Were the Somali Bantu the Original Somalis?

Who Are the Somali Bantu?

The Somali Bantu are a minority group in Somalia, numbering around 600,000 in a population of approximately 16 million. They are divided into five clans and are distinct from the ethnic Somali majority in both culture and history.

The term Bantu refers to a vast linguistic group that includes Swahili, Lingala, Zulu, and over 600 other African languages. However, Somali and Tigrinya belong to the Afro-Asiatic language family, making them linguistically different. Beyond language, "Bantu" has also been used in racial classifications to describe certain sub-Saharan African peoples and their traditional livelihoods.

The Origins: Two Distinct Groups

The book Somalia in Words and Images highlights two different Bantu populations in Somalia, a crucial distinction that challenges oversimplified narratives about the region’s demographics.

1. Indigenous Bantu-Speaking Farmers – These communities have lived in eastern Africa for centuries, cultivating land and integrating into Somali society.

2. Descendants of Freed Slaves – A second group settled along the lower Jubba River in the 19th century after escaping slavery. Over time, they intermarried with local populations, adopted the Somali language, and became key contributors to the agricultural economy in southern Somalia.

Despite their integration, discrimination persists. Arab scholars like Ibn Khaldun historically propagated degrading views of sub-Saharan Africans, and as researcher Xavier Luffin notes, slavery has deeply influenced Somali identity. The Gosha people of the Jubba Valley, for example—though Muslim and Somali-speaking—are still stigmatized as descendants of slaves, often of Oromo origin. Many Somalis refer to them with the derogatory term jareer, linking their African features to slavery and inferiority.

The Consequences of Discrimination

Today, Somali Bantu remain marginalized, often relegated to low-wage labor such as street cleaning and manual work. This systemic oppression has made them vulnerable to exploitation, including recruitment by extremist groups like Al-Shabab, which preys on disenfranchised youth.

A Hopeful Future?

Despite these challenges, the Somali Bantu are fighting for recognition and equality. Activist groups have emerged under a unifying flag (shown above), and in a historic step forward, Mohamed Nuur Iftin became the first Somali Bantu member of the federal parliament.

While discrimination persists, these developments offer hope for a more inclusive Somalia—one that acknowledges and celebrates its diverse roots.