Ciisemuuse
Issamusa
عيسى موسى
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Somali, Arabic
Religion
Islam (Sunni)
Related ethnic groups
Awal,Garhajis, Arap, Ayub, Habr Je'lo and other Isaaq groups

The Issamusa or Isamusa (Somali: Ciisemuuse, Arabic: عيسى موسى, Full Name: ’Īsa ibn Mūsa ibn Zubayr ibn Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ash-Shaykh Isḥāq ibn Aḥmad ) is a northern Somali clan. Its clan of the wider Isaaq clan family. The Issamusa are divided into four major sub-clans: Mohammed Issa, Adam Issa, Abokor Issa and Idarais Issa. The Isa Musa traditionally consists of coastal people, nomadic pastoralist and merchants. This clan are primarily settled in Somaliland, including Maroodi Jeex, Togdheer, Sahil, Awdal, Djibouti Ethiopia, as well as Kenya.[1][2] The Issa Musse have produced many prominent Somali figures with the Undersecretary General of the United Nations Abdulrahim Abby Farah, the first Somali Prime Minister & second President of Somaliland Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal, and the second tallest man in the world Hussein Bisad.

History

1893 map of Berbera featuring the Issa Mousa (Isa Musa) clan

Historically, the Isa Musa made use of the very valuable caravan trade in the Horn of Africa. Deriving income from arriving caravans into the markets of the coastal city of Berbera. The Isa Musa were able to impose a transit duty of 4 units of ana per camel loaded with merchandise.[3]

The Isa Musa, whose pasture area is the coastal plain, also raise a transit duty of 4 anas (approx. 48 pfennigs) from the caravans for the loaded dromedar and 1 ana for each sheep and each goat, which from other tribes after the Markets to be brought from Berbera.[4]

The Italian explorer and geographer Luigi Robecchi Brichetti had a similar remark in aspect of the valuable caravan trade, where he also mentioned the kindred Ayal Ahmad of Habr Awal - who reserved the title as the Abban of Berbera.[5] According to the account of Bricchetti, the Isa Musa were able to attain revenue thanks to the busy caravan traffic entering & leaving the coastal and historical city of Berbera[6]

They pass for skilled camel breeders and intelligent caravan organizers [Ayal Achmed]. And such are also the different families of the Isa Musa, who live off the caravan traffic with the Ogaden, going up to Uebi [Webi] along the Faf (Fafan) route.[7]

The Isa Musa, along with the wider Habr Awal clan family, formed the majority of the Somali merchants who frequented Aden and other Southern Arabian ports. Conducting independent trading expeditions on their own vessels to Arabian ports. They procured various raw goods from Harar and the interior in exchange for manufactured goods. During their stay, the Habr Awal rented their own houses and hired their own servants, whereas other Somali clans tended to stay with relatives already established across the Gulf.

Merchants. — These are generally members of the Habr Awal tribe. They bring from Harrar and the Galla country, coffee, saffron (bastard), tusks (ivory), and feathers, taking away in return zinc, brass, broad cloth, and piece goods. They remain in Aden for about twenty days at a time during the trading season, which lasts about nine months,' making four trips. During their residence they hire a house, and are accompanied by their own domestics.[8]

The ‘Isa Musa, weren’t only involved in the commodity trade but also in the livestock trade. Exporting their livestock to Southern Arabian ports like Aden through Berbera. According to a 1895 publication by Captain H. G. C. Swayne.

the Esa Musa export their cattle and sheep to Aden. They have agents at Berbera, and as opportunities offer, batches of, say, ten oxen or two hundred sheep are brought down for export, marching by easy stages. Coming from Bur’o, eighty miles from the coast, cattle or sheep reach Berbera in four to six days, while caravans generally cover the distance in three days.[9]

Clans

Ahmed Amar age 25 of the Issa Musa Habr Awal, photographed by Roland Bonaparte, 1890

A summarized clan family, with four of the major subclans of Issa Mussa is presented below.

The four major subclans of Issa Musse are:[10]

Notable figures

References

  1. ^ "Administrative Map of Wooqoyi-Galbeed, Berbera" (PDF). 2012.
  2. ^ "SOMALIA ASSESSMENT: Country Information and Policy Unit" (PDF). 2003.
  3. ^ Petermanns Mitteilungen. Ergänzungsheft (in German). J. Perthes. 1894.
  4. ^ Petermanns Mitteilungen. Ergänzungsheft (in German). J. Perthes. 1894. p. 228.
  5. ^ Burton, Sir Richard Francis (1894). First Footsteps in East Africa, Or, An Exploration of Harar. Tylston and Edwards. p. 74. ISBN 9780705415002.
  6. ^ Bricchetti, Luigi Robecchi (1899). Somalia e Benadir: viaggio di esplorazione nell'Africa orientale. Prima traversata della Somalia, compiuta per incarico della Societá geografica italiana (in Italian). Aliprandi.
  7. ^ Bricchetti, Luigi Robecchi (1899). Somalia e Benadir: viaggio di esplorazione nell'Africa orientale. Prima traversata della Somalia, compiuta per incarico della Societá geografica italiana (in Italian). Aliprandi. p. 632.
  8. ^ Hunter, F.M. (2013-10-23). An Account of the British Settlement of Aden in Arabia. doi:10.4324/9781315033853. hdl:2027/coo1.ark:/13960/t82j71d7z. ISBN 9781136993749.
  9. ^ Swayne, Harald George Carlos (1903). Seventeen trips through Somaliland and a visit to Abyssinia; with supplementary preface on the 'Mad Mullah' risings. London: R. Ward, limited. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.56710.
  10. ^ "Aadan Ciise Muuse". www.abtirsi.com.

External links

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