The Madhiban (Somali: Madhibaan, Arabic:مطيبان, also spelled ماديبان, Madeban, Madebaan, or Madebban) alternately known as Reer Sheikh Madhibe or Mohammed Gorgaarte,[1][2] are a prominent Somali sub-clan of the Gorgaarte, which belongs to the Hawiye conglomerate of clans.They are scattered throughout the Horn of Africa, with the majority residing in the northern part of Somalia (Somaliland and Puntland) and Ethiopia.

Their influence extends across the Horn of Africa, reflecting their significant impact on Somali society and the broader region's economic and cultural landscape.

[1] The Madhiban are a part of the Somali ethnic group found in East Africa, particularly in Somalia, Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya, and Djibouti.

[11][12] The Madhibaan people, along with other groups such as Yibir, Tumaal, and Muse, have long faced systemic marginalization within Somali society.

Despite changes in Somali society over time, the legacy of these entrenched prejudices continues to impact the Madhibaan and other similar groups, leaving them to navigate a complex landscape of exclusion and limited opportunities.

According to Lee Gunderson, Dennis Murphy Odo, and Reginald D'Silva, the Madhibaan (referred to as Midgan in some texts) have traditionally been treated as a low caste, scorned and reviled within Somali society.

These laws played a crucial role in maintaining and enforcing the social hierarchy that discriminated against the Madhibaan and other groups such as the Yibir, Tumaal, and Muse.

The pervasive nature of these unwritten laws ensured that the Madhibaan remained marginalized, unable to fully participate in the social, economic, or political life of Somali society.

"[20] The marginalization of the Madhibaan people continues today, manifesting in several ways including exclusion from government resources, lack of access to education, and widespread discrimination.

This area is one of the poorest in Hargeisa and receives scant attention from the government, highlighting how the Madhibaan are systematically excluded from vital resources and support.

This blend of practices is common in Somali culture, where both traditional healers and lay practitioners from the Madhibaan tribe, known as wadads, provide medical care.

For instance, in 1947, a woman named Nuria gained fame for her herbal treatments after receiving instructions in a vision, attracting patients from as far as Aden and Djibouti.

[4] Reported by Gurlt in 1898: Among the Somal, the Midgan are practical surgeons who treat quickly healing broken bones very well[27]Madhibaan women excel in gynaecology, obstetrics, and infant care.

Reports detail hostile engagements in areas such as Mahai and Vuarsceik, where local groups, described as ironworkers and craftsmen, pursued and harassed Italian forces.

Armed with javelins, spears, and arrows, they orchestrated nightly ambushes and engaged in guerrilla tactics, forcing the Italians to hastily retreat.

[29] Madhibaan were integral to the Dervish Movement, led by Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, which sought to unify Somali clans against colonial powers.

According to the Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, the Harla may have integrated into Somali society while retaining a distinct identity through their unique language, "af Harlaad."

[36] Madhibaan In Zeila, Harar, Somali Region, and Afar region (1888) reported by Paulitschke At Zeila, Bia-Kabôba, Dialdésse, and Harar, I had the opportunity to observe Jibêr, Tomâl, and madhibaan individuals in particular, and although I must confess that much larger and more extensive material is required to study this question than is available to me in this respect, I must nevertheless confess that the representatives of the Pariah races seemed to me to be completely different from the Somâl proper, not only socially but also physically.

[37] The Madhibaan individuals I saw at Dialdêssa, a place where the Somâl live quite peacefully alongside the Galla, seemed to me to resemble the latter in shape and appearance, but to have finer and more delicate countenances.

[39] Enrico Cerulli documented the language of the Harla community, known as af Harlaad, which bore a resemblance to the dialects spoken by the Madhibaan and Yibir.

Kirk noted that the Madhibaan and Yibir dialects differ significantly from the dominant Somali language, a distinction that serves to maintain secrecy and protect the autonomy of these groups.

[39] In more recent times, linguist Roger Blench, referencing Kirk, noted that the dialects of the Madhibaan and Yibir differ substantially in lexicon from standard Somali.