The Harti,, are a Somali clan that trace their lineage back to Saleh Abdi (Harti). They are a sub-clan of the larger Darod clan. Notable sub-clans within Harti include the Majeerteen, Dhulbahante, and the Warsengeli. They predominantly reside in the apex of the Horn of Africa and its surrounding regions. Furthermore, in the southern territories, the clan's settlements span both sides of the Kenya-Somalia border.

Distribution

The extended formal name of the Harti clan is Saleh Abdi Mohamed Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti. The primary homeland of the Harti is the state of Puntland in northeastern Somalia. The clan is well represented in the regions of East Sool, East Sanaag, Togdheer, (primarily Buhoodle), 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 presence in the North Eastern Province of Kenya.

History

Northern Sultanates

The Majeerteen Sultanate (Migiurtinia) was founded in the mid-18th century. It rose to prominence the following century, under the reign of the resourceful Boqor (King) 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 of European colonial rule into northern Somalia, all three sultanates were annexed to Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland in the early 20th century.

Darawiish sultanate-emirate-chieftainship

The Darawiish, mostly hailed from the Dhulbahante and drew the majority of its followers from this clan; the four major Darawiish administrative divisions, i.e. Dooxato, Shiikhyaale, Golaweyne and Miinanle were near exclusively Dhulbahante. The Dhulbahante in Buuhodle were particularly the first and most persistent supporters of the Dervish chieftainship-emirate-sultanate. The poet Aadan Carab noted that the Dhulbahante experienced a genocide at the hands of European colonialists due to their Darawiish adherence, noting the Dhulbahante genocide in his poem Diidda Ama Yeella. The Dervish chieftainship-sultanate 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 (Issims), 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.

Notable Harti members

Commanders

Prime ministers & leaders

Enterprisers

Royalty

Politicians