Discovering Truth of Sanaag

Prepared by Abdulkadir Ahmed Hassan

25/10/2012

Introduction:
The general purpose of this report is to reveal the information of Sanaag region historically, traditionally,
politically and economically. This region is home to different natural resources but presently includes
the least developed areas in Somali land for many reasons including different political views and
geographical isolation.

The current report exposes some of the contemporary issues prevailing in the region including the
environmental and marine depletion in a time that local communities are not still aware of this loss in
addition to weakness of governmental protection mechanism.

The report also provides significant information regarding to the past situations of the region and there
contains some antique names of places and well-known individuals including the pharaoh in Somaliland
known as (Doc-ogayste) who established his reign between Gelwayto which is the traditional border
dividing eastern Habar Yonis and the Warsangeli tribes.

This report is to give us only the impression of Sanag region in general and I am sorry to take little
references since there were no previous written records that can support this information.

Background:
Sanag is a huge region situated on the eastern of Somaliland republic. The capital of the region is Erigavo
and the region consist of three main districts namely as Badhan, Elafweyn and Erigavo.

Population and Land:

The population of the region is estimated around 4,50000. The economy of Sanag is primarily based on
livestock raising but crop farming is also another important feature of economy for Erigavo district. The
region of Sanag occupies an area of 50912km square which is equal 37% of the total area of Somaliland
republic, 137,600 square km.

Objectives

a-Provide adequate and reliable information about Sanag region to the organizations, governments and
individuals who are interested to understand more about the history of Sanag region.

b-To draw the attention of international community and to enhance their interest in the region to deal
with the prevailing inflammatory situations.

History of Sanag region:

The history of the region dates from ancient times, when the land was known to the ancient Egyptians
as Punt. In the middle ages, dozens of Arab scholars including Sheikh Darood Ismail and Sheikh Izahak
Binu Ahmed were sent from different parts of Arabia to spread the Islamic religion to the Horn of Africa.
The latter settled the natural harbor of Maydh along the coast of the Gulf of Aden in the mid of 12th
century. However the story tellers described that Sheikh Izahak asked the Emperor of Magadleh tribe
who inhabited in the area to marry his daughter with the recommendation of Jibrahiil, a young man of
Ogaden by descent and the emperor accepted the proposal. The place where the wedlock ceremony
took place is called Xilla Arusa located on Siradley Mountain, (Magadleh was one of the powerful Dir
tribes who controlled the area of Somaliland in that era).

Most of the tribesmen of Magadleh is believed for unknown reasons migrated to some parts of Rwanda
and Burundi countries but a few number of Magadleh offspring still remain in the region and pay Dia
with Eastern HY in Erigavo district. Sanag is a multi-clannish region which is famous for different
folktales and oral traditions.

Thousands of world’s oldest stories are widely spread throughout the region. The symbols and scripts of
ancient languages and other characters have been found in various caves on the mountainous areas in
the region. It is believed that archeological explorations will be useful contribution to the knowledge of
the region and it is possible that some investigations have been made but their records have never been
exposed on televisions, at news papers or the other related internet social media channels.The local
journalist named Abdulahi Hussein Darwiish took many amazing pictures from the ancient ruins of the
region but unfortunately, he kept his data from public. I have spent much time and budget to discover
the ancient Sanaag and during one of my trips along with coordinator of tourism Mr. Mohamed
Dhegayare, we visited to the highest peak of the country Mount Sheeba and observed many human
graves contained weapons, vessels and other artifacts dating to prehistoric times.

There are also historical monuments, statues and other elaborate burial places of ancient in the region.
Multiple unknown graves are still visited in different parts of Sanag region such as the White Grave in
Dinawlahe Mountain and Sheikh Noah in Shidalehe valley.

The notable forefathers who settled in the region with well-known tombs and graves include Sheikh
Samaron who is burried in Dibgah, (the great freelance journalist, Hamish Wilson visited this area 27
years ago) as well as Sheikh Issa in Eleye village, Sheikh Darood Ismail buried in Hayland near Badhan
town and Shiekh Isaxaaq burried at the seaside of Mait coastal town. Sanag is a hidden planet. The
information and knowledge of the region is limited but Haji Adam Ahmed Afqaloc can be a great
reference and source of information and I tried to translate the following passages of his poem where
he mentioned more facts of Sanag region in every aspect.

The history is a lamp for us which helps the intelligence

You may achieve the reality just as you are in doubt

You make out how things were in different areas from your own perspective

The greatest of our land is that Erigavo with beauty landscape

It is the first Makhir coast settled in archaic times

Majesty and brilliance typifies the same as Lebanon

It is a prosperous place with water and black mountains

Like marbles is that her stones with special mode

The Mufti of Isaak settled there and the prized Darood

The Men of rule in medieval period of Magadleh and the lineage of Misanle Still lasting but small in
number

Some of them died of plagues while others migrated

As a consequence slight number of their survivals remains in power at present

The abode of Queen Arrawelo and the forgotten repository of Gelweyto

Surprise to he who visited Maduna and Godqorane (the engraved cave)

The monuments and statues shaped like houses indicate where treasures have been furtively hidden
and where deposits of cliff dwellers and their heritages have been stored.

Arrawelo or Hatshepsut:
The story of Queen Arrawelo is common to everywhere that Somalis are found and believes as a
despotic ruler who committed atrocious retributions against men such as a castration or removal of
reproductive organs of men in prehistoric times.

This woman who is sometimes regarded as the female pharaoh Hatshepsut was reported that she ruled
the Land of Punt

Mr. Siciid Mohamoud Faarah (godane) who lives in Erigavo includes one of the men who spent much
time in in studying the early knowledge of the region. He described that somewhere in Cal –Urursuge
Mountains is called Hazasha which is a name that emblematically standing for Hatshepsut.

The mountain people in Hazasha area and some parts of Daalo still practice various forms of folk
customs which may be based on real characters as a part of historical events related to Hatsheput ; for
instance there are numerous sites in different locations where Arrawelo implemented some of her
brutal actions that still today the men or male passers-by throw stones over these sites to show an
extreme dislike for her but women unlike men often try to plant followers or a woman may cut and tear
a piece of cloth from her dress to put up over the place to show respect for Arrawelo.

Some people explained that Hatshepsut took valuable materials from Sanag region that she used for
construction of her mortuary temple at Dayr-Al bahri near Thebes in Egypt.

Geelweyto, Maduna and Godqorane Archaeoligical Sites

Gelweyto is situated on the eastern coast of the region. The area is located a large cave with wall
paintings, Godqorane which means the (engraved cave) mentioned in the poem is a historical site on the
west of Elafweyn district.

Maduna:
The ancient village of Maduna is located across the wadi of Caday-Misbax to the east of Elafweyn but
since the Somali people had no written confirmations,the story of Mudana has been interpreted in
various ways. The first narrative says that Mudana town should be the Median where the prophet of
Moses sought refuge after killing one of his enemies.

The prophet of Moses worked for the old man in Maduna possibly named Shucayb for ten years as
shepherd and married one of his daughters called Dalo. The beautiful mountain of Daalo derives its
name from the daughter of Shucayb Dalo. However when his contract finished as agreed, It was time for
Moses to go back to Egypt with his family but on his way back, Moses and his family halted that night a
place not far from Maduna namely as Gol-dabcad where he saw the burning bush in the Wadi of
Gal-dabcad which means the valley of blazing fire.

Moses left his family as he was ordered to warn for the arrogant Pharaoh but he found again his family
after the Exodus (departure of the Israelites from Egypt). Moses left his nation in the desert and
assigned his duties for his brother Aaron and he set foot to Maduna where he left his family to get back
his wife.

However, Moses was angry with his brother when he came back after he noticed that Israelites
worshiped the bull during the forty days of his leave to Maduna. The sister of Moses Miriam also
criticized on his return for marrying Cushitic woman and for this criticism, Miriam was cursed and she
was stricken with leprosy.

The second narrative says that Mudana was founded during middle ages or medieval period by the
Ottoman Turkish Sultan named Murad 1362-1389. (Source Bashe Adan Hassan may Allah bless on him)

The term of Maduna or Madina in Arabic means (town) and the Ottoman Empire gave such a title not
only to Maduna but also more places they established towns. The emperor of Murad 1 also constructed
several other towns in the neighborhood of Maduna presently known as Kal-sheikh and God-Anod with
ruins much comparable to Maduna. The popular religious man named sheikh Baahi-Laawe buried in
Kalshiekh includes the first students graduated from Maduna boarding school.

The Ruins of Maduna:

The Ottomans established buildings of new Islamic centers in Mudana and other places where local
communities sent their children to be educated.

These Islamic centers were boarding schools which offered lodging to many students in addition to
learning the holly Quran and other Islamic studies. The students of Maduna College from different
Somali clans understood the religion and they hated tribalism seen as division of Islam and therefore
they formed a union called Sheikhyaal but recently known as Sheikhaal. Sheikhaal presently is one of the
Somali clans who live Negeyle in the south east of Ethiopia.

Departure of Turkish.

The stories about ruins of Maduna vary while some people point out to the wreckage of this ancient
town was followed with the death of Murad1 who died in Kosovo war whereby the Turkish scholars left
the area in connection with the death of their king. After the departure of Turkish religious teachers, the
new Islamic centers were no longer functioning and the local Somali dwellers of Maduna soon after
vacated the centers and returned to their origin of the nomadic migrating lifestyle. Maduna turned into
derelict when the townsfolk abandoned and it has become the home of ghouls.

The attack of Maduna by the evil spirits

The Chief Aqil of Gahayle clan named Ali told me that evil spirits destroyed Maduna and after the attack
not a single building was left standing in the village except the mosque. There was a large building of
school hosting sixty students in Maduna Village. In Maduna town, there was a man called Sufi-Baaleh
who claimed to have some supernatural powers. He was one of those mystics who argued for example
they prayed different areas with in one day The teacher of the boarding school hated the sight of this
conjurer because of his fantasy and he warned several times for him to stay out of his students affairs.
However, one evening after the sunset, while Sufi Baale was walking somewhere outside of Maduna
namely Laso-Jan (ponds of Jinx) he met a great influx of migrating demons from Harar Ethiopia and he
called them requesting to stay overnight at Maduna. The evil spirits got angry and beat him. They also
ruined the whole town killing all of its inhabitants except one of the students.

Geographic features of the region

The region of Sanag is topographically divided into three main geographical areas which are locally
known as Guban. CaL and Ogo:

The region of Guban which means the (burning land) is regarded to be the low lying coastal plain areas
with hot climate. The livelihood of Guban community depends on frankincense and myrrh collection and
livestock rearing mostly goats. The region has more than 30 empty rivers about 40km long. The water
that flows down Togs (river that is usually dry except when it has rained) during the rainy seasons out let
to the sea

The land of Cal: is the highland and mountainous areas bounded on the north by the region. The highest
peak of Somaliland Shimbibiris sits an altitude of 2450mt above the sea level is a part of Cal. The climate
is cold in Cal areas and the livelihood of the population mostly relies on subsistence farming and cattle
rearing.

The land of Ogo: which comprises the largest part of the three is characterized by the flat grazing
plateaus. The climate of Ogo is dry and cold in winter. The population of Ogo land is nomadic
pastoralists and a few sedentary pastoralists (land-enclosures). The main sources of water for Ogo land
are boreholes, berkeds or ponds. The residents of Habowga and Aduur valleys situated between Erigavo
and Jidaleh are sedentary pastoralists and this area is the main rain fed agricultural zone.
Climate & Weather:
The climate of Sanag region Apart from Cal areas where the rainfall is abundant ranges from tropical to
subtropical and from arid to semiarid. Temperatures usually average 28°C (82°F), but may be as low as
0°C (32°F) in the Cal mountain areas and the capital city of Erigavo and as high as 47°C (116°F) along the
coast. There are two rainy seasons locally known as GU which commences late of March to mid of June
and Dayr season from September to November. The region receives annual rainfall about 300 mm.

Vegetation & Plants:

Vegetation in Sanag region consists of chiefly the grass and different types of acacia trees, other
important trees include Junipers trees found in Daalo and Surad forests and the frankincense and myrrh
plants notably grow between 650 - 1500 meters above sea level towards the coastline. The frankincense
tree thrives in arid conditions and grows on specific rock-crust at the coastal escarpment.

Environmental Issues:
The region of Sanag presently undergoes grave environmental depletions. Problems of land degradation
affected the traditional pastoral production system which has been the mainstay of the local
communities and the basic source of livelihood of Sanag region. It seems that government of Somaliland
has given little consideration to the environmental issues prevailing in the region although
governmental intervention needed is far and beyond the ability of the regime.

The regional ministry of environment which is responsible for addressing environmental problems has
not enough capacity to enforce or implement the national environmental policy and its regulations but
at least the ministry is needed to document and to report the prevailing situation so that earlier
interventions could be made in response to the problem. Land degradation problems.

The worst type of land degradation affected in the region is mainly the Overuse vegetation due to the
clearing and burning of trees for charcoal production. The community of Sanag region are not aware the
importance of trees which is protecting the land against erosion, the wearing away of topsoil due to
wind and water.

The Ogo land of the region particularly the rangelands of Erigavo district lost vegetation cover and have
now turned into wasteland that will no longer support animal or human life if the situation persists.
Although there is no quantitative land degradation assessment that has been made but it is measured
that more than 60% of the land in the region has been eroded including the Mountains of Siradley and
Surud which are the main sources of water for irrigation and human consumption for thousands of
people living in the mountains and down country including the capital city of Erigavo.

The Sool areas and Siradley Mountain include areas which are near to become waste land whereas they
were once the home to many species of plants and animals.

Sanag is a mountainous region and important mountains include Samaad, Yanqarah; Siradley,
Dinawlahe, Surad, Daalo, Cabaydh, Garad, Aroor Bari Mountains, Geeldoora and Gacan Maroodi.

There is a need to conserve the nature of such mountains as the extinction of species would have a
great influence on the earth’s ecosystem.

The mountains also provide a number of other benefits including natural balance of the environment,
stabilization, protection of soil, stability of climate, promotion of tourism and creation of employment
opportunities.

The degradation of mountains is because of lack of control over live stock numbers, grazing intensity
and clear cutting of trees therefore we have to dedicate ourselves to protecting the natural integrity of
our mountains so that we may bestow upon our future generations this natural legacy and this can be
done at by the active collaboration of Public and Private Sectors.