for centuries the Berard people were well known for their aptitude in business craftsmanship and trade in the east African Coast their pivotal role in connecting the Somali interior to the Indian Ocean realm has enabled them to become an economic Powerhouse they were certainly the driving force in not only religion but also Commerce on the coast despite being a maritime Emporium and a seafaring people this did not stop them from producing and Manufacturing their own Goods contrary to being mere Merchants that only made use of the export and import trade between the Inland and the ocean,
They made the commercialization and manufacturing of their own products and goods possible this was what embedded their Rich cultural heritage known up until today in this episode we will dive in the tradition of handcrafts and products manufactured by the Benard people we will explore how each crafts are uniquely attributed to a specific Berard Clan and how they are passed down from generation to generation.
Let’s start with the manufacturing of jewelry the clan calash were known for this skill trade as seen in the name of the clan itself calash means pouring silver in the Somali language this clan Confederacy were described by this trade as as a result to them being known as the main silver smiths in Mogadishu a trade that was handed down for centuries as families inherited the business and carried on this Rich tradition and skill from producing silver and Manufacturing Commodities such as utensils Cutlery and building materials they later developed to manufacturing jewelry in both gold and silver this was due to the advancement of Technology at that time and trade the gold necklaces had distinct shapes and varied with design and pattern the arder women were known for the possession of jewelry sophisticated bracelets and bangles that complemented their fine clothing these were kept in every Bernard household
usually given to them as a gift on their wedding day and only worn on special occasions they would then pass it on to their daughters as a gift at a later stage when they become married Sim jewelry were kept as a sentimental value as opposed to an item that could be sold off one day for profitable gains the cmer shab have retained this title and still practice ice this trade to the present day there is also the working of ivory which always gains important affirmations thanks to the shrewd and adep Berard Craftsman the export of
ivory was a major trade during the 19th century and was always in demand in the Indian Ocean with Ivory coming into the city from Mainland East Africa the Berard people had the ability to utilize such resource and craft specific items that could be sold off to International Traders the iscar shat a Berard federacy were known for the ivory trade led by a man in the 19th century named no bin Ali bin Musa who came from the Shoki Clan also known as Ria Ali Musa this came from the massive trading influence the iskash shato had in the interior thanks
to shik mumo who helped unify the two Benard Confederates they managed to reach areas such as bur hakaba B and as far as Luke as might expected Berard Merchants had a presence in the interior of present day Somalia this was due to the successful trading relationships that evolved into permanent alliances of lineages reciprocal bonds of exchange and protection were particularly common between Somali Clans living along the Lower Shabelle River and Arab families residing at the coast an example is the beal lineages who inhabited the
hinterland of the benardis city Mera they traded under the patronages of particular Arab families of the town in the same way the Urban Arabs who settled in barawa divided their Inland trade with the tuni Confederation who lived in the Hinterlands of barawa the residents of Mogadishu had special ties with lineages from afgo for trade and businesses purposes a sector that is worth mentioning is handmade textiles manufacturer which was much appreciated in the coast of East Africa a process of collecting threads and linking them
together using a loom machine this was the birth of the famous weaving industry and tradition in Somalia although this trade was practiced by many Clans only two Berard clans were known to be the most famous for it through generations advancements in technology have spurred the evolution of weaving and textile production in benarda weaving developed into tailoring and amongst those who have refined their techniques of the Shania Clan a Berardi Clan renowned for their Exquisite tailoring skills with the the aid of tailoring machines the
Clan’s tradition of producing high-quality garments has only continued to flourish solidifying their place in the industry other Benard Clans also practiced this art a testament to this is the famous afro 1 or rear afro shop in Hammer a Berardi owned company famous for its excellent tailoring there is also the handmade kofia barawa originating from barawa a cap that adorns the heads of many Ben Nardi and Swahili personalities we will dedicate a video on this craft contemporary to the skilled craft work of the barawa people it is worth
mentioning their famous leather manufacturer of sandals and belts a trade that was once famously attributed to the barawa people barawa was home to the famous shoe factory built by a man named cimi it was both owned by a Berardi family and later facilitated and managed by another Benard family sadly the factory is no longer in operation what’s left of it is the rubble from the aftermath of the 1991 barbaric years the Gambar a traditional leather seat with wooden legs was another item the Berardi Craftsmen were elated in
although this design or idea was taken from their neighboring Swahili cities both held their own distinct features in Mombasa and lamu the Gambar store were generally made from a cow or goat’s skin as opposed to the leather used by the barder people this gave it a rather aesthetic look naturally the Berard cities became an important center of collection of household production there are for example household items made from the straw like Babas a traditional hand fan Haren a dish woven from wheat straw harken it is a hand vacuum that is used
to clean the house and its yards made from Red corn sticks Duren a fabric made of straw and used as a floor carpet danil a deep Bowl woven from Reeds that grow at the edges of streams and others are made of straw there is a modest production of Iron Works and Clay articles like the Tandoor oven clay stove with a great variety of sculptures in any case the hands of the Berardi people were skilled in the manufacture of many crafts they were a productive people not only limited to consumerism and a work ethic people that
should be remembered for its contribution unfortunately the barderas did not succeed in developing their handicrafts finery as civil wars and displacement put a halt to their manufacturing thank you for watching the Benard factor is a dedicated team of Berardi individuals who aim to Showcase and preserve the authentic history culture and identity of the Benard people we would appreciate it if you hit the like button and subscribe to show your support we hope you enjoyed the video and we look forward to bringing you more educational content in the future.
