Interesting History of Somalis in South Africa

[Arkan]

From this Book:
Muslims in Southern Africa: The Somali Diaspora in Johannesburg

This book dives deep into the lives of Somali immigrants in Johannesburg, South Africa. It sheds light on their journey of navigating identity, community, and belonging in a land far from home. Through exploring the challenges of xenophobia, economic struggles, and social integration, the book highlights the resilience of the Somali diaspora. I've picked out the most interesting parts. It's a long but worthy read.

 

[Arkan]

 

[Arkan]

 

[Arkan]

 

[Arkan]

OY!

 

[HuunoHunter]

I ain't reading all that.

 

[Arkan]

I ain't reading all that.

This is a few key things

>Somalis arrive as auxiliaries in South Africa due to British imperialism in the 19th century
>Somalis push that they should be identified as Cape Malay and not Negro due to hierarchal racial politics established by the Brits (Ottomans support the Somalis claim by request)
>Somalis were a part of early development in South Africa as labourers
>Indian Muslims welcome Somalis due to Islamic brotherhood and the Somalis boost commerce by establishing businesses
>Somali identity becomes emboldened as more and more Somalis immigrate to SA
>Somalis become very influential and start dominating certain suburbs
>Indians get squeezed out by Somalis in certain suburbs
>Somalis become wealthier and turn certain suburbs into their own towns
>Somalis expand to rural areas outside of Johannesburg to set up shop
>Blacks start chimping out and start attacking Somalis due to jealousy

 

[Aseer]

My favourite part
"The malawi (Bantu) man would go to the indians store and ask for a job while the somali man would go into the indians store with 50 rand, buy chocolates and sweets and sell them outside establishing themselves as street vendora before moving onto small shops and larger business"

 

[Internet Nomad]

My favourite part
"The malawi (Bantu) man would go to the indians store and ask for a job while the somali man would go into the indians store with 50 rand, buy chocolates and sweets and sell them outside establishing themselves as street vendora before moving onto small shops and larger business"

Somali cryptonite is a lack of opportunity or welfare. I swear wherever somalis have opportunity and no welfare we pop off.

 

[Chaseyourdreamzz]

Somalis in South Africa have moved on to wholesaling and real estate nowadays

 

[HuunoHunter]

This is a few key things

>Somalis arrive as auxiliaries in South Africa due to British imperialism in the 19th century
>Somalis push that they should be identified as Cape Malay and not Negro due to hierarchal racial politics established by the Brits (Ottomans support the Somalis claim by request)
>Somalis were a part of early development in South Africa as labourers
>Indian Muslims welcome Somalis due to Islamic brotherhood and the Somalis boost commerce by establishing businesses
>Somali identity becomes emboldened as more and more Somalis immigrate to SA
>Somalis become very influential and start dominating certain suburbs
>Indians get squeezed out by Somalis in certain suburbs
>Somalis become wealthier and turn certain suburbs into their own towns
>Somalis expand to rural areas outside of Johannesburg to set up shop
>Blacks start chimping out and start attacking Somalis due to jealousy

Thanks for the summarising this for a lay man like me.

 

[Idilinaa]

Somali cryptonite is a lack of opportunity or welfare. I swear wherever somalis have opportunity and no welfare we pop off.

Somalis don't even abuse welfare vast majority of the time. They move away from it as quickly as they can and end up reliant on it the least. You can't compare economic migrants with refugees.

So it's not always lack off opportunity, you will find the same type of Somali economic migrants in different places across the world.

While there was Somali sailors and economic migrants who settled in the early 1900s in Johannesberger , there was also a separate stream of them who settled in new york city

There is a growing community of Somalis there in recent years from what i've heard.

Fun fact though, the earliest Somalis in America from 1910s were Sailors and Merchants who settled in NYC who set up businesses, stations, community centers, restaurants and shops. Even helped build the subway stations . Some even ended up partaking in the civil rights struggles of the 1960s

Somalis in NYC were the first African immigrant community in America and the first Muslim group in the United States.

It's an interesting read:

Harlem Roses

Tracing the Somali Histories of New York City. My latest research project: a close narration of the archives of Somali seafarers in New York City.

hudahassan.substack.com

Some notes on my latest research project: a close narration of the archives of Somali seafarers in New York City.​

According to Somali elders, this Somali scent arrived in Harlem through a man named Haji Sateen Yusuf. He came to New York long before Ega. A Somali seafarer, he moved to the city in 1911 in search of work. To support himself, he helped build MTA subway stations including Jamaica Stn. He also found other hustles. Sateen was not isolated when he arrived at the turn of the 20th century. He met with a dozen other Somali roses who’d made a home in Harlem.

Somalis settled in the Bowery before moving up to Harlem as subway lines were laid, in part by Somalis themselves. This community represented the first African immigrant group and the first Islamic group in the United States. The voyage was harsh, taking 18 months from Somalia to New York around the southern tip of Africa

There was another group of economic migrants in the UAE and Cardiff & Wales as well.

 

[Layu]

This is a few key things

>Somalis arrive as auxiliaries in South Africa due to British imperialism in the 19th century
>Somalis push that they should be identified as Cape Malay and not Negro due to hierarchal racial politics established by the Brits (Ottomans support the Somalis claim by request)
>Somalis were a part of early development in South Africa as labourers
>Indian Muslims welcome Somalis due to Islamic brotherhood and the Somalis boost commerce by establishing businesses
>Somali identity becomes emboldened as more and more Somalis immigrate to SA
>Somalis become very influential and start dominating certain suburbs
>Indians get squeezed out by Somalis in certain suburbs
>Somalis become wealthier and turn certain suburbs into their own towns
>Somalis expand to rural areas outside of Johannesburg to set up shop
>Blacks start chimping out and start attacking Somalis due to jealousy

I don't think they pushed to be "malay" but it was default, by being Muslim. Seeing as they refused Indian.

 

[mustang22]

I don't think they pushed to be "malay" but it was default, by being Muslim. Seeing as they refused Indian.

The Cape Malay are the Indonesians the Dutch brought to South Africa