Istunka

[Internet Nomad]

The New Year in Somalia is an exciting time for the region of Afgooye. Afgooye is situated on the bank of the Shebeele River 30 kilometers Southwest of Mogadishu, the capitol city of the Somali Republic. A three day festival takes place with lots of shirib (songs and chants), dancing, food, traditions, and a martial ritual unlike any other. A ritual to appease spirits for a bountiful harvest and a blessed new year. The martial ritual is known as ” Dab Shib” or the more popular name,” Istunka.”

The ritual was further developed during the Ajuran Period in the middle ages and is a pre-Islamic practice. The activity was centralized in the 19th century under Sultanate of the Geledi. Istunka is celebrated alongside other New Years celebrations such as Nowruz. Natives believe that failure to fight in the ritual entail misfortune and evil omens such as failure of crops followed by famine and plague with no rain. It’s also believed that the famine and plague would make large proportions of the women unable to conceive. To fight symbolizes the defense of community and honor. Traditional activities are also performed in the region of the lower and middle Shabelle and Banadir regions with the most common being ” Dabshitka”, a bonfire. It is tradition for everyone to jump this fire to overcome difficulties and go into the need year blessed. Elders stop this and the two main groups embrace with love and continue the celebrations. Day 1 is a day of nothing but shirib. They march from Afgooye’s city center to the Suldan’s house in Siigaale. The Suldan comes out and the shirib continue. Day 3 is a lot of eating and more shirib. But now let’s focus on Day 2. A tourist attraction in the 70s and 80s and Meaning,” The Smacking,” it is the day of the fight. The day of Istunka. Time to lay the smack down.

While shirib is being preformed, the fighters make their way down to the river bed. The warriors dressed in ” ma’wis” and “Garbassar” a cloth head band with a silken tassel attached and a string on amulets and talismans worn around the neck and arms. Equipt with a dozen or so sticks freshly cut from a certain tree famous for strength and durability, a fighter holds the bundle in his left hand and take them one at a time until all of the sticks are consumed by the bare bodies of his opponents. Some fighters carry a blanket and stick. The blanket used like a shield to block strikes, conceal their weapon for a strike, or to manipulate their opponent. A similar practice can be found in Italian rapier and cloak or Argentina’s Esgrima Criolla( poncho y daga). This mock fighting ritual use to be practiced in full armor with swords, axes, spears, and maces. But due to making the practice more safe, the weapons were switched to sticks. It is a sport so the is no killing or intention of real harm to others.

The fighters are separated into Tolweyn and Yibdhaal. The fighters are from Western or Eastern side of the riverbed. The Tolweyn are the upstream villages which are Geledi and some Murunsade. The Yibdhaal are the downstream villages which are all the Wacdaan with some Geledi. The two opposing sides wear different colors and sing different shirib. The shairib are new every year often about dissing their opponents or praising themselves. In 89′ there was the famous shirib,” I’m praised hella as I was my families first born son. A referee, usually from a third minority clan, blows the buun made from an Ankola cattle or a big shell. It is a tradition that the Tolweyn win every year. On day three lots of goats are slaughtered for the massive feast that follows the previous two days and thus a successful festival and tradition to lead into the New Year.

 

[Man with a garuun]

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Istunka in Southern Somalia is same as the Neyruush in Northern, Central, and Western Somalia. These are pre-Islamic customs where our nomads and farmers celebrated the arrival of the rainy gu' (spring) season. It was also the beginning of their calendar year.

 

[Internet Nomad]

Istunka in Southern Somalia is same as the Neyruush in Northern, Central, and Western Somalia. These are pre-Islamic customs where our nomads and farmers celebrated the arrival of the rainy gu' (spring) season.

It was also the beginning of their calendar year.

We should revive it , obviously with shirk/bidah parts removed

 

[El Nino]

We should revive it , obviously with shirk/bidah parts removed

Bidah / Shirk parts have been removed, don’t know what the author of the text you posted is waffling about but during istunka they are praising Allah and making du’a not talking to spirits.

 

[Prince of HS]

We should revive it , obviously with shirk/bidah parts removed

istuunka still practised today in Afgooye area

 

[reer_ugaas_hussein]

We should revive it , obviously with shirk/bidah parts removed

Istunka is alive and well sxb, the practice hasn't stop and is still done by the geledi and others.