Gondershe, also known as Gandershe or El Torre, is an ancient landmark on the Somali Sea, as well as a town, in the
Lower Shabelle
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 ...
region of
Southwest State 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 noted for its various historical structures.
Overview
Gendershe (also known as; Gendershe, Gandarshe, Gonderscia and Gondeurcheikh) is situated about 35 kilometers northeast of
Merca
Merca ( so, Marka, Maay Maay, Maay: ''Marky'', ar, مركة) is a historic port city in the southern Lower Shebelle province of Somalia. It is located approximately to the southwest of the nation's capital Mogadishu. Merca is the traditional home ...
and about 45 kilometers southwest 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 ...
.
[Universität Frankfurt am Main. Frobenius-Institut, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kulturmorphologie, Frobenius Gesellschaft, Paideuma: Mitteilungen zur Kulturkunde, Volumes 26-28, (F. Steiner: 1980), p.202.]
It is an ancient stone city built on a coastal
promontory
A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the so ...
. The town's ruins consist of typical
Somali architecture
Somali architecture is the engineering and designing of multiple different construction types such as stone cities, castles, citadels, fortresses, mosques, temples, aqueducts, lighthouses, towers and tombs during the ancient, medieval and early ...
, such as
coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
stone houses
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
,
fortification
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
s,
tomb
A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a :wikt:repository, repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be ...
s and
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
s. The town contains a shrine to
Aw Garweyne
Aw Garweyne is an island of ancient habitation in the southeastern Lower Shabelle province of Somalia.
Overview
Aw Garweyne was originally positioned off of the Benadir littoral. It is now joined to the mainland by sand.
The small island is a ...
.
The town is said to date from the medieval
Ajuran period, when it became a center of trade that handled smaller vessels sailing from
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Arabia
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate. ...
,
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
. This is supported by early maps, and an initial archaeological survey.
Gondershe later evolved into a popular tourist attraction during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The film ''
La Conchiglia'' (1992) by the award-winning Somali filmmaker
Abdulkadir Ahmed Said was also shot here, and features the town's local residents.
Inside Gendershe
Gendershe is 45 km along the coast from
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 ...
, on the east is the village of Dhanaane, the North is bordered by beautiful small valleys, the West is the bordered by
Jilib marka
Jilib (other names: Gilib, Gelib, Jillib, Jillio; ) is a city in Somalia, It is north of Kismaayo.
History
During the Middle Ages, Jilib and its surrounding area was part of the Ajuran Empire that governed much of southern Somalia and eastern Eth ...
and the South is the bordered by the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
with rows of coconuts trees lined along Gendershe Beach and a type of tree known as 'Geedka Showri' which Gendershe is famous for.
There are thee main roads leading to Gendershe:
Jaziira Beach to Gendershe - (Currently Closed Off),
No.60 to Gendershe
Merca
Merca ( so, Marka, Maay Maay, Maay: ''Marky'', ar, مركة) is a historic port city in the southern Lower Shebelle province of Somalia. It is located approximately to the southwest of the nation's capital Mogadishu. Merca is the traditional home ...
to Gendershe.
There are 8 villages (tuulo) within Gendershe these are:
1- Dooxa Qoryaale
2- Buulo Bishaar
3- Bocoreey
4- Timirteey
5- Yaaq-Bine
6- Cadeey Dheere
7- Aw-Caliyow
8- Maansaaleey
There is one school in Gendershe consisting of a primary school and middle school built by the previous government of President Mohamed
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 199 ...
. Since the
Somali Civil War (2009–present)
The Somali Civil War (2009–present) is a phase of the Somali Civil War which is concentrated in southern and central Somalia. It began in late January 2009 with the conflict mainly between the forces of the Federal Government of Somalia ass ...
the school has been neglected. However, part of the school was rebuilt by UNHG a group of Gendershe natives currently residing in Norway.
Mosques
In Gendershe there are 4 main Mosques:
1- Jaamaca Mosque in Buulo Ceel
2- Nuuraani Mosque in Shacbaanka; the largest mosque in the area with two floors and a beautiful view.
3- Abiyo Abiikar Aw-asad in Buulo Hoose
4- Aw-Maki in Buulo Hoose
There are 3 other mosques in the area, however these have not received proper care and are now abandoned.
Inhabitants
Gendershe is mostly inhabited by people of the
Sheekhaal
The Sheekhaal (var. Sheikhaal ( ar, شيخال), also known as Fiqi Omar, is a Somali clan. They inhabit Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and with considerable numbers also found in the Northern Frontier District (NFD) in Kenya.
Overview
Sheekh ...
tribe, who are the direct descendants of Patron
Aw Garweyne
Aw Garweyne is an island of ancient habitation in the southeastern Lower Shabelle province of Somalia.
Overview
Aw Garweyne was originally positioned off of the Benadir littoral. It is now joined to the mainland by sand.
The small island is a ...
. They are known more specifically as the 'Sheekhaal Gendershe' as well as the 'Reer Aw Garweyne' and 'Reer Cusmaan Faqi Cumar' (
Abadir Umar ar-Rid)).
Notable Figures
Mohamed Sheekh Jamaal Cabdullahi AKA
Jamaal jibiye - First
Mayor of Mogadishu
The Mayor of Mogadishu is head of the executive branch of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces laws within the city. Ma ...
Ugaas Cabdulqaadir Xussen - President of Sheekhaal Gendershe Clan
Maxamed Xusseen Cali (Shiiqaalow) - Somali National Football Player
Cabduraxmaan Sheekh Maxamed (Aw Koombe) - Comedian
Jaarlees Cadde - Comedian
Sheekh Maxamed Sh. Cabduraxmaan Abba Xaakji - First Teacher at
Somali Youth League school.
Sheekh Cusmaan Sheekh Cabdiqaadir - First Somali Pilot
Maxamed Sheekh Aanis - Somali Singer
Amiinullaahi Maxamed Sh. Jamaal - First Translator for the
Federal Parliament of Somalia
Sheekh Muxyidiin Sheekh Maxamed Sheekh Isaaq Al Gendershi -
Qadi
A qāḍī ( ar, قاضي, Qāḍī; otherwise transliterated as qazi, cadi, kadi, or kazi) is the magistrate or judge of a '' sharīʿa'' court, who also exercises extrajudicial functions such as mediation, guardianship over orphans and mino ...
of Mogadishu
Maxamed Sheekh Cabdi Sheekh Cusmaan - Member of
Federal Parliament of Somalia
See also
*
Hannassa
Hannassa is a proto-Somali historic town in southern Somalia.
History
Built on a promontory, Hanassa contains ruins of houses with archways and courtyards. It also features sites with pillar tombs, including a rare octagonal tomb. Additionally ...
*
Essina
Essina ( grc, Εσσίνα) was an ancient Proto-Somali emporium located on the southeastern coast of Somalia in the Horn of Africa.Ptolemy's Topography of Eastern Equatorial Africa, by Henry Schlichter Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Socie ...
*
Sarapion
Sarapion ( grc, Σαράπιον, also spelled Serapion) was an ancient proto-Somali port city in present-day Somalia. It was situated on a site that later became Mogadishu. Sarapion was briefly mentioned in Ptolemy's '' Geographia'' as one of the ...
Notes and references
{{Clear
Archaeological sites in Somalia
Ajuran Sultanate
Jubaland
Banaadir
Ancient Somalia
Archaeological sites of Eastern Africa