They were amalgamation of men of all shapes and sizes;
there were the slim, short, fat and even obese, tall and gigantic figures; some
were extremely muscular in girth. No wonder there were the quiet and
loquacious, the fast runners and slow movers, and the temperamental and phlegmatic.
While others were more determined to fight to death, there were the atrocious
and brutal who would keep on spearing the victim until the corpse appeared
beyond human recognition. Before leaving for the battlefield, Somali Aji
warriors were given instructions to have their daggers, spears, and shields
ready for inspection by their commanders. It could take weeks to sharpen some
of the tools using vintage sharpeners known as ‘Qarsa’–a type of stone that
was mainly used to give the war implements the required sharpness to penetrate
body armor.
The warriors would engage in practices for days under
the watchful eyes of their trainers. While upholding peaceful coexistence was
of profound importance to other ethnic communities encountered during the long
treks or migrations to new lands, those who espoused antagonistic tendencies
were dealt with accordingly using sheer force to subdue them. At times, Aji
forces lost battles to those forces who were a combination of formidable tribes,
were extremely armed, and countless in numbers. Before bidding farewell to
their families and friends who were responsible for the safety of the villages
and livestock together with the king and his council of elders, the fighters
would smear their spears with congealed animal fat especially the type
extracted from the humps of camels and that of the oryx (Oryx gazella beisa). Applying fat to spears
had two meanings: the billowing dust from the approaching enemies would first
splotch their spears–a forewarning there was enemy approaching while the second
meaning was related to the easy penetration of the spears into enemy body and
armor. A spear having fat content could easily perform the intended tasks
better than the one that was dry.
To further elucidate the significance of fat
application to warrior spears, borrowing a leaf from a previous war in Jigjiga
between Somalis and their Oromo Cushitic cousins in the past is worth
contemplating and revisiting. Led by a courageous king of the Bartire subclan of
the Absame who, through the use of linguistic approach was able to convince and
unite other Somalis to come to his aid. From oral historians, we learn that
there was only one water well in Jigjiga by then. According to living Somali
historians, Oromos and their livestock would quench their thirst one day and
the following day it was reserved for the Somalis. However, to deny the Somalis
access to the water well, the Oromo leader gave orders to some of his loyal
warriors to demolish the water well in the middle of the night–a deliberate at
that was intended to deter Somalis from using it. After discovering the Oromo
conspiracy and their deceitful skullduggery, the Bartire king with hi s ardent
supporters convened an assembly or shura to deliberate on the right action to
take. By the end of the shura, a declaration of war was envisaged.
After determining the date of confrontation with the
Oromo who were also notified of the approaching combat, Somali warriors were
given the orders of smearing their spears with animal fat. Both parties
prepared for the deleterious clashes that would take substantiable lives and
properties. Despite the Oromo statistically outnumbering the Somali forces, the
end results gave the Somalis the upper hand.
With the imminent approach of the Oromo forces signaled
by the billowing dust that covered Somali warriors’ spears that brushed like a
whirlwind, the Bartire king hoped on his remarkable, well-bred horse that was
known for speed, energy, and drive. It was neither Seyid Muhammad Abdille’s renowned
Xiin Faniin nor that of the ancient Bucephalus of the historical Macedonian
General Alexander the Great III. It was a horse to reckon with since it was a
breed with supersonic speed. It could have been the larger Galbeed (western) type
horse or the Bari (eastern) that was shorter and had the perseverance to
survive without grass if fed with camel milk. Somalis love for horses have been
described in the poetries of Cali Bucul, Raage Ugaas, and the historical Seyid. For
example, as translated by Professor Saciid Samatar (mey he rest in peace), the
Seyid has this to say when describing his love for the horse he rode:
This horse is infinitely dearer to me
than any other stock,
And I cherish him as dearly as the
parents that created me,
And as a beloved brother,
Is he an inheritance from blessed
heaven!?
And if I don’t see him for a brief
season,
I am smitten with an anxiety of longing,
And come close to dying from a nagging
fear,
Is
he not my very heart!
“A Fine War Horse” by Sayyid Mahammad, translated by Said Sheikh Samatar.[1]
Galloping alone, the Somali war hero at times increase
speed and other times slowed down to have a view of the approaching enemy force.
 |
| Somali Warriors with Oryx Shields |
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| Somali Warriors and Speke |
 |
| Somali dagger |
Though a daunting task, the lion-hearted Somali king sprang
into action upon reaching the Oromo forces who were led by their decorated
general. Throwing his doubled-edged sword that was sharper than a Wilkinson Sword,
the Somali King cum commander struck the enemy general with sheer force then,
with the blink of an eye, retrieved his weapon from the dead enemy and
thereafter left scene relaying the message to his forces who were ready for any
alteration. The dust from the Oromo forces whirlwind that resembled the rope
tornado since they were banded together like a rope would eventually be
overcome by the Somali multi-vortex tornadoes that transformed into clusters of
satellite tornadoes due to the war strategy of splitting into groups. Using the
flanking maneuver–a strategy that is also applicable at operational and
strategic levels allowed the heartbroken Oromos to encounter defeat at the hands of the Somalis.
[1] Susanna Forest. Horses, History and
News: The War Horses of Somalia. https://susannaforrest.wordpress.com/2012/09/22/the-war-horses-of-somalia/.
Retrieved 8 March 2020.
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