Warsangeli Daraawiish
Encyclopedia
The Genesis of the Somali Dervish movement
The DervishDervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
ideal was a nationalistic
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
cause whose primary goal was to integrate Somali
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...
s and unite Somali territories under one single centralized administration.
Although the Somali nationalist struggle had had its share of foibles and major victories, the context of its underlying “worthy causes” should not be dismissed away without a lucid understanding. The Dervish
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
es were practically indispenable in the early campaigns to liberate 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...
from both the Anglo-Ethiopian and the Anglo-Italian conspiracies by which Somali-lands were surreptitiously divided and transferred.
There are several books which discuss the political relationship, which had continued between 1899 -1905 after the Warsangeli embraced the Dervish ideals of a united Somali state. Among them are two books authored by Faarax MJ Cawl, including Garbaduubkii gumeysiga or the "Shackles of Colonialism" and "Ignorance is the enemy Of love." Andrzejewski, in his review of the latter book, writes,
"The plot unfolds against the background of Somali national history in the first quarter of this century, when members of a Muslim BrotherhoodMuslim BrotherhoodThe Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
, who called themselves “Dervishes”, were fighting against the foreign powers which had partitioned the Somali territories, and against those of their compatriots who had accepted colonial rule. The struggle was led by Maxamed Cabdule Xasan (1898-1921), who was a Muslim revivalist reformed as well as a nationalist leader"
Connections Between the SomaliSomaliaSomalia , 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...
Dervish movement and Warsangeli sultanates
As usually presented by contemporary historians, the Warsangeli initially supported the Dervishes from 1899 until 1905. Later, the Warsangeli splintered into several strong factions, only one-third of which supported the reign of Sultan Mohamoud Ali ShireMohamoud Ali Shire
Mohamoud Ali Shire was a Somali ruler. He was the 20th Sultan of the Warsangali Sultanate from 1897 to 1960.-Titles:Also known as the Gerad, the Sultan was the sole regent and governor of the sultanate. He also enjoyed many other titles, including "Sovereign of the House of North East of...
, who took over the sultanate from his ailing father and powerful Garad, Ali Shirreh. He was a Dervish himself but later turned against Sayid Mohammed because:
"The two could not see eye to eye on many political, religious and social issues, and the Sultan fiercely defended the independence of his Sultanate against the incursions of the Dervish Movement."
According to files concerning the Sultan referred to in Ray Beachey
Ray Beachey
Raymond Wendell Beachey was a Canadian educator, historian and academic best known for his work at Makerere University in Uganda in the 1950s and 1960s...
's book The Warrior Mullah, the three major fronts of the Dervishes were the
- Forces that concentrated with Sayid, Dhulbahente
- Warsangeli, and
- OgadenOgaden (clan)The Ogaden is a Somali clan, and one of the largest Darod subclans.-Overview:Members of the Ogaden clan primarily live in the central Ogaden plateau of Ethiopia , the North Eastern Province of Kenya, and the Jubaland region of Southern Somalia...
(mainly Bahgeri) -- All from 1899-1905 -- the Dervishes had successive victories during these periods.
The Dervish movement also had a great deal of influence in central (Mudug
Mudug
Mudug is an administrative region in north-central Somalia. Bordered by the Ogaden, the Somalian regions of Nugaal and Galguduud, and the Indian Ocean, its capital is the city of Galkacyo.-Districts:...
) and southern Somalia (Jubaland
Jubaland
Jubaland , also known as Azania or the Juba Valley and formerly as Trans-Juba , is an autonomous region in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in...
). The joint resistance by the Aulihan
Aulihan
The Aulihan are a Somali clan, a division of the larger Ogaden clan, living on both sides of the Kenya - Somalia border.The Aulihan migrated from the Ogaden region of Western Ethiopia in response to pressure from the expanding Ethiopian empire and had taken control of the hinterland of the lower...
(Ogaden) and 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...
challenged the Italian and British administrations in Jubaland and Mudug.
Sultan Mohamoud Ali Shirreh
The Sultan was indeed an amazing authority figure and a lot of people believed him to be some type of a saintSaint
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...
. He survived many battles including the battle in which the Dervishes seized control of Las Qorey. He was said to have marched through the Dervish legion while wearing a white turban--in disguise, according to oral testimonies. The English at the time described him as a "Man of unusual influence", "A man of mercurial image" and "A man of unusual strength".
The Warsangeli were divided into three groups: The army of the Sultanate in Sanaag, Dervishes with strong bases in Badhan
Badhan
Badhan may refer to:* Badhan, Sanaag, Somalia* al-Badhan, a Palestinian village in the West Bank* Badhan , a group founded at the University of Dhaka to promote blood donation* Badhan , a clan of the Jat people....
and Buraan, and the army of Gerad Dhahar in the Bari region. The Warsangeli sultanate had had no authority over all the clans of Warsangeli. The man whom the English colony conspired to deport to Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
was Dhahar but he escaped and returned as a hero.
Therefore, The largest three army units of the Dervishes were divided into three major sections.
Maarraweyn
The largest unit assigned to Jidali and Xiis all the way to Burco. They were given those areas. Maarre is an etymology that stands for "those equipped with rifles"(Dhulbahante, mostly Mohamoud Gard,,and part of Warsenge;li Reer saalax .)Indhabaddan
The second largest unit. This etymology stands for those with many eyes or "vigilant ones. They were assigned to Badhan, Laasqorey, Ceelaayo, Qaw and Boosaaso. They were 95% Warsangeli, mostly Dubeys, Bihi door, Reer saalax & Garabsare.Garbo
Garbo is the third largest unit. Mostly Bahgeri, Farah Garad,(Adan Madoobe) Subclan if HabarJeclo and other clans. The etymology suggests "shoulders" or the backs of pack animals. They carried heavy equipment and large amount of booty. They were assigned to the Ethiopian border and Berbera.The Indhabaddan unit succeeded once in capturing the above towns but was defeated by the Sultan of Warsangeli and Boqor Cisman army with the help of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
. Without the colonial support, they would not have been defeated. The interest of those sultanates was all about securing their dominion from any outside and direct rule, so they were content with the indirect rule of the colony. This Sayid opposed.