Somalia's Historical Geographical Advantages over Sub-Saharan Africa: (Summary) Part 1

[Aseer]

Connectivity:

Somalia is characterized mostly by flatter gently rolling terrains like plains and plateaus which facilitate easier movement of people, goods, and ideas. This promotes greater interaction and integration among communities, leading to more cultural and linguistic uniformity over time. Somalis were in constant communication and contact with eachother over vast land and distances as much as we were also in constant contact with the world outside our lands. It not only resulted in creation trade networks but also familial bonds.

Whereas other Africans are separated from each-others by mountains, sahara desert, savannahs or thick forests, creating severe geographical boundaries where people develop distinct linguistic and culture differences in isolation. So it inhibited connection building, sharing of resources, technology , ideas etc
This is why Africans prior to the Arrival of Europeans were bunch of seperate isolated tribes and are broken into many different languages. They had very little to no contact with the outside world as well.

Therefore they have been the most insulated people from the rest of the human races and isolated people have always lagged behind the rest.

I saw a source somewhere that talked about how somali merchants were discussing the crimea war and europeans were shocked as to how we knew of this when it only started a few days ago. If I find the source I will post it here.

 

[Idilinaa]

I saw a source somewhere that talked about how somali merchants were discussing the crimea war and europeans were shocked as to how we knew of this when it only started a few days ago. If I find the source I will post it here.

It reminds me of this observation by Burton:

The Somali Bedouins have a passion for knowing how the world wags. In some of the more desert regions the whole population of a village will follow the wanderer. No traveller ever passes a kraal without planting spear in the ground, and demanding answers to a lengthened string of queries: rather than miss intelligence he will inquire of a woman. Thus it is that news flies through the country. Among the wild Gudabirsi the Russian war was a topic of interest, and at Harar I heard of a violent storm, which had damaged the shipping in Bombay Harbour, but a few weeks after the event.
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[Idilinaa]

I also want to add @Aseer another thing related to connectivity that separates us from other Africans. Is that any Somali that traveled and settled abroad kept ties and contacts with his homeland and with other Somalis, and in many cases they act as a bridge to integrate new comers , we have seen this with entire villages/towns, quarters, markets and mosques being reserved for Somalis. They also returned with knowledge and expertise, but also sent back income and resources.

Whereas with what you can observe with oromos, habeshas and other Africans in general is that they severed their ties with their homeland when they left it.

So our familial bonds are much more deeply rooted.

 

[Aseer]

I also want to add @Aseer another thing related to connectivity that separates us from other Africans. Is that any Somali that traveled and settled abroad kept ties and contacts with his homeland and with other Somalis, and in many cases they act as a bridge to integrate new comers , we have seen this with entire villages/towns, quarters, markets and mosques being reserved for Somalis. They also returned with knowledge and expertise, but also sent back income and resources.

Whereas with what you can observe with oromos, habeshas and other Africans in general is that they severed their ties with their homeland when they left it.

So our familial bonds are much more deeply rooted.

Reminds me of the somali built mosques in damascus and morocco, I wonder if there are any other examples.

 

[Idilinaa]

Reminds me of the somali built mosques in damascus and morocco, I wonder if there are any other examples.

India, Hijaz, Yemen as well they built mosques there ( Banu Al-Zayla'i mosque and Al-Jabarti Mosques). Although India migrations is less researched and is overshadowed by the habshi slave descendants