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Theculture of theRepublic of Djibouti is diverse due to the nation'sRed Sea location at a crossroads oftrade andcommerce.
Djiboutian population is divided into several human components: the Issa and the Anfar, the Muslim religion for the most part, that are traditionally attached to anthropological groupHamitic. They were called "Hamites Orientals" to distinguish them from these other Hamites that areEgyptians andBerbers. An important Arab community of Yemeni origin, is also based inDjibouti.
TheAfars and theIssa Somalis who are characterized by slender physique, regular features, and proud bearing, they speak differentCushitic languages from the greatAfroasiatic language family, and traditionally lived as nomadicpastoralists. However, the population tends to settle because today more than half of its citizens live in the capital and the towns and villages of the interior. This land, traditional crossing point between Egypt, Sudan and Saudi crossroads of nations between Africa and Asia, has likely undergone mixing of populations who have played an important role in the fate of the original peoples of the Djibouti nation. Poetry traditionally recited in the villages by special readers called gabaye was a way of recording the community's history and customs, as well as current events.
Djibouti is amultiethnic country. The two largest ethnic groups are theDir (clan) Somali (60%) and theAfar (35%). TheSomali clan component is mainly composed of theIssas, followed by a sizable group ofGadabuursi and smaller numbers ofIsaaq. Both are sub-clans of the largerDir; the Issas form part of the Madoobe Dir, while the Gadabuursi are part of the Madaluug Dir. The remaining 5% of Djibouti's population primarily consists ofArabs,Ethiopians andEuropeans (French andItalians). Most local residents areurban dwellers; the remainder arepastoralists.[1]
Djiboutians have had expansive relations with theArab world, as is manifested in its adoption ofArabic as an official language,[2] its location within theArabian Plate,[3] its membership with theArab League, its millennia-old trade relations with the peninsula'sArabs,[4] and more recently, initiatives for a transcontinental crossing that would permanently link Djiboutians to theArabian Peninsula.[5] Djibouti has also hosted Arab refugees, primarily from Yemen.[6]
Somalis have traditionally been organized into nomadic pastoral clans, loose empires, sultanates and city-states.[7]
Their clan groupings are importantsocial units, wherein membership plays a central part in Somali culture. Clans arepatrilineal and are often divided into sub-clans, sometimes with many sub-divisions. Somali society is traditionally ethnicallyendogamous. So as to extend ties of alliance, marriage is often to another ethnic Somali from a different clan.[8]
Afar society has historically been organized into independent kingdoms, each ruled by its ownSultan.[9] A portion of the community also consists of pastoralists, raisinggoats,sheep, andcattle in the desert.[9]
Socially, they are organized into clan families and two main classes: theasaimara ('reds') who are the dominant class politically, and theadoimara ('whites') who are a working class and are found in theMabla Mountains.[10]
In addition, the Afar are reputed for their martial prowess. Men traditionally sport thejile, a famous curved knife. They also have an extensive repertoire of battle songs.[9]
Djibouti is amultilingual nation. According toEthnologue, the majority of the population speaksSomali (524,000 speakers) orAfar (306,000 speakers) as a first language, which are themother tongues of the Somali and Afar ethnic groups, respectively. Both languages belong to the largerAfroasiatic family. There are two official languages in Djibouti:Arabic (Afroasiatic) andFrench (Indo-European). Arabic is of social, cultural and religious importance. In formal settings, it consists ofModern Standard Arabic. Colloquially, about 59,000 local residents speak theTa'izzi-Adeni Arabic dialect, also known asDjibouti Arabic. French was inherited from the colonial period and is the primary language of instruction. About 10,200 Djiboutians speak it as a first language. Immigrant languages includeOmani Arabic (38,900 speakers),Amharic (1,400 speakers), andGreek (1,000 speakers).[11]
| religion | percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islam | 94% | |||
| Christianity | 6% | |||
With few exceptions,Somali andAfar are entirelyMuslims, the majority belonging to theSunni branch of Islam.[1] The constitution of Djibouti likewise defines Islam as the religion of the Republic of Djibouti. Islam entered the region very early on, as a group of persecuted Muslims had, at Prophet Muhummad's urging, sought refuge across the Red Sea in the Horn of Africa. Islam may thus have been introduced to the area well before the faith even took root in its place of origin.[12][13]Christianity is a minority religion in Djibouti, with around 4,767 adherents.
When not dressed in western clothing such asjeans andt-shirts, men typically wear the macawiis, which is asarong-like garment worn around the waist. Among nomads, many wear a loosely wrapped white cotton robe called a tobe that goes down to about the knee, with the end thrown over the shoulder (much like a Romantoga).[citation needed]
Women typically wear the dirac, which is a long, light, diaphanousvoile dress made of cotton or polyester that is worn over a full-lengthhalf-slip and a bra. Married women tend to sport head-scarves referred to as shash, and also often cover their upper body with a shawl known as garbasaar. Unmarried or young women, however, do not always cover their heads. Traditional Arabian garb such as the male jellabiya (jellabiyaad in Somali) and the femalejilbāb is also commonly worn. For some occasions such as festivals, women may adorn themselves with specialized jewelry and head-dresses similar to those worn by the Berber tribes of theMaghreb.[citation needed]
Djibouti's various ethnic groups each have their own different styles of music and accompanying dances. Common instruments used by many of the communities are the drum,tanbura andoud. Somali and Afar have a rich musical heritage centered on traditional Somali and Afar folklore. Most Somali songs arepentatonic; that is, they only use fivepitches peroctave in contrast to aheptatonic (seven note) scale such as themajor scale. At first listen, Somali music might be mistaken for the sounds of nearby regions such as Ethiopia,Sudan orArabia, but it is ultimately recognizable by its own unique tunes and styles. Somali songs are usually the product of collaboration betweenlyricists (midho), songwriters (lahan) and singers ('odka or "voice").[14]
Football is the most popular sport in Djibouti. TheDjibouti national football team, nicknamed theRiverains de la Mer Rouge ("Shoremen of the Red Sea"), plays various international squads both locally and abroad. It is controlled by theDjiboutian Football Federation, and is a member of theConfederation of African Football (CAF) and theUnion of Arab Football Associations (UAFA). There are also hundreds of football clubs that compete at the domestic level.[citation needed]
Basketball is the second most popular sport. At world basketball, Djibouti is represented by theFédération Djiboutienne de Basket Ball. Unlike neighboring countriesEthiopia orSomalia, Djibouti has never appeared for theAfrican Basketball Championship at either senior or junior level, men or women.[citation needed]
