Background:

     Gharri people are believed to be from Arab descent. Like many other African Muslims, they trace their genealogy to the family of the prophet Mohammed (PBUH) “Qurash” They are divided into two major sub clans, Tuf and Quran (Quranyowa.) According to The Gharri oral traditions, almost all of the Gharri elders agree including Sheikh Abdiwahid, one of the well respected Gharri elders from Gharri Konfur, Gharri was an arab immigrant who came from the Golf of Aden or possibly from “Yeman” He had two sons, Mohamed and Tuf. Mohamed died after he had one son Quran (quranyow). Quran was raised by his uncle Mr. Tuf. Later on he married Mako who is Tuf’s daughter and Quran’s first cousin. Then he (Quran) fathered two sons, Furkesha and Assaree. Assarree.had two sons, Bana and Kiliya.

Furkesha, the brother of Assarre , had seven sons, they were Hodkoya, Birkaya, Hoytra, Darawa, Kalwesha, Hurdeq and “SUBUKITRE”.

Also, the second half of the Gharri branch is Tuf. Tuf is believed to be the uncle and father in law’s of Quran or quranyow, and he had two sons, Ali and Adola. Adola had eight sons. They were Kalwina, Kalmassa, Bursuni, Odomai, Maqabille, maid, Rer Mug and Tubadi.

The Tuf’s second son Ali had three SONS; their names were Kalula, Tawulle and Sabdhawa. SO, TODAY, ALMOST EVERY GHARRI PERSON IS BELONGING TO ONE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED GROUP OF THE SUB CLANS OF THE GHARRI PEOPLE.

RESOURCES (NATURAL):

THE GHARRI REGION IS ONE OF THE RICHEST REGIONS IN EAST AFRICA, REGARDING GOLD, COOPER, SALT, CLAY AND OTHER MINERAL RESOURCES.

"In a radius 15-50 Kilometers, East of Moyale are found Harmesem, Harsamte, and ChamuK areas, rich with gold mineral deposit totaling 1412 Tons, but so far these areas are subjected to only traditional gold mining." These are three Gharri young females gold-miners.

the Gharri experience:

THE GHARRI PEOPLE WERE RULED AND OCCUPIED BY RUTHLESS AND INHUMAN MONARCHS AND DICTATOR OF Ethiopia. MENELIKE SUBJECTED THE GHARRI PEOPLE TO PAINFUL POLITICAL AND ECONOMICAL REPRESSION. HAILE SELASSE CARRIED OUT THE TORCH AND COMMITTED GENOCIDE ON THE GHARRI PEOPLE. DURING HAILE SELASSE'S ADMINISTRATION, THE GHARRI PEOPLE SUFFERED YEAR AFTER YEARS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FIXATION, POLITICAL AND ECONOMICAL ISOLATION. GHARRI MALES WERE SUBJECTED TO PHYSICAL TORTURE AND THEY LOST OVER 500 BILLION HERDS TO LOOTING BY HAILE SELASSE AND MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM'S GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS. ADHESIVE RESISTANCE OF THE GHARRI PEOPLE AND MANY OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS SUCCEEDED TO TOPPLING THE HAILE SELASSE MONARCHY DOWN IN 1974.
           THE GHARRI PEOPLE, WHO HELPED TO OVERTHROW THE MONARCHY, WERE DENIED THE RIGHT OF SELF-RULE AND REGIONAL AUTONOMY.  A MILITARY DICTATOR WHO WAS WORST AND CRUELER THAN THE MONARCHY ADMINISTRATION RULED THE COUNTRY AND COMMITTED GENOCIDE AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE.  BETWEEN 1958 AND 1966, THE HAILE SELASSE GOVERNMENT SLAUGHTERED 600 THOUSAND GHARRI CIVILIANS. ALSO, BETWEEN 1974 AND 1991 OVER THE DICTATOR MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM’S GOVERNMENT MURDERED 800 THOUSAND GHARRI CIVILIANS.

           THE GHARRI LAND WAS TAKEN AWAY AND GHARRI PEOPLE WERE SUBJECTED TO UNTOLD AND UNDOCUMENTED HATE CRIMES, WHICH WERE COMMITTED BY VARIOUS FACTIONS IN ETHIOPIA. THE DICTATOR MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM PORTRAYED THE GHARRI PEOPLE AS FOREIGN TERRORIST AND AUTHORIZED ANIMOSITY AND TERRORIST ACTS EITHER OPENLY OR COVERTLY AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE. AS A RESULTS I LOST MY OWN FATHER, UNCLES, NEPHEW AND OVER 400 EXTENDED FAMILY ONE DAY IN 1966, IN CITY OF WACHILLES, Homes AND MOSQUES WERE RAIDED BY THE DICTATORS MILITARY JUNTA AND GHARRI MALES WERE MURDERED EXECUTION STYLE. IN ONE INSTANCE, 60 MEN BETWEEN 16 AND 32 WERE TIED UP TOGETHER AND EXECUTED IN COLD BLOOD. EACH ONE OF THE MEN WAS SHOT AT LEAST 25 TIMES. MIRACULOUSLY, ONE MAN SURVIVED AFTER BEING SHOT 28 TIMES. MANY OTHER GHARRI MEN WERE KILLED BY HANGING AND THEIR BODIES WERE DISPLAYED IN THE MAIN CITY SQUARE FOR SEVERAL DAYS.  PEOPLE WERE FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOUSES TO GO AND WATCH THE DECEASED TORTURED BODIES.

             IN 1968, ONE GHARRI MAN WAS ACCUSED OF PLANTING LAND MINES AND OTHER TERRORIST ACTS AGAINST THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT. HE WAS TIED UP ON THE MILITARY JEEP BACK BUMPER, AND DRIVEN AROUND THE CITY BLOCKS AND TORTURED TO DEATH. HIS FLESH WAS DISPLAYED ON DESIGNATED AREAS ON THE MAIN STREET FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE FAMILY COULD PICK THE BODY UP AND BURY HIM. DURING BOTH ADMINISTRATIONS (HAILE SELASSE AND MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM), THE GHARRI PEOPLE WERE HUNTED UNDER THE LABEL OF MUSLIM EXTREMIST OR Somali TERRORIST. AGAIN IN 1991-92 VARIOUS OPPOSITION GROUPS FROM DIFFERENT ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS INCLUDING THE GHARRI PEOPLE MANAGED TO OVERTHROW THE DICTATOR MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM'S GOVERNMENT. STILL THE GHARRI PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DENIED OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA. INSTEAD THE O.L.F. REPRESENTING THE LARGEST ETHNIC GROUP AND HOLDING MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENTARY SEATS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE GHARRI PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR REGIONAL AUTONOMY. THE OROMO LIBERATION FRONT (O.L.F.) CLAIMED THE GHARRI REGION AS PARTS OF THEIR OWN REGION. THE O.L.F. WAGE A CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE, STATING THAT THE GHARRI PEOPLE ARE SOMALIAN, THEREFORE, THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO CLAIM ANY REGION IN SO CALLED ETHIOPIA.
THEY VIEWED THE GHARRI PEOPLE AS FOREIGNERS AND OCCUPYING FORCES IN THE OROMO LAND.
             HISTORY PROVES THAT THE GHARRI PEOPLE NEVER CLAIMED THEMSELVES AS ETHIOPIAN OR DID THEY ACCEPT ANY ETHIOPIAN ADMINISTRATION PRIOR TO CURRENT GOVERNMENT. THE GHARRI HAVE BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST ABYSSINIAN COLONIALIST SINCE 1889 WHEN MENELIKE INVADED THE GHARRI KINGDOM IN THE 1800S WITH THE HELP OF GERMANY AND BRITISH.
SINCE THE EUROPEAN SETTLERS CAME TO EAST AFRICA, PARTICULARLY BRITISH, ITALIAN AND THE FRENCH, THE GHARRI PEOPLE WERE DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS. BRITISH OCCUPIED THE GHARRI LANDS ON THE SOUTHWEST, THE ITALIANS OCCUPIED THE EAST, AND THE ETHIOPIAN OCCUPIED IN THE NORTHWEST.
THE GHARRI LAND WAS NAMED AFTER THE BORANA CLAN. BECAUSE THE BORANA CLAN WAS PAGANS, WHO WERE BELIEVED TO BE EASY TO BE CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY. THEY WERE NON-MILITANT AND THEY ARE AMONGST THE GROUP OF NOMADS WHOM DID NOT PARTICIPATED IN A CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BLACK IMPERIALIST ETHIOPIA.
IN CONTRAST BOTH THE BRITISH AND THE ETHIOPIA IMPERIALIST VIEWED THE GHARRI PEOPLE AS ALWAYS UNRULY AND TROUBLESOME TRIBE.  

            IN 1895, THE GHARRI WERE DEFEATED BY THE BRITISH AND THE ETHIOPIAN EMPIRE. Mr. ALI ABDI THE GHARRI'S LEADER WENT TO THE ITALIAN FRONTIER IN SOMALI LAND AND ASKED FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE, IN RETURN, THE GHARRI WOULD GRANT THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT THE RIGHT OF PASSAGE IN TO ETHIOPIA.  ITALY AGREED AND GAVE MILITARY EQUIPMENTS TO THE GHARRI AND THE ETHIOPIAN ARMY WAS DEFEATED.
THE GHARRI GAINED CONTROL OF ITS REGION.
            IN 1913, THE ETHIOPIAN AND THE BRITISH MADE A JOINT MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE GHARRI AND INVADED THE GHARRI LAND. THEY COMMITTED GENOCIDE AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE. THEREFORE, THE GHARRI PEOPLE ENDURED A HEART BREAKING SITUATION DUE TO CENTURIES OF COLONIALIZATION BY THE BRITISH AND ETHIOPIA.
        THE BRITISH OCCUPIED THE GHARRI COUNTRY FOR 61 YEARS. DURING THE 61 YEARS OF OCCUPATION, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PRACTICALLY ROBBED THE GHARRI OF THEIR LIFE STOCKS AND DESTROYED WILD ANIMALS SUCH AS RHINO, ELEPHANTS, BUFFALO, AND TIGERS. THE BRITISH AND ETHIOPIAN IMPERIALISTS COLLECTED CATTLE AS FORM OF TRIBUTE AND TAXES. IN SOME CASES THEY RAIDED THE GHARRI VILLAGES AND LOOTED THEIR HERDS. THEY JUSTIFIED THE RAID BY STATING THAT THEY ARE ENFORCING THE LAW TO COLLECT TAXES FROM THOSE GHARRI "GANGS" WHO DEFIED THE LAW.
THE BRITISH ALSO HELPED THE ETHIOPIANS TO OCCUPY THE GHARRI COUNTRY IN ORDER TO STOP THE GHARRI PEOPLE FROM MOVING AND KEEPING THEIR RESOURCES TO FAR NORTHERN GHARRI, WHAT IS KNOWN     TODAY AS THE SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.
           THE GHARRI LEADERS WERE CAPTURED AND MANY OTHERS WERE MURDERED,
GABABA MAHAD, HIS SON HASSAN GABABA, ALI ABDI WERE AMONGST THE LEADERS THAT WERE CAPTURED BY BRITISH OCCUPYING FORCES. GABABA MAHAD WAS ARRESTED IN NAIROBI FOR 10 YEARS. HE WAS TORTURE IN PRISON AND LATER RELEASED. BUT, HE DIED LATER FROM TRAUMA AND HEAD INJURY.
HIS SON HAJJ HASSAN GABABA ALSO WAS CAPTURED AND KEPT UNDER HOUSE ARREST IN MARSABIT. THE BRITISH OCCUPYING FORCES CONSIDERED HIM AS MILITANT, UNRULY, AND ANTI BRITISH COLONIALIST. THEREFORE, HE WAS DETAINED UNDER BRITISH MILITARY (DEFENSE) REGULATION OF 1939 SECTION NUMBER 23 AND 24.
HE WAS KEPT IN MARSABIT FROM DECEMBER 1942 TO 1950. HE LATER ESCAPED TO ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA AND DECLARED WAR AGAINST BRITISH COLONIAL FORCES, BUT, HE WAS LATER KILLED BY EMPEROR HAILE SELASSE IN 1964.

The traditional Gharri folktales /history

According to the Gharri’s oral traditional history and British colonial era records based on interview they had with then Gharri elders, regarding the origin of the Gharri people, the Gharri people came from red sea coast and settled at “Serar”, what is now known as arusi province of Ethiopia, They build mosques and homes made of stones. Then during the 1600th exodus of people’s movement, from the north reached the Gharri kingdom and fighting ensued because the enemies started looting the Gharri properties and herds. The Gharri were outnumbered and they were forced to immigrate toward southwest, and settled around filtu and Wachile areas.
The Gharri traditional historians state that the Gharri lived there for period of about 60 years without any disturbances. During that time they build stone houses and mosques around filtu and wachile especially around the dawa riverbanks in around fifty miles corridors from Malka Mari through Malka Dirir area.as it were a standard way of building houses. Then later on the exodous of the Borana reached there. It was believed that was the first time they came in contact with the Borana

So, during late 1600 and early 1700, they lived with the Borana. Later on, things changed, and the Gharri were outnumbered by the Boran and the Borana tried to make them subjects and demand tribute. So, the Gharri decided to move back to their previous region of Confur through Juba land. One of the Gharri leaders Sheikh Bule Hussein set out with one of his slave to search for a new country. He traveled down the juba through Rahanwein to Confur and decided that it was a good country. On his return he came out with excellent strategy, that he told the Gharri people to spread the rumors among the Boran that he had acquired a terrible disease on his travels. He and his slaves went to a big baraza of the Borana, but first he prepared a blood like red drink by boiling the bark of a thorn tree; just before the baraza they drank bowls of it. As soon as they sat down, the slaves’ acted purposely as if they were sick and began vomiting red blood like substance at the baraza. A moment later Sheikh Bule Hussein himself acted sick and the Borana got up in shock and fled.

The Sheikh Bule Hussein and his slaves dug up two graves and set up tombstones (gravestones.) Upon returning, the Borana witnessed what appeared to be two graves concluded that the new disease was indeed fatal and moved out westward far away from the Gharri area. Then sheikh Bule seized the opportunity and led his tribe away to the east through the desert country of northern juba land.
Three sections of the sub tribes were left behind; including Bana, Darawa and Abtugai, they became what are now known as the Gabbra and the Rendille. The Gabras consisting of Bana and Darawa while the Rendille was believed to be Abtugai. The Gabbra had many camels and could not take them all in their journey across the desert. They saw, it was a choice between their camels and the Gharri and said, “We can live without the Gharri but not without camels” So they stayed behind with the Boran. The Rendille were also a group of camel owners who had pushed into the bush further south and did not get the news of the evacuation in time; the name, Rendille by tradition, is derived from the “Rer Did” people who would not accept”
They were bush dwellers and always refused to live in or near the Gharri villages so,
They lost their chance. According to information received from Gharri elders, the Rendille’s elders still recognize their Gharri origin and say “We were lost on Sheikh Bule Hussein’s day” Meanwhile the Gharri fled eastwards through Juba land and both the people and the stocks were perished from thirst by the time they reached Afmadu.
The Sheikh then dreamed that if a girl of the Oordeq section named Afmadu, were to strike the ground with a piece of Iron, water would come up and she would die. He explained this and the girl said “I am ready to die for my tribe”, the dream was fulfilled and the girl’s grave is near the Afmadu well.
The Gharri reached the Juba river short of food and still fearing pursuit: and appeared that they were lost, miraculous things happened, and that four (4) sheikhs rose to the occasion.

1) Abdi Omar Musa also known as abbey Umur Muddow Musa, made the 5 days old moon to stand still all night.
2) Sheikh Omar “Bahar” meaning the river, hit the river with his blessing and divided the water in half and they crossed over to the dry bed.
3) Abubakar Mashere turned the sand of the river into white mtama.(Sorghum) in which they used it as feast.
4) Aunabe Durr made the 3-year-old camel heifers, which never calved (never gave birth) give milk.
Subsequently all got safely across the Juba and reached Confur Gharri country where they settled around their principal towns of Shan and Mosser on the Awdegli, .i.e. the lower reaches of the shabelle river where it runs parallel and close to the sea coast between Mogadisho and Merka

  
LANGUAGE:

          THE GHARRI PEOPLE SPEAK MULTI LANGUAGES. THEY SPEAK GHARRI KOFFAR, SOMALI, SWAHILI, ARABIC, AFFAN GHARRI, AND AMHARIC.  MANY OF THESE LANGUAGES WERE LEARNED THROUGH GEOGRAPHICAL COHABITATION WITH OTHERS. THE OTHERS WERE IMPOSED ON TO THEM BY THE COLONIALIST.

RELIGION:
 THE GHARRI POPULATIONS ARE 100% MUSLIMS.

AGRICULTURE:

THE GHARRI DEPEND UPON LIFE STOCKS AND LIFE STOCKS PRODUCTS. IN THE PAST, THEY HAVE HAD ABUNDANT LIVE STOCKS AND WILD ANIMALS.
THE GHARRI PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVELIHOOD DUE TO LOOTING AND FAMINE. THEIR LIVE STOCKS WERE LOOTED BY THE EMPEROR HAILE SELASSE AND BY THE DICTATOR MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM GOVERNMENT'S SOLDIERS.

 Tradition: the gharri people are peace loving, god fearing people with traditions and customs peculiar to themselves.

Male and female traditional songs,

Having a  baby boy:

Inventions:

HAWACHOW, (antibiotic) is used primarily to treat Gonorrhea and tape worms. Also, is used to treat a broad range of infections, muscle spasms, and backheach.

Warra (detergant) is used to wash garments.

Ollombo ((Anti inflamation) is used primarily to treat infected skins and to relief of pain and inflammation for both human and animals.

Urr:is used to treat infectious disease caused by insects bits (for ANIMALS) ONLY.

Salmac (laxative) is used to treat constipation

Qol Sotowesa: is used to treat hepatitis and Jaundice.  

Ampee qumbi:is used to make INKS (Anqasti) FOR quranic writing, cast and incense

Dharkeen: is used primarily to treat fungus infections.

Qol Agarsu: is used as alternative tea and to make red paints for uttuba.

Anan Dana: is used primarily to treat eczema (Robbi)

 

POPULATIONS:

        THE GHARRI POPULATION IS ABOUT 1.9 MILLION TODAY.
BETWEEN 1950'S AND 1979, THE GHARRI WAS REDUCED FROM 6 MILLION TO 1.89 MILLION.
THIS PERIOD BEGINS WITH EMPEROR HAILE SELASSE AND ENDS WITH HIS SUCCESSOR DICTATOR MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM, WHO CONTINUED TO THREATEN THE GHARRI PEOPLE WITH CRUELTIES, GENOCIDE, LOOTING OF THEIR LIFE STOCKS, AND THEIR MINERAL RESOURCES.
               THE ETHIOPIAN MONARCHIES AND DICTATOR GOVERNMENTS WERE USING THE BORANA CLANSMEN AS A FORM OF CANNON OR TRAINED DOG TO LOCATE THE GHARRI’S HIDE OUTS. THEY CREATED ETHNIC CONFLICTS, WERE ITS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE TWO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OR CLANS TO LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY. DURING THE 1980S TO PRESENT DAY, THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT SUCCEEDED PUSHING THE GHARRI PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMELANDS AND CITIES TO UNSATURATED DESERT AREA, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY THE WHITE SOUTH AFRICAN DID TO THE MAJORITY of the BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS DURING THE APARTHEID ERA.  OFTEN, THEY GO AND CAMP AROUND THE WATER WELLS, AND BLOCK THE INNOCENT GHARRI CIVILIAN FROM GETTING WATER FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR THEIR HERDS.
THEREFORE, THEY LOOTED AS MANY HERDS AS THEY WANTED AND MURDERED AS MANY PEOPLE THEY WISH TO MURDER.
THEY COMMITTED HORRENDOUS CRIMES AND GENOCIDE AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE.
            THE ETHNIC CLEANSING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT IN THE 90S, WAS PRACTICED BY THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE. THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT RECRUITED THE BORANA CLANSMEN IN TO THEIR MILITARY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ERADICATING THE GHARRI PEOPLE. THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS KNEW THAT THIS GROUP OF GALLAS OR BORANA CLANSMEN ARE NON-RELIGIOUS PAGANS AND WITH CANNIBALISTIC BEHAVIOR, IN WHICH KILLING AND MUTILATION ARE PARTS OF THEIR SOCIAL AND RITUAL PRACTICES. SO, ALL OF THE RECRUITS WERE SENT TO STATION IN THE GHARRI REGION. THEREFORE, THOSE MILITARY PERSONNEL'S CONTINUED PRACTICING THE SAME RITUALS AS THEIR COUNTER PARTS. THEIR MEMBERS WHO DID NOT MURDER AND MUTILATE A MALE PERSON'S GENITALS INCLUDING THE UNBORN CHILD IS CONSIDERED AS HAVE BEEN FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE HIS MANHOOD SUFFICIENTLY, AND LOOK DOWN UPON HIM AND SEE HIM AS UNFITS TO PARTICIPATE IN A SOCIAL EVENTS BOTH FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING A GIRL FRIEND AND AS WELL AS FOR MARRIAGE.
          SO, THEY GO AND MURDER THE GHARRI CITIZENS AND MUTILATE THEIR BODY PARTS. THEY TOOK HOME THE MALE GENITALS OR PENIS AS EVIDENCE AND TROPHIES.
MANY TIMES THEY KILL PREGNANT WOMAN FOR THE UNBORN CHILD TO SEE IF SHE IS CARRYING A BOY. SO, THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS KILL THE GHARRI MALES, YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE, IN THE PROCESS, ACHIEVES RECOGNITION AS HEROES. THOSE VICIOUS MONARCHS AND DICTATOR GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA TOOK ADVANTAGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND COMMITTED AN UNTOLD ETHNIC CLEANSING AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE.
STILL TODAY, THE GHARRI PEOPLE ARE BEING PREYED UPON FROM TIME TO TIMES, AND THEIR HORROR EXPERIENCES HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD OR REPORTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES.

The above article was written by Isaac Omar and posted by  Gur Gharri

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