The Issa (Somali: Ciise, Arabic: عيسى) are a Somali clan, a sub-clan of the Dir.[1] The Issa primarily reside in Shinile Zone located in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, the extreme northwestern fringe in theAwdal district of Somaliland, as well in Djibouti, were they comprise the majority, followed by the Afars.
Contents[][hide]*1 Lineage |
[edit]Lineage[]
The Issa traditionally traces its Arabian connexions through its Dir affiliations to Aqeel ibn Abi Talib. However, by 1962 it had become the practice to regard the clan founder as a sheikh or even saint in much the same way (and no doubt at least partly in response to their claims) as the eponyms of the Darod andIsaaq clans. Although I.M. Lewis knows of no printed hagiologies in honor of the Issa ancestor, by the time of Lewis's writing a number of hymns (orqasiidas) have been composed for him, and there is a shrine in Djibouti City where he is said to have appeared miraculously. His actual grave lies close to that of Sheikh Ishaq ibn Ahmad al- Hashimi, in northeastern Somalia.[2]
[edit]Clan tree[]
There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures and many lineages are omitted. The following listing is taken from the World Bank's Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics from 2005 and the United Kingdom's Home Office publication, Somalia Assessment 2001.[3][4]
- Dir
- Gadabuursi (Gadabursi)
- Biinaal
- Issa
In the south central part of Somalia the World Bank shows the following clan tree:[5]
- Dir
- Isaac
- Garhajis
- Habar Je'lo
- Habar Awal
- Habar Tol
- Gadabursi
- Isse
- Biyomal
- Gadsan
- Qubeys
- Isaac
[edit]Prominent figures[]
- Hassan Gouled Aptidon 1916-2006, First President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999.
- Ismail Omar Guelleh, Current president of Djibouti
- Abdourahman Waberi, Novelist
- Aden Robleh Awaleh, president of the National Democratic Party PNH