Beyond Marginality: Exploring the Root Causes of Gabooye Marginalization in Somaliland

The study discusses the origins of marginalization of Gabooye people in Somaliland. A review of existing literature reveals some consistent patterns of marginalization, however, it has been unable to explore the roots of those patterns. Using the methodological approach of Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT), this study examines the root cause(s) of marginalization using data collected during 18 months of field work in Hargeisa, Somalia (June 2022 – Dec. 2023). Data were collected through both qualitative methods (16 in-depth interviews, 6 focus groups, and 25 archival testimonies) using respondents who represented several social categories in Somaliland society. Those categories include traditional leaders, members of the Gabooye community, young adults, and political elites. Results indicate that marginalization derives from colonial policies instituted by Britain in the early part of the twentieth century which disarticulated previously interconnected oral-based kingdoms, specifically Tumaal and Yibir kingdoms of the Gabooye people. Furthermore, results also demonstrate how marginalization continues today because of purity myths, occupational stigmatism, and genealogical exclusion. Marginalization is made possible through a number of mechanisms including spatial segregation of Gabooye people into segregated communities; limited access to education and job training necessary to function in an increasingly globalized economy; and symbolic political representation in the form of electoral participation without corresponding levels of political influence or power. Ultimately, this study provides evidence that marginalization exists among Gabooye people due to structural factors rather than being merely coincidental and/or local; therefore, providing empirical support for Weber’s Status Group Theory and Gramsci’s Hegemonic Theory within the context of Somali society. Additionally, the fact that I am a scholar of Somali ancestry permitted me to engage with insiders’ grounded perspectives. Finally, this study recommends a multi-dimensional approach to address the problem of dismantling the caste-like structure of marginalization; i.e., legal, cultural, political, and discursively.