essay

The Somali tribe

somalia, scritti vari editi ed inediti • 3 • Published In 1964 • Pages: HRAF Ms: 108 [original: 45-113, 225-226, 229 ]

By: Cerulli, Enrico, Biancani, Piero.

Abstract

This document focuses on the social and political organization of the Somali people. It should be noted that the author uses the term 'peoples' to refer not only to subdivisions of the tribe which are roughly equivalent the 'gens (gentes)', but also to groups organized territorially, not 'gentilitially' (by genealogical connections). Data contained in this document deal with the origin and extinction of the kin 'group', the roles and functions of the hereditary and tribal chiefs, the tribal assembly, the 'adopted' of the tribe and their integration into Somali customs, various functional aspects of Somali customary law, and a lengthy concluding chapter on Somali pastoralists and their relationship to the agricultural peoples living along the major rivers of Somalia.

HRAF PubDate

1997

Region

Africa

Sub Region

Eastern Africa

Document Type

essay

Evaluation

Creator Types

Lawyer

Social Scientist

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle ; Sigrid Khera ; 1972

Field Date

ca. 1920

Coverage Date

not specified

Coverage Place

Somalia, Djibouti, and southeastern Ethiopia

Notes

Enrico Cerulli

Translation of: La tribù somala.

The original Italian text is not included

Includes bibliographical references

Translated for the HRAF files by Piero Biancani.

Data on the following ethnic groups have been indexed for additional OWC codes: for information on the 'freed'--the negro agriculturists living along the rivers--the heading Negroid Somaliland Peoples MO05 has been used; for the city tribes of Mogadiscio--Somali Republic MO01; for the Kaffa people--Kafficho MP14; for the Galla of Kenya--Galla FL07 and for the Macha (Gimma) MP18. References to the Ethiopian Galla will be found on pp. 89-94 and 96-99.

LCCN

60024993

LCSH

Somalis