodetic reference datum, geodetic reference system, or geodetic reference frame) is a global datum reference or reference frame for precisely representing the position of locations on Earth or other plan ...
used in Somalia. Afgooye datum is based on the
Krasovsky ellipsoid and the
Greenwich prime meridian.
Notable residents
*
Abdullahi Issa, Prime Minister of the Trust Territory of Somalia
*
Mohamed Osman Jawari
Mohamed Osman Jawari ( so, Maxamed Cismaan Jawaari, ar, محمد عثمان جواري) (born December 7, 1945 in Afgoi, Somalia), also known as Mohamed Jawari or Osman Jawari, is a Somali attorney and politician. He is former Speaker of the Fede ...
, Speaker of the Federal Parliament of Somalia
*
Mustafa Mohamed Moalim
Mustafa Mohamed Moalim ( so, Mustafa Maxamed Macalin, ar, مصطفى محمد معلم) (b. 25 March 1943 – 27 December 2009) was a prominent Somali aviator.
Early life and education
Mustafa Moalin was born in Mogadishu, Somalia to a veterina ...
, Chief of the Somali Air Force School and Operations
Notes
References
Afgooye, Somalia
{{Authority control
Ajuran Sultanate
Populated places in Lower Shebelle
Shebelle River