Arthur Rimbaud was a french explorer who lived for some time with the ogaden. He published his report in french in Compte Rendu des Séances de la Société de Géographie 1884. Here are translated excerpts from the report.
The Ogadens are divided according to their head chiefs, called "oughazes." The Oughaz of Malingur, our friend Omar Hussein, is the most powerful in Ogaden and he appears to have authority over all tribes between Habr Garhajis and the Wabi river.
His father came to Harar during the days of Rauf Pacha, who gave gifts of weapons and clothing to him. As for Omar Hussein, he has never left his tribes, where he is renowned as a warrior and is content with respecting the authority of Egypt from afar.
Moreover, the Egyptians seem to regard the Ogaden, as well as the Somalis and Danakils, as their natural allies as Muslims, who would never entertain the thought of invading their territories.
The Ogaden are tall, and generally more red than black. They keep their heads bare and their hair short, dress themselves with comparatively clean clothing, and wear sandals. They carry ritual prayer rugs on their shoulders, sabers and purification gourds on their hips, and walking sticks in their hands, along with both a small spear and a big spear.
They are Muslim fanatics. Each camp has its priest who chants prayers at appointed hours. There are "wadads" (scholars) in each tribe; they know the Koran and how to write in Arabic and are also improvisational poets.
Ogaden families are large in number. M. Sotiro's guide had 60 sons and grandsons. When the wife of an Ogaden man gives birth, the latter abstains from all commerce with her until the child is capable of walking alone. Naturally, the husband marries one or several others in the interim, but always with the same understanding.
Omar Hussein has written to us in Harar and is allowed for us to go down with him and his Arabs, all the way to the Wabi, only a few days away from our first trading station.
Source: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k30468180/f112.item.r=malingour
The Ogadens are divided according to their head chiefs, called "oughazes." The Oughaz of Malingur, our friend Omar Hussein, is the most powerful in Ogaden and he appears to have authority over all tribes between Habr Garhajis and the Wabi river.
His father came to Harar during the days of Rauf Pacha, who gave gifts of weapons and clothing to him. As for Omar Hussein, he has never left his tribes, where he is renowned as a warrior and is content with respecting the authority of Egypt from afar.
Moreover, the Egyptians seem to regard the Ogaden, as well as the Somalis and Danakils, as their natural allies as Muslims, who would never entertain the thought of invading their territories.
The Ogaden are tall, and generally more red than black. They keep their heads bare and their hair short, dress themselves with comparatively clean clothing, and wear sandals. They carry ritual prayer rugs on their shoulders, sabers and purification gourds on their hips, and walking sticks in their hands, along with both a small spear and a big spear.
They are Muslim fanatics. Each camp has its priest who chants prayers at appointed hours. There are "wadads" (scholars) in each tribe; they know the Koran and how to write in Arabic and are also improvisational poets.
Ogaden families are large in number. M. Sotiro's guide had 60 sons and grandsons. When the wife of an Ogaden man gives birth, the latter abstains from all commerce with her until the child is capable of walking alone. Naturally, the husband marries one or several others in the interim, but always with the same understanding.
Omar Hussein has written to us in Harar and is allowed for us to go down with him and his Arabs, all the way to the Wabi, only a few days away from our first trading station.
Source: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k30468180/f112.item.r=malingour
