12 SOMALI Photos Taken in 1880s And 1890s!

追加: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]The earliest photos taken ever were taken in the 1820s, 1830s. That's those are the earliest photos taken anywhere in the world. Now in Africa, the earliest photos taken seems to have been taken in could be 1880s, 1890s around that period. And in this video, I'm going to show you some that were taken of the Somali and their land in 1880s and 1890s by the explorers who came there. Now, most of the photos I'm going to show you in this video come from a book that I've been reading and I've done several videos from that book and it's 17 trips through Somaliand. I'm also going to pick a few photos from the book through non-African countries. This is a book that was published in 1897 and it was written by one don Smith. Now 17 trips through Somali land was published in 1895 and was written by one HGC Swain. Now we're going to see some very interesting photos. I'm not going to show you all the photos. I'm picking specific ones. Now in HGC Swain's book, he has two types of images. He has images that are clearly photos that were taken and is the same case with Donson and in his book through non-African countries. Some of the images are clearly photos taken using the technology that was available then and others are basically sketches that were drawn by someone and I might show you some of the sketches but my focus is not so much on the sketches a lot more on the photos that were taken. Now let's start with HGC Swain's book and the very first image he has in fact that image appears I think in the very first page or second page of the book and this is an image uh let's see that image now the image is an image of him and his team these are the guys who were accompanying him through his travels some of them provided security some of them provided different types of services to him as he traveled through the hand and we can see that he is the one most likely seated at the middle holding a gun. Several of them are holding guns and um some are on the ground and some are standing. He's the only European in that photo although he was not the only European in the in the team or in that um party. There was his brother and I think they were only the two of them. The rest of the people were Somalis. I don't think he did have people from outside Somalia or people who are not Somali. In fact, in his book, he writes that he didn't think it was a good idea when you travel to the lands of the Somali for you to bring other people. He thought that it was better for you to hire the Somali themselves to help you and he thought they were good enough for that. Under the photo, there was written are the author and his escort. And then from a photography taken at the noon camp that word bevak his camp Ambal river habit to jala country March 1891 the exposure of the plate was carried out by a somali.

[00:03:09]Now it it might not make sense today what that actually means the last sentence there. Now before we come to that uh of course he says this was along the Amber River or Ambal river and Jala is one of the clans I understand of the Somali now this is March 1891 and now let's come to that last sentence he says that the exposure of the plate now there used to be a technology of taking photos and they used to have something called a plate and this was used to guide the light I think that's what it was used to today we don't need it because technology has changed and it was a very important component of photography then and he informs us that the person who did the work of probably operating that plate was a Somali. So this is a very interesting photo not only because of the people when you look at it you look at the faces even though of course it's an old photo and you wonder what those people were thinking and then you look at them and you wonder what their lives were like. these were individuals and you think could be just like me in that moment but then you don't realize people going to look at that photo over 100 years later and uh you look at the environment usually when I look at such photos the environment interests me the horizon the mountains the hills the the grass and the plants around you this photo brings you to that moment even though you are not there and then you imagine in what was going on, what what were these people feeling?

[00:04:47]This is over 100 years ago. It's a very long time ago. Uh close to could be 130 years. Uh it has been it's been a while.

[00:04:56]Um so it's a very long time ago. That's the first photo. Now let's look at the second photo. The second photo doesn't give us the exact date when it was taken, but he writes that it's a group of Somali. He calls them white Issa. I don't know why he calls them that or what is the meaning of that. If you know what that means, um I would like to know what that means. Does it have to do with how they look? What exactly does white Isaam mean? Of course, um my impression is that they come from the Issa clan. But what does white Isaam mean there? Now he says the photograph the photograph was taken by the outer that means ages when he took the photo himself. Now in this photo he is not part of it. Of course he took the photo. There are these guys standing.

[00:05:46]They have spears and they have shields.

[00:05:50]I think those are shields. And seems like the Somali shields are very different from the shields of other East Africans because the other East Africans their shields will look something like this. But this one is a complete um circle. uh the shape of it a little bit smaller. Of course, they know how to use it. We we are not in a position today to judge whether it was efficient or it wasn't. They made them. They use them.

[00:06:23]We don't use shields today. So that's why I'm saying we are not in a place to decide whether they the efficiency or efficacy of these shields. But we can also see the dressing. And the dressing catches my attention because in this book he describes how the different people dressed. And one thing he points out is that the Somali of the coast, especially the Issa, dressed a little bit different from those of the hinterland. And seems like this suggests that most of these guys are from the coast. They have the the thing at the waist going down. And uh of course there are the others who are having something on the shoulder. Um could be a top.

[00:07:06]Yeah. So that's the second picture we have in the book. Now let's see the third photo. Uh the next photo. The next photo is another photo that has a Swain is not there. It's just local guys. The Somali. He says a Somali come follower and a horseman from the bush.

[00:07:31]Kind of like suggesting one of the guys was not part of his team. Probably the guy who has the white cloth head to we could say uncle. Probably that's the guy who uh he's the guy a horseman from the bush. And this is still very early on in the book. uh it doesn't tell us where exactly this photo was taken. Um looking at the environment as well as I said when I look at these photos the environment usually catches my attention. Uh we can look at the acacia at the far distance back there. Uh we can look at the sky the horizon makes you feel something. Makes me feel something. at least it makes me long for that environment at that moment because uh it's a different time in a different environment. Um and then I'm trying to wonder about how the lives of these guys as individuals went. Um I'm trying to think about their dayto-day struggles and some extent makes me think or have the feeling sometimes we worry too much for nothing because life comes and goes.

[00:08:43]um these guys of course it's long time almost 30 years it doesn't give us the exact date but I'm assuming this is late 1880s early 1890s that's the range the book was published in 1895 so and he traveled beginning 1885 that's the he started ages when started traveling yeah through this land so the photo was taken around that time yeah so that is The third photo I think is the third photo. Yes. Let's look at the next photo. Now the next photo is of a single individual and under the photo is written camp servant with the lesser kudu skull and horns. Of course he's holding the head of or the skull of uh the kudu antelope. And I did go through these different antelopes that were found in the lands of the Somali in late 19th century. Now, seems like this is somebody who worked for him. Uh, he's an older gentleman. Uh, most likely probably in his 40s or maybe even 30s.

[00:09:52]And u uh he's dressed the way he's dressed. Uh, typical probably typical of the people of that time. He does not give us the exact location where this photo was taken. And uh does not tell us which clan he came from. uh we are guessing it came from probably could be uh could be one of maybe habri one of those uh if the I know there's a part of this book where he says that you could tell the clan of someone by how they dressed sort of so I don't know whether we can do that from this photo especially those who might have an idea probably not but he does mention that in the book he says the photograph was taken by one Mr. Seton car. I don't know who that is. I've not seen his name elsewhere in the book. Seems like could be one of the people who was accompanying him a European or could be this photo was taken by this other guy elsewhere and then he just maybe asked to use it in the book. Again, look at the environment, the trees behind there.

[00:11:01]I'm wondering what trees or shrubs those could be. Probably some acacia. probably some um what that what could that tree be? I'm trying to think it's some cacti tree, but I don't think it is. Looks like it has some leaves. Yeah. And then you look in the background, probably there's a hill back there. Uh seems like there's a hill back there behind those shrubs. Um looks like it was sort of noonish, maybe afternoonish or probably in the morning even. uh more more likely in the morning or in the evening because the shadow we can see how the shadow is.

[00:11:42]So the time it was taken was probably in the early in morning maybe not very early or in the afternoon or in the evening. Yeah. So that is the next photo we are looking at. Uh so so that again that photo comes from late 1880s early 1890s. Uh that's the period because the book is published in um the book is published in 1895. So the photos have to have been taken a little bit earlier than that or a lot earlier than that.

[00:12:14]Maybe of course not more than say 1870s.

[00:12:17]I don't think the the technology of photography had really really uh spread that much. Now the next photo is also it does not tell us when exactly it was taken but he tells us that it was taken in a sandy riverbed. I don't think he mentions it does not tell us which riverbed this is because this is a photo that is just put in chapter one and it does not tell us probably this is near Argesa I'm thinking because where the photo is put is close to where he's describing Argesa and uh yeah and also other settlements that were like Aesa so I'm thinking could be closer to Argesa uh a riverbed head. And he says these were Somali scouts. Um, yeah, Somali scouts, meaning probably they were sent out to go collect information. Uh, this could be the time is taken. Could be maybe 11 noonish, maybe 2 in the afternoon. Uh, going by the shadows. I'm going by the shadows on the ground. Uh, you can see that maybe it was one two around there. Uh, or maybe noon. that that's when this t was taken. Again, of course, he's told us that this is a riverbed. Of course, most likely that is sand, but again, look into the background, the trees. Um, you try to put yourself in that at that place in that moment, probably 1890s or 1880s, and you're trying to imagine what these guys are looking at, how they are feeling at that moment. You also try to imagine how their lives were um during that time and if you put yourself in that at least may make you feel a certain way. Now this photo was taken by one Boris Sichuani again this is not somebody he mentions to have accompanied him. Uh so I'm thinking probably some of these photos were borrowed uh he didn't take himself.

[00:14:31]If they were borrowed from other people who had taken them, they start that likelihood. But what we can be very sure of is that these photos were taken before 1895 because the book was published in 1895. Now the next photo, this photo is not a photo with anyone there. It's just a photo of a landscape.

[00:14:51]But very interesting also especially if you are like me and you like looking at photos and then imagining uh the moment the photo was taken. We can see some hills um far back there and you're wondering where is that and beyond the hills what was there during that time and how was life on this land generally during that time. Now he says that this is jungle of hig alloys and guda thorn tree. So he tells us what are here. So these are the alloys on the front. Uh the alloys you know the aloe vera I think that's what they are and they so they are very common in semiarid lands generally you can find them throughout much of the east Africa even in Kenya you'll have them very many places. Um the place where I grew up there were so many same landscape. Um yeah makes you feel a certain way and he says that the photo was taken uh the place is En Wayne Valley Gan Liba mountain in the distance. So yeah so for this one it tells us it gives us some information to work with. He tells us that the place is and we're in a valley and the mountains or the hills we are seeing behind there are gan liba mountain. Uh very interesting very interesting. This one he took himself.

[00:16:21]He says photograph photographed by the author. So this one he took himself was not taken by somebody else. Now the next photo is a photo that is taken according to what he tells us.

[00:16:36]uh he took the photo himself and this is on the mule mule track near Har. Now this is near Har. This is out of maybe probably the lands of the Somali still or maybe not because Har is a sort of not exactly Somali land but could be said here there are populations of Somali who lived nearby and uh so this is a track that was used by mules the way he puts it. And what is interesting about this photo is the construction that we can see. I don't know what those are. Whether they are houses or what and if they are houses are they houses people used to live in. Seems like not.

[00:17:22]Seems like these were houses that were for some other use. Um but seems like they are uh stone houses or stone structures. Uh looks like these are stone structures that are there on along the track. And um yeah, then there's a huge tree here. Trying to imagine or figure out what tree this could be. Uh this seems like a tree that people is it the olive? Some sort of olive species of a tree. I think the way it looks uh the way it looks, we can't tell for sure. Of course, the photo is not very clear or it's not clear enough for us to tell, but looking at the shape of the trunk tells me some sort of family of or is it as they call olive trees? Could be that's what they are called. Maybe I'm wrong about that. The photo was taken by himself. He does not give us the exact date when the photo was taken. Uh but he give us the he gives us the place. He tells us it was near Har. Uh again, this is taken before 1895. So it's a long time before 1895. I'm wondering whether these structures are still there. I'm wondering whether if you went to Har around Har near Har, you are likely to come across these structures or maybe they are no longer there. Um yeah, but it's interesting the way they look and where they are and then they leave you with a lot of questions. What are they?

[00:18:57]Are they homes? What are they exactly?

[00:18:59]The next photo is uh he writes it as jungle of wadi. I don't know what that means. Probably some plant called wadi thorn trees and hig alloy.

[00:19:12]Uh suburly h. So he gives us the place he describes what we are seeing. Uh these are um some alloys and some thorn trees. Probably acacia or some type of acacia. Not exactly the uh yeah some type of acacia likely. And then of course the alloys are I'm not seeing many of them even though he says it probably they are somewhere there.

[00:19:43]And it gives us the place I think subul oddly is a specific place in the how or on the how? Yeah, in the how and um yeah, also the scenery interesting a hill back there. Then there's horizon to the right side of the hill as it uh it it goes down. It leaves you wondering what was behind there. Um the time looks like going by the shadows maybe in the morning or in the eveningish. uh going by the shadows of the trees that I can see. Um yeah, a very interesting photo as well. Uh even though there's nobody there to be seen, but uh leaves you wondering about that moment u that specific spot. Yeah. So those are the photos that I found or I I can show you from HGC 17 trips through Somaliand.

[00:20:43]There are other images uh that are not photos that are clearly sketches that were done by uh somebody. They are very good ones actually and I use very many of them in the video I did about the 40 animals with their Somali names and you can go check I will put the link um under this video and you can go check that video and I use many of those sketches there. So there's no need for me to show you because they are not photos, they are sketches um drawings but they are very good drawings. Now let's go through the initial parts of the book through unknown African countries. He also shares a few photos that some of them are very very interesting and we are going to look at them. Yeah. So the first photo there are several others like AGC Sweeney did use a lot of sketches. The first photo we are looking at is a photo of him a Donaldson Smith with a photo of or is a photo of him next to a lion that he probably killed. Uh this is in the lands of the Somali. He has not yet crossed over to Abby.

[00:21:57]He doesn't tell us the date exactly. um doesn't tell us where exactly, but we can uh assume based on the place where the photo appears in the book that he's still in the lands of the Somali at this point. Remember this guy traveled to the lands of the Oro to Abby and then he went to the southern parts to what we know today as Kenya and then he went to to the coast to Lam. Um so that's the first one. The second one is a photo I've shown uh in another video and people got so interested in this uh not the photo itself but I covered or I talked about this this animal. Uh he he calls it Hero Sephalasa or Glabber or Glabber. Turns out this is a sort of a mole that is hairless. And people told me they gave me a name that kept coming up coming up a lot. I don't know. I think it's farf far fanfare or something of sorts in the Somali. And apparently this animal is very widespread in the own of Africa. He took a photo of it and shared it in the book.

[00:23:07]Now he also took a photo of himself with some of the guys who were with him mostly Somalis of course and they had killed an lion again and this time I don't know whether it's the same lion we saw in the other photo or this a different lion he did kill very many wild animals and they took a photo with these guys and most of them are holding weapons And uh yeah, I don't think he's not part of he's not in the photo. It's just the guys who accompanied him who are in the photo. And again, just like the other photos, you can just look at any face here and you wonder um how their lives went and how unique their life were. And then it gives you the feeling that maybe sometimes we take life too serious. Uh because life comes and goes and is nature, is how life is. And then there is a photo of Walder Gubra who was u he calls him general Abdah Hugra. I think he was like a governor or probably king. Of course Abby had many kings. This is from Abby and uh it is him with he says general wal Gubra and Abbyian attendance. uh he was a seems like a very powerful individual in that land and uh they met him and had conversations with him. If you are interested I know some people had sent me their details. They are interested in getting copies of the 17 trips through Somaliand. The book is almost ready. If you are in Kenya, uh you can um wait just a little bit and we'll have the copies ready. And if you are in the US, I have the book on Amazon. I'll you can look at at the description box and you'll see the book um the links there and you can go there is the ebook and there is the um the actual um hard copy book and I have I did not change a lot in the book I just added my own stuff at the end of each chapter so that the things I talk about I added them at the end of the chapters uh but the book is the same and then I added the introduction uh but it's the same book that HGC Swain in wrote um you can go there buy a copy you'll be supporting me as well I'll really appreciate if you buy a copy uh on Amazon and also if you are in Kenya if you get a copy from Nura that we are working on uh you'll still be supporting me and I really appreciate um so yeah those are my random thoughts