Sade (clan)
Encyclopedia
The Sade clan is a Somali clan
that includes the Marehan
and the Facaayo or Facaye. They live in Gedo
and Ogaden
or Western Somalia also in the North Eastern Province
(Northern Frontier District or NFD) in Kenya
. The Marehan extended families are, like most Somalis
, pastoral
nomad
s and also one of the most respected clan families of the Darod
clan. Marehan in the Jubba Valley
are farmers who practise qodaal masno (in Af Soomaali
) or integrated farming
, which combines livestock and produce farming. This farming method is rare in many Somali
farmers.
In the last sixty years or so, many Marehan populated cities in the Gedo and Galguduud
regions of central Somalia have become urbanized
. From early ages to late 19th century, Marehan were the respected chiefs in parts of northern and central Somalia such as the region now called Nugaal
.
After the civil war erupted in the Somali capital Mogadishu
(1991), many towns and villages have seen their populations multiply in number and some cities have grown as much as 400%. The populations of Abud Waq, Bardera
and Beled Hawo have increased considerably.
Somalia's third largest city Kismayo became a hub for Marehan in the last half century.
passing through Gedo region. Reer Guri (or homestead people) of the Marehan reached the Tana River
, located in what is now the NFD and were mainly cattle farmers. Late comers were known as "Galti." And they were the largest pockets of Reer Faarax Ugaas while the early comers were mostly Talxe, reer Xasan, reer Cismaan and so on. These clans share the larger family kinship name of Sade.
The name Sade comes from the eponymous ancestor, Ahmed bin Abdirahman Al Jaberti. The Dir
clan gave that name meaning "the gifted". Facaye, one of the surviving sons of Sade, didn't multiply as much as Marehan. As many Somali clans and grouped families moved southward from northern regions for settlement into areas which were suitable for grazing and fertile farming regions on the Shabelle (Shabeellaha Hoose
and Shabeellaha Dhexe
) and Jubba (Jubbada Hoose
and Jubbada Dhexe
) regions. Marehan, Facaye and pockets of Dir continued to move together. These two clans, one being Sade and other Dir, have been intermarrying for centuries. Kismayo, now the largest city in the Jubbada Hoose region, is synonymous with Marehan. Some estimations give a third or half of Kismayo's population to various Marehan sub clans.
Somali clan
The demographics of Somalia describes the condition and overview of Somalia's inhabitants. Demographic topics include basic education, health and population statistics, as well as identified racial and religious affiliations.-Somalis:...
that includes the Marehan
Marehan
The Marehan are a Somali clan. They are one of the major Darod sub-clans, forming a part of the Sade confederation of clans. The majority of the Marehan live in the Jubbada Hoose, Gedo and Jubbada Dhexe regions in southwestern Somalia, as well as the Galguduud and Mudug regions in central...
and the Facaayo or Facaye. They live in Gedo
Gedo
Gedo is an administrative region , formerly part of the historic Upper Juba Region in southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. Gedo is a region created in 1980s and is bordered by the Ogaden in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and the Somali regions of Bakool, Bay,...
and Ogaden
Ogaden
Ogaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
or Western Somalia also in the North Eastern Province
North Eastern Province (Kenya)
North Eastern Province is the third largest province in Kenya and has thirteen constituencies represented in the Kenya National Assembly.The region is home to a rare type of antelope called the Hirola, which is classified as an endangered species. The NFD's pastoralists also possess livestock in...
(Northern Frontier District or NFD) in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. The Marehan extended families are, like most Somalis
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
, pastoral
Pastoral
The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...
nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
s and also one of the most respected clan families of the Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
clan. Marehan in the Jubba Valley
Jubba Valley
The Juba Valley is a valley in Northeast Africa.It follows the line of the Juba River north from the Indian Ocean to the Somalia/Ethiopia border, and then splits, one branch following the Dawa River west along the Ethiopia/Kenya border then north into Ethiopia, and the other branch follows the...
are farmers who practise qodaal masno (in Af Soomaali
Somali language
The Somali language is a member of the East Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Its nearest relatives are Afar and Oromo. Somali is the best documented of the Cushitic languages, with academic studies beginning before 1900....
) or integrated farming
Integrated farming
Integrated farming or integrated production is a commonly and broadly used word to explain a more integrated approach to farming as compared to existing monoculture approaches...
, which combines livestock and produce farming. This farming method is rare in many Somali
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
farmers.
In the last sixty years or so, many Marehan populated cities in the Gedo and Galguduud
Galguduud
Galguduud is an administrative region in central Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by Ethiopia, the Somalian regions of Mudug, Hiiraan, Shabeellaha Dhexe , and the Indian Ocean....
regions of central Somalia have become urbanized
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
. From early ages to late 19th century, Marehan were the respected chiefs in parts of northern and central Somalia such as the region now called Nugaal
Nugaal
Nugal is an administrative region in northeastern Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by Ethiopia and the Somalian regions of Sool to the west, Bari to the north, and Mudug to the south, with the Indian Ocean to the east....
.
After the civil war erupted in the Somali capital Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
(1991), many towns and villages have seen their populations multiply in number and some cities have grown as much as 400%. The populations of Abud Waq, Bardera
Bardera
Bardera City is an important agricultural city in the Gedo region of Somalia. It is the second most populous town in the Juba Valley, with Kismayo being the largest and most densely populated city in the region, and Garbahaarreey serving as Gedo's capital...
and Beled Hawo have increased considerably.
Somalia's third largest city Kismayo became a hub for Marehan in the last half century.
History
The history of Marehan migration to the south of Somalia began in the late 19th century. By the early 20th century, the Jubba valley became Marehan's second home after the northern and central regions of Somalia. The Jubba region was briefly known as "Marehan Country" During the first twenty years of the 20th century, many Marehan families moved southward in the Horn of AfricaHorn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
passing through Gedo region. Reer Guri (or homestead people) of the Marehan reached the Tana River
Tana River
*Tana River *Tana River *Tana River District, Kenya*Tana River + Finland...
, located in what is now the NFD and were mainly cattle farmers. Late comers were known as "Galti." And they were the largest pockets of Reer Faarax Ugaas while the early comers were mostly Talxe, reer Xasan, reer Cismaan and so on. These clans share the larger family kinship name of Sade.
The name Sade comes from the eponymous ancestor, Ahmed bin Abdirahman Al Jaberti. The Dir
Dir (clan)
The Dir , or Theyr bin Abdalla as mentioned in the book "Futuh al-Habasha", is a Somali clan. Its members mostly live in northwestern Somalia and Djibouti, in addition to southern and central Somalia and the Ogaden....
clan gave that name meaning "the gifted". Facaye, one of the surviving sons of Sade, didn't multiply as much as Marehan. As many Somali clans and grouped families moved southward from northern regions for settlement into areas which were suitable for grazing and fertile farming regions on the Shabelle (Shabeellaha Hoose
Shabeellaha Hoose
Lower Shebelle is an administrative region in southern Somalia.-Overview:It is bordered by the Somalian regions of Banadir, Middle Shebelle, Hiran, Bay and Middle Juba, and the Indian Ocean...
and Shabeellaha Dhexe
Shabeellaha Dhexe
-Overview:It is bordered by the Somali regions of Galgudud, Hiran, Lower Shebelle, and Banadir, as well as the Indian Ocean.As part of the former Benadir region, Shabeellaha Dhexe's capital was Mogadishu up until the mid-1980s, when the town of Jowhar became the capital...
) and Jubba (Jubbada Hoose
Jubbada Hoose
Lower Juba is an administrative region in southern Somalia. With its capital at Kismayo, it lies in the Jubaland autonomous region.Lower Juba is bordered by Kenya, the Somalian regions of Gedo, Middle Juba, and the Indian Ocean...
and Jubbada Dhexe
Jubbada Dhexe
Middle Juba is an administrative region in southern Somalia. With its capital at Bu'aale, it is located in the Jubaland autonomous region.Middle Juba is bordered by Somali regions of Gedo, Bay, Lower Shabele and Jubbada Hoose and the Indian Ocean...
) regions. Marehan, Facaye and pockets of Dir continued to move together. These two clans, one being Sade and other Dir, have been intermarrying for centuries. Kismayo, now the largest city in the Jubbada Hoose region, is synonymous with Marehan. Some estimations give a third or half of Kismayo's population to various Marehan sub clans.
Clan tree
In the south central part of Somalia the World Bank shows the following clan tree:- Darood
- Kablalah
- Koobe
- Kumade
- Isse
- Sade
- Mareehan
- Facaye
- Ortoble
- LeelkaseLeelkaseLeelkase or Lelkase is a subclan of the Somali Darod clan.-Distribution:The term "Leelkase" is a Somali nickname, which translates as "farsighted, mindful, smart, very intelligent"....
(Lelkase)
- Kablalah
Notable individuals
- Mohamed Ali FacayeMohamed Ali FacayeSheikh Mohamed Ali Facaye , is the director for the Kismayo Regional Islamic Courts under the government of the Juba Valley Alliance.On June 8, 2004, Facaye's new post was announced at a well-organized meeting attended by all sectors of the Jubaland administration and population...
, director, Kismayo Regional Islamic Courts