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The Issa (also Eesah, Esa, Aysa) ( so, Ciise, '', ar, عيسى)'' is a northern
Somali clan The Somalis ( so, Soomaalida 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒆𐒖, ar, صوماليون) are an ethnic group native to the Horn of Africa who share a common ancestry, culture and history. The Lowland East Cushitic Somali language is the shared mo ...
, a sub-division of the Dir clan family.'


Overview

As a Dir sub-clan, the Issa have immediate lineal ties with the
Gadabuursi The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' ( Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family. The Gadabuursi are geographically ...
, the Surre (Abdalle and
Qubeys Qubeys قبيس سر در is a member of the Surre, one of the sons of the greater Mehe Dir tribe. Qubeys is brother to Abdalle Surre Dir. Surre (Abdalle & Qubeys) History & overview Qubeys قبيس, along with Abdalle, are a subclan of th ...
), the
Biimaal Overview The Biimaal or Bimal, is a sub-clan of the major Dir clan family. This clan is widely known for leading a resistance against the colonials in southern Somalia for decades which can be compared to the war of the Sayyid in Somaliland. Th ...
(who the Gaadsen also belong to), the Bajimal, the
Bursuk The Bursuuk or also written as Barsuk or Barsuq or Barsuug (Somali: Barsuug) is a clan belonging to Madahweyne sub clan of the Dir clan family. They largely live in Ethiopia, in the Somali Region, especially around the ancient city of Harar and b ...
, the Madigan Dir, the
Gurgura The Gurgure, Gorgorah or Gurgura ( so, Gurgure, om, Gurgura, ar, غرغرة) is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family. Distribution The Gurgure are the majority in the Erer district in the Sitti Zone and Dire Daw ...
, the Garre (the Quranyow sub-clan to be precise as they claim descent from Dir), Gurre, Gariire, other Dir sub-clans and they have lineal ties with the
Hawiye The Hawiye ( so, Hawiye, ar, بنو هوية, it, Hauija) is the largest Somali clan family. Members of this clan traditionally inhabit central and southern Somalia, Somaliland, Ethiopia (Somali, Harar, Oromia and Afar regions) and the Nort ...
(Irir),
Hawadle The Hawadle or Xawaadle ( so, Xawaadle, ar, حوادله, it, Auadleh) are a Somali clan who traces its descent from Mayle Gorgaarte, one of the sons of Hawiye clan. The Hawadle, as well as many other Somali clans like the Dir, trace themselve ...
, Ajuran,
Degoodi The Degoodi or Degodia ( so, Degoodi or Degoodiya, ar, دغودي) is a Somali clan. They are genealogically related to the other Samaale, but in particular to the Garjante, Gaalje'el, Masare, Isa (Saransor) and 'Awrmale, with which they share ...
,
Gaalje'el The Gaalje'el ( so, Gaaljecel), ( it, Galgial), ( ar, الجعل) Galjecel is one of the largest Somali clans, whose origins trace back to Samaale. The Galje'el clan belong to the Saransor family of clans, alongside the Issa, Masare and Degodi ...
clan groups, who share the same ancestor
Samaale Samaale, also spelled Samali or Samale ( so, Samaale) is traditionally considered to be the oldest common forefather of several major Somali clans and their respective sub-clans. His name is the source of the ethnonym ''Somali''.. As the purported ...
.The Quranyo section of the Garre claim descent from Dirr, who are born of the Irrir Samal. UNDP Paper in Kenya http://www.undp.org/content/dam/kenya/docs/Amani%20Papers/AP_Volume1_n2_May2010.pdf For the treaty between the Issa and colonial powers, see "treaties".


History

The Issa clan has produced numerous
noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Grea ...
Somali men and women over the
centuries A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c. A centennial or ...
, consisted of a King (Ugaas) and including many Sultans. Traditionally, the Northern Dir (Issa and Gadabuursi) men ruled these settlement pockets until the
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
an colonial powers changed the
political Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studi ...
dynamics of
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
, Somaliland and
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...
during the late 19th century. The name of Dire Dawa means were the "Dir Hit" Meeshii Dir Dhabah in reference to 14th century battles between the
Sultanate of Ifat The Sultanate of Ifat, known as Wafāt or Awfāt in Arabic texts, was a medieval Sunni Muslim state in the eastern regions of the Horn of Africa between the late 13th century and early 15th century. It was formed in present-day Ethiopia around ...
and
Oromo people The Oromo (pron. Oromo: ''Oromoo'') are a Cushitic ethnic group native to the Oromia region of Ethiopia and parts of Northern Kenya, who speak the Oromo language (also called ''Afaan Oromoo'' or ''Oromiffa''), which is part of the Cushitic ...
. In the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935/36, Issa fought on the Italian side, in return benefited from
weapon A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, ...
s and
military training Military education and training is a process which intends to establish and improve the capabilities of military personnel in their respective roles. Military training may be voluntary or compulsory duty. It begins with recruit training, proceed ...
and lucrative marketing opportunities for their cattle. In the second half of the twentieth century,
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 Constitut ...
supplied additional weapons to the Issa, which it upgraded as part of the West Somalia Liberation Front. The Aysha massacre was a massacre of ethnic Issa Somalis by Ethiopian army on 13 August 1960 in
Aysha, Ethiopia Aysha ( so, Ayshaca, , ) is a town in Ethiopia. It is situated about 36 kilometres (22 miles) South of the border with Djibouti and 20 km (12 mi) West of the border with Somalia. Located in the Shinile Zone in the Somali Region. This town served by ...
. The Ethiopian troops had descended on the area to reportedly help defuse clan-related conflict. However, according to eye-witness testimony, that Somali men were then taken to a different location and then executed by Ethiopian soldiers. Among the latter, those who fled to
Dikhil Dikhil ( ar, دخيل) is a town in the western Dikhil Region of Djibouti. Lying east of Lake Abbe, It is situated about southwest of Djibouti City and north of the border with Ethiopia. It serves as the administrative centre of the Dikhil Reg ...
and
Ali Sabieh Ali Sabieh ( so, Cali Sabiix, ar, علي صبيح) is the second largest city in Djibouti. It is situated about Southwest of Djibouti City and north of the border with Ethiopia. It sprawls on a wide basin surrounded by granitic mountains on all ...
in
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
. The
drought A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D.  Jiang, A.  Khan, W.  Pokam Mba, D.  Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
and hunger crisis of 1972-1973/74 intensified the conflicts. The
Ethiopian army The Ethiopian Ground Forces () is the land service branch of the Ethiopian National Defense Force. It is senior of the two uniformed military branches. It engages in land warfare and combined arms operations, including armored and mechanized ...
intervened against the Issa and in 1971/72 killed hundreds and seized nearly 200,000 cattle. After the defeat of the
Western Somali Liberation Front The Western Somali Liberation Front ( so, Jabhadda Xoreynta Somali Galbeed; abbreviated WSLF) was a separatist rebel group fighting in eastern Ethiopia to create an independent state. It played a major role in the Ogaden War of 1977-78 assisting ...
, the Issa Division remained under the name Issa and
Gurgura The Gurgure, Gorgorah or Gurgura ( so, Gurgure, om, Gurgura, ar, غرغرة) is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family. Distribution The Gurgure are the majority in the Erer district in the Sitti Zone and Dire Daw ...
Liberation Front. They continued to receive support from
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 Constitut ...
and joined the
EPRDF The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF; am, የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝቦች አብዮታዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ግንባር, translit=Ye’Ītiyop’iya Ḥizibochi Ābiyotawī Dīmokirasīyawī Ginibari) was an eth ...
. In 1987 the autonomous region of
Dire Dawa Dire Dawa ( am, ድሬዳዋ, om, Dirree Dhawaa, 3=Place of Remedy; so, Diridhaba, meaning "where Dir hit his spear into the ground" or "The true Dir", ar, ديري داوا,) is a city in eastern Ethiopia near the Oromia and Somali R ...
was created for the Issa (which had previously belonged to the province of Xararge) as part of a new administrative division of Ethiopia. Since the
EPRDF The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF; am, የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝቦች አብዮታዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ግንባር, translit=Ye’Ītiyop’iya Ḥizibochi Ābiyotawī Dīmokirasīyawī Ginibari) was an eth ...
took over in 1991, the Issa areas in
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...
were part of the ethnic definition of the
Somali Region The Somali Region ( so, Deegaanka Soomaalida, am, ሱማሌ ክልል, Sumalē Kilil, ar, المنطقة الصومالية), also known as Soomaali Galbeed (''Western Somalia'') and officially the Somali Regional State, is a regional stat ...
. In
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
, which was colonized by France under the name of the French Coast of Somalis, (up until 1967, then to the
French Territory of the Afars and the Issas The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas (FTAI; french: Territoire français des Afars et des Issas) was the name given to present-day Djibouti between 1967 and 1977, while it was still an overseas territory of France. The area was former ...
), there were also tensions between Issa and
Afar Afar may refer to: Peoples and languages *Afar language, an East Cushitic language *Afar people, an ethnic group of Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia Places Horn of Africa *Afar Desert or Danakil Desert, a desert in Ethiopia *Afar Region, a region ...
, as the Issa and other Somalis natives of Djibouti sought to connect with
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 Constitut ...
independent since 1960. Most
Afar Afar may refer to: Peoples and languages *Afar language, an East Cushitic language *Afar people, an ethnic group of Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia Places Horn of Africa *Afar Desert or Danakil Desert, a desert in Ethiopia *Afar Region, a region ...
preferred the fate of
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
. Mahamoud Harbi was a major leader of the independence movement but was killed on 29 September 1960 and his comrades Djama Mahamoud Boreh and Mohamed Gahanlo disappeared on a flight from
Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...
to
Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo met ...
. Officially, they were killed in a
plane crash An aviation accident is defined by the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft, which takes place from the time any person boards the aircraft with the ''intention of fl ...
, but a possible role of the organization de l'armée secrète is speculated. In 1977
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
gained its
independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the s ...
, but did not unite with
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 Constitut ...
. During the
Ogaden War The Ogaden War, or the Ethio-Somali War (, am, የኢትዮጵያ ሶማሊያ ጦርነት, ye’ītiyop’iya somalīya t’orineti), was a military conflict fought between Somalia and Ethiopia from July 1977 to March 1978 over the Ethio ...
, influential Issa politicians envisioned a Greater Djibouti or "Issa-land", where Djibouti's borders would extend from the Red Sea to Dire Dawa. That dream however was dashed towards the end of the war as Somali forces were routed from Ethiopia. Under
Hassan Gouled Aptidon Hassan Gouled Aptidon ( so, Xasan Guuleed Abtidoon; ar, حسن جوليد أبتيدون) (October 15, 1916 – November 21, 2006) was the first President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999. Biography He was born in the small village of Gerisa in ...
, Djibouti developed into the one-party state of the Rassemblement Populaire pour le Progrès (RPP) In which the interests of the
Afar Afar may refer to: Peoples and languages *Afar language, an East Cushitic language *Afar people, an ethnic group of Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia Places Horn of Africa *Afar Desert or Danakil Desert, a desert in Ethiopia *Afar Region, a region ...
minority were little considered. In 1991–1994, there was therefore a
civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polic ...
in
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
between the Issa-dominated government and the Afar rebels of the FRUD. Finally, other opposition parties were admitted and Afar was involved in the government, while Issa still dominated political life. In 1999
Ismail Omar Guelleh Ishmael ''Ismaḗl''; Classical/Qur'anic Arabic: إِسْمَٰعِيْل; Modern Standard Arabic: إِسْمَاعِيْل ''ʾIsmāʿīl''; la, Ismael was the first son of Abraham, the common patriarch of the Abrahamic religions; and is cons ...
, a nephew of Hassan Gouled Aptidon, succeeded Djibouti as his successor. In the
Awdal Awdal ( so, Awdal, ar, أودَل) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It was separated from Woqooyi Galbeed and became a province in 1984 and is the most northwesterly province of Somaliland. To the east it borde ...
region of Somaliland there were battles with the
Gadabuursi The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' ( Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family. The Gadabuursi are geographically ...
, another Dir subclans. The conflict drove some of the Issa to escape to Ethiopia in the late 1990s. A refugee camp was opened at Degago/Ayisha. A second wave of Issa refugees left the coastal town of
Zeila Zeila ( so, Saylac, ar, زيلع, Zayla), also known as Zaila or Zayla, is a historical port town in the western Awdal region of Somaliland. In the Middle Ages, the Jewish traveller Benjamin of Tudela identified Zeila (or Hawilah) with the Bib ...
in 1991 after fighting with the
SNM SNM may refer to: *Sacred Name Movement *San Marino, UNDP country code *Sant Nirankari Mission *Scottish National Movement * Slovak National Museum *Somali National Movement *Special nuclear material Special nuclear material (SNM) is a term used by ...
of the
Isaaq The Isaaq (also Isaq, Ishaak, Isaac) ( so, Reer Sheekh Isxaaq, ar, بني إسحاق, Banī Isḥāq) is a Somali clan. It is one of the major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa, with a large and densely populated traditional territory. Pe ...
and
Gadabuursi The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' ( Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family. The Gadabuursi are geographically ...
. The Issa organization United Somali Front had previously tried to connect
Zeila Zeila ( so, Saylac, ar, زيلع, Zayla), also known as Zaila or Zayla, is a historical port town in the western Awdal region of Somaliland. In the Middle Ages, the Jewish traveller Benjamin of Tudela identified Zeila (or Hawilah) with the Bib ...
to
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
. In the same year, the north-west of Somaliland, including
Awdal Awdal ( so, Awdal, ar, أودَل) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It was separated from Woqooyi Galbeed and became a province in 1984 and is the most northwesterly province of Somaliland. To the east it borde ...
under the leadership of the
SNM SNM may refer to: *Sacred Name Movement *San Marino, UNDP country code *Sant Nirankari Mission *Scottish National Movement * Slovak National Museum *Somali National Movement *Special nuclear material Special nuclear material (SNM) is a term used by ...
as Somaliland, a country which has as of 2019 not been recognized by any country. In the lower house of the Somaliland Parliament (House of Representatives), six out of 82 were members of Issa in 2005. Since the 2005 elections, only one Issa (as a member of the government division UDUB ) has been represented. This decline is mainly explained by the fact that the Issa in
Awdal Awdal ( so, Awdal, ar, أودَل) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It was separated from Woqooyi Galbeed and became a province in 1984 and is the most northwesterly province of Somaliland. To the east it borde ...
instead of to Somaliland are increasingly oriented towards the neighboring
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
.


Distribution

The Issa primarily live in
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...
largely where they reach the Oromia and Afar regions and make a large chunk of the Chartered city of Dire Dawa. They also inhabit
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
, where they make up more than half of the population, thirdly they inhabit
Awdal Awdal ( so, Awdal, ar, أودَل) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It was separated from Woqooyi Galbeed and became a province in 1984 and is the most northwesterly province of Somaliland. To the east it borde ...
, Somaliland too. The Issa are the largest clan by population within the
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
. Also the Issa is the second largest sub-clan within the borders of the
Somali Region The Somali Region ( so, Deegaanka Soomaalida, am, ሱማሌ ክልል, Sumalē Kilil, ar, المنطقة الصومالية), also known as Soomaali Galbeed (''Western Somalia'') and officially the Somali Regional State, is a regional stat ...
of
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...
based on the Ethiopian population census 2008. The immediate neighbor to the Issa to the west are the
Afar Afar may refer to: Peoples and languages *Afar language, an East Cushitic language *Afar people, an ethnic group of Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia Places Horn of Africa *Afar Desert or Danakil Desert, a desert in Ethiopia *Afar Region, a region ...
(or Danakil) with whom the Issa used to frequently fight. I. M. Lewis used to refer to it as "a of an almost constant state of enmity between the 'Ise and the 'Afar" , To their east the 'Ise are in contact with the Somali
Gadabursi The Gadabuursi (Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' (Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family. The Gadabuursi are geographically sp ...
to whom they feel themselves akin and share same descent and culture. To the South the Gurgura, Hawiye and Oromo.


Lineage

The Issa traditionally traces its connexions through Dir, his actual grave lies between Rugay and
Maydh Maydh (also transliterated as Mait or Meit) (, ) is an ancient port city in the eastern Sanaag region of Somaliland. History Antiquity According to Augustus Henry Keane, Maydh represents an early center of dispersal of the Somali people. Natio ...
in eastern Somaliland. Sheikh Issa tomb most likely pre-date the local arrival of Islam, which would mean their construction took place in the 13th century or earlier. The traditional Ugaas (King) comes from the smallest Issa clan, Wardiiq and rules from his settlement Waruf located about 180 km south of
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
, west of the
Harrar Harar ( amh, ሐረር; Harari: ሀረር; om, Adare Biyyo; so, Herer; ar, هرر) known historically by the indigenous as Gey (Harari: ጌይ ''Gēy'', ) is a walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is also known in Arabic as the City of Saint ...
road. One of their Ugaas's was Ugaas Hassan Xirsi Ugaas. The Issa belong to the T-M184 haplogroup and the TMRCA is estimated to be 2100–2200 years or 150 BCE.


Clan tree

There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures and many lineages are omitted. The following listing is taken from the
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...
's ''Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics'' from 2005 and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
's Home Office publication, ''Somalia Assessment 2001''.Worldbank,
Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics
', January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts, p.55 Figure A-1
Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001, Annex B: Somali Clan Structure
, p. 43
Based on the Notes on the social organisation of the 'Ise Somal. The Isse is divided into the following branches. *Issa **Ēlēye' (Musse & Mamasan) ** Hawlagadee(IDLE iyo YOUSSOUF **Hōlle (Mahadle & Saaib) **Hōrrōne (Habar Walaal iyo Geele walaal) **Ūrweyne(Cabdelle iyo Siciid) **Wardīq (Wakhtishiil iyo Rumawaaq)


Notable Issa people

*
Mahmoud Harbi Mahamoud Harbi Farah ( ar, محمود الحربي, so, Maxamuud Xarbi Faarax) (1921 – 29 September 1960) was a Djiboutian politician of Somali ethnicity. A pan-Somalist, he was the Vice President of the Government Council of French Soma ...
: Vice-president of the Government Council of French Somaliland. *
Hassan Gouled Aptidon Hassan Gouled Aptidon ( so, Xasan Guuleed Abtidoon; ar, حسن جوليد أبتيدون) (October 15, 1916 – November 21, 2006) was the first President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999. Biography He was born in the small village of Gerisa in ...
: 1916–2006, first President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999. *
Ismaïl Omar Guelleh Ismaïl Omar Guelleh ( so, Ismaaciil Cumar Geelle ar, إسماعيل عمر جليه) (born 27 November 1947) is the current President of Djibouti. He has been in office since 1999, making him one of the longest-serving rulers in Africa. He is ...
: President of Djibouti as of 1999. *
Lula Ali Ismaïl Lula Ali Ismaïl ( so, Luula Cali Ismaaciil) is a Djibouti-Canadian film director and screenwriter. She is the first woman from Djibouti to produce a film, earning her the nickname of "the first lady of the Djibouti cinema." The directed the 27-mi ...
: Djiboutian-Canadian film director * Abdo Hamargod: Musician *
Daher Ahmed Farah Daher Ahmed Farah, ( so, Daahir Axmed Faarax) also known as DAF, is a Djiboutian politician and writer, who was born in 1962 in Dikhil. Biography Training In 1983 Farah was an Inter-African admission to the annual entry competition at the Speci ...
: Djiboutian politician *
Abdourahman Waberi Abdourahman A. Waberi ( so, Cabdiraxmaan Waaberi) is a novelist, essayist, poet, academic and short-story writer from Djibouti. Early life Abdourahman Waberi was born in Djibouti City in the French Somali Coast, the current Republic of Djibout ...
: Novelist *
Musa Shirwa Garad Ali Garad Jama was the 19th garad of the Dhulbahante Garadate, from 1966 until 1985, although he was the effective supreme Garad of the Dhulbahante from as early as the 1950s. He is best known for his role as head of the USP party. USP pol ...
, first representative of Lughaya for Garad Ali's USP party * Ahmed-Idriss Moussa:Djiboutian politician * Nima Djama: Musician * Aicha Bogoreh: First lady of
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
*
Ahmed Boulaleh Barreh Ahmed Boulaleh Barreh, also known as Gabayo ( so, Axmed Bulaale Barre), is a Djiboutian politician. He is the Vice-President of the People's Social Democratic Party (PPSD) and a member of the National Assembly of Djibouti.. Boulaleh was born in Al ...
: Djiboutian politician * Ahmed Salah: Djiboutian athlete *
Idriss Arnaoud Ali Idriss Arnaoud Ali (25 December 1945 – 12 February 2015) was a Djiboutian politician who was President of the National Assembly of Djibouti from 2003 to 2015. He was also the Secretary-General of the People's Rally for Progress (RPP) from 2 ...
: Djiboutian politician *
Xabiiba Cabdilaahi Xabiiba Balbalaaf ( so, Xabiiba Cabdilaahi), (8 July 1961 – 23 June 2020) was a prominent Djiboutian singer. Biography Habiba Abdillah Waberi was born on the 8 July 1961 in Djibouti, French Somaliland. She lived with her family in Quartier 6, ...
: Musician * Omar Farah Iltireh: Djiboutian politician * Aden Robleh Awaleh: President of the National Democratic Party. * Hawa Ahmed Youssouf: Djiboutian politician * Mohamed Ali Fourchette: Musician *
Roble Olhaye Roble Olhaye (24 April 1944 – 22 July 2015) was the Permanent Representative to the United Nations for the Republic of Djibouti. He was the Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador of Djibouti to the United States from 1988 ...
: Permanent representative to the United Nations for the Republic of Djibouti. *
Kadra Ahmed Hassan Kadra Ahmed Hassan ( so, Khadra Axmed Xuseen) is Djibouti's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Life Hassan was born in Ali Sabieh in Djibouti 1973. She holds master's degrees in political science from ...
: Permanent Representative to the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
and the
World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and ...
for the Republic of Djibouti. * Yacin Bouh: Djiboutian politician. *
Hussein Ahmed Salah Hussein Ahmed Salah ( ar, حسين أحمد صلاح, so, Xuseen Axmed Saalax) is a Djiboutian former long-distance runner, best known for winning a bronze medal in the marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He also won silver medals in this eve ...
: Djiboutian marathon runner. * Moumin Bahdon: Djiboutian politician. *Aïcha Mohamed Robleh">Moumin_Bahdon_Farah.html" ;"title="Ahmad ibn Ibrahim *Moumin Bahdon Farah">Moumin Bahdon: Djiboutian politician. *Aïcha Mohamed Robleh: Writer *Jamal Abdi Dirieh: Athlete *Fadumo Ahmed Dhimbiil: Musician *Abdi Waiss Mouhyadin: Athlete *Ahmed Daher: Football *Aden Farah Samatar: Musician *Youssouf Hiss Bachir: Athlete *Mohamed Youssef (sailor), Mohamed Youssef: Sailor *
Ahmed Goumane-Roble Ahmed Goumane Roble ( so, Axmed Guman Rooble) (5 January 1923 – 20 February 2013) was a Djiboutian politician who was elected to the French Senate The Senate (french: Sénat, ) is the upper house of the French Parliament, with the lower hous ...
: Politician *
Djama Robleh Djama Robleh ( so, Jaamac Rooble) (born December 31, 1958) is a retired Djiboutian long-distance runner who specialized in the marathon race. He won the silver medal in this event at the 1982 African Championships and finished eighth in the marat ...
: Athlete * Roda Ali Wais: Athlete * Mohamed Ali Fourchette: Musician *
Mouna-Hodan Ahmed Mouna-Hodan Ahmed ( so, Muna Axmed) (born 1972) is a writer from Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia ...
: Novelist * Hoche Yaya Aden: Athlete * Moumina Houssein Darar: Djiboutian Anti-Terrorism police investigator. * Aden Farah: Speaker of House of Federation -
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...
* Choukri Djibah: Politician and Women's equality activist.
Ahmed Bouh
Dire Dawa mayor from 2019 up to 2021. * Ali kalageye: An issa famous warrior.


See also

* Issa (name) * Dir *
Gadabuursi The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' ( Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family. The Gadabuursi are geographically ...
* Surre *
Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...
*
Zeila Zeila ( so, Saylac, ar, زيلع, Zayla), also known as Zaila or Zayla, is a historical port town in the western Awdal region of Somaliland. In the Middle Ages, the Jewish traveller Benjamin of Tudela identified Zeila (or Hawilah) with the Bib ...


Notes


References

* {{Authority control Somali clans Somali clans in Ethiopia