Bicidyahan

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Rer Bicidyahan
بعديهن

Bicidyahan Sultan
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Somali
Religion
Islam (Sunni)
Related ethnic groups
Osman Mohamoud, Dhulbahante, Marehan, Warsangali, other clans of Majerteen, Dishiishe, Leelkase, Awrtable, Ogaden, other Darod groups, and other Somali clans

The Bicidyahan (Somali: Reer Biciidyahaan)^[1] is the nickname of Ali Ibrahim Jibra'il, a Majeerteen sub-clan.

The Bicidyahan is a sub-clan of the Majeerteen clan family, within the larger Harti clan and thereafter the Darod clan. Its members inhabit the eastern Ogaden region of Ethiopia and are primarily found in and around the Wardher Region zone. They also have a large presence in Mudug and Jubbada Hoose, specifically in the cities of Galkayo and Kismayo. Reer Bicidyahan^[2] is a nickname for people descended from Ali bin Ibrahim ibn Jibril

The Bicidyahan sub-clan trace their origins back to a late 16th century ancestor, Cali Ibrahim, who is buried in the present day Qandala District of Bari, Puntland. In the mid 17th century, the Bicidyahan sub-clans began to migrate away from their homeland and started an expansion campaign from the Bari region, spearheaded by their then Sultan, Adan Yoonis.

By the late 17th century, the Bicidyahan had crossed Nugaal into Mudug, joining the southern Majeerteen sub-clans of Idigfacle, Gumasoor, Amaanle and Abdalla Nolays. The southern Majeerteen at the time were locked into a bitter never ending war with a group of pagans whom they called the "Galla Madow" meaning the "black infidels". When the Bicidyahan arrived, the Galla Madow had the upper hand over the Majeerteen and controlled most of the water wells in the region. The pagans main well and source of their pride was called "Baraxley" in what is now Gaalkacyo.^[3]

With the arrival of the Bicidyahan, the southern Majeerteen's ranks swelled and they elected the grandson of Sultan Adan Yonis, Sultan Farax Cismaan Adan, to lead them against their pagan adversaries. In the early 18th century, Sultan Farax led many campaigns into the pagan heartland, the most famous being the "raid of the Galla-eri" (pagan expeller) that brought an end to the war.^[4]

After a long stalemate the pagans still remained strong in their remaining settlement of Baraxley. Enrico Cerulli narrates in his book 'Somalia: Storia della Somalia. L'Islām in Somalia. Il Libro degli Zengi' that the Galla would boast about their land and abundance of livestock, singing in Somali:

"If from Baraxley I go up to the White hill,

If my flock disperses, I do not know [otherwise] of hunger and do not fear it"^[5]

Cerulli would then go on to further state:

"The Majeerteen having tried in vain to drive the Galla off that land in various expeditions, they finally resorted to a stratagem: they cut a large number of cowhides into long strips; each knight had a certain number of these stripes which were tied to the tail of the war horses; then the group on horseback launched by surprise, during the night, a great gallop against the Galla. These, frightened by the strange noise that the strips of skin dragged by the running horses made echo in the great plain, believed they were attacked and ran away, abandoning their base" ^[6]

After this final battle, the fleeing Galla were hacked down and Sultan Farax Cisman was henceforth given the nickname of Gallaeri(expeller of pagans), a name that survives within the Bicidyahan sub-clan that descend from him.

In the ensuing century, the Bicidyahan would expand into the Geladi and Wardheer pasturelands, putting them into direct conflict with a number of tribes. This culminated into open war when their then allies, the Marehan were attacked in Geladi during the late 1870s. The Italian book 'Rassegna italiana politica letteraria' provides a brief synopsis of the event, stating:

"About seventy years ago, a group of Ogadèn pushed back as far as Gorof, in the territory of Galàdi, with the intention of raiding the Marrehan cattle and gathered there for the abundance of pastures; but they were driven back, although the Marrehans suffered severe loses and their leader Gogge Mahmud Nur himself fell.

In revenge for the Merrehans, Rer Bicidyahan and Omàr Mahmud, chased the Ogadén and inflicted on them such a defeat at the wells of Wardheer that the Ugas or head of the Ogadèn Fara Addò also fell – the survivors sheltered in Gorrahèi to not be exterminated.

The following year, the Marrehan and the Majeerteen at the Gherlogubi wells surprised a group of Rer Abdulle who had come to water their cattle; They attacked, killing many, and plundered the whole herd. Other clashes took place in Ghebdè. Dillimbash and Dahadid. There the Ogadèn, still armed only with sidearms, suffered bloody losses by the Majeerteen and Marrehan who for the first time used firearms, obtained by the Sultan Yusuf Ali.

Since then the Majerteen never abandoned the wells of Wardheer and the neighboring ones, and the Ogadèn never tried to return there."^[7]