Djiboutian Presidential Election, 1993
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The Djiboutians (, ) are the native inhabitants of
Djibouti Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the east. The country has an area ...
, as well as the global diaspora of Djibouti. The country is mainly composed of two ethnic groups, the Somali and the Afar. It has many languages - though Somali and Afar are the most widely spoken ones,
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
and
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
serve as the official languages. There is a small Djiboutian diaspora in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
,
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
,
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
,
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
.


Demographics

Djibouti has a population of about 884,017 inhabitants. It is a
multiethnic A multinational state or a multinational union is a sovereign entity that comprises two or more nations or states. This contrasts with a nation state, where a single nation accounts for the bulk of the population. Depending on the definition of ...
country. The local population grew rapidly during the latter half of the 20th century, increasing from about 69,589 in 1955 to around 869,099 by 2015. The two largest ethnic groups are the
Somalis The Somali people (, Wadaad's writing, Wadaad: , Arabic: ) are a Cushitic peoples, Cushitic ethnic group and nation native to the Somali Peninsula. who share a common ancestry, culture and history. The Lowland East Cushitic languages, East ...
(60%) and Afars (35%). The
Somali clan Somali clans (; ) are patrilineal kinship groups based on agnatic descent of the Somali people. Tradition and folklore connects the origin of the Somali population by language and way of life, and societal organisations, by customs, and by a fee ...
component is mainly composed of the Issa, followed by the
Gadabuursi The Gadabuursi (Somali language, Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic language, Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' (Arabic language, Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir ...
and the
Isaaq The Isaaq (, , ''Banu Ishaq'') is a major Somali clans, Somali clan. It is one of the largest Somali clan families in the Horn of Africa, with a large and densely populated traditional territory. The Isaaq people claim in a traditional legend ...
. The remaining 5% of Djibouti's population primarily consists of Djiboutian
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
s, Ethiopians and Europeans (French and Italians). Approximately 76% of local residents are urban dwellers; the remainder are
pastoralists Pastoralism is a form of animal husbandry where domesticated animals (known as "livestock") are released onto large vegetated outdoor lands (pastures) for grazing, historically by nomadic people who moved around with their herds. The anima ...
.


Culture

Djiboutians' culture is primarily rooted in Somali and Afar traditions. They speak different
Cushitic languages The Cushitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They are spoken primarily in the Horn of Africa, with minorities speaking Cushitic languages to the north in Egypt and Sudan, and to the south in Kenya and Tanzania. As of ...
, which are part of the larger
Afro-Asiatic The Afroasiatic languages (also known as Afro-Asiatic, Afrasian, Hamito-Semitic, or Semito-Hamitic) are a language family (or "phylum") of about 400 languages spoken predominantly in West Asia, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and parts of th ...
language family. Historically, they have been nomadic
pastoralists Pastoralism is a form of animal husbandry where domesticated animals (known as "livestock") are released onto large vegetated outdoor lands (pastures) for grazing, historically by nomadic people who moved around with their herds. The anima ...
. However, recently the population has become urbanized - today, more than half live in the
capital Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...
, along with the nearby towns and villages of the interior. Poetry has been traditionally recited in the villages by special readers called gabaye. This was a way of recording the community's history and customs, as well as current events.


Cuisine

Djiboutian cuisine Djiboutian cuisine is a mixture of Somali, Afar, Yemeni, and French cuisine, with some additional South Asian (especially Indian) culinary influences. Local dishes are commonly prepared using a variety of Middle Eastern spices, ranging from ...
is a mixture of Somali, Afar,
Yemeni Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the northeast, the south-eastern part of the Arabian Sea to the east, the Gulf of Aden to the south ...
, and
French cuisine French cuisine is the cooking traditions and practices of France. In the 14th century, Guillaume Tirel, a Court (royal), court chef known as "Taillevent", wrote ''Le Viandier'', one of the earliest recipe collections of medieval France. In ...
, with some additional
South Asian South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...
(especially
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...
) culinary influences. Local dishes are commonly prepared using Middle Eastern spices, ranging from
saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of '' Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent ...
to
cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, biscuits, b ...
. Spicy dishes come in many variations, from the traditional ''Fah-fah'' or "''Soupe Djiboutienne''" (spicy boiled beef soup), to the ''yetakelt wet'' (spicy mixed vegetable stew). ''Xalwo'' (pronounced "halwo") or
halva Halva (also halvah, halwa, halua, and other spellings; ) is a type of confectionery that is widely spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, Central Asia, and South Asia. The name is used for a broad va ...
is a popular confection eaten during festive occasions, such as Eid celebrations or wedding receptions. Halva is made from
sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...
,
corn starch Cornflour, cornstarch, maize starch, or corn starch (American English) is the starch derived from corn (maize) grain. The starch is obtained from the endosperm of the seed, kernel. Corn starch is a common food ingredient, often used to thick ...
,
cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genus (biology), genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indon ...
powder,
nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed, or the ground spice derived from the seed, of several tree species of the genus '' Myristica''; fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg ('' M. fragrans'') is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fru ...
powder, and
ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from South Asia. It is commonly used for cooking, as a Traditional medicine of India, traditional medicine, and for Hinduism, Hindu religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by ...
.
Peanut The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), goober pea, pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics by small and large ...
s are sometimes added to enhance texture and flavour. After meals, homes are traditionally perfumed using
incense Incense is an aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonial reasons. It ...
(''cuunsi'') or
frankincense Frankincense, also known as olibanum (), is an Aroma compound, aromatic resin used in incense and perfumes, obtained from trees of the genus ''Boswellia'' in the family (biology), family Burseraceae. The word is from Old French ('high-quality in ...
(''lubaan''), which is prepared inside an incense burner referred to as a ''
dabqaad The dabqaad ( Somali for "fire raiser"), also known as girgire, and uunsi is a Somali incense burner, or censer. With either one or two handles, it is commonly used in Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Usage and production Dabqaads are traditio ...
''.


Music

Djiboutian music has Somali and Afar roots. Most Somali songs follow the
pentatonic scale A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave, in contrast to heptatonic scales, which have seven notes per octave (such as the major scale and minor scale). Pentatonic scales were developed independently by many ancient ci ...
. That is, they only use five pitches per
octave In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...
in contrast to a
heptatonic A heptatonic scale is a musical scale that has seven pitches, or tones, per octave. Examples include: * the diatonic scale; including the major scale and its modes (notably the natural minor scale, or Aeolian mode) * the melodic minor scale, l ...
(seven note) scale, often found in Western music. Somali music could be mistaken, when it's first heard, for the sounds of nearby regions such as Ethiopia,
Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
or the
Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
, but it is ultimately recognisable by its unique tunes and styles. Traditional Afar music resembles the folk music of other parts of the
Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
such as
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
; it also contains elements of
Arabic music Arabic music () is the music of the Arab world with all its diverse List of music styles, music styles and genres. Arabic countries have many rich and varied styles of music and also many linguistic Varieties of Arabic, dialects, with each countr ...
. The history of Djibouti is recorded in the poetry and songs of its nomadic people, and goes back to a time when the peoples of Djibouti traded hides and skins for the perfumes and spices of ancient
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, and
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. Afar Oral Literature is also quite musical. Popular Djiboutian musicians include Nima Djama, Abdo Xamar Qoodh, Mohamed Ali Fourchette, Abdallah Lee,
Shay Lia Shanice Dileita Mohamed (born on September 8th 1993), known as Shay Lia, is a French-Djiboutian musician based in Montreal, Quebec.Mr. Wavv"Shay Lia is one with the funk" ''Cult MTL'', May 10, 2019. Best known for her collaborations with Kaytranad ...
, and Xabiiba Cabdilaahi.


Cinema

Storytelling is an ancient custom in Djiboutian culture. This tradition is continued by a love of cinema. The earliest forms of public film display in Djibouti were in
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
. In the 1920s, the first local movie theatres opened, during a time when
Djibouti City Djibouti (also called Djibouti City and Jibuti in early Western texts) is the capital city of the Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti. It is located in the coastal Djibouti Region on the Gulf of Tadjoura. Djibouti has a population of around 780,000 ...
began to grow in size. Film theatres became a place where local residents could watch movies in a relaxed atmosphere. With the development of the local film industry, additional theatres were launched. Among these establishments were the ''Eden'' in 1934, ''Olympia'' in 1939, ''Le Paris'' in 1965, and ''Al Hilal'' in 1975. During the 1970s, the capital city had five movie theatres, with one in each district. A few local attempts at shooting films were also concurrently carried out with the participation of local actors. One of these was ''Burta Djinka'', a film in Somali directed by G. Borg in 1972. Following independence in 1977, a growing number of government-owned production and distribution companies as well as actual projection theatres sprang up. In the 1990s two of the biggest cinemas, Odeon and Olympia, closed their doors.


Languages

The languages of Djibouti include
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
and
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
(official), and Somali and Afar (primary), which are the mother tongues of the Somali and Afar ethnic groups, respectively. Both languages belong to the larger Afroasiatic family.


Religion

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
entered the region very early on, as a result of the increase in trade with Muslim traders in the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
region. In 1900, during the early part of the colonial era, there were virtually no
Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...
in the area, with only about 100–300 followers coming from the schools and orphanages of the few Catholic missions in
French Somaliland French Somaliland (; ; ) was a French colony in the Horn of Africa. It existed between 1884 and 1967, at which became the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. The Republic of Djibouti is its legal successor state. History French Somalil ...
. Islam is the driving force for unity among the various ethnic groups from different parts of the country, and has significantly shaped the values and traditions of Djibouti.


Notable Djiboutians

*
Hassan Gouled Aptidon Hassan Gouled Aptidon (; ; October 15, 1916 – November 21, 2006) was the first President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999. Biography He was born in the small village of Gerisa in the Lughaya district in British Somaliland. He was born into the ...
, first President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999 *
Mahmoud Harbi Mahamoud Harbi Farah (Arabic: محمود الحربي; Somali: Maxamuud Xarbi Faarax) (1921 – 29 September 1960) was a Djiboutian politician of Somali ethnicity. A pan-Somalist, he was the Vice President of the Government Council of Fre ...
, Vice-President of the Government Council of
French Somaliland French Somaliland (; ; ) was a French colony in the Horn of Africa. It existed between 1884 and 1967, at which became the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. The Republic of Djibouti is its legal successor state. History French Somalil ...
*
Ahmed Dini Ahmed Ahmed Dini Ahmed (, ; 1932 – 12 September 2004) was a Djiboutian politician who served as the second Prime Minister of Djibouti. He was trained as a health technician and entered the political realm at age 26. He served as Vice-president ...
, Prime Minister of Djibouti from 1977 to 1978 *
Dileita Mohamed Dileita Dileita Mohamed Dileita (, ; born 12 March 1959''Profiles of People in Power: The World's Government Leaders'' (2003), page 142–143.Hussein Ahmed Salah Hussein Ahmed Salah (, ) is a Djiboutian former long-distance runner, best known for winning a bronze medal in the marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He also won silver medals in this event at the 1987 and 1991 World Championships. In additio ...
, Marathon runner * Jamal Abdi Dirieh, Athlete *
Ayanleh Souleiman Ayanleh Souleiman (born 3 December 1992), also known as ''Hassan Ayanleh'' (), is a Djiboutian middle-distance runner who specialises in the 1500 metres. He is the Djiboutian record holder for the distance, with his best of 3:29.58 minutes, a ...
, Professional athlete * Mouna-Hodan Ahmed, Novelist * Lula Ali Ismaïl, Djiboutian-Canadian film director * Roda Ali Wais, Athlete * Zeinab Kamel Ali, Politician * Abdourahman Waberi, Novelist * Abdo Xamar Qoodh, Musician * Ismail Hassan, Footballer *
Abdi Waiss Mouhyadin Abdi Waiss Mouhyadin () is a Djiboutian middle and long-distance runner. He represented his country at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing reaching the semifinals. In addition he won a silver medal at the 2015 African Games. International ...
, Athlete * Daher Ahmed Farah, Politician * Youssouf Hiss Bachir, Athlete * Ahmed Goumane-Roble, Politician * Abdourahman Waberi, Novelist * Nima Djama, Musician * Hasna Mohamed Dato, Politician * Mumin Gala, Athlete *
Omar Farah Iltireh Omar Farah Iltireh () (born 1933 in Ali-Sabieh, Djibouti) is a politician of the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, (TAFI) which became the Republic of Djibouti in 1977. He died in France on May 6, 2008. Career He began his career as a ...
, Politician *
Yacin Elmi Bouh Yacin Elmi Bouh (, ) is a Djiboutian politician. He was Minister of Economy and Finance from 1997 to 2005 and has been Minister of Interior and Decentralization since 22 May 2005. He was a candidate for the post of Vice-President of the Commis ...
, Politician * Aden Robleh Awaleh, President of the National Democratic Party * Mohamed Ali Fourchette, Musician * Shanice Dileita Mohamed, Musician *
Moumin Bahdon Farah Moumin Bahdon Farah () (24 October 1939
.
Ethnic groups in Djibouti