The Hawiye (; ) are one of the principal and largest of the Somali clans, tracing their lineage back to Sheikh Ahmed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Uthman, also known as Sheikh Hawiye, the eponymous figure of the clan. They are considered the earliest documented clan to have settled in the Somali peninsula, as noted in the 12th century by Al-Idrisi, occupying the regions spanning from Ras Hafun to Merca, which served as their capital. Presently, the Hawiye reside in central and southern Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Ethiopia (specifically the Afar Region, Harari Region,Ethnographie Nordost-Afrikas Die materielte Cultur der Danâkil, Galla und Somâl (Phillip Paulitschke 1893) |quote=The tribe of the Hawija (Auîjja), whose members claim to be the purest, so to speak, the cream of the Somâl, is spread over the whole vast terrain from the middle Erer valley of Harar and Karanle along the left bank of the Vêbi Shabêli distributed to the coast of the Indian Ocean between Cape Sîf Tawîl and Maqdishu and Merka. Oromia, and the Somali Region), as well as Kenya (specifically the North Eastern Province and Eastern Province). Furthermore, they represent the majority of the population in the capital city of Mogadishu.Society, Security, Sovereignty and the State in Somalia: 2001, Maria Brons, International Books, page 102.
The Hawiye have historically exercised authority over large sections of the Horn of Africa as Sovereign Sultans and Imams overseeing crucial trade routes that have existed since the early periods of Somali maritime history. The coastal regions experienced a vibrant expansion of foreign trade and commerce, with numerous ships traversing between multiple kingdoms and empires in East Asia, South Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and East Africa making them very affluent. This political and economic influence continued to have relevance well into the modern age, with the Hawiye clan playing a pivotal and historically significant role in laying the foundations of the Somali nation. The enduring legacy of the Hawiye's governance and control over trade routes has left a lasting impact on the development and shaping of Somalia.
Origins and Etymology Sheikh Hawiye, also known as Ahmed based on oral traditions and Arabic hagiologies, is renowned as a revered saint and religious figure who bore the epithet "Hawi al 'Uluum", meaning the conservator of knowledge, denoting his mastery of Islamic knowledge. Through the passage of time, this appellation was condensed to just "Hawiyah" or "Hawiye" and subsequently evolved into the ethnonym of his progeny.Hawiyah, meaning the Conservator of Sciences, his name is Ahmad ibn Irir, (Whose name is Abd al-Rahman) ibn Samaal, (Whose name is Uthman) bin Muhammad ibn Hanbal Bin Mahdi bin Ahmed bin Muhammad bin Aqeel bin Abi Talib. This (Muhammad) is the one to whom the Darod, whose actual name is Daud, tribes trace their lineage to. The genealogy of Sheikh Hawiye, as delineated in these oral narratives, Arabic hagiologies, and indigenous manuscripts, can be traced as follows: Ahmed (Hawiye) Bin Abdulrahman (Irir) Bin Uthman (Samaale) Bin Muhammed Bin Hanbal Bin Mahdi Bin Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Aqeel Bin Abu Talib.
It is through these sources that the lineage of Sheikh Hawiye can be comprehensively understood and appreciated within the broader historical and cultural contexts. Some scholars consider these genealogical claims as historically untenable, but instead argue that they reflect a longstanding cross cultural exchange between Somalia and Southern Arabia. According to the British anthropologist and Somali Studies veteran Ioan Lewis, the traditions of descent from noble Arab families related to the Prophet are most probably figurative expressions of the importance of Islam in Somali society. However, "there is a strong historically valid component in these legends."Hawiye, the eldest son of Irir, is known to have a sibling named Aji, whose actual name is documented in oral traditions and further supported by Al Idrus's work "History of Somalia" as Ismail, the father of Dir, also known as Abu-Bakr. Hawiye was married to two women, from whom he had six sons. The first wife, Arbera, hailing from Arab lineage, bore him three sons - Karanle, Xaskul, and Raarane. On the other hand, his second wife, Ghirei, belonging to an early Harari, gave birth to Gugundhabe, Gorgarte, and Jambeelle. This genealogical account of Hawiye's family structure is crucial in understanding the historical lineage and heritage of the Hawiye. The oral traditions and written sources provide valuable insights into the familial connections and societal structures prevalent to this day.
The tomb of Shiekh Hawiye can be found in Qundhuro, situated within the Haraghe region, which served as his primary residence for the later years of his life as a revered Sheikh who dedicated himself to the propagation of the teachings of Islam. Alongside Shiekh Hawiye rests his eldest son, Karanle, in a burial site. The Hawiye furthered the spread of Islam in the Horn of Africa.
Distribution
The Hawiye are believed to be the largest Somali clan and comprise the majority in Somalia as well as the majority in the NFD region of Kenya according to respective censuses. The origin and traditional homeland of the Hawiye is believed to be in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, where he was preceded by the arrival of his Samaale ancestors in the areas between Djibouti and Somaliland,La Somalia italiana nei tre anni del mio governo Giacomo Di Martino (1912) |quote="And the first that presents itself, that of the Abgal, boasts an ancient, and for these people, glorious origin. And in fact it was the one that rose up against the domination of the Agiuran, with which the Hauia common lineage (one of the great tribes of the Somali stock that populates East Africa) it had. Both the Agiuran and the Abgal were therefore of the same origin, that is, of the region of Djibouti, whence the Agiuran, nearly five centuries ago had come to conquer Somalia, occupying and extending their domination over almost the entire current territory of the Colony." before descending southeast and along the Shabelle Valley.
In Somalia, Hawiye subclans inhabit the fertile lands along the Shabelle River of Beledweyne located in the Hiran region. Their territory stretches from the coastline just south of Mogadishu to the north of the historic port town of Hobyo in the central Mudug region. The Hawiye constitute the majority in the Hirshabelle state of Somalia, with the Abgaal clan being present while in Galmudug Hawiye are the majority as well. The Hawiye also have a second majority presence in the South West State region, They can also be found in Jubbaland. The Fiqishini subclan of the Habar Gidir inhabit the Sool region of Somaliland.
The Hawiye also live in their traditional birthplace Ethiopia, holding a sizeable population in the Somali Region of Ethiopia as well as cities like Babile in the Oromia region. In the southern parts of the Somali Region, Hawiye can be found in many zones, and are majority in 3/9 of the zones, namely the Liben zone and the Shabelle zone. They can also be found in many other zones, such as the Afdheer, Dollo, Sitti, Erer, Faafan and Korahe zone.
In Kenya, the Hawiye can also be found in the North Eastern Province (Kenya) region of Kenya where the Degoodi sub-clan is 3rd majority out of Somali clans in Kenya and the majority in the Wajir region, followed by another Hawiye sub-clan, the Ajuran and then the Murule who are the majority of the Mandera region as shown in the Kenyan census.The Somali, Afar and Saho groups in the Horn of Africa by I.M LewisFirst Footsteps in East Africa by Richard Burton, pg 73
Major Hawiye cities inhabited by the Hawiye clan consist of the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu, along with various other cities such as Beledweyne, Galkayo, Babile, Dusmareb, Jowhar, Wajir and Mandera.
Sultanates The Hawiye has produced various sultanates, some of which ruled large parts of the Horn of Africa. Some of these include:The Ajuran Sultanate, which was led by the Ajuran sub-clan of the Hawiye. Specifically the Ajuran are said to be part of the Jambelle Hawiye but became displaced from modern Hawiye territories in the late 17th to early 18th centuries due to historical conflict particularly in South Central Somalia. Lee Cassanelli in his 1982 book "The Shaping of Somali Society: Reconstructing the History of a Pastoral People, 1600-1900" often refers to the Ajuran as former leaders of a Hawiye clan dynasty. They belonged to the Somali Muslim sultanate that ruled over large parts of the Horn of Africa in the Middle Ages. Trading routes dating from the ancient and early medieval periods of Somali maritime enterprise were strengthened or re-established, and foreign trade and commerce in the coastal provinces flourished with ships sailing to and coming from many kingdoms and empires in East Asia, South Asia, Europe, the Near East, North Africa and East Africa. The Ajuran Empire's sphere of influence in the Horn of Africa was one of the largest in the region. The empire covered much of southern Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, with its domain extending from Hobyo in the north, to Qelafo in the west, to Kismayo in the south.
The Hiraab Imaamate, also known as the Yacquubi Dynasty, which was governed by the Hiraab sub-clan of the Hawiye. It was founded by Imam Omar who successfully rebelled and defeated the Ajuran and established an independent kingdom.Nordisk Familjebok 1876-1899 (Runeberg 1876) |quote=Ajan, better Adjan, former name of the eastern coast of Africa between Cape Guardafui and the equator, inhabited of Somali and Galla tribes, who are ruled by independent so-called Imams. Now it makes up part of the land of Somali. By 1700, the Hiraab and other clans occupied a large territory stretching the interior from the Shabelle valley to the arid lands of Mudug and to the coastal areas of Mogadishu towards Hobyo. After the immediate fall of the Ajuuraan, the Hiraab established an independent rule for at least two centuries. It was called Regno di Magadozo or the Kingdom of Magadoxo in official medieval bulletins, and at their peak, they would go on to dominate what became Greater Benadir.
These sultanates both ruled over present-day Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. Minor Hawiye sultanates throughout these periods include the southern reigns of the Lama Jidle (Afgoi) Sultanate of the Silcis and the El Amir (Merca) dynasty of the Wadalaan. In the north, minor sultanates of the Sultanate of Bale and the Imamate of Aussa (preceded by Hubat and Harar principalities), were led by members of the Ajuran and the Karanle, respectively. Under these major and minor sultanates, Somalia flourished and various key port cities and towns were created. Explorer John Kirk arrived in southern Somalia in 1873 during a period of great economic prosperity with the region being dominated by the Imamate and the Geledi Sultanate. Kirk met Imam Mahmood who reigned over Mogadishu. Trade between the Hiraab of Mogadishu and the Geledi Sultanate led by Ahmed Yusuf was flourishing. Kirk noted a variety of other things. Roughly 20 large dhows were docked in both Mogadishu and Merka respectively filled with grain produced from the farms of the Geledi in the interior with much of the trade being destined for Zanzibar.
Role and Influence in Somalia