A Problem in Jubaland

Abstract

ANOTE on this subject in the Journal for January 1938 brought us further contributions to a discussion of the problem, which was to have been undertaken by one of the writers when, as was expected, the others came home on leave. As this has not been possible, it seems well to summarize the several contributions as best we may. Several accounts of stone buildings in Northern Jubaland, later included in Italian Somaliland, said that they were attributed by the Somali to a race of giants, the Maanthenle. On this Lieut.-Colonel E. H. M. Clifford wrote in February 1938: Ghosts of the Maanthenle certainly people Jubaland and the country immediately to the west; and the local Somalis have a good many legends about them, nearly all of which have the common feature of emphasizing that they were a race of giants. In the basin of Wajer Dima there are, if my memory is not at fault, about three hundred wells as described by Colonel Salkeld. According to legend, the Maanthenle bored these with their spears, twirling them fire-stick fashion. At Wajer Bor the wells are similar, though wider; but I do not remember any stories relating to their origin. Northwards from the Lak Dera, the country is mainly dependent for the conservation of its water-supplies on artificial water-holes, attributed as Colonel Salkeld says to this race. They are numerous and their siting is skilful. In a great many places there are what appear to be very old clearings with scanty secondary vegetation, just below an artificial water-hole. This would suggest that the clearing was made for cultivation; and indeed according to legend they were the gardens of the Maanthenle. Of course the Somalis are new-comers to this region, and it is very convenient for them to account for anything obviously old by labelling it as the work of this legendary race. The general impression left on my mind is that the Maanthenle may have been Nilotic. Their complete extinction, according to the Somalis, was due to some terrible epidemic. Alternatively, the rainfall nowadays would be totally inadequate for the cultivation already referred to; possibly it was heavier centuries ago, and as it dwindled these people migrated elsewhere and were absorbed into other races. If so, their giant stature does not appear to have attracted attention. The ruined stone wall and houses at Birkao (Colonel Salkeld's Burkow, shown as Port Durnford on naval charts) are now well known and have, I believe, been studied in recent years. They may have a totally different origin, such as a post for sea-borne trade made by a foreign race.