Garad (Harari: ገራድ, Somali: Garaad, Arabic: الجراد, Oromo: Garaada) is a term used to refer to a clan leader or regional administrator. It was used primarily by Muslims in the Horn of Africa that were associated with Islamic states, most notably the Adal Sultanate.[1][2]

Etymology edit

The origin of the term Garad is uncertain.[3] According to Enrico Cerulli, Garad originates from the era of the Adal emirate.[4] Garad denotes a headman within a "Gaar" (clan/house).[5][6] In the Somali language Garad roughly translates to "chief" or "wise man", as well as "wisdom".[7][8] Garad also denotes a "chief" in Harari and Silt'e languages respectively.[9] A proposed word origin in the Harari language is Gaar Eqad, which literally means "front of the house."[10] However according to Leslau, Garad is a Cushitic loanword in the Harari language.[11] Another word origin in the Somali language is Gar Aad, which is the concatenation of the words "justice" and "move towards", therefore the literal meaning of Garad in Somali is "One who seeks Justice"[12]

History edit

 
Garad of Ala Oromo in 1885

Several Muslim states and dominions including Hadiya Sultanate, Sultanate of Darfur, Ganz province, Harla and Somali Sultanate leaders were known as Garads.[13][14][15][16]

Within Somali clans the use of the traditional hereditary title "Garad" is most widespread among the Dhulbahante and Karanle and was also used by the Habr Awal up until the 1940s.[17][18][19] According to tradition the Somali Girhi's founding Garad "Aboker" lived five centuries ago in Harar.[20] Tradition among the Somali Geledi clan claim Aw Kalafow, a descendant of Abadir, was the first to use the title Garad.[21] Enrico Cerulli and others state that the Harari titles such as Garad were embraced by Somali chiefs.[22][23]

In the early seventeenth century Emirate of Harar, Garad was the title given to tax collectors on behalf of the state. According to Richard Caulk, Garad was a bygone Harari title that was introduced to the Oromo of Hararghe whom also began using it.[24][25] Garads were also commanders of the army called the Malassay in the Harar Emirate.[26] An eighteen century Harari chronicle states the Harar region went through major upheavals in the late 1700s which led to the destruction of several villages administrated by Garads.[27]

Somali Garad clans edit

There are many Somali clans suffixed with Garad, in particular subclans of the Marehan and Dhulbahante, which include:[28][29]

Places edit

Notable Garads edit

References edit

  1. ^ Abubaker, Abdulmalik. Taxes, tax payers and collectors-pre and post Menelik: Harari experience (PDF). University of Alabama. p. 24.
  2. ^ Hassan, Mohammed. Oromo of Ethiopia (PDF). University of London. p. 177.
  3. ^ Ben-Dror, Avishai (n.d.), Emirate, Egyptian, Ethiopian: Colonial Experiences in Late Nineteenth .., Syracuse University Press, ISBN 978-0-8156-5431-5
  4. ^ Hersi, Ali (1977). The Arab factor in Somali history the origins and the development of Arab enterprise and cultural influences in the Somali peninsula (Thesis). University of California. p. 13.
  5. ^ Woldeselassie, Zerihun (2017). "Ethnicity, belonging and identity among the Eastern Gurage of Ethiopia". Ethnicities. 17 (3). Sage Publications, Inc: 438. doi:10.1177/1468796815588619. hdl:10037/18693. JSTOR 26413960. S2CID 143003936.
  6. ^ Turton, Edmund. The Pastrol tribes of Northern Kenya (PDF). University of London. p. 27.
  7. ^ Höhne, Markus Virgil (2015). Between Somaliland and Puntland : marginalization, militarization and conflicting political vision. London. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-907431-13-5. OCLC 976483444.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ Waller, David (1993). Rwanda : which way now?. Oxford: Oxfam. p. 68. ISBN 0-85598-217-9. OCLC 29513928.
  9. ^ Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: Gärad.
  10. ^ Leslau, Wolf (1963). Etymological Dictionary of Harari (1st ed.). University of California Publications, Near Middle East Studies.
  11. ^ Leslau, Wolf (1959). "An Analysis of the Harari Vocabulary". Annales d'Éthiopie. 3 (1): 290. doi:10.3406/ethio.1959.1310.
  12. ^ Kirk, J. W. C. (2010-10-31). A Grammar of the Somali Language: With Examples in Prose and Verse, and an Account of the Yibir and Midgan Dialects. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-01326-0.
  13. ^ Boustead, J.E.H (1939). "The Youth & Last Days of Sultan Ali Dinar "A Fur View"". Sudan Notes and Records. 22 (1). University of Khartoum: 149–153. JSTOR 41716321.
  14. ^ Markakis, John (2011). Ethiopia: The Last Two Frontiers. Boydell & Brewer Ltd. p. 141. ISBN 978-1-84701-033-9.
  15. ^ Huntingford, G.W.B (15 May 2017). Some Records of Ethiopia, 1593-1646: Being Extracts from The History of High Ethiopia or Abassia by Manoel de Almeida Together with Bahrey's History of the Galla. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-317-05271-5.
  16. ^ Levi, Vida. "Le manuscrit Vatican arabe 1792" (PDF). European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. p. 2.
  17. ^ Felix, Rosen (1907). Eine deutsche Gesandtschaft in Abessinien (in German). VERLAG VON VEIT & COMP Leipzig. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-274-11341-5.
  18. ^ Buur, L; Kyed, K (2007). State Recognition and Democratization in Sub-Saharan Africa: A New Dawn for Traditional Authorities?. Springer. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-230-60971-6. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  19. ^ Cerulli, Enrico. Islam: Yesterday and Today translated by Emran Waber. Istituto Per L'Oriente. p. 199.
  20. ^ Hussein, Jeylan (2015). "Sociocognitive Processes in the Construction of Identity and Conflict between the Jarso and Girhi in Eastern Ethiopia". African Conflict and Peacebuilding Review. 5 (2). Indiana University Press: 107. doi:10.2979/africonfpeacrevi.5.2.89. JSTOR 10.2979/africonfpeacrevi.5.2.89. S2CID 154694376.
  21. ^ Mukhtar, Mohammed (25 February 2003). Historical Dictionary of Somalia. Scarecrow Press. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-8108-6604-1.
  22. ^ Cerulli, Enrico. HARAR CENTRO MUSULMANO IN ETIOPIA (PDF). Istituto per l'Oriente C. A. Nallino. p. 314.
  23. ^ Banti, Giorgio. Strata in Semitic loanwords in Northern Somali. De Gruyter Mouton. p. 192.
  24. ^ Abubaker, Abdulmalik. Trade for Peace not for Conflict: Harari Experience. School of Law, University of Warwick.
  25. ^ WONDIMU, ALEMAYEHU. A CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE HARARI PEOPLE (PDF). Jimma University. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 April 2021.
  26. ^ Kropp, Manfred (1990). "Mäläsay: Selbstbezeichnung Eines Harariner Offizierskorps und Ihr Gebrauch in Äthiopischen und Arabischen Chroniken". Paideuma. 36. Frobenius Institute: 111. JSTOR 40732663.
  27. ^ Wagner, Ewald (1974). "Three Arabic Documents on the History of Harar". Journal of Ethiopian Studies. 12 (1): 213–224. JSTOR 44324707.
  28. ^ GIKONYO, FLORENCE, MÉMOIRE SOUMIS POUR L’OBTENTION DU, and DIPLÔME DE MAÎTRISE ES LETTRES. "UNIVERSITÉ KENYATTA." (2011).
  29. ^ Hunt, John Anthony (1951). A General Survey of the Somaliland Protectorate 1944-1950: Final Report on "An Economic Survey and Reconnaissance of the British Somaliland Protectorate 1944-1950," Colonial Development and Welfare Scheme D. 484. To be purchased from the Chief Secretary. pp. 141–143.
  30. ^ Hussein, Ahmed. HARAR-WALLO RELATIONS REVISITED: HISTORICAL, RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS (PDF). Kyoto University. p. 112.