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INTRODUCTION: THE GHARRI PEOPLE ARE ALSO KNOWN AS GURRE, GARRE, OR GARRI BY THE COLONIALIST, AND THEY ARE LOCATED IN THE HORN OF Africa.
Furkesha,
the brother of Assarre , had seven sons, they were Hodkoya, Birkaya, Hoytra,
Darawa, Kalwesha, Hurdeq and “SUBUKITRE”.
Also,
the second half of the Gharri branch is Tuf. Tuf is believed to be the uncle and
father in law’s of Quran or quranyow, and he had two sons, Ali and Adola.
The
Tuf’s second son Ali had three SONS;
their names were Kalula, Tawulle and Sabdhawa. SO,
TODAY, ALMOST EVERY GHARRI PERSON IS BELONGING TO ONE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED
GROUP OF THE SUB CLANS OF THE GHARRI PEOPLE.
RESOURCES
(NATURAL):
THE
GHARRI REGION IS ONE OF THE
RICHEST REGIONS IN EAST
AFRICA, REGARDING GOLD, COOPER, SALT,
CLAY AND OTHER MINERAL RESOURCES.
"In a radius 15-50 Kilometers, East of Moyale are found Harmesem, Harsamte, and ChamuK areas, rich with gold mineral deposit totaling 1412 Tons, but so far these areas are subjected to only traditional gold mining." These are three Gharri young females gold-miners.
the
Gharri experience:
THE
GHARRI PEOPLE
WERE RULED AND OCCUPIED BY RUTHLESS AND INHUMAN MONARCHS AND DICTATOR OF Ethiopia.
MENELIKE SUBJECTED THE GHARRI PEOPLE TO PAINFUL POLITICAL AND ECONOMICAL
REPRESSION. HAILE SELASSE CARRIED OUT THE TORCH AND COMMITTED GENOCIDE
ON THE GHARRI PEOPLE. DURING HAILE SELASSE'S ADMINISTRATION, THE GHARRI PEOPLE
SUFFERED YEAR AFTER YEARS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FIXATION, POLITICAL AND ECONOMICAL
ISOLATION. GHARRI MALES WERE SUBJECTED TO PHYSICAL TORTURE AND THEY LOST OVER
500 BILLION HERDS TO LOOTING BY HAILE SELASSE AND MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM'S
GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS. ADHESIVE RESISTANCE OF THE GHARRI PEOPLE AND MANY OTHER
ETHNIC GROUPS SUCCEEDED TO TOPPLING THE HAILE SELASSE MONARCHY DOWN IN 1974.
THE GHARRI PEOPLE, WHO HELPED TO OVERTHROW THE MONARCHY, WERE DENIED THE
RIGHT OF SELF-RULE AND REGIONAL AUTONOMY. A
MILITARY DICTATOR WHO WAS WORST AND CRUELER THAN THE MONARCHY ADMINISTRATION
RULED THE COUNTRY AND COMMITTED GENOCIDE AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE.
BETWEEN 1958 AND 1966, THE HAILE SELASSE GOVERNMENT SLAUGHTERED 600
THOUSAND GHARRI CIVILIANS. ALSO, BETWEEN 1974 AND 1991 OVER THE DICTATOR
MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM’S GOVERNMENT MURDERED 800 THOUSAND GHARRI CIVILIANS.
THE GHARRI LAND
WAS
TAKEN AWAY AND GHARRI PEOPLE WERE SUBJECTED TO UNTOLD AND UNDOCUMENTED HATE
CRIMES, WHICH WERE COMMITTED BY VARIOUS FACTIONS IN ETHIOPIA. THE DICTATOR
MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM PORTRAYED THE GHARRI PEOPLE AS FOREIGN TERRORIST AND
AUTHORIZED ANIMOSITY AND TERRORIST ACTS EITHER OPENLY OR COVERTLY AGAINST THE
GHARRI PEOPLE. AS A RESULTS I LOST MY OWN FATHER, UNCLES, NEPHEW AND OVER 400
EXTENDED FAMILY ONE DAY IN 1966, IN CITY OF
WACHILLES,
Homes
AND
MOSQUES WERE RAIDED BY THE DICTATORS MILITARY JUNTA AND GHARRI MALES WERE
MURDERED EXECUTION STYLE. IN ONE INSTANCE, 60 MEN BETWEEN 16 AND 32 WERE TIED UP
TOGETHER AND EXECUTED IN COLD BLOOD. EACH ONE OF THE MEN WAS SHOT AT LEAST 25
TIMES. MIRACULOUSLY, ONE MAN SURVIVED AFTER BEING SHOT 28 TIMES. MANY OTHER
GHARRI MEN WERE KILLED BY HANGING AND THEIR BODIES WERE DISPLAYED IN THE MAIN
CITY SQUARE FOR SEVERAL DAYS. PEOPLE
WERE FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOUSES TO GO AND WATCH THE DECEASED TORTURED BODIES.
IN 1968, ONE GHARRI MAN WAS ACCUSED OF PLANTING LAND MINES AND OTHER TERRORIST ACTS AGAINST THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT. HE WAS TIED UP ON THE MILITARY JEEP BACK BUMPER, AND DRIVEN AROUND THE CITY BLOCKS AND TORTURED TO DEATH. HIS FLESH WAS DISPLAYED ON DESIGNATED AREAS ON THE MAIN STREET FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE FAMILY COULD PICK THE BODY UP AND BURY HIM. DURING BOTH ADMINISTRATIONS (HAILE SELASSE AND MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM), THE GHARRI PEOPLE WERE HUNTED UNDER THE LABEL OF MUSLIM EXTREMIST OR
Somali TERRORIST. AGAIN IN 1991-92 VARIOUS OPPOSITION GROUPS FROM DIFFERENT ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS INCLUDING THE GHARRI PEOPLE MANAGED TO OVERTHROW THE DICTATOR MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM'S GOVERNMENT. STILL THE GHARRI PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DENIED OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA. INSTEAD THE O.L.F. REPRESENTING THE LARGEST ETHNIC GROUP AND HOLDING MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENTARY SEATS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE GHARRI PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR REGIONAL AUTONOMY. THE OROMO LIBERATION FRONT (O.L.F.) CLAIMED THE GHARRI REGION AS PARTS OF THEIR OWN REGION. THE O.L.F. WAGE A CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE, STATING THAT THE GHARRI PEOPLE ARE SOMALIAN, THEREFORE, THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO CLAIM ANY REGION IN SO CALLED ETHIOPIA.
IN 1895, THE GHARRI WERE DEFEATED BY THE BRITISH AND THE ETHIOPIAN
EMPIRE. Mr. ALI ABDI THE GHARRI'S LEADER WENT TO THE ITALIAN FRONTIER IN SOMALI
LAND AND ASKED FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE, IN RETURN, THE GHARRI WOULD GRANT THE
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT THE RIGHT OF PASSAGE IN TO ETHIOPIA.
ITALY AGREED AND GAVE MILITARY EQUIPMENTS TO THE GHARRI AND THE ETHIOPIAN
ARMY WAS DEFEATED.
THE GHARRI GAINED CONTROL OF ITS REGION.
IN 1913, THE ETHIOPIAN AND THE BRITISH MADE A JOINT MILITARY CAMPAIGN
AGAINST THE GHARRI AND INVADED THE GHARRI LAND. THEY COMMITTED GENOCIDE AGAINST
THE GHARRI PEOPLE. THEREFORE, THE GHARRI PEOPLE ENDURED A HEART BREAKING
SITUATION DUE TO CENTURIES OF COLONIALIZATION BY THE BRITISH AND ETHIOPIA.
THE
BRITISH OCCUPIED THE GHARRI COUNTRY FOR 61 YEARS. DURING THE 61 YEARS OF
OCCUPATION, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PRACTICALLY ROBBED THE GHARRI OF THEIR LIFE
STOCKS AND DESTROYED WILD ANIMALS SUCH AS RHINO, ELEPHANTS, BUFFALO, AND TIGERS.
THE BRITISH AND ETHIOPIAN IMPERIALISTS COLLECTED CATTLE AS FORM OF TRIBUTE AND
TAXES. IN SOME CASES THEY RAIDED THE GHARRI VILLAGES AND LOOTED THEIR HERDS.
THEY JUSTIFIED THE RAID BY STATING THAT THEY ARE ENFORCING THE LAW TO COLLECT
TAXES FROM THOSE GHARRI "GANGS" WHO DEFIED THE LAW.
THE BRITISH ALSO HELPED THE ETHIOPIANS TO OCCUPY THE GHARRI COUNTRY IN ORDER TO
STOP THE GHARRI PEOPLE FROM MOVING AND KEEPING THEIR RESOURCES TO FAR NORTHERN
GHARRI, WHAT IS KNOWN TODAY
AS THE SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.
THE GHARRI LEADERS WERE CAPTURED AND MANY OTHERS WERE MURDERED,
GABABA MAHAD, HIS SON HASSAN GABABA, ALI ABDI WERE AMONGST THE LEADERS THAT WERE
CAPTURED BY BRITISH OCCUPYING FORCES. GABABA MAHAD WAS ARRESTED IN NAIROBI FOR
10 YEARS. HE WAS TORTURE IN PRISON AND LATER RELEASED. BUT, HE DIED LATER FROM
TRAUMA AND HEAD INJURY.
HIS SON HAJJ HASSAN GABABA ALSO WAS CAPTURED AND KEPT UNDER HOUSE ARREST IN
MARSABIT. THE BRITISH OCCUPYING FORCES CONSIDERED HIM AS MILITANT, UNRULY, AND
ANTI BRITISH COLONIALIST. THEREFORE, HE WAS DETAINED UNDER BRITISH MILITARY
(DEFENSE) REGULATION OF 1939 SECTION NUMBER 23 AND 24.
HE WAS KEPT IN MARSABIT FROM DECEMBER 1942 TO 1950. HE LATER ESCAPED TO ADDIS
ABABA, ETHIOPIA AND DECLARED WAR AGAINST BRITISH COLONIAL FORCES, BUT, HE WAS
LATER KILLED BY EMPEROR HAILE SELASSE IN 1964.
According to the Gharri’s oral
traditional history and British colonial era records based on interview they had
with then Gharri elders, regarding the origin of the Gharri people, the Gharri
people came from red sea coast and settled at “Serar”, what is now known as
arusi province of Ethiopia, They build mosques and homes made of stones. Then
during the 1600th exodus of people’s movement, from the north reached the Gharri
kingdom and fighting ensued because the enemies stated looting the Gharri
properties and herds. The Gharri were out numbered and they were forced to
immigrate toward southwest, and settled around filtu and Wachile areas.
The Gharri traditional historians state that the Gharri lived there for period
of about 60 years without any disturbances. During that time they build stone
houses and mosques around filtu and wachile especially around the dawa
riverbanks in around fifty miles corridors from Malka Mari through Malka Dirir
area.as it were a standard way of building houses. Then later on the exodous of
the Borana reached there. It was believed that was the first time they came in
contact with the Borana
So, during late 1600 and early 1700, they lived with the Borana. Later on, things changed, and the Gharri were out numbered by the Boran and the Borana tried to make them subjects and demand tribute. So, the Gharri decided to move back to their previous region of Confur through Juba land. One of the Gharri leaders Sheikh Bule Hussein set out with one of his slave to search for a new country. He traveled down the juba through Rahanwein to Confur and decided that it was a good country. On his return he came out with excellent strategy, that he told the Gharri people to spread the rumors among the Boran that he had acquired a terrible disease on his travels. He and his slaves went to a big baraza of the Borana, but first he prepared a blood like red drink by boiling the bark of a thorn tree; just before the baraza they drank bowls of it. As soon as they sat down, the slaves’ acted purposely as if they were sick and began vomiting red blood like substance at the baraza. A moment later Sheikh Bule Hussein himself acted sick and the Borana got up in shock and fled.
The Sheikh Bule Hussein and his slaves
dug up two graves and set up tombstones (gravestones.) Upon returning, the
Borana witnessed what appeared to be two graves concluded that the new disease
was indeed fatal and moved out westward far away from the Gharri area. Then
sheikh Bule seized the opportunity and led his tribe away to the east through
the desert country of northern juba land.
Three sections of the sub tribes were left behind; including Bana, Darawa and
Abtugai, they became what are now known as the Gabbra and the Rendille. The
Gabras consisting of Bana and Darawa while the Rendille was believed to be
Abtugai. The Gabbra had many camels and could not take them all in their journey
across the desert. They saw, it was a choice between their camels and the Gharri
and said, “We can live without the Gharri but not without camels” So they stayed
behind with the Boran. The Rendille were also a group of camel owners who had
pushed into the bush further south and did not get the news of the evacuation in
time; the name, Rendille by tradition, is derived from the “Rer Did” people who
would not accept”
They were bush dwellers and always refused to live in or near the Gharri
villages so,
They lost their chance. According to information received from Gharri elders,
the Rendille’s elders still recognize their Gharri origin and say “We were lost
on Sheikh Bule Hussein’s day” Meanwhile the Gharri fled eastwards through Juba
land and both the people and the stocks were perished from thirst by the time
they reached Afmadu.
The Sheikh then dreamed that if a girl of the Oordeq section named Afmadu, were
to strike the ground with a piece of Iron, water would come up and she would
die. He explained this and the girl said “I am ready to die for my tribe”, the
dream was fulfilled and the girl’s grave is near the Afmadu well.
The Gharri reached the Juba river short of food and still fearing pursuit: and
appeared that they were lost, miraculous things happened, and that four (4)
sheikhs rose to the occasion.
1) Abdi Omar Musa also known as abbey Umur Muddow Musa, made the 5 days old moon
to stand still all night.
2) Sheikh Omar “Bahar” meaning the river, hit the river with his blessing and
divided the water in half and they crossed over to the dry bed.
3) Abubakar Mashere turned the sand of the river into white mtama.(Sorghum) in
which they used it as feast.
4) Aunabe Durr made the 3-year-old camel heifers, which never calved (never gave
birth) give milk.
Subsequently all got safely across the Juba and reached Confur Gharri country
where they settled around their principal towns of Shan and Mosser on the
owdegli, .i.e. the lower reaches of the shabelle river where it runs parallel
and close to the sea coast between Mogadisho and Merka
LANGUAGE:
THE
GHARRI PEOPLE SPEAK MULTI LANGUAGES. THEY SPEAK GHARRI
KOFFAR, SOMALI, SWAHILI, ARABIC, AFFAN GHARRI, AND AMHARIC.
MANY OF THESE LANGUAGES WERE LEARNED THROUGH GEOGRAPHICAL COHABITATION
WITH OTHERS. THE OTHERS WERE IMPOSED ON TO THEM BY THE COLONIALIST.
RELIGION:
THE
GHARRI POPULATIONS ARE 100% MUSLIMS.
AGRICULTURE:
THE GHARRI PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVELIHOOD DUE TO LOOTING AND FAMINE. THEIR LIVE
STOCKS WERE LOOTED BY THE EMPEROR HAILE SELASSE AND BY THE DICTATOR MENGISTU
HAILE MARIAM GOVERNMENT'S SOLDIERS.
Tradition:
Wedding:
the Gharri people practice arranged marriages. First, the parents of a groom SEND
about a pound OF COFFEE,
tea and Sugar,
tied to the corner of small white sheet, possibly about two yards as a proposal
to mary their daughter. If the family accepts the offer, they (bride family)
respond by saying we heard you (la issan dhageene)
Barchuma
Naqachu: (engagement)
Few months
later, the groom’s family follow up with something a little bit bigger to the
mother of the bride as a gift to complete the engagement. Then the bride’s
family says,
“barchuma
La Issani Dhabnee or kennine”
(meaning we
agreed for your son to marry our daughter) Depending on the season, soon after,
the family of the groom will ask the bride’s family when they want to set a
wedding date. At this point they either ACCEPTS
the date or request to change the date to WHATEVER
date that is convenient for them. On the wedding ceremony day, women from both
side, the bride and the groom’s family supporters sing songs called “Isso
Allima”, they sing about the bride’s family or clan usually a form of
praising their son and daughter or TEASING ONE another, they sing a song about
their son’s strengths and values.
Male
and female traditional songs,
the
Gharri young boys sing songs about beautiful girls, as well as teasing songs
that includes an insult and is embarrasements.
Its
called
“arrab ilman dhira.” in
addition, the gharri young men plays gonni, sarki, and Obbee tabachu. Gonni
is a tagging game, or playing tag. Sarki
is a form of dancing and show of stregnth for young men. it also, involves
some form of wrsttling. and Obbee tabachis is target shooting with sharp
sticks (Lawe) while obbee, (an circular object) is ROLLING
FASTER
The Gharri young girls sing SONGS
CALLED
rerre-rerre
they sing about their handsome brothers and beautiful sisters, as well as about
their particular sub clan. also they sing songs to tease fellow girls.
Having
a
baby boy:
Every Gharri household sacrifices ANIMALS
AND
has a feast to pray for their newborn sons and also gives the newborn an animal
usually a calf or a heifer. In addition, they give their son an animal at the
time of circumcision, if he does not cry during the circumcision as a gift for
his courage.
fortunetellers.
The Gharri people do have Fortunetellers. Tools needed to perform are as
follows: Funno, (rope) Sandy ground for Faal, and Kopee
(shoes). Funno is a short rope, approximately, about two yards long and it is
performed mostly by middle age women.
MEN
PERFORM KOPEE AND FAAL.
However some women can perform Faal too. It
is used mostly during war time to predict numbers of casualties as well as
successful operation. also it is used to locate lost herds, and or to predict a
future event or events.
Gharri’s
Inventions and Discovery:
Inventions:
among many inventions, Gharri INVETED ELEGANT Dasse, and Uttuba, (roofing and
home building materials), Qorri, (wood Plat) muduna, (Wooden Cup) Moqa, (wooden
Spoon) Garbisar, (Scarf) Borrati
(Pillow), Sirre, Alluu,(red Paint) Uchum,(match), kokeed
(wood shoes), Kopee Goga (lether shoes), , and many more.
DISCOVERY:
HAWACHOW,
(antibiotic)
is
used primarily
to treat Gonorrhea and tape worms. Also, is used to treat a broad range of
infections, muscle spasms, and backheach.
Warra
(detergant)
is used to wash garments.
Ollombo ((Anti inflamation) is used
primarily to treat infected skins and to relief of pain and inflammation for both human and animals.Urr:is used to treat infectious disease caused by insects bits (for
ANIMALS) ONLY.Salmac
(laxative) is used to treat constipationQol Sotowesa: is used to
treat hepatitis and Jaundice.A
mpee qumbi:is used to make INKS (Anqasti) FOR quranic writing, cast and incenseDharkeen:
is used primarily to treat fungus infections.Qol
Agarsu:
is used as alternative tea and to make red paints for uttuba.
Anan Dana:
is used primarily to treat eczema (Robbi)
POPULATIONS:
THE
GHARRI POPULATION IS ABOUT 1.9 MILLION TODAY.
BETWEEN 1950'S AND 1979, THE GHARRI WAS REDUCED FROM 6 MILLION TO 1.89 MILLION.
THIS PERIOD BEGINS WITH EMPEROR HAILE SELASSE AND ENDS WITH HIS SUCCESSOR
DICTATOR MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM, WHO CONTINUED TO THREATEN THE GHARRI PEOPLE WITH
CRUELTIES, GENOCIDE, LOOTING OF THEIR LIFE STOCKS, AND THEIR MINERAL RESOURCES.
THE ETHIOPIAN MONARCHIES AND DICTATOR GOVERNMENTS WERE USING THE BORANA
CLANSMEN AS A FORM OF CANNON OR TRAINED DOG TO LOCATE THE GHARRI’S HIDE OUTS.
THEY CREATED ETHNIC CONFLICTS, WERE ITS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE TWO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
OR CLANS TO LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY. DURING THE 1980S TO PRESENT DAY, THE
ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT SUCCEEDED PUSHING THE GHARRI PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMELANDS
AND CITIES TO UNSATURATED DESERT AREA, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY THE WHITE SOUTH
AFRICAN DID TO THE MAJORITY of
the BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS DURING THE APARTHEID ERA.
OFTEN, THEY GO AND CAMP AROUND THE WATER WELLS, AND BLOCK THE INNOCENT
GHARRI CIVILIAN FROM GETTING WATER FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR THEIR HERDS.
THEREFORE, THEY LOOTED AS MANY HERDS AS THEY WANTED AND MURDERED AS MANY PEOPLE
THEY WISH TO MURDER.
THEY COMMITTED HORRENDOUS CRIMES AND GENOCIDE AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE.
THE ETHNIC CLEANSING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT IN THE 90S, WAS PRACTICED BY
THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE GHARRI PEOPLE. THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT
RECRUITED THE BORANA CLANSMEN IN TO THEIR MILITARY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF
ERADICATING THE GHARRI PEOPLE. THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS KNEW THAT THIS GROUP OF
GALLAS OR BORANA CLANSMEN ARE NON-RELIGIOUS PAGANS AND WITH CANNIBALISTIC
BEHAVIOR, IN WHICH KILLING AND MUTILATION ARE PARTS OF THEIR SOCIAL AND RITUAL
PRACTICES. SO, ALL OF THE RECRUITS WERE SENT TO STATION IN THE GHARRI REGION.
THEREFORE, THOSE MILITARY PERSONNEL'S CONTINUED PRACTICING THE SAME RITUALS AS
THEIR COUNTER PARTS. THEIR MEMBERS WHO DID NOT MURDER AND MUTILATE A MALE
PERSON'S GENITALS INCLUDING THE UNBORN CHILD IS CONSIDERED AS HAVE BEEN FAILED
TO DEMONSTRATE HIS MANHOOD SUFFICIENTLY, AND LOOK DOWN UPON HIM AND SEE HIM AS
UNFITS TO PARTICIPATE IN A SOCIAL EVENTS BOTH FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING A GIRL
FRIEND AND AS WELL AS FOR MARRIAGE.
SO, THEY GO AND MURDER THE GHARRI CITIZENS AND MUTILATE THEIR BODY PARTS.
THEY TOOK HOME THE MALE GENITALS OR PENIS AS EVIDENCE AND TROPHIES.
MANY TIMES THEY KILL PREGNANT WOMAN FOR THE UNBORN CHILD TO SEE IF SHE IS
CARRYING A BOY. SO, THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS KILL THE GHARRI MALES,
YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE, IN THE PROCESS, ACHIEVES RECOGNITION AS HEROES. THOSE
VICIOUS MONARCHS AND DICTATOR GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA TOOK ADVANTAGE OF
CIRCUMSTANCES AND COMMITTED AN UNTOLD ETHNIC CLEANSING AGAINST THE GHARRI
PEOPLE.
STILL TODAY, THE GHARRI PEOPLE ARE BEING PREYED UPON FROM TIME TO TIMES, AND
THEIR HORROR EXPERIENCES HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD OR REPORTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITIES.
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