Resumo
Gathering places play a paramount role among pastoralists. Markets, sanctuaries, graves and watering places are foci of ritual, economic and social activity. They facilitate inter and intragroup relations, including trade, marriage arrangements, political alliances, conflict resolution ceremonies, the dispersal of news and religious activities. In this article the authors will explore two types of gathering places used by nomadic pastoralists in Somaliland during the second millennium AD: fairs and sacred sites. Relations between nomads and foreigners were negotiated in open, seasonal markets, whereas sanctuaries and graves facilitated relations among different clans. The case of Somaliland exemplifies well the social, economic and symbolic relevance of nomadic gathering places and their extraordinary resilience: while towns have an intermittent and chequered history in the country, ephemeral meeting places remained as key features in the landscape for hundreds of years.
Palabras chave
Nomads. East Africa. Long-distance trade. Sacred places. Pastoralism.