The historical presence of Arabs in the Banadir coast—most notably Mogadishu—during the medieval period has long been a subject of scholarly interest. Archaeological and epigraphic evidence suggests that this presence may date back significantly earlier than previously assumed. The continued…
The history of Banadir, has long been subjected to colonial distortions, with Italian and British narratives falsely exaggerating the extent of slavery in the region. This propaganda was not only a tool for justifying colonization but also served to undermine…
“Perhaps there is no disorientation more radical than the uprooting of those who live exiled in their homeland and fight a daily struggle, made up of small gestures to safeguard and protect the places that could be taken from them,…
The Aw Mukhtar & Aw Sheikh Omar also known as the Twin Mosques (Somali: Masaajidka Mataanaha) is now a large mosque in the historical Hamar Weyne district in Mogadishu. Overview The Twin mosques up until recently was made up of 2 separate mosques the Aw…
In this transcribed oral history recorded originally from a Bajuni Shaykh, we learn of a story that details the origin of many towns on the Banadir as well as the Swahili coast. Introduction The author is Shaykh Fāḍil bin ʿUmar…
The Portuguese arrival in the Indian Ocean in the 1490s paved way for a power struggle in who controlled the ocean, major changes into the monopolisation of the ocean was when they came into contact with the Banadir ports. Trade…
The city states of Mogadishu, Barawa, Marka and Kismayo were at one point all surrounded by walls. This was a systematic approach by the Sultan at that time to separate rural people from the urban dwellers. This was witnessed by…
Masjid Awooto Eeday is what seems to be a small mosque hidden in the many historical alleyways of Hamarweyne. Overview The mosque is said to have been built with the money of a pious woman who was known as Awooto…
Throughout history, Mogadishu was always this metropolitan and diverse city – being a major port and a city at its economical peak during the 19th century, it paved way for economical migrants to reside in large numbers. People settled in…
