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{{Short description|
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox
| name = Madhibaan<br> ماديبان
| type = [[Somali clan]]
| caption = The grave of Sheikh Ali Samater, a renowned Madhibaan scholar.
| ethnicity = {{flagicon|Somalia}}[[Somali people|Somali]]
| location = {{flagicon|Somalia}}[[Somalia]]<br>{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}[[Ethiopia]]<br>
{{flagicon|Djibouti}}[[Djibouti]]<br>{{flagicon|Kenya}}[[Kenya]]
| religion = [[Sunni]] [[Islam]]
| branches = *Maxamed
|pop2 = 1,548,000 (2010)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.refworld.org/publisher,MRGI,COUNTRYPROF,SOM,4954ce42c,0.html | title=World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Somalia | access-date=23 June 2023 |publisher=Minority Rights Group International |via=Refworld}}</ref><ref name="Refworld">{{Cite web| url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/51e4fce94.html | title= The Gabooye (Midgan) people of Somalia | access-date=23 June 2023 |via=Refworld}}</ref>▼
|
| image = [[File:The grave of Sheikh Ali Samater.png|border|100px]]
▲|
}}
The '''Madhiban''' (Somali: Madhibaan, Arabic:
The Madhibaan traditionally consist of hunters, artisans skilled in ironworking, producers of goods such as weapons, leather products, textiles, and silver ornaments,<ref>{{cite book |title=Rivista di cavalleria |date=1898 |publisher=Roma, etc |url=https://archive.org/details/rivistadicavall04unkngoog/page/583/mode/1up}}</ref>
==Etymology==
The name "Madhibaan" is believed to come from the forefather of the Madhibaan people, Sheikh Madhie, who was known for his peaceful nature and for not troubling anyone. In Somali, "Madhibaan" means "the one who doesn't bother."<ref>{{cite
The name Midgaan is the primary term used to refer to the Madhibaan people in historical literature. There are different theories about what "Midgaan" means. Richard Burton documented the name as meaning "One (Mid) Hand (gaan)."<ref>{{cite web |title=First footsteps in East Africa, or, An exploration of Harar |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/08037699/ |website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}}</ref> However, it seems more likely that the second part of the term refers to the word gane, plural ganeyyaal, meaning "archer" (cf. also ganayya, "to shoot an arrow").<ref name="Grangier" />
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[[File:Harar.png|thumb|right|Harar]]
Madhibaan in [[Harar]] (1857) in ''The Irish Quarterly Review'', summarizing the book ''First Footsteps in East Africa'', by R. F. Burton:
<blockquote> At a pass in the [[Kundudo]] mountain, a crowd of Galla spearmen endeavored to intercept his passage, and to levy toll from his baggage, but he succeeded in getting through them unscathed, and reached at length the environs of [[Harrar]]. Here is a large plain, studded with villages of the Midgan tribe; gardens of limes, plantains, and pomegranites line the ways; women appear on the roadside selling ghee, cotton, and other wares, and the brown terraced walls and houses of the town, with its scanty minarets, are seen at length in the distance.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Irish Quarterly Review |date=July 1857 |publisher=W. B. Kelly|page=514 |url=https://books.google.com/books
</blockquote>
Madhibaan in [[Harar]] (1998) reported by Abdurahman Garad:
<blockquote>
In some neighborhoods, (namely) [[Badro Bari]] and Suk't'ät Bari, there are districts where few Amharic people live, and there are districts (there) where the tribes called Midgän, the blacksmiths live.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Garad |first1=Abdurahman |last2=Wagner |first2=Ewald |title=Harari-Studien: Texte mit Übersetzung, grammatischen Skizzen und Glossar |date=1998 |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag |isbn=978-3-447-03937-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rD_mQ0XtIdAC&
</blockquote>
[[File:Map_of_Zeila_1877.jpg|thumb|An old map showing the trade routes from Zeila to Harar featuring the Madhibaan clan|right|246x246px]] ▼
Madhibaan In [[Zeila]], [[Harar]], [[Somali Region]], and [[Afar region]] (1888) reported by Paulitschke
<blockquote>
At [[Zeila]], Bia-Kabôba, Dialdésse, and [[Harar]], I had the opportunity to observe [[Yibir|Jibêr]], [[Tumaal|Tomâl]], and Midgän individuals in particular, and although I must confess that much larger and more extensive material is required to study this question than is available to me in this respect, I must nevertheless confess that the representatives of the Pariah races seemed to me to be completely different from the Somâl proper, not only socially but also physically.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Paulitschke |first1=Philipp |title=Beiträge zur Ethnographie und Anthropologie der Somâl, Galla und Hararî |date=1888 |publisher=E. Baldamus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HLNVd_qef74C&
▲[[File:Map_of_Zeila_1877.jpg|thumb|An old map showing the trade routes from Zeila to Harar featuring the Madhibaan clan|right|246x246px]]
The Midgan individuals I saw at Dialdêssa, a place where the Somâl live quite peacefully alongside the Galla, seemed to me to resemble the latter in shape and appearance, but to have finer and more delicate countenances. Also from the lighter skin color, which I had the opportunity to observe on several Midgän, I believe I can deduce their Galla origin. Among the Somäl tribes of the Ogaden, the Midgän are said to be present in large numbers and represent small individuals in comparison to the Somâl. Among the [[Danakil]] on the Hawas we also find the Midgän as experienced hunters.<ref>{{sfn|Paulitschke|1888|p=124}}</ref>▼
▲The Midgan individuals I saw at Dialdêssa, a place where the Somâl live quite peacefully alongside the Galla, seemed to me to resemble the latter in shape and appearance, but to have finer and more delicate countenances. Also from the lighter skin color, which I had the opportunity to observe on several Midgän, I believe I can deduce their Galla origin. Among the Somäl tribes of the Ogaden, the Midgän are said to be present in large numbers and represent small individuals in comparison to the Somâl. Among the [[Afar people|Danakil]] on the Hawas we also find the Midgän as experienced hunters.
</blockquote>
==Marginalization==
According to Lee Gunderson, Dennis Murphy Odo and Reginald D'Silva, the Midgan have traditionally been treated as a low caste, scorned and reviled.<ref name="GundersonOdo2013p98">{{cite book|author1=Lee Gunderson|author2=Dennis Murphy Odo|author3=Reginald D'Silva|title=ESL Literacy Instruction |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nak3AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA98 |year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-05238-6|page=98}}</ref> A Midgan-Madiban has been deemed as polluting and therefore avoided as a taboo in the Somali society.<ref name="GundersonOdo2013p98"/><ref name="Leonard2013p255">{{cite book|author=Thomas M. Leonard|title=Encyclopedia of the Developing World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gc2NAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA255 |year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-20508-9|page=255}}</ref>▼
The Madhibaan people, along with other groups such as Yibir, Tumaal, and Muse, have long faced systemic marginalization within Somali society. Often excluded from the broader concept of "Somaliness," these groups have been subject to Heeb Sooc—a process of social exclusion or "othering" that places them outside the accepted social boundaries. This marginalization is rooted in long-standing cultural stigmas and unfounded myths, leading to their classification as lesser Somalis and second-class citizens.<ref name="KusowEno2015">{{cite journal |last1=Kusow |first1=Abdi M. |last2=Eno |first2=Mohamed A. |title=Formula Narratives and the Making of Social Stratification and Inequality |journal=Sociology of Race and Ethnicity |date=July 2015 |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=409–423 |doi=10.1177/2332649215574362 |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/2332649215574362 |language=en |issn=2332-6492}}</ref> <ref name="Eno2011">{{cite book |last1=Eno |first1=Mohamed A. |title=A Tale of Two Minorities: The State of the Gaboye and Bantu Communities of Somalia |url=https://www.academia.edu/1221169 |accessdate=24 August 2024}}</ref>
This pervasive marginalization has affected nearly every aspect of life for the Madhibaan, from social interactions to opportunities for education and employment. Despite changes in Somali society over time, the legacy of these entrenched prejudices continues to impact the Madhibaan and other similar groups, leaving them to navigate a complex landscape of exclusion and limited opportunities.<ref name="KusowEno2015"/>
▲The Madhibaan people, along with the Yibir and Tumaal, were historically part of the Saab group, while the rest of the Somalis were part of the Aji. This system functioned in a caste-like manner, separating the nomadic Aji from the largely non-nomadic Saab. According to Lee Gunderson, Dennis Murphy Odo, and Reginald D'Silva, the Madhibaan (referred to as Midgan in some texts) have traditionally been treated as a low caste, scorned and reviled within Somali society.<ref name="GundersonOdo2013p98">{{cite book|author1=Lee Gunderson|author2=Dennis Murphy Odo|author3=Reginald D'Silva|title=ESL Literacy Instruction |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nak3AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA98 |year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-05238-6|page=98}}</ref> A
===Historical===
Historically, Somali culture has systematically marginalized the Madhibaan people through unwritten laws known as xeer. These laws played a crucial role in maintaining and enforcing the social hierarchy that discriminated against the Madhibaan and other groups such as the Yibir, Tumaal, and Muse. The xeer codified their exclusion from Somali society, denying them representation and basic rights. Madhibaan leaders who attempted to assert their rights or represent their people were often met with violence, and in some cases, were even killed.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hanley |first1=Gerald |title=Warriors: life and death among the Somalis |date=2004 |publisher=Eland |location=London |isbn=978-0907871835 |page=95}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=COLLINS |first1=Douglas |title=COLLINS (D.) - A Tear For Somalia (1960) |date=1960 |url=https://archive.org/details/collins-d.-a-tear-for-somalia-1960/page/130/mode/1up?q=}}</ref>
The [[xeer]] also imposed severe restrictions on what the Madhibaan could own, limiting their access to land, property, and education. These laws dictated how they could live their lives, restricting their opportunities and reinforcing their status as second-class citizens. The pervasive nature of these unwritten laws ensured that the Madhibaan remained marginalized, unable to fully participate in the social, economic, or political life of Somali society.<ref name="Eno2011"/>
===Kacaan===
Under Somalia's military administration, some Madhiban were appointed to positions within the government to promote integration. The Madhiban have since obtained wider political representation. Their general social status has also improved with the expansion of urban centers.<ref name="Lewis">{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=I.M.|title=Understanding Somalia and Somaliland: Culture, History, Society|year=2008|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0231700849|pages=8}}</ref>
===ICU===
During the brief period in 2006 when the [[Islamic Courts Union]] (ICU) controlled southern Somalia, the ICU condemned discrimination against clans like the Madhibaan, [[Yibir]] and [[Somali Bantu]] as un-Islamic. A member involved with the ICU, who was a member of these clans, stated, "The best system that can end discrimination (takoor) against us is [[Islam]]. Nobody can come to me and say I have a monopoly over the Islamic identity, but one can say you are not clan X because your lineage does not conform to that clan's lineage system."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Elmi |first1=Afyare Abdi |title=Understanding the Somalia conflagration : identity, political Islam and peacebuilding |date=2010 |publisher=London ; New York : Pluto Press ; Oxford : Pambazuka Press ; New York : Distributed in the United States of America exclusively by Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-0-7453-2975-8 |page=40 |url=https://archive.org/details/understandingsom0000elmi/mode/1up?q=}}</ref>
===Modern===
The marginalization of the Madhibaan people continues today, manifesting in several ways including exclusion from government resources, lack of access to education, and widespread discrimination. Madhibaan neighborhoods often receive minimal attention from the government and are excluded from essential resources such as water and education.<ref>{{cite book |title=A study of the indigenous minorities of Somaliland: Focus on barriers to education - ProQuest |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1364619648 | id={{ProQuest|1364619648}} |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Eno2011"/>
A prime example is the Daami neighborhood in Hargeisa, which is predominantly inhabited by the Gabooye including Madhibaan. This area is one of the poorest in Hargeisa and receives scant attention from the government, highlighting how the Madhibaan are systematically excluded from vital resources and support.<ref>{{cite news |title=Living on the edge of a forgotten land |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13115780.living-edge-forgotten-land/ |work=The Herald |date=28 July 2013 |language=en}}</ref>
The political representation of the Madhibaan is severely limited. In the Somali government, the Madhibaan are classified as part of the 0.5 group, which restricts their political influence to only two seats in parliament. This underrepresentation reflects the broader exclusion of Madhibaan people from key decision-making processes and political power.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Eno |first1=Mohamed A. |last2=Eno |first2=Omar A. |title=Intellectualism amid ethnocentrism: Mukhtar and the 4.5 factor |journal=Bildhaan: An International Journal of Somali Studies |date=2009 |volume=9 |pages=137–145 |url=https://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=324535732 |language=en}}</ref>
==History==
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[[File:Al Midgan, Al Somali.jpg|thumb|Al Midgan, Al Somali]]
The first recorded reference to the Madhibaan people dates back to 1435 in Suleiman's translation of Ibn Majid's writings and poems found in Ababn Majid. In this text, Suleiman identifies the Madhibaan as Al-Midgaan, emphasizing their distinction as a separate nation from the Somali people. He briefly mentions the name Al Somali as well.<ref>{{cite book |title=al_mahri_ibn_majid_books |url=https://archive.org/details/al_mahri_ibn_majid_books/page/n10/mode/1up |language=Arabic}}</ref>
[[File:Madhibaan Horsemen.jpg|thumb|Madhibaan Horsemen]]
====Pipalo====
Pipalo, alternatively known as the Madhiban Sultanate, emerged as a historical kingdom between the 6th and 8th centuries, flourishing until the 14th century in the region between Berbera and Zeila. Over this extensive timeline, the kingdom evolved, encompassing four major cities and numerous towns, and establishing a distinctive presence in the historical narrative.<ref name="Hopkins1912">Hopkins, L. C. (October 1912). Chau Ju-Kua: His Work on the Chinese and Arab Trade in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries, entitled Chu Fan Chï. Translated from the Chinese and Annotated by Friedrich Hirth and W. W. Rockhill. St. Petersburg: Printing Office of the Imperial Academy of Sciences.</ref>
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==Culture==
===Af-
The Madhibaan people, like the [[Yibir]], have a distinct dialect that sets them apart from the mainstream Somali language. Early 20th-century Western linguists classified this dialect as a unique form of Somali. Notably, the Madhibaan and Yibir dialects share a significant number of words, reflecting a close linguistic relationship between these two groups.<ref name="Kirk">{{cite journal |last1=Kirk |first1=J. W. C. |title=The Yibirs and Midgàns of Somaliland, Their Traditions and Dialects |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/714933 |journal=Journal of the Royal African Society |pages=91–108 |date=1904|volume=4 |issue=13 |jstor=714933 }}</ref>
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==Notable Madhiban==
*[[Maryam Mursal]] –
*[[Mohamed Sulayman Tubeec]] –
*[[Bashir Mohamed Jama]] – Politician and former Somali Armed Forces officer.
==Groups==
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==References==
{{reflist
===Bibliography===
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