Garad (
Harari: ገራድ, , ,
Oromo: ''Garaada'') is a term used to refer to a clan leader or regional administrator. It was used primarily by Muslims in 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 ...
that were associated with Islamic states, most notably the
Adal Sultanate.
Etymology
The origin of the term ''Garad'' is uncertain. According to
Enrico Cerulli, Garad originates from the era of the
Adal emirate. Garad denotes a headman within a ''"Gaar"'' (clan). In the
Somali
Somali may refer to:
Horn of Africa
* Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region
** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis
** Somali culture
** Somali cuisine
** Somali language, a Cushitic language
** Somali ...
language ''Garad'' roughly translates to "chief" or "wise man", as well as "wisdom". Garad also denotes a ''"chief"'' in
Harari and
Silt'e languages respectively.
History
Several Muslim states and dominions including
Hadiya Sultanate,
Sultanate of Darfur,
Ganz province,
Harla
The Harla, also known as Harala, or Arla, are an extinct ethnic group that once inhabited Djibouti, Ethiopia and northern Somalia. They spoke the now-extinct Harla language, which belonged to either the Cushitic or Semitic branches of the Afroa ...
and
Somali
Somali may refer to:
Horn of Africa
* Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region
** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis
** Somali culture
** Somali cuisine
** Somali language, a Cushitic language
** Somali ...
Sultanate leaders were known as Garads.
Within Somali clans the use of the traditional hereditary title ''"Garad"'' is most widespread among the
Dhulbahante and
Karanle and was also used by the
Habr Awal up until the 1940s. According to tradition the Somali Girhi's founding Garad ''"Aboker"'' lived five centuries ago 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 ...
. Tradition among the Somali
Geledi clan claim
Aw Kalafow, a descendant of
Abadir, was the first to use the title ''Garad''. Enrico Cerulli and others state that the
Harari titles such as ''Garad'' were embraced by Somali chiefs.
In the early seventeenth century
Emirate of Harar, Garad was the title given to tax collectors on behalf of the state. According to Richard Caulk, Garad was a bygone Harari title that was introduced to the
Oromo of
Hararghe
Hararghe ( am, ሐረርጌ ''Harärge''; Harari: ሀረርጌይ ''Harärgeyi'', Oromo: Harargee, so, Xararge) was a province of eastern Ethiopia with its capital in Harar.
History
Hararghe translates to "land of the Hararis". The region co ...
whom also began using it. Garads were also commanders of the army called the
Malassay in the Harar Emirate. An eighteen century Harari chronicle states the Harar region went through major upheavals in the late 1700s which led to the destruction of several villages administrated by Garads.
Somali Garad clans
There are many Somali clans suffixed with Garad, in particular subclans of the
Dhulbahante, which include:
*
Farah Garad
*
Mohamoud Garad
*Guuleed Garad
*Ali Garad
*Yasin Garad
*Abdi Garad
Places
*
Garad Wiil-Waal Airport, airport 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 bor ...
, Ethiopia
*Garado, city in
Wollo Province
Wollo (Amharic: ወሎ) was a historical province of northern Ethiopia that overlayed part of the present day Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions. During the Middle Ages this region was known as Bete Amhara and had Amhara kings. Bete Amhara ha ...
of
Amhara Region
The Amhara Region ( am, አማራ ክልል, Åmara Kilil), officially the Amhara National Regional State (), is a regional state in northern Ethiopia and the homeland of the Amhara people. Its capital is Bahir Dar which is the seat of the Re ...
derived from Garad.
*Garad Erer, hill overlooking
Porc-Epic Cave near
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 ...
, Ethiopia
*Garad, port city in
Puntland
Puntland ( so, Puntland, ar, أرض البنط, it, Terra di Punt or ''Paese di Punt''), officially the Puntland State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Puntland ee Soomaaliya, ar, ولاية أرض البنط الصومالية), is a F ...
,
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 Constitut ...
Notable Garads
*
Mahfuz of Adal Sultanate
*Dhuh Barar, last leader of the Somali Tolje'lo
Isaaq dynasty
*Deria Abdalla, 4th chief of the
Habr Awal clan as well as the father of the clan's first Sultan,
Abdulrahman Deria
Sultan Abdulrahman Garad Deria ( so, Suldaan Cabdiraxmaan Garaad Diiriye) was the Sultan of the Habr Awal Isaaq clan and first Habr Awal leader to adopt the Sultan title rather than '' Garaad''. An influential figure that was heavily involved in a ...
*Mohammed of
Hadiya Sultanate, father of Empress
Eleni of Ethiopia
Eleni ( Ge’ez: እሌኒ, "Helena"; died April 1522) also known as Queen of Zeila was Empress of Ethiopia by marriage to Zara Yaqob (r. 1434–1468), and served as regent between 1507 and 1516 during the minority of emperor Dawit II. She played ...
*Ibrahim, of
Sultanate of Darfur
*Usman Oda of
Emirate of Harar, father of Oromo scholar
Bakri Sapalo
Sheikh Bakri Sapalo (born Abubakar Garad Usman; November 1895 - 5 April 1980) was an Oromo scholar, poet and religious teacher. He is best known as the inventor of a writing system for the Oromo language.
Life
Bakri Sapalo was the son of Garad U ...
*
Abun Adashe
''Garad'' Abun Adashe ( Harari: አቦኝ አደሼ) was a Harari Emir of the Adal Sultanate.
Reign
Garad Abun Adashe ruled from 1519 to 1525 and led a campaign against the Walashma dynasty. Adashe campaigned against Sultan Abu Bakr ibn Muhamme ...
of Adal Sultanate
*
Dhidhin, first chief of the Somali
Warsangali clan
*
Abubaker Qecchin of Adal Sultanate
*Sediso K’albo, last leader of the Gan-
Silt'e dynasty
*Side, forefather of
Halaba people
*Aboker, first chief of Somali Girhi clan
*
Jama Ali, current chief of the Somali
Dhulbahante clan
*Hassan Injamo of
Kebena
*
Aze of
Hadiya
*Ādan Ṣadiq of
Imamate of Aussa, a Somali
Issa chief
*Abass, continued jihad in Ethiopian territory even after Imam Ahmed Gurey's death
*
Abdiqani Jama, grand chief of the
Dhulbahante clan and one of the signatories of the
Somaliland declaration of independence
References
{{Reflist
Horn of Africa
Darfur
Society of Somalia
Adal Sultanate
Royal titles