The Makayl-Dheere (English: Makail Dera, Somali: Makayldheere, Amharic: ሚካኤል ዳራ, Arabic:مكائيل ديري) also known as Makaahiil-Dheere (Makayldheere), is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Makahiil sub-clan of the Gadabuursi Dir clan family.[1]

Makayl-Dheere
Makayldheere
 Ethiopia  Somaliland  Djibouti
(Dir) Dir (including those of ancestral descent)
Regions with significant populations
Ethiopia, Somaliland, Djibouti
Languages
Somali, Arabic
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Other Gadabuursi clans, and Dir clans such as Barsuug, Biimaal, Gurgura, Surre, Issa

Overview

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The Makayl-Dheere are one of the biggest sub-divisions of the Gadabuursi clan family. Historically, they occupy the buffer zones between the Gadabuursi and Issa clans in Ethiopia. They also border the Geri Koombe, Hawiye and the Jaarso.

Distribution

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The territory of the Makayl-Dheere is almost exclusively in Ethiopia, however, they also reside in Somaliland and Djibouti.

Within Ethiopia, the Makayl-Dheere reside in both the Somali Region and Oromo Region. In the Somali Region, they specifically reside in the Awbare district and make up the majority of the clans which reside in the Dembel district.[2][3] They make up the largest clan inhabiting the famous Harrawa Valley in the Gadabuursi country which strides both the Awbare and Dembel districts.[4] In the Oromo Region, the Makayl-Dheere reside in Metehara[5][6] and Chinhahsan.[6][7] They also inhabit rural areas east of Dire Dawa and in the immediate vicinity of Harar.[8][9][10][11][6]

Within Somaliland, the Makayl-Dheere reside in the Awdal region, specifically the Borama District.[6]

Within Djibouti, the Makayl-Dheere reside in Quarter 4 and 5 of Djibouti (city).[12][13]

History

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As a member of the Dir clan, the Makayl-Dheere come under the Makahiil branch of the Gadabuursi. As a member of the Dir clan, the Makayl-Dheere were a part of the Sultanate of Ifat and the Adal Sultanate.[14] These sultanates were run by the Walashma dynasty, who were originated by the famous Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn.

The Makayl-Dheere also reside in some of the oldest towns of these sultanates such as Awbare which is considered an important historical area and home to many Somali saints.[15][16]

The royal family of the Gadabuursi, the Ugasate, evolved from and is a successor kingdom to the Sultanate of Harar.[17] The first Ugaas of this break away and successor kingdom, Ali Makail Dera (Cali Makayl-Dheere) was the son of the progenitor of the Makayl-Dheere.[6]

According to a Max Planck research paper, one branch of the Reer Ugaas of the Makayl-Dheere on the borders of Ethiopia rose to the rank of dejazmach (ደጃዝማች ), (‘Commander of the Gate’).[18] A military title meaning commander of the central body of a traditional Ethiopian armed force composed of a vanguard, main body, left and right wings and a rear body.[4]

The Horyaal Democratic Front was a Gadabuursi paramilitary organization that was active in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, the bulk of which whom were from the Makayl-Dheere.[19] Their area of influence straddled the Somaliland border and incorporated the Dire Dawa, Jijiga, Chinhahsan, Tuli Guled, Harar, Ejersa Goro and the Awbare zones. The centre of this rebel movement was the mountains between Chinhahsan and Dire Dawa.[7]

Gadabuursi Ughazate (Ugaasyada ama Boqortooyada Gadabuursi)

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The Adal Sultanate which was largely on part of the Gadabuursi territory and the conquest of Abyssinia which they contributed to.

The royal family of the Gadabuursi, the Ugasate, evolved from and is a successor kingdom to the Sultanate of Harar and Adal Sultanate.[17] The first Ugaas of this break away and successor kingdom, Ali Makail Dera (Cali Makayl-Dheere) was the son of the progenitor of the Makayl-Dheere.[6]

The Gadabuursi give their King the title of Ughaz.[20] It's an authentic Somali term for King or Sultan. The Gadabuursi in particular is the only clan with a longstanding tradition of having a Sultan.[21]

The first Ughaz of the Gadabuursi was Ughaz Ali Makail Dera (Cali Makayl-Dheere), who is the progenitor of the Reer Ugaas subclan to which the royal lineage belongs.

Ughaz Ali Makail Dera (Cali Makayl-Dheere) who was born in 1575 in Dobo, an area north of the present town of Borama in north-western Somaliland, is recorded as having inflicted a heavy defeat on Galla forces at Nabadid.[22]

Ughaz Nur I, who was crowned in 1698, married Faaya Aale Boore who was the daughter of a famous Oromo King and Chief, Aale Boore.[6] Ughaz Nur I the first and Faaya Aale Boore gave birth to both Ughaz Hiraab and Ughaz Shirdoon who was the 7th in line after Ughaz Hiraab.[6] Aale Boore was a famous Oromo King, the victory of the former over the latter marked a historical turning point in concluding the Oromo predominance in the Eastern Hararghe region.[6]

The Gadabuursi managed to defeat and kill the next Oromo King after Aale Boore during the reign of Ughaz Roble I who was crowned in 1817. It is said that during his reign the Gadabuursi tribe reached great influence and tremendous height in the region, having managed to defeat the reigning Galla/Oromo King at that time whose name was Nuuno which struck a blow to the Galla's morale, due to their much loved King being killed. He was defeated by Geedi Bahdoon, also known as Geedi Malable. He struck a spear right through the King while he was in front of a tree, the spear pierced inside the tree making it not able for the King to escape or remove the spear. After he died he was buried in an area that's now called Qabri Nuuno near Sheedheer. In the picture already shared titled 'An old map featuring the Harrawa Valley in the Gadabuursi country, north of Harar' one can read Gabri Nono, which is the anglicized version of the Somali Qabri Nuuno.[6][23]

Ughaz Roble I died in 1848 and was buried in an area called Dhehror (Dhexroor), near Awbare. It has become the custom for Somalis after Ughaz Roble I that whenever an Ughaz gets inaugurated and it rains, he should be named Ughaz Roble, which translates to 'the one with rain' or 'rainmaker'.

Ughaz Nur II was born in Zayla in the year 1835 and crowned in Bagi in 1848.[24] He established strong links with the Egyptian Khedive and Abdallah II ibn Ali of Harar, during his reign the Western powers were vying for power in the Horn of Africa. He was also a great and famous poet. He was the type to speak words which would never be forgotten once they entered people's ears. He has created many poems and saying of which really explain the politics and knowledge of that time. How through patience and clever dealing one could be able to entrap one's enemy. He also used to say that whenever he heard a poem he would never forget it. His work was and is still taught in Somali Poetry classes (Suugaan: Fasalka Koobaad) among other Somali poets.[25][26]

For more about Ughaz Nur II visit the following:

For more about Ughaz 'Elmi Warfaa, visit the following:

Name Reign

From

Reign

Till

Born
1 Ughaz Ali Makail Dera 1607 1639 1575[27]
2 Ughaz Abdi I Ughaz Ali Makail Dera 1639 1664
3 Ughaz Husein Ughaz Abdi Ughaz Ali 1664 1665
4 Ughaz Abdillah Ughaz Abdi Ughaz Ali 1665 1698
5 Ughaz Nur I Ughaz Abdi Ughaz Ali 1698 1733
6 Ughaz Hirab Ughaz Nur Ughaz Abdi 1733 1750
7 Ughaz Shirdon Ughaz Nur Ughaz Abdi 1750 1772
8 Ughaz Samatar Ughaz Shirdon Ughaz Nur 1772 1812
9 Ughaz Guleid Ughaz Samatar Ughaz Shirdon 1812 1817
10 Ughaz Roble I Ughaz Samatar Ughaz Shirdon 1817 1848
11 Ughaz Nur II Ughaz Roble Ughaz Samatar 1848 1888 1828
12 Ughaz Roble II Ughaz Nur Ughaz Roble 1888 1898
13 Ughaz Olmi-Warfa "Olmi-Dheire" Ughaz Roble Ughaz Samatar 1898 1938 1835[28]
14 Ughaz Abdi II Ughaz Roble Ughaz Nur 1938 1948
15 Ughaz Dodi Ughaz Abdi Ughaz Roble 1948 1952
16 Ughaz Roble III Ughaz Dodi Ughaz Roble 1952 1977
17 Ughaz Jama Muhumed Ughaz Olmi-Warfa 1960 1985
18 Ughaz Abdirashid Ughaz Roble Ughaz Dodi 1985 -[29]

Currently Abdirashid is the Ughaz of the Gadabuursi.

Clan Tree

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The Makayl-Dheere claim descent from Dir through Gadabuursi.[30] The lineage is listed below.

  • Gadabuursi
  • Habar Makadur (Makadoor)
    • Makahil
      • Muse
        • Makail Dera (Makayl-Dheere).

The sub divisions of the Makayl-Dheere:

  • Makail Dera (Makayl-Dheere)[31]
    • Abokor
      • Reer Galaangal
      • Reer Abdi Abokor
    • Ugaas
      • Ugaas Cabdille
      • Ugaas Samatar

References

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  1. ^ Jama, Hassan Ali (2005). Who Cares about Somalia: Hassan's Ordeal ; Reflections on a Nation's Future. Verlag Hans Schiler. ISBN 9783899300758.
  2. ^ "Shinile Agropastoral Livelihood Zone", p. 8
  3. ^ FSNAU Monthly Brief - February 2003.
  4. ^ Omar, Mohamed Osman, 2001, The Scramble for the Horn of Africa, History of Somalis
  5. ^ https://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/dlc/bitstream/handle/10535/2325/Gebre_When_040508_Paper561.pdf?sequence=1 [bare URL PDF]
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Nur, Sheikh Abdurahman 1993 "Ilbaxnimadii Adal Iyo Sooyaalkii Soomaaliyeed: The Renaissance of Adal Somali history". 1993.
  7. ^ a b Vigneau, Frederic, 1994, Field Trip Report Jijiga
  8. ^ Lewis, I. M. (1998-01-01). Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-based Society. The Red Sea Press. p. 100. ISBN 9781569021033.
  9. ^ Slikkerveer (2013-10-28). Plural Medical Systems In The Horn Of Africa: The Legacy Of Sheikh Hippocrates. Routledge. p. 140. ISBN 9781136143304.
  10. ^ Lewis, I. M. (1998). Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-based Society. p. 100. ISBN 9781569021033.
  11. ^ Lewis, I. M. (17 March 2003). A Modern History of the Somali: Nation and State in the Horn of Africa. ISBN 9780821445730.
  12. ^ Imbert-Vier, Simon (2011). Tracer des frontières à Djibouti: des territoires et des hommes aux XIXe et XXe siècles (in French). KARTHALA Editions. ISBN 9782811105068.
  13. ^ Rayne, Henry a (2015-08-08). Sun, Sand and Somals; Leaves from the Note-Book of a District Commissioner in British Somalia. BiblioLife. ISBN 9781297569760.
  14. ^ Futūḥ al-Ḥabasha. (n.d.). Christian-Muslim Relations 1500 - 1900. doi:10.1163/2451-9537_cmrii_com_26077
  15. ^ Briggs, Philip (2011-12-19). Somaliland: With Addis Ababa & Eastern Ethiopia. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 9781841623719.
  16. ^ Staines, David (2001-06-26). Margaret Laurence: Critical Reflections. University of Ottawa Press. ISBN 9780776616582.
  17. ^ a b "Abtirsi.com: Ugasate of Gadabursi". www.abtirsi.com. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  18. ^ Feyissa and Hoehne, Dereje, Markus (2007). "Resourcing State Borders and Borderlands in the Horn of Africa" (PDF). Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Kefale, Asnake (2013-07-31). Federalism and Ethnic Conflict in Ethiopia: A Comparative Regional Study. Routledge. p. 76. ISBN 9781135017989.
  20. ^ Lewis, I. M. (1961-01-01). A Pastoral Democracy: A Study of Pastoralism and Politics Among the Northern Somali of the Horn of Africa. LIT Verlag Münster. p. 204. ISBN 9783825830847.
  21. ^ Westermann, Diedrich; Smith, Edwin William; Forde, Cyril Daryll (2007-01-01). Africa. Oxford University Press. p. 230.
  22. ^ I.M Lewis (1959) "The Galla in Northern Somaliland" (PDF).
  23. ^ I.M Lewis (1959) "The Galla in Northern Somaliland" (PDF).
  24. ^ Taariikhtii Ugaas Nuur
  25. ^ Suugaan: Fasalka koowaad (in Somali). Wasaaradda Waxbarashada iyo Barbaarinta. 1976.
  26. ^ Nur, Sheikh Abdurahman 1993 "Ilbaxnimadii Adal Iyo Sooyaalkii Soomaaliyeed: The Renaissance of Adal Somali history". 1993.
  27. ^ LEWIS, I. M. (1959-01-01). "The Galla in Northern Somaliland". Rassegna di Studi Etiopici. 15: 31. JSTOR 41299539.
  28. ^ Mukhtar, Mohamed Haji (2003-02-25). Historical Dictionary of Somalia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810866041.
  29. ^ A list of the Gadabuursi Sultans
  30. ^ "Abtirsi.com : Makahil Dheire Muse". www.abtirsi.com. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
  31. ^ "Abla-Ablaynta Beelaha Qabiilka Gadabuursi (samaroon siciid)". Samaroon's Weblog. 2009-07-15. Retrieved 2018-03-30.