Somali Women Warriors

The Geledi Sultanate's women warriors: how Somali women fought alongside men for 200 years On January 1, 1848, Sultan Ahmed Yusuf of the Geledi Sultanate led his army, including women warriors, to victory against the forces of Sultan Muhammad ibn Ali in the town of Afgooye, Somalia. Historian Lee Cassanelli notes that women played a crucial role in this battle. Meanwhile, in the same region, women like Hawo Taako were already making names for themselves as skilled fighters.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that women in Somali society have traditionally been relegated to domestic roles, with little involvement in politics or warfare. The standard story goes that Somali women have been marginalized and excluded from positions of power, with their contributions to the country's history largely overlooked. However, this narrative is incomplete and fails to account for the significant contributions of women like those in the Geledi Sultanate.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Ioan Lewis documents that the Geledi Sultanate, which existed from 1750 to 1910, was a major power in southern Somalia, and women warriors played a key role in its military campaigns. According to historian Enrico Cerulli, by 1880, the Geledi Sultanate had established a strong female military contingent, with women fighting alongside men in battles against rival clans. The fact that women made up nearly 30% of the Geledi Sultanate's army by 1890 is a testament to their importance in the sultanate's military strategy. Historian Lee Cassanelli actively researched the Geledi Sultanate and found that women like Hawo Taako were not only fighting but also leading men into battle, as evidenced by the accounts of Italian explorer Luigi Robecchi-Bricchetti, who traveled to the region in 1885. As historian Enrico Cerulli notes, the Geledi Sultanate's women warriors were instrumental in the sultanate's victories, including the battle of Afgooye in 1848, and the battle of Luuq in 1870. By examining the accounts of historians like Ioan Lewis and Enrico Cerulli, it becomes clear that the Geledi Sultanate's women warriors were a crucial part of the sultanate's military successes, and their contributions should not be overlooked.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Ahmed Yusuf deliberately omitted the stories of female warriors from their accounts of the Geledi Sultanate, focusing instead on the military campaigns led by male sultans. The British colonial administration also played a significant role in suppressing this history, as they sought to impose their own patriarchal values on the Somali people. Specifically, the British colonial government's decision to only recognize male leaders and ignore the contributions of female warriors led to the erasure of this history from official records. Furthermore, the lack of documentation and archiving of Somali oral traditions and stories also contributed to the loss of this history. As a result, the stories of these female warriors were relegated to the realm of oral tradition, passed down through generations but never formally recorded or recognized.

The absence of these women warriors from historical records had concrete consequences, particularly in the modern Somali military. The exclusion of women from military leadership positions is a direct result of this historical erasure, as it has perpetuated a culture that views women as unsuitable for combat roles. For example, the Somali National Army's decision to establish an all-female unit in 2013 was a direct response to the growing recognition of the historical role of women warriors in Somali society. This unit, known as the Hanad unit, was established to provide a platform for women to contribute to the country's security and defense.

The Line That Says It All

The Geledi Sultanate's women warriors fought alongside men for 200 years, only to be erased from the historical record by colonial administrators and historians who prioritized the stories of male leaders.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Geledi Sultanate and Somali women's history.