Isn’t it surprising that the Somalis are the strongest African warrior tribe? They are originally pastoralists but have earned a name for their industrious nature. For instance, Somalis run the show in Eastleigh, Nairobi. Eastleigh is a leading economic hub with millions of dollars in flow daily. A majority of businesses – 95% – are Somali-owned and managed. The notion many people held for many years is that this tribe from the Horn of Africa is only good at rearing cattle and running massive businesses across East Africa. However, they have another longstanding reputation that the world isn’t aware of.
What is the Strongest African Warrior Tribe?
The Somali are the strongest African warrior tribe considering their resilient nature, military advancement and strategic warfare dating back decades ago. They are spread through Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Their major sub-tribes across Africa are:
- Hawiye
- Darod
- Isaaq
- Dir
- Rahanweyn
The Republic of Somalia is their original birthplace. Historically, their strength narrative comes from the Abyssinia conquest in the 16th century. Ethiopia was then known as Abyssinia, a rich country that Italians came for in the 20th century.
The Adal-Abyssinian war went on for 14 years. The Somalis under the Sultanate of Adal won. Photo/Military Review
The Abyssinia conquest was a battle between the Somali army and the Ethiopian Empire. General Ahmed Gurey, the Somali Sultanate of Adal led his soldiers to war with the Ethiopians for 14 years and conquered. The Somali army general got a lot of weaponry backing by the Ottoman Empire, a big factor that earned Gurey and his battalion victory. This war birthed the strongest African warrior tribe as much as they used advanced military weapons to crush the Ethiopian Empire.
Additionally, Somali tactical greatness led the tribe to the invention of maritime battles to control crucial trading routes along the Indian Ocean. They successfully defended cities along the Indian Ocean coast against intruders such as the Portuguese. The tribe’s seafaring skills helped them launch attacks, defend their territory and maintain trade networks.
How Did the Somali Become Strong?
A Clan-based culture is a major reason why the Somalis are the strongest African warrior tribe. Somali elders run clans in their subtribes with their scope of leadership being resolving local conflicts and guiding young men on how to protect the community. These clans trained young men in paramilitary skills such as guerilla warfare, martial arts, weapon handling and desert survival. These tactics produced lethal warriors who bravely took on formidable opponents.
Somali fighters. Photo/Foreign Policy
General Gurey of the Somali Sultanate of Adal largely benefited from clan setup during the Adal-Abyssinia war that lasted 14 years. His military rule taught the Somalis the value of the clan system in managing their affairs. It’s through his reign that the community adopted its clan system that still rules centuries later. In addition, Somalis are very strict on loyalty which is like glue sticking together the strongest African warrior tribe.
Elders teach young men the value of honour and loyalty while they’re still young. These are the traits that make Somali armies lethal and able to push through with prolonged war. Loyalty and honour are also evident in how they run their businesses. The support they accord each other is admirable, something other African tribes haven’t grasped.
What is the Most Respected Tribe in Africa?
South Africa’s Zulu tribe is the most respected in Africa. According to history, the celebrated warrior king Shaka Zulu who ruled between 1787 and 1828 carried the Zulu glory. Shaka Zulu ruled as a fierce African king whose only priority was to secure freedom for his people against British and Boer colonisers. Brushing shoulders with the whites meant inventing new war tactics.
South Africa’s Zulu tribe is the most respected in Africa. According to history, the celebrated warrior king Shaka Zulu who ruled between 1787 and 1828 carried the Zulu glory. Photo/TheCollector
Although the Zulu aren’t the strongest African warrior tribe in the 21st century, their traditional king introduced deadly military skills. Shaka Zulu introduced buffalo horn formation in war and the iklwa, a short spear for stabbing. These two military inventions led the Zulu people to victory against the Boers and the British in the 1879 Isandlwana war.
In conclusion, the Somalis enjoy centuries of tactical skills, loyalty, honour and desert survival skills. They live in harsh environments across East Africa, most arid areas. How they survive is a marvel only nature can explain. Although friendly, they are the last people you want to mess with.
