Wikipedia

Harar

"Harrar" redirects here. For the last name of German origin, seeHarrer (surname).
For the city's administrative region, seeHarari Region.For the capital of Zimbabwe, seeHarare.For the south Asian fruit, seeTerminalia chebula.

Harar[a](Amharic:ሐረር;Harari:ሀረር;[4]Oromo:Adare Biyyo;[5]Somali:Herer;Arabic:هرر), known historically by the indigenous asHarar-Gey[6]or simplyGey[7](Harari: ጌይGēy,lit. 'the city'), is awalled cityin easternEthiopia.It is also known in Arabic asthe City ofSaints(Arabic:مدينة الأولياء,romanized:Madīna al-ʾAwliyāʾ).

Harar
ሐረር
Capitalandwalled city
From top, left to right:Badro Gate;Sherif Museum;Jamia Mosque;Chesa Selassie Church; city distant view
Nickname:
City ofSaints(مدينة الأَوْلِيَا)
Harar is located in Ethiopia
Harar
Harar
Location within Ethiopia
Harar is located in Horn of Africa
Harar
Harar
Location within the Horn of Africa
Harar is located in Africa
Harar
Harar
Location within Africa
Coordinates:9°18′40″N42°7′40″E/ 9.31111°N 42.12778°E/9.31111; 42.12778
CountryEthiopia
RegionHarari RegionHarari
Government
• PresidentOrdin Bedri
Elevation
1,885 m (6,184 ft)
Population
(2007)[1]
• Total99,368
• Estimate
(2021)[2]
153,000
Time zoneUTC+3(EAT)
Official nameHarar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town
CriteriaCultural: ii, iii, iv, v
Reference1189
Inscription2006 (30thSession)
Area48 ha
EmirAbdullahi,the last emir of Harar

Harar is the capital city of theHarari Region.The ancient city is located on a hilltop in the eastern part of the country and is about 500 kilometres (310 mi) from the Ethiopian capitalAddis Ababaat an elevation of 1,885 metres (6,184 ft).

For centuries, Harar has been a major commercial center, linked by the trade routes with the rest of Ethiopia, the entireHorn of Africa,theArabian Peninsula,Asia, and through its ports, the outside world. Harar Jugol, the old walled city, was listed as aWorld Heritage Sitein 2006 byUNESCOin recognition of its cultural heritage.[8]Because of Harar's long history of involvement during times of trade in the Arabian Peninsula, theGovernment of Ethiopiahas made it a criminal offence to demolish or interfere with any historical sites or fixtures in the city. These include stone homes, museums and items discarded from war. According to UNESCO, it is "considered 'the fourth holiest city' ofIslam"with 82 mosques, three of which date from the 10th century, and 102 shrines.[9][10]

Yahyá Naṣrallāh'sFatḥ Madīnat Harar,an unpublished history of the city in the 13th century, records that the legendary saintAbadir Umar ar-Ridaand several other religious leaders settled in the Harar plateauc. 1216(612AH).[11]Harar was later made the new capital of theAdal Sultanatein 1520 by theSultanAbu Bakr ibn Muhammad.[12]The city saw a political decline during the ensuingEmirate of Harar,only regaining some significance in theKhedivate of Egyptperiod. During theEthiopian Empire,the city decayed while maintaining a certain cultural prestige.

Etymology

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The origin of the name"Harar"is unclear, however according to archaeologistTimothy Insollit perhaps derives fromHarla,an ancient population that predate the arrival of theOromo peoplein the region.[13]Other possible etymologies include ones put forth by British explorerRichard Francis Burtonwho states Harar is an extract of the name of a plain located south of the town or a specific tree.[14]

History

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Main article:Timeline of Harar
Harar city wall

When Harar was founded is unclear and various dates have been suggested, some state the early Semitic settlers of the region were believed to be ofHadhramistock.[15][16]In any case, the modern city of Harar mostly dates back to the 1700s at the earliest, but the site itself has been the site of a city for much longer.[16]

It is likely the original inhabitants of the region were theHarla people.[17]Harar was part of theHarla Kingdom's domain in the sixth century.[18][19]In the Islamic period, the city was under an alliance called the confederatedstates of Zeila.[5]According to the 12th-centuryJewishtravelerBenjamin of Tudela,theZeilawas the land of theHavilah,confined byal-Habashin the west.[20][21]

In the ninth century, Harar was under the Maḥzūmī dynasty'sSultanate of Shewa.[22][23]

Islam had gained a foothold on the Harar plateau by the 10th–11th centuries CE via trade withZeila.[16]By the 13th century, Islam had become the predominant religion in the region.[16]

The rise of Muslim states

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Main article:Early history of Harar

Harar emerged as the center of Islamic culture and religion in theHorn of Africaduring end of the Middle Ages.

According to theFatḥ Madīnat Harar,the legendary saintAbadir Umar ar-Rida,along with several other religious leaders, came from theArabian Peninsulato settle in the Harar plateau circa 612H (1216 CE), where Abadir was supposedly met by the Harla,GaturiandArgobba people.[24]According to tradition, Abadir's brother Fakr ad-Din founded theSultanate of Mogadishu,while one of his descendants founded theHadiya Sultanate.[25][26]

According to the 14th-century chronicles ofAmda Seyon I,Gēt (Gēy) was a colony in the Harla country.[27]During the Middle Ages, Harar was part of theAdal Sultanate,becoming its capital in 1520 under SultanAbu Bakr ibn Muhammad.The sixteenth century was the city's Golden Age. The local culture flourished, and manypoetslived and wrote there. It also became known forcoffee,weaving,basketryandbookbinding.

From Harar,Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi,also known as "Gurey" and "Grañ", both meaning "the Left-handed", launched a war of conquest in the 16th century that extended the polity's territory and threatened the existence of the neighboringOriental OrthodoxChristianEthiopian Empire.His successor,EmirNur ibn Mujahid,built a protective wall around the city to defend its population from the Oromo invasion. Four meters in height with five gates, this structure, called theJugol,is still intact and is a symbol of the town to the inhabitantsHarari people.Siltʼe,Wolane,Halabaand Harari people lived in Harar, while the former three moved to the Gurage region.[28]

Immediately after Ahmad's wars, Harar experienced a severe famine.[29]The prices of food and livestock rose significantly: onesa'a(a unit equal to fourhandfuls) ofsorghumcost 12ashrafis, and an equal amount ofsaltcost 15.[29]A cow cost over 300 ashrafis.[29]As the economy recovered from the famine, the price of asa'aof sorghum fell to 4–5mahallaks (a sub-denomination of the ashrafi).[29]Another famine during the reign ofNur ibn Mujahidraised the cost of a sa'a of sorghum to 2 ashrafis.[29]This is the first mention of the ashrafi and mahallak as denominations of money in Harar.[29]

Wooden balconies on the streets of Harar.

The Emirate of Harar also struck its own currency, the earliest possible issues bearing a date that may be read as 615 AH (1218/19 CE); but the first coins were definitely issued by 1789 CE, and more were issued into the 19th century.[30]

Elisée Reclus (1886) describes the two main ancient routes leading from Harar toZeila,one route passing through the country of theGadabuursiand one route passing throughIssaterritory, both subclans of theDirclan family:

"Two routes, often blocked by the inroads of plundering hordes, lead from Harrar to Zeila. One crosses a ridge to the north of the town, thence redescending into the basin of the Awash by the Galdessa Pass and valley, and from this point running towards the sea through Issa territory, which is crossed by a chain of trachytic rocks trending southwards. The other and more direct but more rugged route ascends north-eastwards towards the Darmi Pass, crossing the country of the Gadibursis or Gudabursis. The town of Zeila lies south of a small archipelago of islets and reefs on a point of the coast where it is hemmed in by the Gadibursi tribe. It has two ports, one frequented by boats but impracticable for ships, whilst the other, not far south of the town, although very narrow, is from 26 to 33 feet deep, and affords safe shelter to large craft."[31]

Decline

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Map of Harar-Berberatrade route commenced from the reign of emirAhmad III ibn Abu Bakr

Following the death of Emir Nur, the Harari state began a steady decline in wealth and power. A later ruler, Imam Muhammed Jasa, a kinsman of Ahmad Gragn, known as, Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al Ghazi yielded to the pressures of increasingOromoraids and in 1577 abandoned the city, relocating toAussaand making his brother ruler of Harar. The new base not only failed to provide more security from the Oromo invasion, it was coupled bySomaliincursions and would eventually be invaded by the neighboringAfar people.[32]TheImamate of Aussadeclined over the next century while Harar regained its independence under`Ali ibn Da`ud,the founder of a dynasty that ruled the city from 1647 until 1875, when it was conquered byEgypt.[33]

Richard Francis Burtondescribes Harar during his visit in 1855:[34]

"The ancient metropolis of a once mighty race, the only permanent settlement in Eastern Africa, the reported seat of Moslem learning, a walled city of stone houses, possessing its independent chief, its peculiar population, its unknown language, and its own coinage, the emporium of thecoffeetrade, the head-quarters of slavery, the birth-place of theChatplant "

In the 1800s, EmirAhmad III ibn Abu Bakrhalted all imports and exports from the port of Zeila opting forBerberainstead due to a dispute with his mother, the sister of the chief Somali Giri clan controlling the route to Zeila.[35]According toRichard Francis Burton,who visited both Berbera and Harar during his travels, he repeated a famous Harari saying he heard in 1854: "He who commands at Berbera, holds the beard of Harar in his hands."[36]In this period slaves ofSidamaandGuragestock were important commodities exported to the coast.[37]A significant portion of the trade between the two historic towns Harar-Berbera was controlled by merchants belonging to theHabr Awal,Isaaq clan, who also partook in the trade of the renowned Harari coffee bean, which were namedBerbera Coffeein the international market.[38][39]Harar was also the home of numerousSomalischolars who came to the city to study the most notable beingSheikh Madarfounder ofHargeisa.[40][41]

Harar appears to have begun minting coins more-or-less continuously during the reign of the emirAbd al-Shakur ibn Yusuf.[29]Surviving coins from his reign are of high quality, with a high silver content and clear inscriptions reflecting the use of gooddies.[29]The currency was heavily debased underMuhammad ibn Ali,who introduced a new type of coin, heavily alloyed withtin,in order to meet his obligations to his Gosa brothers.[29]He decreed that anyone with the old currency had to exchange it for the new kind.[29]Muhammad Mukhtar,an officer in the Egyptian army, wrote in 1876 condemning this as a massive fraud.[29]In 1883, a German traveller wrote that the currency was not worth even one-tenth of its nominal value.[29]

19th century

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A scene on the road to the market in Harar, between 1900 and 1920.

In 1875Muhammad Rauf Pashaled an Egyptian force fromZeilainto the interior of southeast Ethiopia, pretending to be a scientific expedition. He occupied Harar on 11 October 1875.[42]

Rauf Pasha initially suspended Harari coins from circulation and sent some samples toCairofor analysis, hoping to replace them with Egyptian currency.[29]However, the Egyptian government was unable to provide enough money to do this and advised him to keep Harari currency in use.[29]However, the value of the Harari mahallak was reassessed from 33 to theMaria Theresa thalerbefore to 300 to the dollar after.[29]Once the analysis of the coins' silver content was completed, this was further changed to 311 to the thaler.[29]

During the period of Egyptian rule (1875–1884),Arthur Rimbaudlived in the city as the local functionary of several different commercial companies based inAden;he returned in 1888 to resume trading in coffee,musk,and skins until a fatal disease forced him to return to France. A house said to have been his residence is now a museum.[43]

In 1885, Harar regained its independence underAmir Abdullahi,but this lasted only two years. Abyssinian forces ofShewawould invade theEmirate of Hararin 1886 but suffer a defeat at the hands of the emir's troops during theBattle of Hirna.[44]A few months later on 9 January 1887 duringBattle of Chelenqo,the Shewan kingMenelik IIwould lead the conquest of Harar.[45]

Harar was the place where the modern Ethiopian state minted its first coins under Menelik II, bearing the date of 1885E.C.(1892 CE).[29]

Harar lost some of its commercial importance with the creation of the French-builtAddis Ababa–Djibouti Railway,initially intended to run via the city but diverted north of the mountains between Harar and theAwash Riverto save money. As a result of this,Dire Dawawas founded in 1902 asNew Harar.The British planned to revitalise the historic Harar-Berbera trade route by connecting the two cities via rail as a means to bolster trade. However, the initiative was vetoed by parliament on the grounds that it would harm theEntente Cordialebetween France and Britain.[46]

All the trade routes linking Harar to the Somali coast passed through theSomaliandOromoterritories where theGadabuursiandIssasubclans of theDirclan family held the monopoly of trade as is mentioned in theHistory of Harar and the Hararis:

"In the 19th century the jurisdiction of the Amirs was limited to Harar and its close environs, while the whole trade routes to the coast passed through Oromo and the Somali territories. There were only two practicable routes: one was the Jaldeissa, through Somali Issa and Nole Oromo territories, the other of Darmy through the Gadaboursi. The Somali, who held a monopoly as transporters, took full advantage of the prevailing conditions and the merchants were the victim of all forms of abuse and extortion... Under the supervision of these agents the caravan would be entrusted to abbans (caravan protector), who usually belonged to the Issa or Gadaboursi when destined to the coast and to Jarso when destined for the interior."[47]

20th century until present

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A traditional home in Harar with a niche adorned with Islamic calligraphy.
The Harari Cultural House (Gey Gar)

Harar was captured by Italian troops under MarshallRodolfo Grazianiduring theSecond Italo-Ethiopian Waron 8 May 1936. The 1st battalion of theNigeria Regiment,advancing fromJijigaby way of theMarda Pass,captured the city for the allies 29 March 1941.[48]Following the conclusion of theAnglo-Ethiopian Agreementin 1944, the government of theUnited Kingdomwere granted permission to establish a consulate in Harar, although the British refused to reciprocate by allowing an Ethiopian one atHargeisa.After numerous reports of British activities in theHaudthat violated theLondon Agreement of 1954,theEthiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairsordered the consulate closed March 1960.[49]

A railway from Berbera to Harrar in Abyssinia was suggested as a means of bringing the interior of the protectorate within easy access, and at the same time of catering for the trade of Abyssinia; but it was vetoed on the ground that to compete with the French railway from Jibouti to Addis Ababa would be poor policy at a time when the entente cordiale had just been firmly cemented.[50]

In 1995, the city and its environs became anEthiopian region(orkilil) in its own right.[citation needed]Apipelineto carrywaterto the city fromDire Dawais currently under construction.[citation needed]

Culture

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According toSir Richard BurtonHarar is the birthplace of thekhatplant.[51]The original domesticated coffee plant is also said to have been from Harar.[52]

Climate

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The climate of Harar is classified assubtropical highland climate(Cwb) inKöppen-Geiger climate classification system.

Throughout the year, afternoon temperatures are warm to very warm, whilst mornings are cool to mild. Rain falls between March and October with a peak in August, whilst November to February is usually dry.

Climate data for Harar, elevation 1,856 m (6,089 ft), (1971–2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 24.2
(75.6) 		26.1
(79.0) 		26.6
(79.9) 		25.1
(77.2) 		25.5
(77.9) 		24.1
(75.4) 		24.4
(75.9) 		22.2
(72.0) 		23.2
(73.8) 		24.1
(75.4) 		23.9
(75.0) 		23.5
(74.3) 		24.4
(75.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 12.6
(54.7) 		13.9
(57.0) 		14.5
(58.1) 		14.9
(58.8) 		14.7
(58.5) 		14.0
(57.2) 		14.9
(58.8) 		13.5
(56.3) 		13.4
(56.1) 		13.2
(55.8) 		13.0
(55.4) 		12.8
(55.0) 		13.8
(56.8)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches) 13.0
(0.51) 		30.0
(1.18) 		55.0
(2.17) 		97.0
(3.82) 		126.0
(4.96) 		99.0
(3.90) 		145.0
(5.71) 		121.0
(4.76) 		94.0
(3.70) 		42.0
(1.65) 		28.0
(1.10) 		9.0
(0.35) 		859
(33.81)
Averagerelative humidity(%) 54 54 64 56 60 65 75 67 66 54 49 52 60
Source: FAO[53]

Demographics

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An old map of Harar featuring theGadabuursi,Geri,Issa,KaranleHawiyeand BerteriJidwaaqSomali communities.

Based on the 2007 national census conducted by theCentral Statistical Agencyof Ethiopia (CSA), Harar city had a total urban population of 99,368, of whom 49,727 were men and 49,641 women.[1]: 7 The six largest ethnic groups reported in Harar were theAmhara(40.55%), theOromo(28.14%), theHarari(11.83%), theGurage(7.94%), theSomali(6.82%), and theTigrayans(2.76%); all other ethnic groups together comprised less than 2% of the population.[1]: 23 Amharicwas spoken as a first language by 49.2% of city inhabitants,Oromoby 23.7%,Harariby 12.2%, andSomaliby 6.6%.[1]: 25 The plurality of urban inhabitants professedEthiopian Orthodox Christianity,with 48.54% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 44.56% of the population said they wereMuslim,and 6.14% wereProtestant.[1]: 28 [54]

Ethnicity

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H. H.Ahmad Bin Abi Bakr,Emir of Harar.

Barker Haines reported in 1840 that the majority of the population of Harar wereHararishowever a fewOromo,Afar,SomaliIssaandArabiantraders ofYemenwere also present.[55]In 1855Richard Francis Burtondescribed Harar as having an approximately 8,000 inhabitants; 3,000 Bedouins (referring to seasonal nomads who "come and go", 2,500 Hararis, and 2,500Somalis.[56]Burton further reported a large Oromo presence leading to the town.[57]During his visit in theKhedivate of Egyptoccupation of theEmirate of Harar,researcher Paultischke describes Harar as having roughly 40,000 inhabitants with 25,000 of these being Hararis, 6,000 Oromo, 5,000 Somalis, 3,000Abyssiniansas well as a minority of Europeans and Asians.[58]

After the conquest of the Emirate of Harar by theEthiopian Empire,an influx ofAmharasettled in Harar and its surroundings.[59]The Somali population of the town was decimated following the overthrow ofLij Iyasuby Abyssinian militias.[60]The indigenous Harari natives who once were majority within the walled city are under 15%, due toethnic cleansingby theHaile Selassieregime.[61][62][63]As a result of the repression by the Ethiopian regime, in the late 1970s Hararis residing inAddis Ababaoutnumbered those in Harar.[64]According to Feener, the Harari have not recovered from the 1948 state-led crackdown on their population.[65]

The Somali tribes surrounding Harar are mainly from theGadabuursiandIssasubclans of theDirand theKaranlesubclan of theHawiye.They represent the most native Somali clans in the region.[66]TheDarodclans of the Geri andJidwaaqalso inhabit areas near Harar. TheGadabuursiand Geri Somali strike immediately north and north eastwards of the town.Richard Francis Burton(1856) describes theGadabuursiand Geri Somali clans as extending to within sight of Harar.[67][68]TheIssaand KaranleHawiyestrike north and north westwards whilst theJidwaaqstrike eastwards.[69][70]

I.M. Lewis (1998) states:

"Including the land round Harar and Dire Dawa inhabited by the Somalis of the 'Iise and Gadabuursi clans."[71]

City layout

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View of Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town (aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site).[72]

The old walled city of Harar is divided into 5 quarters: Assum Bari,Argobba Bari,Suqutat Bari,Badro Bari,andAsmadin Bari.[16]These quarters are then further divided into neighborhoods calledtoya,which are often named after a Muslim shrine or a prominent tree serving as a local landmark.[16]According to S.R. Waldron, there were 59 such neighborhoods around 1975.[73]

In the late 1960s, it was still possible to walk around the outside of the city walls on foot; doing so took about an hour.[73]By the early 1980s, though, this was no longer possible because the city had begun to expand out from the walled city, with some buildings being built directly attached to the outside of the wall.[73]

Walls and gates of Harar

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Suqutat Bari gate

The Old City of Harar with an approximate area of 60 hectares (150 acres)[74]is surrounded by ramparts on the northern and eastern sides and part of the southern side. There are five ancient city gates, These are, clockwise from the north of the citadel:

  • Assum Bari (located in the north)
  • Argobba Bari(located in the east)
  • Suqutat Bari (located in the south east)
  • Badro Bari(located in the south)
  • Asmadin Bari(located in the west)

Other gates such as the unofficial modern sixth"Harar gate"was built after the Abyssinian invasion in the 19th century.[75]

Houses

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Exterior of a Harari house

Known asgey gar( "city house", plural:gey garach), Harari houses form a distinct archetype that differs from other Muslim regions and from other parts of Ethiopia.[76]The traditional Harari house design is still widely in use today, with only minor changes, and Hararis who have moved to other cities try to adhere to a similar style.[73]Hararis take great pride in their houses, and they form an important part of Harari culture.[76]

A walled compound (abāt) consists of several residences, which share the same walls but are not interconnected.[73]They are arranged around a courtyard, with most of the windows facing the courtyard instead of the street.[73]Doors to individual residences almost always point east or west; north- or south-facing doors are rare.[76]According toKabirAbdulmuheimen Abdulnassir, farmers and merchants often have east-facing doors so that they can rise early for work.[76]The several families who live in the same compound share one or twokitchens,which are disconnected from the residences.[73]The walls that surround the compounds are joined so that they are basically continuous.[73]The outer gate facing the street is usually wooden but sometimes iron, and they are either painted or whitewashed.[73]The walls form anarchitravearound them.[73]

Sometimes several compounds are joined into a "block" of compounds, all surrounded by the same wall and then having their own walls around them.[73]These "blocks" are set up so that a visitor passes the first compound before reaching the second, etc.[73]

Building materials are local stone, while a mixture of pounded stones and clay are used as bothmortarandplasterto cover the walls before they are whitewashed.[73]This is the case in newer houses as well as older ones.[73]

Interior of a Harari house

Thefloor planof a typical Harari house is rectangular.[73]The main room is the largeliving roomcalled thegidīr gāror thegār ēqäd.[73]The gidīr gār has several raised platforms, callednädäbas, which function as seats or beds.[73]A typical house will have five nädäbas.[73]At the back of the gidir gar, across from the front door, are two nädäbas: the "small" one, ortīt nädäba,and then behind it the "big" one, orgidīr nädäba,which is somewhat higher up.[73]These are the two largest nädäbas.[76]Shoes may be worn as far as the tīt nädäba, but then they must be removed.[73]The tīt nädäba is where younger people or people with less seniority sit.[76]Children also sleep on this nädäba.[76]Historically, at the emir's court, it served as the seat for plaintiffs or defendants.[76]The gidīr nädäba seats elders and people who are considered more senior.[76]Historically, at the emir's court, dignitaries were seated here.[76]When a person dies, their body is kept on the gidīr nädäba before being buried as a sign of respect.[76]A basin is dug in the gidīr nädäba and filled with water and used to wash the body, and then the basin is filled in again.[76]

Theamīr nädäba,or nädäba of honor, is reserved for the master of the house and for honored guests; it can be on either the left or the right depending on the house.[73]It is positioned so that the head of the family can see whoever enters the home and act accordingly.[76]The "hidden" nädäba, or thesutri nädäba,can also be on either side but is always behind a protruding pillar ormaxazu.[73]Historically, this is known as the "malassaynädäba "because the guards of the emir would sit here during meetings or court cases.[76]The sutri nädäba is used for sleeping.[73]It is also used as a seat where the husband rests when he comes home.[76]Finally, there is thegäbti äḥer näbäda,or the one behind the entrance door.[73]Like the amīr and sutri nädäbas, this one can be on either the left or the right.[73]At the back corners there are sometimes built-in cupboards or wardrobes callednäbäda dēras.[73]Cash[76]and important documents are kept in a chest in the näbäda dēra.[73]The upper part of the näbäda dēra is used to store clothes belonging to the master of the house.[76]

Wall niches in a Harari home

The gidīr gār has built-in niches calledṭāqēts which are used to store and display personal possessions.[73][16]They are fairly high up and there are typically 11 of them: five on the main wall opposite the door, and the rest on the other walls.[73]The two rectangular niches in the middle of the main wall (calledēqäd ṭāqēt) are typically used to store books, especially theQur'an.[73]Their rectangular shape is supposed to be evocative of death and the grave.[73]In addition to the 11 main niches, there are sometimes also niches in the nädäbas, which are used to hold shoes or anincense burner.[73]

Stairway to the qala on the left, with the kirtät in the background

On either side of the entrance there is an open doorway leading to thekirtät,which is a side room with a low ceiling and its own nädäba.[73]The wall between the kirtät and the gidīr gār sometimes has a window screen with decorative woodcarving.[73]Women usually stay in the kirtät when men have abärça(a meeting to chewkhatand meditate).[73]In the past, the kirtät was also where a young bride would live in seclusion for 8 months after her wedding.[73]In that case the entryway to the kirtät, which does not otherwise have a door, would be covered with abambooscreen and a curtain.[73]

A second side room with a low ceiling, thedēra,is connected to the kirtät by a small door.[73]It is used to store items which are not susceptible to attack byrats.[73]Next to the door, the wall of the dēra has a special niche where theaflālas are kept.[73]These are black pottery containers with long necks and covered by elongated basketry lids calledaflāla uffas.[73]They are used to store the family'sjewelryand other valuables, as well as theumbilical cordsof the family's children.[73]According to Fethia Ahmed, curator of the Harari cultural museum, the lids being turned upside down indicates that the husband has died and that there is a widow living in the house.[76]

The dēra is a private space, where a husband and wife may speak without their children listening.[76]It is also used by children between the ages of 3 and 7 to eat during Ramadan out of public view, before they begin to fast all day long at age 7.[76]The dēra is built with porous stone without cement to allow for better ventilation.[76]

The ceiling above the gidīr gār rises to the full height of the house.[73]Above the side rooms, though, there is an upper level called theqala.[73]Originally, the qala was used mainly for storage and sometimes as a sleeping area, and it was not separated from the gidīr gār in any way.[73]Since the late 19th century, though, there is usually a wooden screen separating the two, and the qala has basically become a distinct second floor, often with several rooms, although without nädäbas or other installations.[73]The staircase to the qala usually consists of six to nine steps.[73]In newer houses it has a carved woodbanisterbut in older houses it did not.[73]

House ceilings are traditionally made of thin tree trunks which have had their bark stripped off.[73]Today the ceiling is whitewashed along with the rest of the house.[73]One beam, located above the edge of the tīt nädäba, is called theḥāmil;today it is used to hang a neon lamp from, but in the past people would hang anostrich eggfrom it because it was believed that doing so would protect the house from lightning.[73]Nowadays, the ceilings are made of varnished wooden planks, with theḥāmildistinguished by its larger size and distinct shape.[73]

Floors are traditionally made of red earth (calledqēḥ afär), and the parts of nädäbas that aren't covered by rugs or mats are also painted red.[73]Today they are often tiled, usually with at least some red present.[73]The red is supposed to be reminiscent of the blood shed at theBattle of Chelenqo.[73]

Some houses will have an adjoiningtīt gāror "small house", which has a separate entrance and a nädäba of its own.[73]The tīt gār is often unconnected to the main house.[73]It is used by younger family members, or sometimes rented to tenants.[73]Since the 20th century, some houses add another level above the tīt gār and connect it to the qala as well as giving it a separate entrance via a staircase on the outside of the house.[73]

Each compound typically contained a separate room for a farmhand or servant, without nädäbas or side rooms.[73]There would also be stables for cows and donkeys.[73]There are also typically one or two "kitchen houses", unconnected to the houses, typically located on either sides of the courtyard.[73]These kitchens have no windows, with smoke escaping through the door, so eventually the walls end up covered in soot.[73]Shelves made from tree trunks are used to store kitchen utensils.[73]

In the past, Harari houses would have little to no furniture.[73]Since the 20th century, simple Western-style wooden chairs have proliferated, as well as metal bedsteads with kapok mattresses which are set up on the sutri nädäba.[73]

Richard Francis Burtondescribed the emir's home as the only building whose exterior was whitewashed, implying that most buildings were undecorated at the time of his visit in the 1800s.[73]Most houses were similarly described as neither painted nor whitewashed as late as 1935.[73]Today, though, Hararis typically whitewash their houses with alimestonemixture (callednäçih afär) at least once and ideally twice a year, once beforeRamadanand once again before theAräfafestival.[73]Household items and baskets are thoroughly cleaned at the same time.[73]Today, instead of whitewashing, walls are sometimes painted usingoil paints.[73]This can be any color, although green is the most popular.[73]

Hall in a traditional Harari house

Interior decoratingof homes is typically done by women.[73]They cover the nädäbas with rugs, mats, and pillows, and decorate the walls with Harari basketry (which is also typically made by women).[73]Enamel plates and bowls are also hung on the walls today.[73]Decorative baskets are generally hung up symmetrically and in pairs.[73]Each household has its own style of decoration, and women guests often comment on how they like how the host's house is decorated.[73]There is a stereotype that younger women are more fastidious at decorating their homes than older women, and that younger couples reapply the red earth to the floors once a week while older ones only do it a few times a year.[73]

The largest type of decorative baskets are the kind that are used to serve bread and sweets at women's gatherings.[73]These have tall conical lids that are hung above and overlapping them.[73]They are hung in one or two rows on the wall behind the gidīr nädäba and below the niches, and they are typically in alternating pairs.[73]Between theēqäd ṭāqēts, the two rectangular niches in the center used for storing books, there is a vertical line of small basketry plates calledsāgāris along with their lids.[73]These are used to serve coffee beans at wedding or funeral feasts.[73]They are typically in a group of 3, with 2 of them sharing a pattern and design.[73]Next to the amīr nädäba and the dēra, the wall is decorated with other basketry plates in pairs.[73]These are about the size of a breakfast plate and traditionally are used to serve bread.[73]Two of them are called "the baskets for themother-in-law",or theḥamāt mot,and these are presented by the family of a bride to the in-laws at a wedding.[73]

Emigrants from Harar often try to stick to the traditional Harari home layout when possible, even in buildings with different architectural styles.[73]There will be some sort of gidīr gār indicated, with rugs and pillows forming an informal nädäba, and the walls will be decorated with traditional Harari basketry.[73]

Attractions

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TheGreat Mosque of Harar
Arthur Rimbaud's house and museum

Besides the stone wall surrounding the city, the old town is home to 110mosquesand many moreshrines,centered onFeres Magalasquare.Notable buildings includeMedhane Alem Cathedral,the house ofArthur Rimbaud,the 16th-century Jami Mosque and historic Great Five Gates of Harar.Harrar Bira Stadiumis the home stadium for theHarrar Beer Bottling FC.One can also visit themarket.

A long-standing tradition of feeding meat tospotted hyenasalso evolved during the 1960s into an impressive night show fortourists.[77](Seespotted hyenas in Harar.)

Other places of interest include the highestambaoverlooking the city, theKondudoor "W" mountain, which hosts an ancient population of feralhorses.A 2008 scientific mission has unleashed efforts for their conservation, as the animals are greatly endangered.[78]

The Harar Brewery was established in 1984. Its beers can be sampled at the brewery social club adjacent to the brewery in Harar.[79][80]

Intercity bus service is provided by theSelam Bus Line Share Company.

Authenticity

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Harar Jugol is a rare example of a relatively well preserved historic town that has retained its traditions, urban fabric, and rich Harari Muslim cultural heritage to the present time. It is one of the holy towns of Islam in Africa, and the capital of a minority region within Christian Ethiopia. The historic city is physically limited and well defined by its 16th-century surrounding wall and the setting has been retained along the eastern and south-eastern sides of the property. However, inappropriate interventions, such as plastering the houses, changing doors from wood to metal, the introduction of non-traditional materials and visual impacts such as TV antennas have been gradually affecting the authenticity of the historic fabric.

Sister cities

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Country Town
France Charleville-Mézières
United States Clarkston
Djibouti Arta
Turkey Şanlıurfa

Notable residents

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Main article:List of emirs of Harar

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Formerly written asHarrar;[3]other variants includeHārerandHarer.

References

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  1. ^abcde"Population and Housing Census 2007 – Harari Statistical"(PDF).Central Statistical Agency.Retrieved19 November2021.
  2. ^"Population Projection Towns as of July 2021"(PDF).Ethiopian Statistics Agency.2021.Retrieved31 May2022.
  3. ^Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911)."Harrar".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 16.
  4. ^Leslau, Wolf (1959). "An Analysis of the Harari Vocabulary".Annales d'Ethiopie.3:275.doi:10.3406/ethio.1959.1310.
  5. ^abWehib, Ahmed (October 2015).History of Harar and Harari(PDF).Harari people regional state, culture, heritage and tourism bureau. p. 45.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^Mordechai, Abir.Trade and Politics in the Ethiopian Region 183O–1855(PDF).University of London. p. 246.
  7. ^Baynes-Rock, Marcus (24 August 2015).Among the Bone Eaters Encounters with Hyenas in Harar.Penn State University Press.ISBN9780271074047.
  8. ^"Panda sanctuary, tequila area join UN World Heritage sites".Un.org. 13 July 2006.Retrieved23 July2013.
  9. ^"Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town".World Heritage List.UNESCO World Heritage Centre.Retrieved6 August2009.It is considered 'the fourth holy city' of Islam, having been founded by a holy missionary from the Arabic Peninsula.
  10. ^"Five new heritage sites in Africa".BBC. 13 July 2006.Retrieved18 December2006.Harar Jugol, seen as the fourth holiest city of Islam, includes 82 mosques, three of which date from the 10th Century, and 102 shrines.
  11. ^Siegbert Uhlig,Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: He-N,Volume 3, (Otto Harrassowitz Verlag: 2007), pp.111 & 319.
  12. ^Richard Pankhurst,History of Ethiopian Towns(Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1982), p. 49.
  13. ^Insoll, Timothy.First Footsteps in the Archaeology of Harar, Ethiopia.Equinox Publishing Limited. pp. 209–210.
  14. ^Burton, Richard.First Footsteps in East Africa, Or, An Exploration of Harar Volume 2.Tylston and Edwards. p. 1.
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  26. ^Luling, Virginia(2002).Somali Sultanate: The Geledi City-state Over 150 Years.Transaction Publishers.ISBN978-0-7658-0914-8.
  27. ^Budge, E. A. Wallis(2014).A History of Ethiopia: Volume I (Routledge Revivals): Nubia and Abyssinia.Routledge. p. 297.ISBN978-1-317-64915-1.
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  29. ^abcdefghijklmnopqZekaria, Ahmed (1991)."Harari Coins: A Preliminary Survey".Journal of Ethiopian Studies.24:23–46.JSTOR41965992.Retrieved28 August2021.
  30. ^Richard Pankhurst,An Introduction to the Economic History of Ethiopia(London: Lalibela House, 1961), p. 267.
  31. ^Reclus, Elisée (1886).The Earth and its Inhabitants The Universal Geography Vol. X. North-east Africa(PDF).J.S. Virtue & Co, Limited, 294 City Road.Two routes, often blocked by the inroads of plundering hordes, lead from Harrar to Zeila. One crosses a ridge to the north of the town, thence redescending into the basin of the Awash by the Galdessa Pass and valley, and from this point running towards the sea through Issa territory, which is crossed by a chain of trachytic rocks trending southwards. The other and more direct but more rugged route ascends north-eastwards towards the Darmi Pass, crossing the country of the Gadibursis or Gudabursis. The town of Zeila lies south of a small archipelago of islets and reefs on a point of the coast where it is hemmed in by the Gadibursi tribe. It has two ports, one frequented by boats but impracticable for ships, whilst the other, not far south of the town, although very narrow, is from 26 to 33 feet deep, and affords safe shelter to large craft.
  32. ^Harbeson, John (1978)."Territorial and Development Politics in the Horn of Africa: The Afar of the Awash Valley".African Affairs.77(309). Oxford University Press: 486.doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a097023.JSTOR721961.
  33. ^Richard Pankhurst,The Ethiopian Borderlands(Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1997), pp. 375–377
  34. ^Burton, Richard.First footsteps in East Africa.
  35. ^Ahmad b. Abu Bakr.Encyclopedia Aethiopica.
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  38. ^Ben-Dror, Avishai (23 August 2018).Emirate, Egyptian, Ethiopian Colonial Experiences in Late Nineteenth-Century Harar.Syracuse University Press. p. 24.ISBN9780815654315.
  39. ^Hunter, Frederick (1877).An Account of the British Settlement of Aden in Arabia.Cengage Gale. p. 41.
  40. ^Burton. F., Richard (1856).First Footsteps in East Africa.p. 360.
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  45. ^Caulk, Richard A. (1971). "The Occupation of Harar: January 1887".Journal of Ethiopian Studies.9(2): 1–20.JSTOR41967469.
  46. ^Berbera-Harrar Railway Survey Vol. 1(Report).
  47. ^Ahmed, Wehib M. (2015).History of Harar and the Hararis(PDF).Harari People Regional State Culture, Heritage and Tourism Bureau.In the 19th century the jurisdiction of the Amirs was limited to Harar and its close environs, while the whole trade routes to the coast passed through Oromo and the Somali territories. There were only two practicable routes: one was the Jaldeissa, through Somali Issa and Nole Oromo territories, the other of Darmy through the Gadaboursi. The Somali, who held a monopoly as transporters, took full advantage of the prevailing conditions and the merchants were the victim of all forms of abuse and extortion... Under the supervision of these agents the caravan would be entrusted to abbans (caravan protector), who usually belonged to the Issa or Gadaboursi when destined to the coast and to Jarso when destined for the interior.
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  65. ^Feener, Michael (2004).Islam in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives.ABC-CLIO. p. 230.ISBN9781576075166.
  66. ^The universal geography: earth and its inhabitants(PDF).
  67. ^Burton, Richard (1856).First Footsteps in East Africa(1st ed.). Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans.and thence strikes south-westwards among the Gudabirsi and Girhi Somal, who extend within sight of Harar.
  68. ^Lewis, I. M. (1998).Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-based Society.The Red Sea Press. p. 100.ISBN9781569021033.
  69. ^Slikkerveer (28 October 2013).Plural Medical Systems In The Horn Of Africa: The Legacy Of Sheikh Hippocrates.Routledge. p. 140.ISBN9781136143304.
  70. ^Lewis, I. M. (17 March 2003).A Modern History of the Somali: Nation and State in the Horn of Africa.Ohio University Press.ISBN9780821445730.
  71. ^Lewis, I. M. (2000).Saints and Somalis: Popular Islam in a Clan-based Society(PDF).The Red Sea Press. p. 11.ISBN9781569021033.Including the land round Harar and Dire Dawa inhabited by the Somalis of the 'Iise and Gadabuursi clans.
  72. ^"Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town".UNESCO World Heritage Convention.Retrieved3 December2022.
  73. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafagahaiajakalamanaoapaqarasatauavawaxayazbabbbcbdbebfbgbhbibjbkblbmbnbobpbqbrbsbtbubvbwbxbybzcacbcccdcecfcgchcicjckHecht, Elisabeth-Dorothea (1982)."The City of Harar and the Traditional Harar House".Journal of Ethiopian Studies.15:57–78.JSTOR41965897.Retrieved25 August2021.
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Further reading

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  • Fritz Stuber, "Harar in Äthiopien – Hoffnungslosigkeit und Chancen der Stadterhaltung" (Harar in Ethiopia – The Hopelessness and Challenge of Urban Preservation), in:Die alte Stadt. Vierteljahreszeitschrift für Stadtgeschichte, Stadtsoziologie, Denkmalpflege und Stadtentwicklung(W. KohlhammerStuttgart Berlin Köln), Vol. 28, No. 4, 2001,ISSN0170-9364,pp. 324–343, 14 ill.
  • David Vô Vân, Mohammed Jami Guleid,Harar, a cultural guide,Shama Books, Addis Abeba, 2007, 99 pages
  • Jayyusi, Salma K.; et al., eds. (2008). "Harar: the Fourth Holy City of Islam".The City in the Islamic World.Leiden: Koninklijke Brill. pp. 625–642.ISBN9789004162402.
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