Lets Talk African History: Somalis. An underrated history

B

Bawon Samedi

Good bye Coli
Supporter
Hall of Fame
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Messages
42,413
Reputation
18,635
Daps
166,496
Reppin
Good bye Coli(2014-2020)
We're back! And for this episode of "Lets talk African history" we're going to be discussing an interesting history. Thats right Somalis from Somalia. First off to be honest I do not know much about Somali history compared to other East Africans like Ethiopians, the Swahilis or Nubians. I do know about the Ajuran empire but only the basics. Many of yall requested this thread be made however I feel discussing Somali history would be good because it would give more context behind the Swahili's role in the Indian Ocean since Somalia(Mogadishu) was also a big player in the Indian Ocean trade from Africa and were very powerful in terms of military. Whats interesting about Somalis is that they seemed to always have a maritime culture that even last till today. When you read more on Somali history you realize that because of their maritime history they like their Southern Somali cousins were literally EVERYWHERE in the Indian ocean.

Somalis are a Southern Cushytic group native to the modern area of Somalia. Anyways, I know many people have varying opinions on where Punt was located but some believe it was partially located in modern day Somalia at least. Lets see what the "Land of Punt" was about shall we? :smile:

The Land of Punt is described in ancient Egyptian texts as "the land of the gods" and a region rich in resources. In the decades after Jean-Francois Champollion first deciphered Egyptian heiroglyphics in 1822 CE, and western scholars began reading Egyptian texts, questions arose as to where Punt was located and what it is called in the modern world. Punt is almost certainly modern-day Puntland State of Somalia based on the evidence of the ancient Egyptian inscriptions. According to historian Ahmed Abdi, the ancient city of Opone in Somalia is identical to the city of Pouen referenced as part of Punt by ancient inscriptions. The Egyptians called Punt Pwenetor Pwene which translates as Pouen known to the Greeks as Opone. It well established that Opone traded with Egypt over many centuries.

The country is best known for Queen Hatshepsut’s famous expedition in 1493 BCE in the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. This exchange between Egypt and Punt brought back living trees to Egypt, marking the first known successful attempt at transplanting foreign fauna. This voyage to Punt is only the most famous, however, and evidence suggests that the Egyptians were trading with the Land of Punt as early as the reign of the pharaoh Khufu in the Fourth Dynasty (c. 2613-2498 BCE) and probably earlier.

Egypt grew as a nation as trade increased beginning in the latter part of the Predynastic Period (c. 6000-3150 BCE). By the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-2613 BCE) trade was firmly established with regions in Mesopotamia and Phoenicia. By the time of the Fifth Dynasty (c. 2498-2345 BCE) Egypt was flourishing through trade with these areas and especially the Phoenician city of Byblos and the countries of Nubia and Punt. Punt was not only a significant partner in trade, however; it was also a source of cultural and religious influence and a land which the Egyptians viewed as their place of origin and blessed by the gods.
Click to expand...
Read more.

punt6.jpg


However, even if Somalia was not the location of Punt, Somalia alone still disproves the myth that "Sub-Sahara Africa" was a "dark continent" isolated from the world during classical times.

Ancient Somalis domesticated the camel somewhere between the third millennium and second millennium BCE from where it spread to Ancient Egypt and North Africa.[26] In the classical period, the Somali city-states of Mosylon, Opone, Malao, Sarapion, Mundus, Essina and Tabae in Somalia developed a lucrative trade network connecting with merchants from Phoenicia, Ptolemic Egypt, Greece, Parthian Persia, Sheba, Nabataea and the Roman Empire. They used the ancient Somali maritime vessel known as the beden to transport their cargo.

After the Roman conquest of the Nabataean Empire and the Roman naval presence at Aden to curb pillaging, Somali and Gulf Arab merchants by agreement barred Indian ships from trading in the free port cities of the Arabian peninsula[27] to protect the interests of Somali and Arab merchants in the extremely lucrative ancient Red Sea–Mediterranean Sea commerce.[28] However, Indian merchants continued to trade in the port cities of the Somali peninsula, which was free from Roman interference.[29]

For centuries, the Indian merchants brought large quantities of cinnamon from Sri Lanka and Indonesia to Somalia and Arabia. This is said to have been the best kept secret of the Somali and Gulf Arab merchants in their trade with the Roman and Greek world. The Romans and Greeks believed the source of cinnamon to have been the Somali peninsula, but in reality, the highly valued product was brought to Somalia by way of Indian ships.[30] Through collusive agreement by Somali and Gulf Arab traders, Indian/Chinese cinnamon was also exported for far higher prices to North Africa, the Near East and Europe, which made the cinnamon trade a very profitable revenue generator, especially for the Somali merchants through whose hands large quantities were shipped across ancient sea and land routes.[28]
Click to expand...
History of Somalia - Wikipedia

As we can see since classical period Somalis been trading with people like Egyptians, Romans, Indians Greeks and many others. Dispelling the myth that the area below the Sahara in Africa was isolated.

I will be posting better sources in next post.


@Grano-Grano @Karbaash @Broke Wave @Max B @FAH1223 @BocaRear

God damn its a lot of you nomads on here. :wow:
 
Last edited:
B

Bawon Samedi

Good bye Coli
Supporter
Hall of Fame
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Messages
42,413
Reputation
18,635
Daps
166,496
Reppin
Good bye Coli(2014-2020)
Broke Wave said:
Fantastic thread

What youd find even more interesting if you look into it is Somalias relations with other African kingdoms and how there was a sense of Africanism outside ofc our beef with Ethiopia occassionally.
Click to expand...
Will be interested to see this. It will also debunk the idea that Somalis were always anti-African.

Anyways stay tuned for more.
 
Broke Wave

Broke Wave

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Messages
18,701
Reputation
4,575
Daps
44,582
Reppin
Open Society Foundation
Diasporan Royalty said:
Will be interested to see this. It will also debunk the idea that Somalis were always anti-African.

Anyways stay tuned for more.
Click to expand...
So largely over blown and exaggerated. Somali anti Africanism is almost totally a product of modern attitudes as a reflection of the dire situation. You have a people who devolved into sub-sub-clans, how can they then see them selved as part of a wider African family?
 
B

Bawon Samedi

Good bye Coli
Supporter
Hall of Fame
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Messages
42,413
Reputation
18,635
Daps
166,496
Reppin
Good bye Coli(2014-2020)
With this post I just want to address how Islam came to Somalia. And I hope I do not offend some of the Somali brehs with this, just the sources I found... Islam into Somalia seems to me a big mystery for me.

30ivlec.png

Read more


Islam was introduced to the northern Somali coast early on from the Arabian peninsula, shortly after the hijra. Zeila's two-mihrab Masjid al-Qiblatayn although not dated, is said to have been built back in the 7th century, and is the oldest mosque in the city.[4] In the late 9th century, Al-Yaqubi wrote that Muslims were living along the northern Somali seaboard.[5] He also mentioned that the Adal kingdom had its capital in the city,[5][6] suggesting that the Adal Sultanate with Zeila as its headquarters dates back to at least the 9th or 10th century. According to I.M. Lewis, the polity was governed by local dynasties, who also ruled over the similarly-established Sultanate of Mogadishu in the littoral Benadir region to the south. Adal's history from this founding period forth would be characterized by a succession of battles with neighbouring Abyssinia.[6]
Click to expand...
Islam in Somalia - Wikipedia





juzs04.png

The Red Sea from Byzantium to the Caliphate: AD 500-1000

Like I said the introduction of Islam into Somalia seems to be blurry as hell with different arguments. IMO I think Somalis converted view trade, Arab migration and some avoiding being taken as slaves similar to other East Africans(Swahili). Correct me if wrong.

And now time for medieval Somalia where things get FUN. Stay tuned.
 
B

Bawon Samedi

Good bye Coli
Supporter
Hall of Fame
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Messages
42,413
Reputation
18,635
Daps
166,496
Reppin
Good bye Coli(2014-2020)
The Odum of Ala Igbo

The Odum of Ala Igbo

Hail Biafra!
Joined
Jan 16, 2014
Messages
17,969
Reputation
2,965
Daps
52,723
Reppin
The Republic of Biafra
Diasporan Royalty said:
Now hear comes the FUN shyt! I thought this shyt wasn't true but it IS!:ohmy::ohmy::ohmy::ohmy::ohmy: Somalis really were big players in the Indian Ocean as they had colonies in the Maldives!:ohmy::ohmy:

21eq0de.jpg

Ibn Battuta in the Maldives and Ceylon

The Abdal Aziz guy in question was Somali from Mogadishu!
Abd al-Aziz of Mogadishu - Wikipedia

I'm trying to find MORE...

@Karbaash @Grano-Grano @Broke Wave
Click to expand...

Great info. Will add this the Peopling of Africa thread. I'm doing work on the peopling of Madagascar and other African Indian Ocean islands.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top