*Brief Review of Somali caste systems*
 
 Professor Asha A. Samad

ID
* 

Introduction
* 

Caste stratification is a daily component of Somali society. In the smallest 
nomad

village, in towns, in cities, in refugee camps, as well as in the overseas 
Somali

communities, these stratifications are alive and well.

Geneological lines of descent are taught to children from an early age. The 
family clan

history is told and retold throughout life, including its relations with 
other clans.

Traditionally caste was directly related to occupation, residence, political 
and civilian

opportunities, and status throughout life. This stratification is less 
important when the

nation-state and its institutions function well, and much more important 
when it is weak,

collapsing or non-existent, as in the past few decades. However, caste is 
important to

most Somalis even in communities abroad.

To be a Midgan-Madibhan, or an outcaste person, in Somali society is to 
suffer life-long

indignities, to be deemed impure, unlucky, sinful, polluting, and thus 
meriting the

disdain, avoidance, and abuse of others. Even small children shout insults 
at both child

and adult Midgans. Many Midgans have been denied food, medical treatment, 
and

protection just because of their outcaste status by many other Somalis. The 
only other

groups in Somali treated similarly are the Jareer and Bantu descendants of 
slaves

brought from East Africa over a century ago.

Midgans have been beaten brutally, wounded, raped, kidnapped, and forced 
into slave

and unpaid labor just because of their outcaste status. They have no 
weapons, allies or

lands that they control and can escape to. Most Midgan are attached to 
"noble"

dominant clans as their clients, serfs, or virtual slaves. Should they 
complain or seek to

organize, they face severe reprisals from those "noble" clans dominating 
them. This is

another ongoing case of global caste in the 21
st century.* 

Background
* 

Caste has been an integral part of Somali society for centuries. It 
persisted throughout

the twentieth century and continues today in the 21
st century. 

This society is divided into patrilineal segmented and ranked clan groups. 
Those groups

are based upon relation to a male progenitor and traditional occupations. As 
in all caste

societies, the elite clans are classified as noble and "pure," while those 
at the other end

of the ranking are considered outcaste and impure, or "polluted." Generally 
speaking,

most of the noble clans' occupations have been herding and trade, while the 
outcaste

clans have engaged in small farming, usually on the land of the other clans, 
as well as

in service or scavenger occupations.

The outcaste clans do not descend from the Arabic-origin ancestors of the 
noble clans.

Some scholars report that the outcaste groups may have descended from the

conquered indigenous groups occupying the region prior to its conquest by 
the Somali

tribes. Most Somali elders indicate that the polluted status of these 
despised groups is

due to their ancestors breaking of food taboos without cause or an immediate 
ritual

cleansing. If the latter is the case, this would be another instance of 
blaming the

outcaste victims and their ancestors for their debased, pariah status.

The outcaste groups have been relegated to dirty, polluted areas and 
occupations, and

they are traditionally forbidden to socialize (as equals) with others in 
Somali society.

Anyone from a noble caste breaking this taboo, much less marrying an 
outcaste person,

faces the danger of being outcaste from his or her own family and clan.

Somali society is based on clan relations, reciprocity, and alliances, 
especially in times

of conflict, when there is a lack of a strong, central government. Indeed, 
and particularly

at such times, the main forms of governance and protection come from one's 
clan.

Children, the elderly, the ill, the weak, and the wounded can count only on 
their clans for

food, care and social support. Thus, even liberal-minded Somalis must 
carefully weigh

these considerations.

In Somalia, the outcaste groups are collectively referred to as "Midgan" or 
"Madihiban,"

the former term being much more disrespectful and insulting than the latter 
one.

However, there are actually many more Somali outcaste groups. Each is 
connected as

clients, former slaves, or servants to a noble clan group. They include the 
Kuulbeer,

Hildid, Khayr, Hubane, Aden, Aarsade, Howie, Afarta Ganbar, Gaakaab, 
Madaraale,

Magtal, Omar, Hussein and others scattered all over the Somali regions, 
including

Ethiopia, Kenya and the broader Somali diaspora. The Midgan constitute the 
largest

Somali outcaste family, and its subclans include the Madhiban, Maxamed 
Gargaarte,

Muuse-Darye, Tumaal, Yibir, Howle, Mahaad-Bare, and, according to SIMA, 
hidden

others.

Each outcaste clan has its own dialect. When the noble tribes' patrons and 
rulers

engage in conflict, their outcaste Midgans clients are forced to fight for 
them. However

they are neither protected nor defended, nor given any share of the 
resources. Even the

most heroic and accomplished Midgan outcaste fighter cannot dream of 
socializing as

an equal or marrying into the noble clan that he is attached to.

When convenient, the Midgan outcaste clients are counted numerically as part 
of the

noble clan they come under. When the Midgan outcaste oppressed groups try to

organize, (as all the noble clans do), they are threatened, abused, and 
physically

attacked. Due to the power and arms of the noble clans, most Midgan outcaste 
Somali

people have been forced to keep silent. Any attempt to protest inequality or 
gain redress

meets brutal reprisals.

The Midgan outcaste groups control no land of their own, they are also not 
usually

allowed to live in villages, to drink or get water from the "pure" wells or 
to use the plates,

cups or utensils of the noble clans people. Their status can be compared to 
the Dalits,

or "untouchables," of South Asia. Yet, they do not even have the 
constitutional

guarantees (reserved places) Indian Dalits have, at least in theory. Only 
under the last

government of Somali General President Mohamed Siad Barre did Midgans have 
some

rights in their own country. When he was deposed, they suffered reprisals 
from his

noble clan rivals who accused them of supporting him.
* 

Particular Jeopardy Faced by Midgan-Madhiban Small Outcaste Clan Members
* 

The Midgan-Madhiban is the largest of several Somali minority outcaste 
clans. Thus

they are collectively designated as "Midgan- Madhiban."

Somali society is divided into patrilineal kinship-based clans and sub clans 
. All Somalis

can trace their ancestry to a clan or sub clan. The three main large clans 
(Darood,

Hawiye and Isaak), traditionally control large areas of lands, many 
resources and

exercise great political power. Certain smaller clans have respectable 
status but fewer

resources and less political leverage due to their smaller populations. 
Often those small,

respected clans must affiliate with and relate to nearby clans as clients 
and for

protection in case of conflicts.

In 1991, Hawiye forces, many of whom were loyal to General Mohamed Farah 
Aideed,

ousted Barre in a coup, which led to the wide-scale civil war. At first the 
war was

characterized as fighting between clans, but soon, sub clans within the same 
clan

began to fight one another. After the Hawiye toppled Barre, they attacked 
his

government, which was mostly Darood. They also retaliated against Barre 
supporters,

or anyone they believed to be a Barre supporter. That included the 
Midgan-Madhiban,

all of whom they believed to be supporters of Barre, and, also because of 
longstanding

hatred for that despised group. Some Darood clan-family militia also 
attacked many

minority and outcaste clans.

None of the powerful clans came to the protection of the Midgan-Madhiban.

Consequently, large numbers of them perished. The Midgan-Madhiban were 
routinely

raped, expelled from their homes, kidnapped and killed. Large numbers of 
Midgan-

Madhiban simply disappeared. There is evidence of mass graves, suggesting 
that they

were killed extra judicially. The Midgan-Madhiban were not the only group 
persecuted in

retaliation against Barre, but they stand out for the powerlessness and 
inability to fight

back or gain any compensation for their losses.

A person belonging to the Midgan-Madhiban clan cannot flee to safety in 
other areas of

the country. He/She would be in serious physical danger if found in any part 
of Somalia

in which his family is not a client of the local powerful clan family. 
Geographically, the

country has become extremely segregated by clans and sub clan. The Midgan-

Madhiban do not control any territory and are therefore vulnerable in any 
area of

Somalia. In addition they have no recourse against violence because they are 
politically,

socially and militarily powerless.

The last government of Somalia that of General Mohamed Siad Barre, had 
appointed

several Midgan-Madhiban clan members to visible defense positions. Thus when

General Barre's government fell in 1991, the Hawiye clan brought about 
General

Barre's defeat and targeted all Midgan-Madhiban clan members for 
retaliation. This lead

to even greater and more murderous attacks on the Midgan-Madhiban families. 
Their

homes were attacked and looted, girls and women raped, men tortured and 
often killed.

Many have had to flee and live in hiding to survive this brutality. Very few 
other Somalis

or clans will protect the Midgan-Madhiban either for fear of being targeted 
and attacked

themselves or because they too feel that the Midgan-Madhiban merit no 
protection (as

an outcaste or polluted group). As no clan is permitted to marry the 
Midgan-Madhiban,

they have no kinship ties with other groups to offer them shelter or 
protection.
* 

Caste in the Somali Diaspora
* 

Somalia was divided into French, British, and Italian colonies at the end of 
the

nineteenth century. After World War II, the former Italian Somalia was 
divided. Thus,

adjacent areas of neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya were actually part of 
Somalia until

several decades ago when parts of the former Italian Somalia were given to 
the then

British government of Kenya and the Imperial Ethiopian government of Haile 
Selossie.

The majority of the population of those regions is ethnic Somali. Large 
Somali

populations are also found in areas of Northern Tanzania and Yemen. Half or 
more of

the population of the adjacent Djibouti – the former French Somaliland – is 
ethnic

Somali. In all of these areas of Somali population, as in Somalia, Puntland, 
and

Somaliland, Midgan-Madhiban and other outcaste groups are the lowest rank of 
the

society's stratification.

For over eleven years Somalia has experienced a breakdown in its central 
government,

as well as suffered from droughts, floods, and war. Moreover, in the south 
sporadic

conflict continues, despite several peace conferences and the appointment of 
the

Provincial National Government (PNG) in the fall of 2000. Thousands of 
survivors of this

horrific situation have fled to the surrounding nations.

The Midgan-Madhiban and other outcaste persons face on going discrimination, 
abuse

and attack in the refugee camps and communities in those adjacent areas 
where many

Somalis still languish. After over a decade, they either await peace in 
Somalia or

acceptance as refugees in developed countries.

Thousands of more fortunate refugees, of all of clans, have been sponsored 
as

refugees by countries as diverse as Canada, the USA, England, Netherlands, 
Australia,

and Scandinavia. In desperation, many others have managed to enter those 
receiving,

developed nations illegally to appeal for political asylum. Thus there is a 
sizable Somali

diaspora in several developing world areas today. Clan and caste continue 
therein.

Ironically, many "noble" clan Somalis seeking refugee or political asylum 
have falsely

claimed outcaste Midgan-Madhiban status. They do this as the receiving 
developed

nations understand the special jeopardy faced by outcaste Midgans, and, 
therefore

usually grant them political asylum. Quite often, when such a false 
application is

granted, the applicant then takes pain to over emphasize, within the Somali 
community,

his or her actual noble status. Somali International Minority Association 
(SIMA), and

other researchers are often called upon to check genealogies, associates and 
records

to assure the validity of such claims. Meanwhile, the Midgan-Madhiban in the 
diaspora

still face caste discrimination within the Somali community. Fortunately, 
they also have

new opportunities in their new countries.
* 

Summary
* 

Midgan-Madhiban, Yibir, Tumal and other outcaste groups are still facing 
restrictions,

prejudice, discrimination, harassment, abuse and attacks. Not only is this 
treatment a

continuation of their historical exploitation, but it is also because they 
are assumed by

some of the large, aggressive, heavily armed, "noble" clans to have been 
supporters of

their rival and hated ruler, the late Somali President Barre. 
Midgan-Madhiban have

never had any secure rights or protection in Somali society. Even in 
overseas Somali

society they still face hatred, harassment, and abuse. Similar caste 
situations exist

throughout the Horn of Africa.
* 

Brief Source List
* 

Adam, H.M. Mending Rips in the Sky: Lawrenceville, NJ (RSP), 1997.

Abdullahi, M.D. Minorities of Somalia: Victims Forgotten Amid War and Chaos.

Bana, M.B. The Minority Groups of Somalia: A Sociolinguistic History, MI 
(BP) 20002.

Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board, "Victims and Vulnerable Groups in 
Southern

Somalia, Ottawa, May 1995, May 1999, and May 2001.

Eno, Oma A, "The Untold Apartheid Imposed on the Bantu/Jareer People in 
Somalia",

Adam, Op Cit.

Goldsmith, K.L.G. "A Preliminary Investigation of the Blood Group of the 
"Sab"

Bondsman of N. Somaliland", Man I, VIII.

Helender, B. "Clanship, Kinship and community Among the Rahanweyn", Adam, Op 
Cit.

Kirk, J.W.C. A Grammar of the Somali Language and Dialects, Cambridge, 1905.

Lewis, I.M. A Pastoral Democracy, (Oxford) 1982.

Lewis, I.M. Blood and Bone: The Call of Kinship in Somali Society, 
Lawrenceville, NJ,

(RSP) 1994.

Lewis, I.M. Peoples of the Horn of Africa, Lawrenceville, NJ, (RSP) 1998.

Nur, M.A. Clan, Class and Caste in Somalia, MN, (SWP), 2000.

Omar, A.M. "Aspects of the Somali Tribal System," Adam, Op Cit.

Samad, AA. "Minority and Outcaste Groups in Somalia."

Samad, A.A. "Somalia Asylum Claims Based Upon Minority and Outcaste Status 
in N.

America and Europe.

Azhar, A. Background and Current Status of Somali Outcaste Groups, MN, 
(SIMA),

2001.

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