The Habar Gidir (Somali: Habar Gidir, Arabic: هبر جدر) is a major subclan of the

Hawiye The Hawiye (; ) are one of the principal and largest of the Somali clans, tracing their lineage back to Sheikh Ahmed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Uthman, also known as Sheikh Hawiye, the eponymous figure of the clan. They are considered the earliest do ...

. The clan has produced some prominent Somali figures, including the first Prime Minister of Somalia Abdullahi Issa Mohamud, and Somalia's fifth President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan.

Overview

The Habar Gidir are one of the largest Somali clan families and inhabit a vast portion of the Somali nation and Somali peninsula at large. The Habargidir mainly reside in the central regions of Somalia, where they predominate, and are frequently associated with the region itself. The Habargidir as a clan break into 5 clan families made up of the Cayr, Sacad, Saleebaan, sifaadle and Saruur who are all descended from Madarki’is (Madarkicis Hiraab).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

Etymology

The Habar Gidir are a Hiraab sub-clan. The forefather of the clan is Madarkicis Hiraab and Habar Gidir is the name of their mother, Gidir

Karanle The Karanle (Arabic: كرنلي ,كرن, Somali: Karanle, Karan) are a Somali clan, forming one of the six branches of the larger Hawiye clan. The Karanle are geographically spread out across three countries: Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Among a ...

, the sister of

Murusade The Murusade (Somali language, Somali: Murursade, Mursal; Arabic: مرسذه ,مرسل), commonly referred to in contemporary usage as Mursal, are a Somali sub-clan belonging to the Karanle branch, which is part of the larger Hawiye, Hawiye c ...

. Madarkicis is part of the Hiraab section of

. Madarkicis translates to "gathering causer'' or ''The one who rouses meetings" in the Somali language. The name Habar gidir is derived from Madarkicis' appreciation to Raarey Gidir, who gave birth to two of his sons out of a total of five and nurtured all of his children, Madarkicis afterwards made the prayer that Raarey Gidir's name surpasses his to convey his thanks for her care.

Role and influence in Somalia

The Habar Gidir clan has produced prominent figures such as the first Prime Minister of Somalia Abdullahi Issa Mohamud, who hailed from the Sa'ad subclan; Reer Nima'ale. Abdullahi Issa played one of the most important roles if not the most important role in bringing independence for the Somali nation. He stood firm in his beliefs against the occupying Italians and ensured to get them out of the country legally and bring Somalis freedom in which he was victorious. Somalia's fifth president Abdiqasim Salad Hassan also hails from the Habargidir, Ayr, Absiiye. The president was elected at a time where Somalia had not seen governance for nearly a decade and was elected in the town of Arta in Djibouti by Somali delegates representing the various Somali clans and factions. His government faced great challenges despite his will to restore the Somali nation to its better past. He was also a very important figure in Mohamed Siyad Barres Regime and held 7 ministerial posts in the span of the regimes rule. General Mohamed Farah Aydid, also from the Habar Gidir, is regarded as the most influential general in modern Somali political history. Mohamed Farah Aydid was a Major General who was instrumental in the 1977 war against Ethiopia to liberate the unlawfully occupied Somali Region. After other Somali clans failed to overthrow President Mohamed Siyad Barre's totalitarian rule, the General played the most essential role in overthrowing the regime. General Aydid was the Chairman and Leader of the United Somali Congress faction, which ousted Mohamed Siyad Barre.

References

{{Reflist Hawiye clan Somali clans in Ethiopia