The Akisho (
Somali: ''Akiisho'',
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
: أكيشو) is a sub-division of the Ali Madahweyne subclan of the
Dir clan family.
Overview
As a
Dir sub-clan, the Akisho have immediate lineal ties with the
Issa, the
Gadabuursi
The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' (Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.
The Gadabuursi are geographically s ...
, the
Surre (Abdalle and
Qubeys
Qubeys قبيس سر در is a member of the Surre, one of the sons of the greater Mehe Dir tribe. Qubeys is brother to Abdalle Surre Dir. Surre (Abdalle & Qubeys)
History & overview
Qubeys قبيس, along with Abdalle, are a subclan of th ...
), the
Biimaal
Overview
The Biimaal or Bimal, is a sub-clan of the major Dir clan family. This clan is widely known for leading a resistance against the colonials in southern Somalia for decades which can be compared to the war of the Sayyid in Somaliland. Th ...
(who the
Gaadsen
Overview
The Biimaal or Bimal, is a sub-clan of the major Dir clan family. This clan is widely known for leading a resistance against the colonials in southern Somalia for decades which can be compared to the war of the Sayyid in Somaliland. Th ...
also belong too), the Bajimal, the
Bursuk, the
Gurgura
The Gurgure, Gorgorah or Gurgura ( so, Gurgure, om, Gurgura, ar, غرغرة) is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.
Distribution
The Gurgure are the majority in the Erer district in the Sitti Zone and Dire Dawa ...
, (the
Quranyow sub-clan to be precise as they claim descent from
Dir), Gariire, other
Dir sub-clans and they have lineal ties with the
Hawiye
The Hawiye ( so, Hawiye, ar, بنو هوية, it, Hauija) is the largest Somali clan family. Members of this clan traditionally inhabit central and southern Somalia, Somaliland, Ethiopia ( Somali, Harar, Oromia and Afar regions) and the Nor ...
(Irir),
Hawadle
The Hawadle or Xawaadle ( so, Xawaadle, ar, حوادله, it, Auadleh) are a Somali clan who traces its descent from Mayle Gorgaarte, one of the sons of Hawiye clan. The Hawadle, as well as many other Somali clans like the Dir, trace themselv ...
, Ajuraan,
Degoodi
The Degoodi or Degodia ( so, Degoodi or Degoodiya, ar, دغودي) is a Somali clan.
They are genealogically related to the other Samaale, but in particular to the Garjante, Gaalje'el, Masare, Isa (Saransor) and 'Awrmale, with which they share ...
,
Gaalje'el
The Gaalje'el ( so, Gaaljecel), ( it, Galgial), ( ar, الجعل) Galjecel is one of the largest Somali clans, whose origins trace back to Samaale. The Galje'el clan belong to the Saransor family of clans, alongside the Issa, Masare and Degodi ...
clan groups, who share the same ancestor
Samaale Samaale, also spelled Samali or Samale ( so, Samaale) is traditionally considered to be the oldest common forefather of several major Somali clans and their respective sub-clans. His name is the source of the ethnonym ''Somali''..
As the purported ...
.
[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]
Distribution
The Akisho inhabit both the
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
and
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
in Somali region. In Somaliland, Akisho members live in the
Maroodi Jeex
Marodi Jeh ( so, Maroodi Jeex, ar, مرودي جيح) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It is the most populous region of the country. It is bordered by Awdal to the west, Sahil to the north, Togdheer to the eas ...
region, in the cities and towns of
Hargeisa
Hargeisa (; so, Hargeysa, ar, هرجيسا) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Somaliland. It is located in the Maroodi Jeex region of the Horn of Africa. It succeeded Burco as the capital of the British Somaliland Protector ...
,
Arabsiyo
Arabsiyo is a town in the Gabiley district of Somaliland. The town is located about 30 km west of Hargeisa.
Overview
Arabsiyo has a three valleys located on the West, Central and on the Eastern of the city with a number of farming villages s ...
,
Wajaale
Tog Wajaale (also known as Wajaale) is a city on the border of Somaliland and Ethiopia. Tog Wajaale is the main border crossing for goods coming in and out of Somaliland, primarily from the port city of Berbera, Somaliland's main port.
Demogra ...
,
Allaybaday
Allaybaday is a town in the Maroodi Jeex region of Somaliland, on the border with Ethiopia. It is primarily inhabited by people from the Somali ethnic group, and is dominated by the Reer Geele, Abdalla Abokor sub divisions of the Sa'ad Musa subc ...
, and
Gabiley
Gabiley ( so, Gabiley, ar, غابيلي), also known as Gebiley, is a city in the Maroodi Jeex region of Somaliland.
Gabiley is located 58 km west of Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. It is in the center of the Gabiley district, bounded ...
In Ethiopia, where the Akisho are among the most widespread Somali group, Akisho members inhabit
Jijiga
Jijiga (, am, ጅጅጋ, ''Jijiga'') is the capital city of Somali Region, Ethiopia. It became the capital of the Somali Region in 1995 after it was moved from Gode. Located in the Fafan Zone with 70 km (37 mi) west of the border ...
, Qordhere, Dire Dewa, Bale (Nagelle), Babile, Fayanbiro, Qabri-Bayah, Fiq, Hara-Maaya, Harar, Obra, and Dadar. Fadeyga godanta booraale gursum and many more geographical regions. Currently, the sultan of the Akisho clan is Muhiyadiin Odawa.
Also the Madahweyne Dir, Akisho clan is one of the largest Dir sub-clans within the borders of the
Somaliland region of
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
based on the Ethiopian population census.
[Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Central Statistical Agency Population of Ethiopia for All Regions At Wereda Level from 2014 p. 21 Somali region](_blank)
Many Akisho's live in the Afar region of Ethiopia.
The Akisho live in
Jijiga
Jijiga (, am, ጅጅጋ, ''Jijiga'') is the capital city of Somali Region, Ethiopia. It became the capital of the Somali Region in 1995 after it was moved from Gode. Located in the Fafan Zone with 70 km (37 mi) west of the border ...
district where they make up a large part of the
Kebri Beyah
Kebri Beyah (also spelled ''Kebribeyah'', ''Qebri Beyah'', ''Qabribayah'', Somali: ''Qabribayax'') is a town in southeastern Ethiopia. Located in the Somali Region, 50 kilometers south east of Jijiga, it has a longitude and latitude of and an alti ...
and
Fafan Zone
Fafan ( so, Faafan) is a zone in Somali Region of Ethiopia. It was previously known as the Jijiga zone, so named after its largest city, Jijiga. Other towns and cities in this zone include Harshin, Awbare, Derwernache, Kebri Beyah, Tuli Gulled a ...
. The Dir-Madaxweyne Akisho, along with the
Gurgura
The Gurgure, Gorgorah or Gurgura ( so, Gurgure, om, Gurgura, ar, غرغرة) is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.
Distribution
The Gurgure are the majority in the Erer district in the Sitti Zone and Dire Dawa ...
,
Issa and
Gadabuursi
The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' (Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.
The Gadabuursi are geographically s ...
subclans of the
Dir represent the most native and indigenous Somali tribes in
Harar
Harar ( amh, ሐረር; Harari: ሀረር; om, Adare Biyyo; so, Herer; ar, هرر) known historically by the indigenous as Gey (Harari: ጌይ ''Gēy'', ) is a walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is also known in Arabic as the City of Saint ...
.
History
Akisho is one of the oldest Somali clans being mentioned as far back as the 16th century in the book ''The Conquest of Abyssinia'' also known as ''Futuh al-habash''. Akisho members are strict adherents of Sunni Islam. Akisho groups and their related clans are reputed to have migrated from Somali Ethiopian region all the way up North as far as the country Chad, the Sudan, and Northern Eritrea are said to be inhabited by Akisho and many Dir tribes. Ahmed Gurey was one of the Akisho members.
The city of
Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa ( am, ድሬዳዋ, om, Dirree Dhawaa, 3=Place of Remedy; so, Diridhaba, meaning "where Dir hit his spear into the ground" or "The true Dir", ar, ديري داوا,) is a city in eastern Ethiopia near the Oromia and Somali Re ...
was originally called Dir Dhabe and used to be part of
Adal Sultanate
The Adal Sultanate, or the Adal Empire or the ʿAdal or the Bar Saʿad dīn (alt. spelling ''Adel Sultanate, ''Adal ''Sultanate'') () was a medieval Sunni Muslim Empire which was located in the Horn of Africa. It was founded by Sabr ad-Din ...
during the medieval times and was exclusively settled by
Dir clan which is a major Somali tribe. The Akisho name is originally derived from "Cayisho" which means, in old Somali, the (Cayilsan) "Fat One." The Gurre and Gurgurre both are very closely related to the Akisho, use a nickname and were referred to the Oromo and Somalis as the traders or Gurgure from the old Somali and Oromo word "gorgortan" which means ''one who sells and trades''.
According to the folklore historians of the Southern Suure Dir of the Mudug region, the Akisho and Gurre and the Gurgure Madahweyne Dir produced some of the most famous Somali folk heroes like the Somali queen Araweelo who was Warre Miyo. Also the Akisho and Gurgure clans were instrumental in spreading the Muslim faith in the hinterlands of Ethiopia. The Sheikh Abba Hussein in Southern Ethiopia is said to be of Dir, as well as Awbarkadleh and Awbuube who are two major saints of the Somalis.
Currently Muhiyadiin Odowa is the Sultan of the Akisho. Famous people of the Akisho clan are Ahmed Gurey
Arawelo and Oday Biiqay.
The information in contained in this Response was provided by Matt Bryden, a consultant and Somali specialist now working with the United Nations Institute for Research on Social Development (UNRISD) in Nairobi (16 June 1998). He stated that the Akisho "are related to the Dir clan family, and live mainly between Jigjiga
n Ethiopia Hargeysa and many regions in Ethiopia. In Somalia, they have been awarded a seat in the constituent assembly. They face no threat of persecution in any of the areas in which they live." The Research Directorate was unable to corroborate the Akisho's participation in the constituent assembly nor whether they face "persecution."
According to the Ethiopian Review the Akisho may be more numerous in Ethiopia than they are in Somalia (30 Apr. 1996). For additional information on the Dir clan and the Akisho sub clan, please consult Patrick Gilkes' The Price of Peace: Somalia and the United Nations 1991–1994 pages 144–148, and the appendix of Somali clan families.
Clan tree
The Akisho clan consists of 12 major sub-clans:
*Akisho
***Miyo
****Reer Warfaa
****Reer Dalal
****Reer Robleh
****Reer Gadiid
****Reer Hawadee
****Reer Buuke
****Reer Agal
** Reer-Bito
** Reer-Dayo
**Reer-Luujo
****Reer Geedi
****Ali Idoora
****Ali Libaan
****Ali Ibrahim
***-Reer-Ito
****** Ree Rooble
****** Ree cadaawe
****** Ree Tukale
****** Ree kibriidle
***Kiyo
*** Reer Adeele
*** Reer Cadow
*** Reer Geele
*** Reer Allaale
*** Reer Xildiid
***Reer-Heebaan (Curad Akisho)
***-Reer-Kurto
**Obo
*** Liban
**** Jire
***** Reer Biiqe
***** Rear Abayu
**** Warimani
*** Suubo
**Igo
*** Reer Ismaacil
*** Reer Wadhowr
**Asaabo
**Gurre
****Eejo
There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures and many lineages are omitted. The following listing is taken from the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
's ''Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics'' from 2005 and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
's
Home Office publication, ''Somalia Assessment 2001''.
[Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001, Annex B: Somali Clan Structure](_blank)
, p. 43
*Dir
* Akisho
**
Issa
**
Gadabuursi
The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' (Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.
The Gadabuursi are geographically s ...
**
Biimaal
Overview
The Biimaal or Bimal, is a sub-clan of the major Dir clan family. This clan is widely known for leading a resistance against the colonials in southern Somalia for decades which can be compared to the war of the Sayyid in Somaliland. Th ...
"Bimal"
**
Surre
**
Quranyow of the
Garre
The Garre (also Gurreh, Karre, "Binukaaf") ( Somali: ''Reer Garre'', Arabic: بنو كاف, romanized: ''Banī kāf'' ) is a major Somali clan whose origins trace back to Samaale who traces the lineage from the Arabian Peninsula through Aqiil ...
"Gorajno"
**
Gurgura
The Gurgure, Gorgorah or Gurgura ( so, Gurgure, om, Gurgura, ar, غرغرة) is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.
Distribution
The Gurgure are the majority in the Erer district in the Sitti Zone and Dire Dawa ...
"Gurgure"
** Garrire "Gerire"
** Bajimal "Bajumal"
**
Barsuug "Bursuk"
**
Gurre
The Gure or Gurre ( Somali: ''Gurre'') is a Somali clan, a sub-clan of the major Dir clan family.
Distribution
The Gurre live in Liben zone and Afder zone. They dominate the districts, Qarsadula, Gorobakaks and Guradamol, which are named af ...
''Goorre''
In the south central part of Somalia the World Bank shows the following clan tree:
[Worldbank, ]
Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics
', January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts, p. 56 Figure A-2
*Dir
**Akisho
**Gadabuursi
**Isse
**Bimal
**Gadsan
**
Qubeys
Qubeys قبيس سر در is a member of the Surre, one of the sons of the greater Mehe Dir tribe. Qubeys is brother to Abdalle Surre Dir. Surre (Abdalle & Qubeys)
History & overview
Qubeys قبيس, along with Abdalle, are a subclan of th ...
Notable figures
*
Ahmed Gurey
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi ( so, Axmed Ibraahim al-Qaasi or Axmed Gurey, Harari: አሕመድ ኢብራሂም አል-ጋዚ, ar, أحمد بن إبراهيم الغازي ; 1506 – 21 February 1543) was an imam and general of the Adal Sultan ...
Ref: Futūḥ al-Ḥabasha. (n.d.). Christian-Muslim Relations 1500 - 1900. doi:10.1163/2451-9537_cmrii_com_26077
Notes
References
* Futūḥ al-Ḥabasha. (n.d.). Christian-Muslim Relations 1500 - 1900. doi:10.1163/2451-9537_cmrii_com_26077
* Country Information and Policy Unit,
Somalia Assessment 2001', Home Office, Great Britain
Bryden, Matt. UNRISD, Nairobi. 16 June 1998. Letter received by electronic mail.
Gilkes, Patrick. September 1994. The Price of Peace: Somalia and the United Nations 1991-1994. Bedfordshire, UK: Save the Children Fund, UK.
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential
ondon January - May 1998. Vol. 39. Nos. 1-11.
_____. January - December 1997. Vol. 38. Nos. 1-25.
Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series
xford January - May 1998. Vol. 35. Nos. 1-4.
_____. January - December 1997. Vol. 34. Nos. 1-11.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997. 1998.
Horn of Africa Bulletin
ppsala Vol. 10. Nos. 1-2.
_____. January - December 1997. Vol. 9. Nos. 1-10.
The Indian Ocean Newsletter
aris Aris or ARIS may refer to:
People
* Aris (surname)
Given name
* Aris Alexandrou, Greek writer
* Aris Brimanis, ice hockey player
* Aris Christofellis, Greek male soprano
* Aris Gavelas, Greek sprinter
* Aris Howard, Former President of the Jama ...
January - June 1998. Nos. 793-815.
_____. January - December 1997. Nos. 747 - 792.
{{Somali clans
Somali clans
Somali clans in Ethiopia