HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Tunni ( Somali: Tunni) are a Somali clan that make up part of the wider Digil-
Rahanweyn The Rahanweyn ( Maay: ''Reewin or Roowing'', Northern Somali: ''Raxanweyn'', ar, رحنوين), also known as the Digil and Mirifle () are a Somali clan. It is one of the major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa, with a large territory and dense ...
branch. It is one of the major clans that inhabit in the South West State of
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
and can also be found in
Jubbaland Jubaland ( so, Jubbaland, ar, , it, Oltregiuba), the Juba Valley ( so, Dooxada Jubba) or Azania ( so, Asaaniya, ar, ), is a Federal Member State in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo t ...
.


Overview

The Tunni clan are split into 5 different sub-clans which are: Daffarat, Werile, Hajuuwa, Daqtiira and Goygaal. The Tunni speak Af-Tunni (a dialect of Somali). Some Tunni people, particularly those who are ancestrally from Baraawe speak Chimini, a variety of Swahili.


History


Antiquity

The Tunni clan are believed to be one of the oldest Somali clans and one of the early herding communities in the Horn. They are believed to have occupied the lower Shabelle valley since 2000 B.C.E and occupied the
Jubba Thawb ( ar, ثَوْب "garment"), also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions, is an ankle-length robe, usually with long sleeves. It is commonly worn in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Afr ...
valley along with their cousin Garre since 1000 B.C.E.


Tunni Sultanate

The Tunni, composed of five sub-clans (Warile, Da'farad, Hajuwa, Dakhtira, and Goygali), they established their own Sultanate called
Tunni Sultanate The Tunni Sultanate () was a Somali Muslim Sultanate located in southwestern Somalia, south of the Shabelle river. It was ruled by the Tunni people, who spoke the Af-Tunni (a dialect of Somali). The historical Tunni area corresponds to the mo ...
. The Tunni made a treaty with the Jiddu so that Tunni settled on the west bank of the Shabelle and the Jiddu settled on the east bank. Both also agreed to resist foreign penetration, to allow only Seddah Saamood (the three foot-prints, which are the Tuni, the Jiddu, and the wild beasts). However, they did accept the first Muslim migrants, the Hatimi from
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
and the Amawi from Syria, around the 10th century, for both religious and commercial reasons.
Barawa Barawa ( so, Baraawe, Maay: ''Barawy'', ar, ﺑﺮﺍﻭة ''Barāwa''), also known as Barawe and Brava, is the capital of the South West State of Somalia.Pelizzari, Elisa. "Guerre civile et question de genre en Somalie. Les événements et le ...
founded by a Tunni saint called Aw-Ali and became the new capital for the Tunni Sultanate. The town prospered and became one of the major Islamic centers in the Horn, the Barawaani Ulama, attracting students from all over the region. Muslim scholars of that time, such as Ibn Sa'id, wrote about Barawa as "an Islamic island on the Somali coast." Al-Idrisi also described the construction of the coral houses and noted that Barawa was full of both domestic and foreign commodities. Eventually, the Tunni people abandoned the pastoral lifestyle and established themselves largely as farmers on the rich arable land, were they grew a variety of fruits and vegetables but they still continued to practice livestock grazing. They established a number of concentrated settlements on the interior such as Buulo, Golweyn, and Xaramka, Jilib, Jamaame, and their center Qoryooley. The Tunni Somali clan inhabiting the cultivated Shebelle valley behind the coast produced foodstuffs for the coastal towns as well as acting as brokers for other Somali traders further inland.


Early Modern

After the end of the
Ajuran Sultanate The Ajuran Sultanate ( so, Saldanadda Ajuuraan, ar, سلطنة الأجورانية), also natively referred-to as Ajuuraan, and often simply Ajuran, was a Somali Empire in the Middle Ages in the Horn of Africa that dominated the trade in th ...
the Tunni would form part of the
Geledi Sultanate The Sultanate of the Geledi ( so, Saldanadda Geledi, ar, سلطنة غلدي) also known as the Gobroon Dynasty Somali Sultanate: The Geledi City-state Over 150 Years - Virginia Luling (2002) Page 229 was a Somali kingdom that ruled parts of th ...
and prospered as Barawa was a prominent hub in both states. They would be the first to join the Benadir revolt with Sheikh
Uways al-Barawi Sheikh Uways Al-Barawi ( ar, أُوَيس البَراوي; 1847–1909) was a Somali scholar credited with reviving Islam in 19th century East Africa. Biography Early life Sheikh Uways was born in Barawa during the Geledi Sultanate period on t ...
a hero of Barawa.


Geography

The Tunni clan can be split into 2 groups: agro-pastoralists who herd cattle, goats and sheep which can be found in towns and villages in Baraawe,
Jilib Jilib (other names: Gilib, Gelib, Jillib, Jillio; ) is a city in Somalia, It is north of Kismaayo. History During the Middle Ages, Jilib and its surrounding area was part of the Ajuran Empire that governed much of southern Somalia and eastern Eth ...
and Dinsoor districts. The second group, are urbanites, which can be found in Baraawe city and other urban centres in southern
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
. In Piazza, 1905, the Tunni population was approximately 15,000 (both agro-pastarolists and urbanites), where the majority of Tunni's were found outside of Baraawe (approximately 13,000 outside the city and 2,100 inside the city).


Clan tree

According to Abdalla Omar Mansur's "The Nature of the Somali Clan System", the Tunni clan are split into 5 groups which are further then split up into 4 clans from varying clans. * Tunni ** Daffarat *** Arwerri *** Mudun *** Geesi *** Boqolle ** Werrile *** Gafle *** Madowe *** Yare *** Furur ** Hajuwa *** Hura *** Waaqsheyn *** Mabagolle *** Nijey ** Daqtiira *** Minhoraad *** Waransille *** Bedelamma *** Kumurto ** Goygal *** Hamar *** Doyle *** Matangalle *** Fadido


Notable Tunni people

*
Sheikh Uways al-Barawi Sheikh Uways Al-Barawi ( ar, أُوَيس البَراوي; 1847–1909) was a Somali scholar credited with reviving Islam in 19th century East Africa. Biography Early life Sheikh Uways was born in Barawa during the Geledi Sultanate period on th ...
, Famous Islamic saint and a religious leader who rebelled the Italians on the Benadir coast and spread Islam over Asia and Africa. Invented Af Maay and Af Chimini Wadaad Script * Abdiqadir Sakhawuddin Sheikh Uweys, Founder and first President of the Somali Youth League and grandson of Sheikh Uweys al-Barawi. * Aw Al, Founded Barawa port city according to oral traditions. * Muna Khalif Somali-American entrepreneur (CEO of Muna Kay), fashion designer and former MP of Somalia. *
Abdihakim Mohamoud Haji-Faqi Abdihakim Mohamoud Haji-Faqi ( so, Cabdixakiin Maxamuud Xaaji Fiqi, ar, عبد الحكيم محمود حاجي الفقي), also spelled Abdulhakim Mahamud Fiqi,Liban Ibn Mujahid Ajuuran Empire general from the Tunni who decimated Portuguese forces during the Battle of Barawa. * General Sharif Shekhuna Maye Chief in charge of the Somali police force.


See also

* Tunni language * Rahweyne *
Tunni Sultanate The Tunni Sultanate () was a Somali Muslim Sultanate located in southwestern Somalia, south of the Shabelle river. It was ruled by the Tunni people, who spoke the Af-Tunni (a dialect of Somali). The historical Tunni area corresponds to the mo ...
*
Ajuran Sultanate The Ajuran Sultanate ( so, Saldanadda Ajuuraan, ar, سلطنة الأجورانية), also natively referred-to as Ajuuraan, and often simply Ajuran, was a Somali Empire in the Middle Ages in the Horn of Africa that dominated the trade in th ...
*
Sultanate of the Geledi The Sultanate of the Geledi ( so, Saldanadda Geledi, ar, سلطنة غلدي) also known as the Gobroon Dynasty Somali Sultanate: The Geledi City-state Over 150 Years - Virginia Luling (2002) Page 229 was a Somali kingdom that ruled parts of the ...
*
Bravanese people The Bravanese people, also known as the Barawani, are a minority ethnic group inhabiting the city of Barawe of Somalia. Origins As their name suggests, the Bravanese hail from ''Brava'' (Barawa), a port town on the southeastern coast of Somalia. ...


References

{{Reflist Jubaland