The Benadiri people, also known as Reer Xamar or "people of Xamar", are an Arabmultiracial confederation. Members largely inhabit Somalia's southern coastline.
Overview
Although the Benadiri are sometimes described as the founders of Mogadishu, the Benadiris originate from a group of minorities that originates from "mercantile urban communities" established by migrants from the Arabian Peninsula who settled along the southern coast of Somalia and built stone towns for defense and trade. Their members also trace their origins to diverse groups. The latter primarily comprise various other Somali clans, with some additional influences from the ancient Emozeidi Arabs, Persians, and South Asians. Reer Xamar were instrumental in helping to consolidate the localMuslim community, especially in the coastal Benadir region. During the colonial period, they were also among the founding members of the Somali Youth League, Somalia's first political party.
Benadiri Confederates
The Benadiri people split up into three major confederacies, named after the towns in which its based in. Each of these confederacy is made up of clans that can also be found in other town umbrella's in the example of Asharaf, Haatim, Reer Faqi and Shanshiyo these clans can be found among all 3 groups
The Reer Marka group are also known as locally and politically as 12 koofi, however despite the name this group is no longer made up of 12 clans rather currently in the traditional elder council there's 16 clans now. With the clan group Reer Maanyo being considered one despite they themselves being a confederation of 4 different clans in the city of Marka.
Istaqfurow or Istaqfurlow derives form the Arabic word Astaqfuru which translates to "seeking forgiveness". Istighfar, seeking forgiveness from Allah is a common practice of Muslims all around the world and you'll hear in everyday conversation between Muslims. Istaqfuro is an annual Benadiri event held in the Hamar Weyne district of Mogadishu when there is high winds and high tides. The festive goers chant "Astaqfuru Rabukum, Innahu Kaana Qaffuura Yursilo Samaa calaykum Mitraaran" a passage from the QuranSurat Nur verse 10 which translates as "Ask Allah forgiveness, for He is forgiving He will send rain from the sky". During this Festival, animals are slaughtered and prayers are said, in search of God‟s forgiveness for transgressions, to ask for the calming of the winds so that ships can sail, and for the rains to come. Despite the locals treating this festival as a festival with Islamic, many believe this festival is a pre-Islamic festival where locals on the coast of southern Somalia. As the festival is a reaction to a natural phenomenon of a particular season, which i linked to the solar calendar and not the lunar which Muslim follow.
Shirka
The Shirka is a festival that happens annually in the Hamar Weyne district of Mogadishu. This festival is most generally known as dabshiid which translate to lighting of the fire in Somali, this festival occurs in Mogadishu at the same time as the Istunka in Afgooye, and is so similar as to be the same. The men gather in groups by lineage, and wear different coloured shirts with matching headbands to identify their clan affiliations, they also carry long sticks that they thrust up and down in rhythm as they chant and shuffle through the designated route of the neighbourhoods of Hamar Weyne. At the start of the shir festivities, the Reer Faqi elders, in keeping with their position of neutrality in the community, are called upon to bless the occasion. The festival starts and ends at Jama'a Xamar Weyne, Xamar Weyne near the Moorsho neighbourhood.
Notable Figures
Religious leaders
ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz alAmawī, was a scholar following the Shāfi‘ī school of jurisprudence and was also adviser to several sultans of Zanzibar
Shaykh Sufi, Abd Al-Rahman bin Abdullah al Shashi , popularly known as Sheikh Sufi, was a 19th-century Somali scholar, poet, reformist and astrologist. An annual festival is held for him in the Koodka neighbourhood of Hamar Weyne.
Sheikh Abba, for the latter part of the twentieth century Sheikh Mahamed Sheikh Ahmed Sheikh Mahamud al-Shashy, popularly known as Sheikh Abba, was a leading member of the Mogadisho 'ulama, a follower of the Qadiriyya tariqa and a foremost sheikh of Hamar Weyne.
Shaykh Ali Maye, a revered Sufi saint of the Duruqbo clan, a yearly festival is held for him outside his shrine in Marka and it ends on the 5 of the islamic month of Safar.
