The 'wardey is a northern,easter,western Somali clan, a sub-division of the A Darood clan family. As a Darood Harti sub-clan, the wardey have immediate lineal ties with ogadeen, the jidwaaq, the absame, the marexan, the leelkase, the xawadlet, kablalax, other Darood sub-clans and they have lineal ties with the majeerten
Overview
Akisho members are predominantly adherents of Sunni Islam. Akisho groups and their related clans are reputed to have migrated from Somali Ethiopian region all the way up North as far as the country Chad, the Sudan, and Northern Eritrea are said to be inhabited by Akisho and many Darood tribes. The Warre prefix in front of many Akisho clan names is Oromo language, means "the clan of" or reer in proper Somali. There are also Akisho Oromo that has similar names. For example, the Warre Miyo are referred to Reer Miiyo in Somali as well found in Akisho oromo, but Warre Miyo in Ethiopia. Other clans related to the Aksihe are dishiishle, tiinle, gaabtaane, maganlaabe living in east Somalia and yemen, oman In terms of subsistence patterns, the Akisho are mainly camel herders, agro-pastoralists, supplementing their cattle herding with cereal cultivation.
Distribution
The Akisho inhabit both the Somaliland region of Somalia and Ethiopia in Samali region. In Somaliland, Akishe members live in the Woqooyi Galbeed Province, Hargeisa, Arabsiyo, Wajaale, Ala’ibaday, and Gabiley. In Ethiopia, where the Akishe are among the most widespread Somali group, Akishe members inhabit Jijiga, Dire Dawe, Baale, Baabule, Fayaanbiiro, Qabri-Bayah, Fiq, Hara-Maaya, Harar, Obra, and Dadar. Fadeyga godanta booraale gursum and many more geographical regions. Currently, the sultan of the Akishe clan is Muhiyadiin Odawa. Also the hartidarood, Akishe clan is one of the largest darood sub-clans within the borders of the Somali region of Ethiopia based on the Ethiopian population census. They also live in the Oromia region reaching further past the town of Metehara along with the Afar region. Many Akishe's live in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The Akishe live in Jijiga district where they make up a large part of the Kebri Beyah and Fafan Zone. The Akishe, along with the, abbaasguul and ogadeen, jidwaaq subclans of the Darod represent the most native and indigenous Somali tribes in Harar.
History
The city of Dire Dawa was originally called Dir Dhabe and used to be part of Adal Sultanate during the medieval times and was exclusively settled by Diarod clan which is a major Somali tribe. The Akishe name is originally derived from "Cayisho" which means, in old Somali, the "Fat One." The majeerten and Dhulbahante, Warsangali both are very closely related to the Akisho, use a nickname and were referred to the Oromo and all Somalis as the traders or Harti from the old Somali and Oromo word "HANTI" which means one who 'owned'. According to the folklore historians of the Southern marehan of the Mudug region, the Akisho and Dishiishle,majerteen,Dhulbahante,warsangali, Marehan and the ogadeen produced some of the most famous Somali folk heroes like the Somali queen Araweelo who was Warre Miyo. Also the Akisho clans were instrumental in spreading the Muslim faith in the hinterlands of Ethiopia. The Sheikh Abba Hussein in Southern Ethiopia is said to be of Darood, as well as Awbarkadleh and Awbuube who are two major saints of the Somalis. Currently Muhiyadiin Odowa is the Sultan of the Akisho. The information in contained in this Response was provided by Matt Bryden, a consultant and Somali specialist now working with the United Nations Institute for Research on Social Development in Nairobi. He stated that the Akisho "are related to the Darood clan family, and live mainly between Jigjiga , Hargeysa and many regions in Ethiopia. In Somaliland, they have been awarded a seat in the constituent assembly. They face no threat of persecution in any of the areas in which they live." The Research Directorate was unable to corroborate the Akisho's participation in the constituent assembly nor whether they face "persecution." According to the Ethiopian Review the Akisho may be more numerous in Ethiopia than they are in Somalia. For additional information on the Darod clan and the Akisho sub clan, please consult Patrick Gilkes' The Price of Peace: Somalia and the United Nations 1991–1994 pages 144–148, and the appendix of Somali clan families. Reference: Bryden, Matt. UNRISD, Nairobi. 16 June 1998. Letter received by electronic mail. Gilkes, Patrick. September 1994. The Price of Peace: Somalia and the United Nations 1990-1992. Bedfordshire, UK: Save the Children Fund, UK. Additional Sources Consulted Africa Confidential . January - May 1998. Vol. 39. Nos. 1-11. _____. January - December 1997. Vol. 38. Nos. 1-25. Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series . January - May 1998. Vol. 35. Nos. 1-4. _____. January - December 1997. Vol. 34. Nos. 1-11. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997. 1998. Horn of Africa Bulletin . Vol. 10. Nos. 1-2. _____. January - December 1997. Vol. 9. Nos. 1-10. The Indian Ocean Newsletter . January - June 1998. Nos. 793-815. _____. January - December 1997. Nos. 747 - 792.
Clan tree
The Akishe clan consists of 12 major sub-clans:
Harti
Axmedharti
*Akisho
**Waro -Miyo
***Reer Warfaa
***Reer Dalal
***Reer Robleh
***Reer Hawadee
***Reer Foofiye
***Reer Agal
*Waro -Bito
*Waro -Dayo
*Waro -Luujo
***Reer Geedi
***Ali Idoora
***Ali Libaan
***Ali Ibrahim
**Waro -Ito
**Waro -Kiyo
** Reer Adeele
** Reer Cadow
** Reer Geele
** Reer Allaale
** Reer Xildiid
**Waro -Heebaan
**Waro -Kurto
*Obo
** Liban
*** Jire
**** Reer Biiqe
**** Rear Abayu
*** Warimani
** Suubo
*Igo
** Reer Ismaacil
** Reer W andhoow
** Reer Dhanqo
*Asaabo
*Eejo
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.
