http://www.eth.mpg.de/pubs/wps/pdf/mpi- ... r-0052.pdf
The Rendille, a group of camel nomads in the arid lowlands of northern Kenya, live in a state
of intermittent warfare with several of their neighbours. One descent group among them, the
Gaalorra, a subclan of the Gaaldeylan clan, has the ability to utter a particularly potent curse
against enemies of the Rendille; or, more generally, they have power over enemies. Gaalorra
are not only believed to be able to prevent enemies from inflicting harm on Rendille by
supernatural means, but also to make these enemies inflict harm on other Rendille. The entire
class of subclans among the Rendille who have the power to bless and curse, called iibire, of
whom the Gaalorra are one, possess particular curse vehicles. One clan is believed to have a
ritual association with elephants and if someone is trampled by an elephant, one would
attribute this to the curse of that clan. Another clan has a similar relationship with rhinos, a
third one with snakes. Gaalorra's curse vehicle is the horse. It might seem strange to find the
horse, a domestic animal, in this enumeration of dangerous beasts, but 'horse' here stands for
enemy cavalry. In the past, the Boran used to raid Rendille camels on horseback, a rather easy
method: you gallop through a herd of camels, the camels stampede and run off with the
horses. Here, as in many parts of Africa and beyond, the image of the enemy and oppressor is
that of the horseman.
The Rendille do not form one homogenous cultural unit. Many cultural traits we find among
them, such as food avoidances, are clan-specific. Gaalorra have more food avoidances than
other Rendille and some of them are difficult to keep. The Rendille do not hunt a great deal,
but a giraffe stuck in the mud in the rainy season would be slaughtered and eaten by Rendille,
with the exception of Gaalorra. These avoid game of any kind. In the past, they also abstained
from goat meat, although they do keep goats like all other Rendille, and although goats, just
like sheep, are an important source of meat for Rendille, who do not readily decide to
slaughter a camel. Gaalorra, however, would only use the milk of goats or sell goats for
slaughter, because this avoidance makes them to abstain from goat meat.
What happens if a Gaalorra has succumbed to the temptation and eaten, say, meat of an
antelope, which has been shot by illegally the police or other poachers? Nothing conspicuous,
one might say. He would not drop dead, nor would he become sick. But he would be believed,
and he would believe, to have lost his ritual power, his clan-specific power to bless and to
curse. To regain it, he would have to be cleansed. His mouth would have to be rinsed with the
urine of uncircumcised boys. If people relapse and are tempted to eat game often, after a
couple of repetitions of this cleansing ritual they would rather give up their cursing power.
Now Rendille are Somali, but pagans, they are the only Somali who still practice the old ways. In Rendille culture, every major clan has a subclan that possesses a particular magical power. This subclan is the clan's iibire subclan.
Now let's return to the stories about the Yibir, they are said to have magical powers. Their king, Maxamed Haniif, fought Yuusuf aw-Barkadle using magic, and was defeated by Yuusuf aw-Barkadle's prayer to Allah. Yibir are said to have magical powers and abilities.
In the old religion, certain specific trees have mystical associations. When a Yibir gives his blessing, he gives a piece of his sacred tree.
Let's look at Maxamed Haniif too. His name is rather familiar. Maxamed Hinaaftire is the son of Mahe Dir.
Is it possible that the Yibir were the "Iibire" subclan of the Dir, before they converted to Islam?
