Who were the Harla People and what is their relation to Somalis? Did they contribute to the modern Somali ethnogenesis?

[Step a side]

I think it’s likely that Somalis were settled farmers in Northwestern Somalia and Eastern Ethiopia in the medieval period, but wars, climate change and diminishing water resources led to a regress in civilisation and Somalis becoming more transhumance.

In the medieval period, there were inland thriving towns across the Nugaal Valley, there is a research paper that was made about two years ago. Obviously Non Somalis couldn’t have settled as far as Sool.

Interestingly enough, there is an ancient town in Sool and the European explorers in late 1800s interviewed the local Dhulbahante who said that the people who settled there were called “Harla”

"At Badwein, in the centre of that part of the Nogal Valley which is occupied by the Arasama sub-tribe, we discovered extensive ruins of an ancient city, and close by a large tank quarried out of the gypsum rock. The deserted ruins covered an area of about 40,000 square yards, choked up with cactus and aloes, the haunt of leopards and hyasnas. Most of the houses have been reduced to mounds of stone and rubble, covered with straggling mimosa bushes, but here and there the walls of houses were better preserved. We rode into one house, whose walls stood some 10 feet high, and found it divided into many partitions, the building being in the form of a parallelogram, with sides 200 feet long and 100 feet wide. Curious niches hero and there would seem to have been used as fire-places.

Seeing these things, we listened with respect to the Somali legend of a civilised people who had long passed away before the onset of the savages whose guests we now were. The Somalis said this civilised people cultivated all the lands around, and occupied large cities, that they could read and write, and that when their (the Somalis') fathers came to the country, many buildings bore traces of writing which had long since been worn away by the work of time. They called the people " Harli," and said they were there prior to the Gallas.

The latter had dug the rocky wells at Kirrid which we saw on first entering the country, and had cut a rude Christian cross in the face of the cave—■ the only ancient sign existing of a rude form of Christianity in the land. We tried to decipher what was said to be writing on the pillar of a doorway ; but it waB impossible to make out any lotters, as the surface of the gypsum stones, of which all the houses were built, had become much decomposed by the action of rain, and looked spongy, like pumice-stone. We rode with our party of Dulbahantas in amongst the ruins, out of one house into another, and, standing on high heaps of debris, let our eyes range over a landscape dotted with crumbling grey walls imbedded in clumps of aloes and cactus. As we picked our way among the fallenblocks, we disturbed a herd of deer feeding inside the remains of an old building, and everywhere guinea-fowl, of the species called vulturine, scuttled out of our path. We wished much to dig amongst the ruins for ancient pottery, etc., but wero prevented from doing so by the suspicion and prejudice of our hosts, who consider any tampering with these places as sacrilegious. There were many old graves, some of which seemed to be built in the form of a cross; they were plastered over with a mortar composed of pounded gypsum and water. The Dulbahantas now make their graves in the same manner, only Moslem in design; always in the vicinity of water, as certain rites, for which water is necessary, have to be carried out. In some cases dead men are carried, strapped on camels, long distances in order to be buried near water.

We much wished to remain some days and explore tbis dead city, but various sub-tribes of Dulbahantas were very uneasy and suspicious of our intentions, so we thought it advisable not to prolong our stay. They could not understand why we roamed about in desolate places instead of accepting the hospitality of their wandering camps, where the whole place was infested with camel-ticks ; and having seen us working the theodolite, they credited us with designs of presently bringing an army to take the country. They dissuaded us as well as they could from proceeding to tho out-of-the-way peaks we had fixed upon as points of observation, and placed many obstacles in the way, assuring us we should be attacked by savage tribes, and that we were going into a country utterly waterless, that our camels would be devoured by lions, etc. Seeing, however, that we went all the same, and discovered water in spite of them, they gave up the attempt, and we were better friends after."

Expedition to the Nogal Valley
Lieutenant E. J. Swayne
Published in London, by John Murray, 1893

@Freudiantard @Garaad diinle @silentshimbir @Garaadka @Thalassocracy

Wow! Very informative. It makes sense.

 

[Garaad diinle]

I think it’s likely that Somalis were settled farmers in Northwestern Somalia and Eastern Ethiopia in the medieval period, but wars, climate change and diminishing water resources led to a regress in civilisation and Somalis becoming more transhumance.

In the medieval period, there were inland thriving towns across the Nugaal Valley, there is a research paper that was made about two years ago. Obviously Non Somalis couldn’t have settled as far as Sool.

Interestingly enough, there is an ancient town in Sool and the European explorers in late 1800s interviewed the local Dhulbahante who said that the people who settled there were called “Harla”

"At Badwein, in the centre of that part of the Nogal Valley which is occupied by the Arasama sub-tribe, we discovered extensive ruins of an ancient city, and close by a large tank quarried out of the gypsum rock. The deserted ruins covered an area of about 40,000 square yards, choked up with cactus and aloes, the haunt of leopards and hyasnas. Most of the houses have been reduced to mounds of stone and rubble, covered with straggling mimosa bushes, but here and there the walls of houses were better preserved. We rode into one house, whose walls stood some 10 feet high, and found it divided into many partitions, the building being in the form of a parallelogram, with sides 200 feet long and 100 feet wide. Curious niches hero and there would seem to have been used as fire-places.

Seeing these things, we listened with respect to the Somali legend of a civilised people who had long passed away before the onset of the savages whose guests we now were. The Somalis said this civilised people cultivated all the lands around, and occupied large cities, that they could read and write, and that when their (the Somalis') fathers came to the country, many buildings bore traces of writing which had long since been worn away by the work of time. They called the people " Harli," and said they were there prior to the Gallas.

The latter had dug the rocky wells at Kirrid which we saw on first entering the country, and had cut a rude Christian cross in the face of the cave—■ the only ancient sign existing of a rude form of Christianity in the land. We tried to decipher what was said to be writing on the pillar of a doorway ; but it waB impossible to make out any lotters, as the surface of the gypsum stones, of which all the houses were built, had become much decomposed by the action of rain, and looked spongy, like pumice-stone. We rode with our party of Dulbahantas in amongst the ruins, out of one house into another, and, standing on high heaps of debris, let our eyes range over a landscape dotted with crumbling grey walls imbedded in clumps of aloes and cactus. As we picked our way among the fallenblocks, we disturbed a herd of deer feeding inside the remains of an old building, and everywhere guinea-fowl, of the species called vulturine, scuttled out of our path. We wished much to dig amongst the ruins for ancient pottery, etc., but wero prevented from doing so by the suspicion and prejudice of our hosts, who consider any tampering with these places as sacrilegious. There were many old graves, some of which seemed to be built in the form of a cross; they were plastered over with a mortar composed of pounded gypsum and water. The Dulbahantas now make their graves in the same manner, only Moslem in design; always in the vicinity of water, as certain rites, for which water is necessary, have to be carried out. In some cases dead men are carried, strapped on camels, long distances in order to be buried near water.

We much wished to remain some days and explore tbis dead city, but various sub-tribes of Dulbahantas were very uneasy and suspicious of our intentions, so we thought it advisable not to prolong our stay. They could not understand why we roamed about in desolate places instead of accepting the hospitality of their wandering camps, where the whole place was infested with camel-ticks ; and having seen us working the theodolite, they credited us with designs of presently bringing an army to take the country. They dissuaded us as well as they could from proceeding to tho out-of-the-way peaks we had fixed upon as points of observation, and placed many obstacles in the way, assuring us we should be attacked by savage tribes, and that we were going into a country utterly waterless, that our camels would be devoured by lions, etc. Seeing, however, that we went all the same, and discovered water in spite of them, they gave up the attempt, and we were better friends after."

Expedition to the Nogal Valley
Lieutenant E. J. Swayne
Published in London, by John Murray, 1893

@Freudiantard @Garaad diinle @silentshimbir @Garaadka @Thalassocracy

Completely agree with you, i believe that there were a lot more agricultural settlement in northern somali that lasted until the mid 16th century. Due to climate change and socio-economic circumstances these agricultural settlement transient into pastoralism. This is pretty evident by the archaeological excavations and the mapping of archaeological structure in northern somalia.

By the way you wrote about a place named badwein in the nogal which is pretty interesting. You see there is this mysterious settlement in the interior of northern somalia in bari in what would probably be the nogal by the name of badda. It's been spoken about in some arab manuscripts and i remember reading about a tribe living in yemen descendent from aqil ibn abi talib رضي الله عنهم that originally came from a town called badda in the interior of the berber coast. Badwein sound like badda somewhat. A user here on sspot stated this about badda location.

Badda was possibly discovered by Said Shidad in 2014 a bit east of Garoowe. There was ruins near a lake which could have been bigger and supported settlement, and the town's name is a common Cushitic practice in naming lakes "bad (ocean)" like the Cushitic name for Lake Turkana, "Bäd", or another lake in Djibouti which I forgot

Anyhow while we can't trace these interior agricultural settlements back in time we can at least search for the port cities on the coast that they most likely used in their time. For example in an egyptian geographical book dating back to the 12th century they depict some northern costal cites in their maps such as.

Xiis.

Xaafuun and guardafui.

Qandala.

All of these places are more than a thousand years old and these agricultural settlement might be as old as them. By the way the map also showcases this, a river between the land of berber and the swahili coast which might be the oldest depiction of the juba river.

 

[World]

Completely agree with you, i believe that there were a lot more agricultural settlement in northern somali that lasted until the mid 16th century. Due to climate change and socio-economic circumstances these agricultural settlement transient into pastoralism. This is pretty evident by the archaeological excavations and the mapping of archaeological structure in northern somalia.

By the way you wrote about a place named badwein in the nogal which is pretty interesting. You see there is this mysterious settlement in the interior of northern somalia in bari in what would probably be the nogal by the name of badda. It's been spoken about in some arab manuscripts and i remember reading about a tribe living in yemen descendent from aqil ibn abi talib رضي الله عنهم that originally came from a town called badda in the interior of the berber coast. Badwein sound like badda somewhat. A user here on sspot stated this about badda location.



Anyhow while we can't trace these interior agricultural settlements back in time we can at least search for the port cities on the coast that they most likely used in their time. For example in an egyptian geographical book dating back to the 12th century they depict some northern costal cites in their maps such as.

Xiis.

Xaafuun and guardafui.

Qandala.

All of these places are more than a thousand years old and these agricultural settlement might be as old as them. By the way the map also showcases this, a river between the land of berber and the swahili coast which might be the oldest depiction of the juba river.

Very informative, thanks.

 

[Som]

What is their relation to the Harari people for anybody who knows ?

Harla were distinct from both somalis and hararis but they disappeared and got assimilated by both Darood somalis and hararis

 

[datesfrompuntland]

Good evening, I would like to know who are the Harla people and what is their relation to Somalis? Also why don’t they exist anymore?

I have a theory that during Ethio-Semetic expanding eastwards out the Highlands, the Harla must of been warlike initially and caused the Reewiing to migrate down south in 200BC. The Harari are the last remnant of them still surviving, I think Islam brought the Harla very close tribal and warfare alliance for several hundreds of years - leading to assimilation and of course the Oromo Expansion had effects devastating population wise in the Northeast Ethiopia, and this alliance contributing to the genesis of the Adal with the lands of the Adal matching exactly with 'Harla'.

 

[Burqad]

I have a theory that during Ethio-Semetic expanding eastwards out the Highlands, the Harla must of been warlike initially and caused the Reewiing to migrate down south in 200BC. The Harari are the last remnant of them still surviving, I think Islam brought the Harla very close tribal and warfare alliance for several hundreds of years - leading to assimilation and of course the Oromo Expansion had effects devastating population wise in the Northeast Ethiopia, and this alliance contributing to the genesis of the Adal with the lands of the Adal matching exactly with 'Harla'.

Reewing migrations were in 1500’s

 

[Idilinaa]

Copied posts with some information about Harla shared from the other thread:

Anyone who wants clarity on the matter can read this:

Even in Futuh you can clearly see that Harla is just a Qabil and not an ethnicity. When they are mentioned alongside other clans , for example in this passage

Unless you also want to believe that Habr Maqdi and Geri are ethnicities also. You can't make any other sense of it.

Anyone positing that they are ethio-semetic will have hard time arguing that point. There is no ethio-semetic group divided into somali sub-clan structure . Not even the harari. Did they just delete the sub-clans that are mentioned in Futuh?


Harla and the other sedentary clans mentioned in Futuh are described as:
- As being joint led by 1 Sultan
- Harla is led by a Sultan/Leader from another tribe Zarba and not their own.

- ''Soomals''(Bedouin) clans are led each by their own independent Emirs.

This is exactly the same way in which Richard Burton explains the distinction between Sedentary Somali clans and Nomadic/Bedouin clans in the same area nearly 400 years later.

When you realize "Somali" in the Futuh means nomad and the Somalis being called such are pastoral nomadic tribes and warriors and their Chieftains it all starts to make sense. Even the language of the Futuh earlier like the Somalis and the citizens begins to add up and sentences like these make more sense when you remove "Somali" and substitute in Bedouin:











For example, it is the nomads who are harassing people on the roads and when they are defeated the Walashma Sultans retreat ostensibly into the Miyi to hide amongst "their Somalis", their bedouins whom they are probably tribally related to either through marriage like the Imam or their own line, to gather fighting men and support and return to towns like Harar with vengeance. This is also probably why tribes such as the "Harla" whom later sources seem to posit are some form of Somali- :

Afar researcher showing their retained Somali genealogy when assimilated into the Afar ethnic group
The author claims the Harla tribes have names recognizable in Afar but does not go into any detail and I don't see any overlap with any Afar tribes so that is a dubious claim

As I'm sure many of you know, Enrico Cerulli also recorded that they had their own unique Somali dialect when they still firmly existed as Somalis; assimilates would simply speak what the people who assimilated them spoke, not their own unique dialect so it seems plausible once added with this genealogy that they really were Somalis​

-are not called Somalis. The Futuh is arguably not making an ethnic distinction when it separates "the Somali tribes" and "the Harla tribes". It is making a lifestyle distinction. The Harla were probably an overwhelmingly settled subribe similar to the Digil Raxanweyn of Koonfur or the Geri Kombe of 3 centuries later which is probably also why Somalis and Hararis associate so many settlements with them all the way to Sanaag and Bari which would make no sense if they were non-Somalis as there is zero genetic evidence in Northeast and Northwest Somalis of some mass assimilation of non-Somalis like say Southern Ethiosemites and no archaeological or historical evidence of some mass exodus or genocide. Them likely being sedentary also goes with how the Afar researcher above correctly points out that Amda Seyon mentions them in his chronicles but adds a detail I was not aware of that they are mentioned to be a sedentary population which if true would go startingly well with why they are not called "Somalis" in the Futuh.

Post continued below:

Harla never lived on the eastern side of the horn and there is no tradition or evidence in that area that connects them to it. And if you read that Nugaal source you linked Said Shidaad never mentions or connects them to it.

Instead the people connected to that Nugaal ruins are Harti Suleymaan lineages who have their sheikhs buried there.

Harla lived only in the fertile lands between upper shabelle river and Awash river in the Western Galbeed. And thats exactly where they are mentioned in Futuh, by Ibn Said and by the traditions in the Area. Not to mention their remnants.

There is no Harla civilization either , is just locals conflating Harla with Tiri tradition ''Taalo Tiriyaad Giants'' and the Oromos/Afars who assimilated them giving them prominence.

In reality they were just a regular agro-pastoral clan in the local area among other clans. That's how they are depicted in the medieval sources.

Another source claimed Xarla resided since old times in the land of Ciise:

Non-Somalis who came from the highlands and settled in a place pretty farmable like Harlaa (mixed economy region) would not have camel herding as their primary livestock choice when they could easily keep subsisting with the same farming adaptive profile. They would not have camel access without a camel-handling population there, to begin with. Conclusive evidence shows that animal herding was present as the primary mode of economic strategy before any structure was built.



Other forms of ruminants, goats, and cattle were considerably present. This is understandable, given the conditions of the region. Agro-pastoralists will have a mixed subsistence with conditions presenting greener opportunities in somewhat relatively nice arid places, keeping more bovids. Camels become less practical in a more settled environment or, better put, local herding. This is nothing new and is the integral complex configuration of what it means to live as we do, adaptable for multi-form subsistence depending on environmental conditions/pressures. But the fact that the earliest phase sees an increase of camel fossils is evidence of the ethnographic picture of a Somali presence, not a Semitic one.

I am picking the earliest layer that happened to be the time where the major component was the camel, even though camel was used in the other phases but was dominated by other animals, understandably:

 

[Idilinaa]

Another thing that supports the archeological evidence of predominant consumption of camel meat in the Galbeed medieval sites such as Ganda Harlaa from the last copied post above. Is the Christian Ethiopian association, that the marker of being a Muslim is one with the camel

Post from the other thread:

@Shimbiris see how the late medieval Abyssinians (Habash) considered the camel a regular food among the Muslims for meat, of which we know only Somalis had the camel population to eat that normally. We're shown repeatedly through all relevant indicators that the general Islamic region in the medieval days was inhabited by Somalis.

Thomas Guindeuil, "What do Christians (Not) Eat: Food Taboos and the Ethiopian Christian Communities (13th-18th c.)"(2014): p. 66

Pay attention to how the source said neighboring communities. It means even in the far the Somali periphery, showing that Somalis had a presence deep into Ethiopia, so far that on the margins camel meat was very accessible. It shows one important thing if we are to do a serious analysis.

The Muslims that live in those Habash areas today do not eat camel meat:

Éloi Ficquet, "Flesh Soaked In Faith," (2006): p. 45


Notice the false association between the camel and how important it is for Muslims when it is a tradition of perception by the Christians because of the ethnoreligious association of Somali camel eaters. In their logic from the medieval age: Somalis ate camels --> Somalis were Muslims and the predominant demographic --> thus camel important Muslim diet


The dromedary is the emblematic animal of the lowlands, as he can carry heavy loads (up to 300 kg) over long distances, and can resist high temperatures and lack of water. Dromedary breeding is usually done in association with small livestock (goats or sheep), both of which tolerate full nomadism, unlike cattle which do not. Samantha Kelly, "A Companion to Medieval Ethiopia and Eritrea" (2020): p. 401-2

Muslim Ethiopians, of course, observed their own food customs, regulations, and rituals, which reinforced the distinctions between these peoples. Dromedary meat, for instance, was eaten exclusively by Muslims: in the early fourteenth century, Ibn Baṭṭūṭa mentioned the massive slaughtering of dromedaries in Zäylaʿ for meat consumption. The Lives of medieval Ethiopian saints also record that captured Christians were urged (and refused) to eat dromedary, as its consumption was understood as synonymous with Muslim identity. Even where meats acceptable to both religions were concerned, the rituals of slaughtering differed, which effectively prevented any commensality between Muslims and Christians as soon as meat was included in the meal. Samantha Kelly, "A Companion to Medieval Ethiopia and Eritrea" (2020): p. 405

 

[daljirkadahsoon]

Reewing migrations were in 1500’s

Don't at least some of them say their ancestors moved south from Hararghe? I wouldn't be surprised if there was Harla ancestry amongst them- they seem to have the same sort of agropastoralist culture as well.

 

[Burqad]

Don't at least some of them say their ancestors moved south from Hararghe? I wouldn't be surprised if there was Harla ancestry amongst them- they seem to have the same sort of agropastoralist culture as well.

I know the Digil moved south in the 1500’s, but maybe the Mirifle preceded them and you are right.

 

[Cartan Boos]

I have a theory that during Ethio-Semetic expanding eastwards out the Highlands, the Harla must of been warlike initially and caused the Reewiing to migrate down south in 200BC. The Harari are the last remnant of them still surviving, I think Islam brought the Harla very close tribal and warfare alliance for several hundreds of years - leading to assimilation and of course the Oromo Expansion had effects devastating population wise in the Northeast Ethiopia, and this alliance contributing to the genesis of the Adal with the lands of the Adal matching exactly with 'Harla'.

Harari are new stock, harari ethnic group never existed, harari was inhabited by Somalis till recently about century ago

 

[sultan.ali177]

Xarla kombe.

They are related to Geri Kombe they are Darood Somalis.

Daroods assimilated harla

 

[Riftvalley]

I know the Digil moved south in the 1500’s, but maybe the Mirifle preceded them and you are right.

The Jiido are the only Somali speaking group with a Sidamic substratum in their language according to some linguists. According to the Bayso, they and some Jiido were once one before they were separated by Sidamic/Oromo speakers. The Oromos use to refer to all Somalis as Jiido a while ago as this was the first group they encountered when they ventured east.
I am not sure what this all means for Harla though. They seem to be a north galbeed tradition.

 

[Step a side]

Harla were sedentary Somalis. They were led by Gurey’s cousin Sultan Mohammad who himself was from the Harla (Sedentary Somalis) that lived in Zerbah.

 

[Laser]

The Jiido are the only Somali speaking group with a Sidamic substratum in their language according to some linguists. According to the Bayso, they and some Jiido were once one before they were separated by Sidamic/Oromo speakers. The Oromos use to refer to all Somalis as Jiido a while ago as this was the first group they encountered when they ventured east.
I am not sure what this all means for Harla though. They seem to be a north galbeed tradition.

What linguist said that jiddu have a sidamic substratum? That's very odd ngl.

 

[Idilinaa]

Daroods assimilated harla

There is no evidence of Darood assimilated them. Darood is a big clan with many large sub clans, Harla is just one among them.

The surviving Harla are apart of the Issa clan(Dir) while maintaining that they descend originally from Darood Kombe. Which actually proves they retained their original lineage.

It also proves their Somaliness more cause the context to this means they engaged in the “Shegaad” Somali practice which is where a clan gets weakened and join membership into another clan on a temporary/client basis to increase number or strength

Harla was weakened due to the blow back of Adals collapse ensuing the war, also Oromo/Afar migration and then sought refuge among the Issas their fellow Somali kinsmen.

The Harlah among the Afar in Awsa also retained their original Darood genealogy: See post below:

Afar researcher showing their retained Somali genealogy when assimilated into the Afar ethnic group
The author claims the Harla tribes have names recognizable in Afar but does not go into any detail and I don't see any overlap with any Afar tribes so that is a dubious claim

As I'm sure many of you know, Enrico Cerulli also recorded that they had their own unique Somali dialect when they still firmly existed as Somalis; assimilates would simply speak what the people who assimilated them spoke, not their own unique dialect so it seems plausible once added with this genealogy that they really were Somalis​

 

[Step a side]

There is no evidence of Darood assimilated them. Darood is a big clan with many large sub clans, Harla is just one among them.

The surviving Harla are apart of the Issa clan(Dir) while maintaining that they descend originally from Darood Kombe. Which actually proves they retained their original lineage.

It also proves their Somaliness more cause the context to this means they engaged in the “Shegaad” Somali practice which is where a clan gets weakened and join membership into another clan on a temporary/client basis to increase number or strength

Harla was weakened due to the blow back of Adals collapse ensuing the war, also Oromo/Afar migration and then sought refuge among the Issas their fellow Somali kinsmen.

The Harlah among the Afar in Awsa also retained their original Darood genealogy: See post below:

The Afar oral story states that Harla farmers lived in the region before another group came with Gurey’s family member Gasa from Bale to start Awssa Imamate. Then you have the Harla contingent led by another relative of the imam who himself was affiliated with the Harla from Zerba.

How would you make sense of this?

 

[Idilinaa]

The Afar oral story states that Harla farmers lived in the region before another group came with Gurey’s family member Gasa from Bale to start Awssa Imamate. Then you have the Harla contingent led by another relative of the imam who himself was affiliated with the Harla from Zerba.

How would you make sense of this?

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In the Tarikh Al-Mulikh (Awsa Chronicles) manuscript that details the second half . the groups mentioned to live there were Somali clans who were an obstacle for the installation of the Adal leadership, in their power transplant

In the Awsa chronicles Somali groups are mentioned a bunch of times living in that region. Afars are not mentioned a single time.

From the leadership names in the chronicles ''Isa Harla'' , it could possibly mean that there was a union between Isa Clan and Harla clan. That would make sense.

A seperate chronicle go onto explain it was later replaced by Mudayto Afar who continued the political legacy.

 

[Step a side]

In the Tarikh Al-Mulikh (Awsa Chronicles) manuscript that details the second half . the groups mentioned to live there were Somali clans who were an obstacle for the installation of the Adal leadership, in their power transplant

In the Awsa chronicles Somali groups are mentioned a bunch of times living in that region

From the names in the chronicles like ''Isa Harla'' , it could possibly mean that there was union between Isa Clan and Harla clan. That would make sense.

The chronicles go onto explain it was later replaced by Mudaito Afar who continued the political legacy.

Yes I agree Awssa was Somali because Gurey’s family members established it. However the Afar oral history stated the Harla came to the region with Gasa’s family. When they arrived to the region they saw an already established farming community of Harla’s present in the region.

What do you make out of it? From what I understood is that Harla are sedentary Somalis regardless of clan. What did you understand?

 

[Idilinaa]

Yes I agree Awssa was Somali because Gurey’s family members established it. However the Afar oral history stated the Harla came to the region with Gasa’s family. When they arrived to the region they saw an already established farming community of Harla’s present in the region.

What do you make out of it?

Like i said there was already Somali clan groups living there before the leadership migrated there . The family of Gasa.

It literally says so in the Awsa Chronicles. It's not oral tradition its documented history