Somali Mythology
Encyclopedia
Somali mythology covers the belief
s, the myths, the legend
s and folk tales circulating in Somali society
that were passed down to new generations in a timeline spanning several millennia. Many of the things that constitute Somali mythology today are traditions whose accuracy have faded away with time or have transformed considerably with the coming of Islam
to the Somali Peninsula.
The culture of venerating saint
s and the survival of several religious offices in modern Somalia
show that old traditions of ancient Somalia
had a significant impact on Somali Islam
and Somali literature
in later centuries. Similarly practitioners of traditional Somali medicine
and astronomy
also adhere to remnants of an old cultural belief system that once flourished in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa
.
The Somali people
in Pre-Islamic times practiced a complex monotheistic religion with a set of deities superseded by a single all powerful figure called Eebe (God
, also known as Waaq
). The equillibrium of the Universe
in Somali mythology
was tied with the love
between a bull
and a cow. The Universe was said to balance itself on the horns of a bull, a beast forever staring at the cow tied to a pole in front of him. Whenever his love turned her eyes away from the bull, it would result in a physical shift that caused natural disasters on Earth
. Religious temples dating from antiquity
known as Taalo were the centers where important ceremonies were held led by a Qallu priest
.
ic and saint
ly status amongst the masses of the Somali Peninsula.
have cities or specific areas whose names corroborate the stories told in Somali mythology. Places such as Abud waq, Ceel Waaq
(Well of God) and other similar towns with the name Waq in it indicate a relation to the old religion practiced in the Somali Peninsula. The Tomb of Arraweello is another popular mythological place in Somalia said to be the final resting place of Queen Arraweello. In modern times it is considered an important place for women.
Belief
Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.-Belief, knowledge and epistemology:The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
s, the myths, the legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s and folk tales circulating in Somali society
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...
that were passed down to new generations in a timeline spanning several millennia. Many of the things that constitute Somali mythology today are traditions whose accuracy have faded away with time or have transformed considerably with the coming of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
to the Somali Peninsula.
The culture of venerating saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s and the survival of several religious offices in modern Somalia
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...
show that old traditions of ancient Somalia
History of Somalia
Somalia , officially the Republic of Somalia and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya on its southwest, the Gulf of Aden with Yemen on its north, the Indian Ocean at its east, and Ethiopia...
had a significant impact on Somali Islam
Islam in Somalia
Nearly all Somalis are Sunni Muslims. Practicing Islam reinforces distinctions that further set Somalis apart from their immediate African neighbors, many of whom are either Christians or adherents of indigenous faiths....
and Somali literature
Somali literature
Somalian literature ranges from Islamic poetry and prose produced by the region's scholars and Sheikhs of centuries past to works of fiction from contemporary writers.-Islamic literature:...
in later centuries. Similarly practitioners of traditional Somali medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
also adhere to remnants of an old cultural belief system that once flourished in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa
Horn 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...
.
Pre-Islamic religion
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...
in Pre-Islamic times practiced a complex monotheistic religion with a set of deities superseded by a single all powerful figure called Eebe (God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, also known as Waaq
Waaq
Waaq is the name of God in the traditional Oromo religion of the Horn of Africa.In Oromo culture, prior to the introduction of Abrahamic religions, Waaq denoted the single supreme and universal deity. Waaq created the universe with opposing but complementary and interdependent forces in fine...
). The equillibrium of the Universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
in Somali mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
was tied with the love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
between a bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
and a cow. The Universe was said to balance itself on the horns of a bull, a beast forever staring at the cow tied to a pole in front of him. Whenever his love turned her eyes away from the bull, it would result in a physical shift that caused natural disasters on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. Religious temples dating from antiquity
Ancient history
Ancient history is the study of the written past from the beginning of recorded human history to the Early Middle Ages. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, with Cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing, from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC...
known as Taalo were the centers where important ceremonies were held led by a Qallu priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
.
Deities
| Eebe (God God God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism.... ) |
Eebe is the Somali word for God and was synonymously used for the ancient Cushitic Sky God Waq. According to Somali Legend Eebe lived in the Heaven Heaven Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit... s and whenever the 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 successfully prayed for rain it was known as Barwaaqo(God's rain) |
| Ayaanle (Angel Angel Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an... s) |
The Ayaanle in Ancient Somalia were known as the good spirit Spirit The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,... s and acted as mediators between God and humans. They were said to be bringers of luck and blessing Blessing A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :... s |
| Huur (Reaper Death (personification) The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood... ) |
Huur was the messenger of Death Death Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury.... and had the form of a large bird. The deity was akin to Horus Horus Horus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists... of ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh... and played a similar role in Somali society. |
| Nidar (Punisher Punisher (disambiguation) The Punisher is a Marvel comic book character.Punisher or The Punisher may also refer to:*Punisher , a cyborg creation in the service of the Marvel comic book character Galactus... ) |
Nidar was the righter of wrong. He was considered the champion of those that were exploited by their fellow humans. The deity has survived in modern Somalia as a popular saying; Nidar Ba Ku Heli ("Nidar will find and punish you") |
Legendary kings, queens and saints
In Somali mythology there is an abundance of tales about men and women who defied cultural traditions or acquired heroHero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
ic and saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
ly status amongst the masses of the Somali Peninsula.
| Araweello (Queen Queen regnant A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire.... ) |
Araweello was a legendary queen in ancient Somalia who is said to have subdued all men in her kingdom and promoted matriarchal values in stark contrast with the traditional patriarchal society of Somalia. |
| Wiilwaal (King King - Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:... ) |
Wiil Waal was a legendary king in ancient Somalia known for his bravery and skills in battle. |
| Bucur Bacayr (King King - Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:... ) |
Bucur Bacayr was a legendary king of the Yibir Yibir The Yibir , also known as the Yahhar, are a small clan of Somalia, subsisting as itinerant soothsayers and magicians... s in northern Somalia. |
Giants and demons
| Habbad ina Kamas (Giant Giant (mythology) The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,... ) |
Habbad ina Kamas was a legendary cruel giant who ruled half of ancient Somalia. His oppressive rule was the complete opposite to the kindness and care that was bestowed upon the other half of the land ruled by the giant Biriir ina Barqo. He was defeated and killed in battle by Biriir when he found out about the abuse and neglect through the mouths of his human subjects. |
| Biriir ina Barqo (Giant) |
Biriir ina Barqo was a legendary heroic giant in ancient Somalia known for his just rule and kindness. He lived in a cave called Shimbiraale (the cave of birds) and used to wear a heavy ring that no man could lift. He answered the pleas of those suffering under the rule of the giant called Habbad and defeated him in battle. He then united the two lands and ushered in a long period of peace. |
| Qori ismaris(literal translation - One who wipes himself with stick) | Qori ismaris was a man who could transform himself into a "Hyena-man" by rubbing himself with a magic stick at nightfall and by repeating this process could return to his human state before dawn. |
| Dhegdheer(literal translation - One with long ears) | Dhegdheer was a female cannibalistic demon who hunted in Somali forests, her victims were usually wandering or lost children. Very similar to the cannibalistic witch living deep in the forest in the German folktale Hansel and Gretel. |
Mythological places
Many regions of SomaliaRegions of Somalia
Somalia is officially divided into eighteen administrative regions , which in turn are subdivided into districts. On a de facto basis, northern Somalia is now divided up among the autonomous states of Puntland and Somaliland...
have cities or specific areas whose names corroborate the stories told in Somali mythology. Places such as Abud waq, Ceel Waaq
Ceel Waaq
El Wak is a divided city on the Somalia-Kenya border. The Somalian portion is located in the southwestern Gedo region, where it is the seat of one of the region's seven districts.-Etymology:...
(Well of God) and other similar towns with the name Waq in it indicate a relation to the old religion practiced in the Somali Peninsula. The Tomb of Arraweello is another popular mythological place in Somalia said to be the final resting place of Queen Arraweello. In modern times it is considered an important place for women.