Aw (sometimes spelled ''Au'') is an

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

title in the Harari and

Somali Somali may refer to: Horn of Africa * Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region ** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis ** Somali culture ** Somali cuisine ** Somali language, a Cushitic language ** Soma ...

languages. It is used widely and most commonly in the Somali territories. During his research in the ancient town of

Amud Amud or Amoud ( so, Camuud, ar, عمود) is an ancient, ruined town in the Awdal region of Somaliland.Damtew Teferra, ''African higher education: an international reference handbook'', (Indiana University Press: 2003) Named after its patron Sa ...

, the historian G.W.B. Huntingford noticed that whenever an old site had the prefix ''Aw'' in its name (such as the ruins of

Awbare Awbare (Amharic language, Amharic: አውበሬ, so, Aw Barre), officially known as Teferi BerTeferi Ber is the name used by the Central Statistical Agency in it''Agricultural Sample Enumeration 2001-2002 (1994 E.C.): Report on Area and Produc ...

and Awbube), it denoted the final resting place of a local saint. It commonly designates a father, respected elder or saint in Harari and

languages.Transactions of the Somali Academy of Sciences and Arts Volume 1 page 164Encyclopedia of Africa south of the Sahara page 47 Most notably applied to the founder of Harar Aw Abadir. The term has been adopted by various

clans from Harari language. According to the Somali

Geledi The Geledi are a Somali clan that live predominantly in the environs of Afgooye city. They are a sub-clan of the Rahanweyn and led the Geledi sultanate during the late 17th to early 20th century. They are divided into two main lineage groups: the ...

clan, the appellation Aw is used amongst them however more devoutly between those of Habasha descent and patricians. Sorcerers among the

Arsi Oromo Arsi Oromo is an ethnic Oromo branch, inhabiting the Oromia Region, mainly in the Arsi, West Arsi and Bale Zones of Ethiopia, as well as in the Adami Tullu and Jido Kombolcha woreda of East Shewa Zone. They claim to have descended from Sikk ...

are known as Awan Shan which is derived from the title Aw. People with the title include: *Aw Barkhadle, saint *Aw Abdal, saint *Aw Ali Hamdogn, saint and scholar *Aw Umar Ziad, saint *Aw Seid, saint

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* Noble titles {{term-stub

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