Evidence shows us that the first written record of the word somali was in the XV century when an Ethiopian King mentioned somalis in his victory poem after a battle against Ifat.Arab historians mentioned Hawiye Somalis living in the south in the 13th century, they were identified as people of" barbar" like the somalis in other parts of the country. This means arabs knew Hawiyes and the people of Zeila were the same ethnicity.
Unfortunately sources are scarce before the 10th-11th century. We have no evidence of somalis being an identifiable distinct group
When did somali become an identifiable distinct ethnicity?
Unfortunately sources are scarce before the 10th-11th century. We have no evidence of somalis being an identifiable distinct group
When did somali become an identifiable distinct ethnicity?
