Rahanweyn

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Main article: Somali clan

The Rahanweyn (Somali Maay: Reewing) is a Somali clan, composed of two major sub-clans, the Digil and the Mirifle. It comprises about 20% of the population of Somalia, and is one of the four major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa.

The Digil sub-clan consists mainly of farmers and coastal people, while the Mirifle consists mainly of nomadic pastoralists.

[edit] Language and Location

According to the Rahanweyni, Somalis are linguistically grouped into Mai Terreh and Maxaa Tiri. The speakers of Mai Terreh (altern. Mai-Mai or Maay) are the Rahanweyn and others who settle with them, while the speakers of Mahaa Tiri belong to other clans (Dir, Darod and Hawiye).

The Digil and Mirifle are concentrated mainly in southern Somalia including Mogadishu and Upper Juba (Gedo, Bay, Bakool, Lower Shabelle and most parts of Middle Juba regions of Somalia). They are also found in neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia but not in Djibouti.

[edit] Clan Structure

The Rahanweyn consists of the following sub-clans:

Digil

1. Garre
2. Bagadi
3. Geledi
4. Dabarre
5. Jiido
6. Shantacaleemood
7. Tunni

Mirifle

• Siyeed

1. Eelaay
2. Jiroon
3. Leysan
4. Xariin
5. Macalinweyne
6. Disoow
7. Eemid
8. Qoomaal
9. Yalaale
10. Heledi
11. Xaroow
12. Waanjaal
13. Reer Dumaal
14. Garwaale

• Sagaal

1. Hadame
2. Luwaay
3. Geelidle
4. Jilible
5. Yantaar
6. Hubeer
7. Gasaargude
8. Goobabweyn

Boqolhore (consisting the four clans of Qoomaal, Disoow, Eemid and Yalaale)

Each of these numbered sub-clans has 5 Gamaas (sub-groups). For example the five gamaa of the Qoomaal of the Boqolhore (see above) are: 1.Dhisiraad, 2. Reer Awmashube 3. Reer Towba; 4. Reer Macalin and 5. Idimoole. Traditionally one of these five is the Gamaashore (first sub-group). In the case of the Qoomaal the Gamaashore is the sub-group called Dhisiraad.

[edit] Major figures in Rahanweyn clan

• Avv. Hassan Sheikh Ibrahim (Lawyer Hessey) - Highest education and Prominent politician of Somali citizens. Born Biadoa, was number one student in High school, studied his law and political science in Italy, 1970 until late 70s Dean of Somali Law University and wrote books to study law school classes which are the requierements, Late 70s until 90 Lawyer of the Embassy (Italian and American), Somali airline and other organization/private companies like Shell oil, number 1 educated lawyer in Somalia and the only Somali Internaltional Lawyer. Elected 1993-95 President of Rahanweyn Regional Autonomy (RRA). His clan (Rahanweyn) invented and was the first called regional atonomy in all Somali regions. Best Leader ever in Rahanweyn clan and he has two strongest unique that are highest educations and strongest politics background. Most of Somalian's don't have yet the type of leader that Rahanweyn showed someone like him.
• Ustad Osman A prominent leader of the Somali liberation movement during 1943 to 1959. Gunned down for political motives allegedly by SYL loyalists
• Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein Somali speaker of parliament, from 1964-1969 and interim president in 1969
• Abdalla Derow Isaaq Somali speaker of parliament of the interm government of 2000 - 2004, Minister of Constitutional and Federal Affairs 2004 - 2006 when he was gunned down for political motives in Baidoa, the then seat of the Somali interim Transitional Federal Government.
• Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan Somali speaker of the interim Transitional Federal Government 2004–2007.
• Abdiqadir Mohamed Aden Soobe Prominent politician, first finance minister in 1960 until 1964, Co-founder of [Digil-Mirifle Party] in early 1960s, Co-founder of Somali Democratic Movement [SDM], a vice president of President Ali Mahdi's interim Somali government from January 1991-1997, co-oraniser of the [All Rahanwein clan meetings of 1993 in Boonkay], Baidoa area, delivering ['the Rahanweini' Autonomous State of Somalia] post President Mohamed Siyad Barre regime.[Mohamed Ali Hamud] was elected as the vice president. This was [five year prior] to the foundation of [Puntland State of Somalia]
• Abdi Bulle Adan Co-founder of the [Hisbiya Digil Mirifle Somali] (also known as Hisbiya Dastur Mustaqbal Somali [Somali Consititutional Party] in mid 1940's, member of the 1950-1960 Trustship parliament, a member of 1960 - 1967 Somali national parliament.
• Sheikh Aweys A prominent religious leader that brought to Somalia and East Africa the [qaadiriya Sufi movement] in early 20th century that died in Tiyeglow, Bakool. His grave to this day, in the town of Biyoley is visited by hundreds of thousands a year.He was of the same era as [Sheikh Hassan Barsame - a Hawiye and the leader of the Ahmediya religious movement]; and ['Sayid' Mohamed Abdulle Hassan ' the Mad Mullah' - a Darod and the leader of the Salehiya religious movement]
• Mohamed Ali Hamud, Foreign Minister in the 1970s and 1980'. Vice President of the Autonomous Rahanweini State of Somalia 1993 - 1995 which collapsed after the invasion of [General Aideed's USC/SNA Allaince of the Hawiye and some elements of the Rahanweyn]
• Col. Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud leader of the Rahanweyn Resistance Army (RRA) who fought off USC/SNA of the Hawiye led by General Mohamed Farah Aidid and Hussein Mohamed Farah Aidid, 1995–1999, first president of South West State of Somalia - consisting of the six Somali regions of Bakool, Bay, Gedo, Lower Shabelle, Middle Juba, and Lower Juba during 2000–2004 when it collapsed due a rebellion by his two deputies Sheikh Adan Madoobe and Mohamed Ibrahim Habsade; Minister of Finance and Agriculture of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) from 2004
• Muhammad Ibrahim Habsade,former warlord and Transpot minister of the TNG

• Sheikh Mukhtar Robow a leading member of the Union of Islamic Courts which tamed Mogadishu and much of Southern Somalia during the short period of June 2006 to December 2006 prior to the entry of Mogadishu by forces loyal to Somalia' interim transitional government backed by Ethiopian troops.
• Mohamed Haji Mukhtar A Somali intellectual and a long time professor of African & Middle Eastern History at Savannah State University, Savannah, Georgia
• Abdi Kusow Professor of sociology and anthropology at Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan.
• Adan Ali Bulle A community Health Specialist and a Linguist. First known Somali to become member of a major European city's Health Authority Board (Liverpool Health Authority, England, during 1996 to 2002).
• Hussein Mohamed Nur a well known and well respected, propably the best of all known Somali eye specialist, gunned down in late 1990s by Hawiye gunmen.
• Sahal Moalin Isse a well known and well respected composer, song writer and poet in Mai-Mai Somali as well as in standard Somali