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This article is about the ethnic group. For the geographical area, see Dir.
The Dir (Somali: Diir, Arabic: دير) is a Somali clan whose members live mostly in northern, southern and central Somalia, as well as Djibouti and the Somali region of Ethiopia or Western Somaliland. The main subclans of the Dir are Isaaq (Garxajis, Habar Awal, Arab, and Tol Jecle), Issa of Djibouti and Ethiopia, Gadabuursi, Suure (Cabdalle and Qubeys), Akisho, Biyomaal, Gurgure, and Gadsan. The Northern branch of the Dir includes the Isaaq and Gadabuursi Hiniftire Mahe Dir who are closely related to them. The Issa Madoobe Dir live in Djibouti, northern Somalia, and Ethiopia. They trace their lineage to Irir Samaale, as do more than 15 other subclans. Moreover, Dir clans have a relationship with the Darod clan. Dir Irir, the founding father of the clan, gave his daughter in marriage to Darod, the founding father of Darod.
LineageThe Southern and northern Dir groups claim direct descent from Irir Samaale. According to the Hawiye and Dir clan histories, Dir had four sons named:
According to others, Dir had a fifth son named
The Northern Dir consist of Gadabuursi(Samaroon Siciid), Mahe Dir,Iidoor (Isaaq)' and Issa Madoobe Dir. The Southern Dir and Western Dir of Ethiopia number over eleven clans who mostly come from the Madahweyn Dir or Mehe Dir. Geographical distribution of the Dir clansMadahweyn in EthiopiaThe Dir in Ethiopia are represented by the Madahweyn Dir. The madahweyn consists of : Gariir, Gurgure, Guure, Layiile, and Akisho. Other Dir clans in Ethiopia are: Issa, Jaarso, Garre-Quranyow Maxamed, Gadabuursi, Gadsan, Fiqi Muhumand, Qubey's(Fiqi Yahye and Fiqi Cumar),Agoon-Fiqi Khayre, Mandaluulg,Layiile, Guure, Baajimaal, Jiido and Wardaai. Most of the Dir clans in Ethiopia live in the Dira Dhabe area, Jijiga region, and by the Awash River. The rest of the Ethiopian Dir clans live in southern parts near the Somali border near Dollo Ado and as far as Guure Dhamoole and Negele Boran. Surre in Bari and MudugIn the Bari and Mudug region of Somalia and all the way to Hiiraan region is another cluster of Dir clans known as the Surre. The Suure have been associated with spreading the Islamic faith in Somalia and the Qadiriya Sufi tariiqa in southern Somalia. The Suure are among the most influential Dir groups in Southern Somalia, and their territories include large areas of the Mudug and Galguduud regions. Also the Suure have founded major trade cities in the Hiiran area including Alaabay and Kamhanley. The majority of western scholars (both Italian and British) simply referred to the Surre as the "Dir of central Somalia" without differentiating them, but recent studies in Somalia reveal that the majority of the Dir in Hiiran, Gedo, Jubba and Bakool are divided into two branches, the Qubeyes and Abdalles, both descendants of Surre. Biyomaal in Southern SomaliaOther branches of the Dir include the ancient Biyomaal Clan who occupy an area from 35 km south of Mogadishu all the way down to Jilib and Kismaayo, not far from border with Kenya. The Biyomaal of Marka fought against the Italian colonial rulers of Southern Somalia in a twenty-year war known as the Biyomaal Revolt, in which the Dir assassinated several Italian governors. FiqicilmiFiqicilmi is one of the main subclans of Biyomaal. The Fiqicilmi live in Somalia, Ethiopia's Somali Region (or Kilil 5) and Kenya. Gaadsan in Ethiopia, Somalia, and KenyaGaadsan (Subclan of Biimaal) is one of the largest tribes of the Dir. They mainly reside in three countries: Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. In Ethiopia, Gaadsan clan reside in three districts: the Liban district (Jarrati, Waladaya, Doolow and Guuredhamole), Godey district (Iimey and Boola), and Gashamo district (Nusdariiq, Marsin, Kabtinuur and Qabridhare). Gaadsan Somalia mainly settle Bakool, Gedo region and lower Jubba region. In Kenya there is a third division of Gaadsan, known as Gaadsan-Kenya, the brother of Wardey Clan (subclan of Madaxweyne Dir). Both Gadsan and Wardey settle the largest and wealthiest land of Somali Kenya such as Bangal, Garseeni, Hoolla and many more cities. Gurgure Dir in Dire DawaThe Gurgure Dir (a sub-clan of the Madahweyn) inhabit the city of Dire Dawa, which is also inhabited by the Madoobe Dir Issas.[citation needed] The first to arrive were the Gurguras who named the city Dira Dhawe, or "the place that Dir conquered or hit with his spear".[citation needed] Finally, the Issas and other Somali groups followed into the region and the Christian Amharas referred the region to as "Gurgura-na Issa Awrajja" (Ge'ez: ጉርጉራና ኢሳ አውራጃ) or the Awrajja of the Gurguras and the Issas. Dir clans and Political groupsPolitical groups associated with the Dir clans include the following groups in Somalia and Ethiopia:
Dir sub-clansMadahweyne, Dir
Mandaluug, DirGadabursi
Madoobe, DirIsse
Mahe DirMaxamed XiniftireSurreSurre sub-clan is local to mostly Puntland state districts i.e. Mudug (Galkaiyo, Jariiban, and Hobyo); Nugal (Eyl); Bari (Qardo, Bosaso, Qandala, Alulo); and Sanag (Lasqoray). In Galgudug, the Surre sub-clan of Cabdale occupies territory extending 180km from approx 20km of Abuqwaq to Balanbale parallel to the Ethio-Somalia boundary. The centre of the Surre in Galgadud in the district of Herale which is located between Dhusamared and Abudwaq. Southward, the Surre is also an integral part of the Hiiran region communities. The base of the Surre is the commercial and farmland villages of Kabhanley and Defow. Perhaps the most important region for the Surre remains Luq district of Gedo. The border town of Boholgaras to the limits of the river Jubba banks of Luq is dominated by Surre dir sub-clans of mainly Fuqu-Muhumed sub sub-clan. In the Jubba regions, Jamame is an important homeland of the Surre accompying their Bimal brethren whom are vastly dominant in that area. The farmland town of Bender-Jadid is solely domiciled by the Surre. The Surre are allocated 5 MPs among the Transitional Federal Parliament namely: Mahad Abdalla Awad, Jeylani Ali Kediye, Nasra Abdisalam Alim, Sh. Mohamed Sh. Yusuf Direed, and Qamar Adan Ali. Xiniftire
Surre
Mohamed Gutaale (Habar Deel)
Abdale Gutale Wa'dale
QubeysTolweyne Qubeys
Reertoonle Qubeys
Sources
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