Harti


Harti, meaning "strong man", is a name used to denote a confederation of various Darod sub-clans of the Somali people. The major sub-clans of the Harti are the Dhulbahante, Majeerteen, Warsangali and Dishiishe, other minor Harti sub-clans are the Kaskiqabe, Geesaguule and Liibaangashe.
In Somalia, the Harti are primarily settled in the state of puntland, whilst they have a significant presence in Jubaland. In Ethiopia, they inhabit the Dollo Zone and in kenya the clan has some presences in the North Eastern Province.

Distribution

The primary homeland of the Harti is the state of Puntland in northeastern Somalia. The clan is well represented in the regions of Sool, Sanaag, Togdheer, Bari, Nugaal and Mudug. There is also a significant trading Harti community in the state of Jubaland particularly in the port city of Kismayo. In Ethiopia they are well represented in the Dollo Zone, whilst they have a notable presences in the North Eastern Province of Kenya.

History

Northern Sultanates

The Warsangali Sultanate centred in the sanaag and Bari regions of Somalia, a territory that is historically called the Maakhir. The sultanates which was one of the largest in the Somali peninsula, was founded in the 13th century by the Warsangali sub-clan of the Hart. The rulers of the sultanate were the descendants of the Gerad Dhidhin, however by the late 19th century, the reign of Sultan Mohamoud Ali Shire began during some of its most turbulent years.
The Dishiishe clan was among powerful clans in northeastern region. Ugas Yasin was one of the prominent Dishiishe clan chiefs who ruled the ancient town of Bosaso and subsequently emerged as a powerful traditional elder who fully controlled areas under his rule.
The Majeerteen Sultanate was founded in the mid-18th century. It rose to prominence the following century, under the reign of the resourceful Boqor Osman Mahamuud. Centred in Aluula, it controlled much of northern and central Somalia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The polity maintained a robust trading network, entered into treaties with foreign powers, and exerted strong centralized authority on the domestic front.
With the gradual extension into northern Somalia of European colonial rule, all three sultanates were annexed to Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland in the early 20th century.

Dervish Period

The Dervishes, mostly hailed from the Dhulbahante and drew the majority of its followers from this clan and to a lesser extent from the Ogaden clan. The Dhulbahante in Buuhodle were particularly the first and most persistent supporters of the Dervish Movement. The Dervish Movement resisted colonial occupation, especially the British who were aided by other Somali clans.

Foundation of Puntland

In 1998, the Harti community convened at Garowe to discuss their political future. The conference lasted for a period of three months. Attended by the area's political elite, traditional elders, members of the business community, intellectuals and other civil society representatives, the autonomous Puntland State of Somalia was established to deliver services to the population, offer security, facilitate trade, and interact with domestic and international partners. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed served as the fledgling state's founding president.

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.