Harar Jugol, historically known to the indigenous people as Harar-Gey or simply Gey, is a walled city located in eastern Ethiopia. Harar is one of the most unique, historically rich, and culturally distinctive cities in Africa.
Admittedly, when I first arrived, Harar felt different than the other Ethiopian cities I had visited. Harar possesses a quiet peace that can be felt but is difficult to articulate. It has strong flavors of Northern Africa, which can be attributed to its long history as a multicultural trading hub. Historically, it connected Ethiopia, Arabia, Somalia, and the Indian Ocean routes. There is also the fact that it is a predominantly Muslim city in a heavily Christian country.
While no precise breakdown can be ascertained, it is believed that Harar’s current population is 85% Muslim, 15% Christian.
Resemblance to Marrakech, Morocco
Harar, Ethiopia, bears a striking resemblance to Marrakech, Morocco. Both have vibrant Islamic heritage, feature well-preserved walled “old towns” or medinas, and both are navigated via a maze of narrow alleyways. Each of them has also been recognized as a “living museum” by UNESCO, the World Heritage Organization. Living museums where traditional rituals, crafts, and architecture remain active parts of daily life.
The alleys of Harar comprise a dense, colorful labyrinth of approximately 368 narrow, winding paths squeezed into just one square kilometer. While most streets are unnamed pieces of the maze, some areas have specific monikers, such as Sewing Machine Sound Street, also known as Makina Gir Gir. A street named for the rhythmic hum of dozens of sewing machines as tailors work outside their shops. These corridors connect 82 mosques, over 100 shrines, and traditional Harari townhouses.
Distinctive Harari houses
Traditional Harari homes, known as Gey Gar (“city house”), are unique architectural archetypes. Unlike domestic layouts in other Muslim regions, these rectangular stone structures are organized within a walled compound (ge abad). Within the confines of each compound are several separate residences, which share walls but are not interconnected. The houses are arranged around a central courtyard, which serves as a shared space for domestic activities.
While these compounds historically housed extended multi-generational families, modern demographic changes have caused some compounds to be shared by unrelated families from different social and ethnic origins.
The Ge Abad (Compound) Structure
The traditional Harari compound is a self-contained environment designed for privacy and communal living. High, windowless masonry walls conceal the families from public view. A single narrow outer gate, often left ajar during the day, separates the public street from the semi-private courtyard.
The open-air courtyard is the perfect venue for daily chores, such as washing and cooking, as the families typically share one or two detached kitchens and service areas. Social interactions also take place in this space.
The Residence
Homes are rectangular in shape and constructed from local hashi stone (hashi un) and mud. A mixture of pounded stones and clay is used as both mortar and plaster to cover the walls before they are whitewashed. A key functional benefit of these materials is their ability to regulate temperature, keeping the interior cool regardless of the heat outside. Windows in the home are small and limited in number as an additional measure to keep the home cool while allowing ventilation. All windows, regardless of location, face the courtyard versus the street, providing an extra layer of privacy.
The Interior
Each home features a highly prescribed interior that reflects social hierarchies and cultural values. Structurally, the home is designed to mirror the hierarchical social order of an Emir’s court, with the interior layout functioning as a miniature model of societal governance. The primary reception area and heart of the home is the living room, called the gidīr gār or gār ēqäd.
The interior of a Harari home is also a “living museum” of the family’s identity and heritage.
The gidīr gār features multiple levels of masonry platforms called nädäbas, which function as seats or beds. There are five distinct platforms, each serving as an indicator of the status of the family members and guests seated there. The floor and these platforms are typically painted with a vibrant red earth coating called “qeh afar”. The red color symbolically commemorates Harari people killed in historical battles, such as the Battle of Chalenko.
Gidīr Nädäba: The highest platform, reserved for elders and seniors.
Amīr Nädäba: Reserved for the master of the house and honored guests, positioned so the family head can see whoever enters the home and act accordingly.
Tīt Nädäba: A lower platform where younger people, children, or those with less seniority sit and sleep.
Shoes may be worn to the base of the tīt nädäba, but then they should be removed.
Sutri Nädäba (hidden nadaba): a hidden or covered platform that serves as the private sleeping place for the homeowner.
Gäbti-ähär Nadaba (also spelled Gabitieher Nadaba): is the lowest-ranking of the five raised platforms. Located directly behind the entrance door, it serves as the threshold where cultural rules transition from public to private space.
Correlation to the Emir’s Court
Gidīr Nädäba is where dignitaries were seated; tīt nädäba was reserved for plaintiffs or defendants. The sutri nädäba was where the emir’s guards would sit during meetings or court cases. Historically, the term malassay was used to refer to Harari soldiers or a specialized military unit.
When a person dies, their body is kept on the gidīr nädäba before burial as a sign of respect. Community groups, often consisting of 50 to 75 members, gather at the house to organize and carry out traditional rituals.
Taqets
The walls of the gidīr gār contain decorative niches or taqets used to display personal possessions and antique artifacts. While there is no prescribed number of taqets per wall, the honor wall may have 5-9 niches, the side walls, 3-6, and the entrance wall none. Two rectangular taqets in the center of the main wall were traditionally reserved to store the Qur’an. While they serve as storage, taqets on the main wall are part of the room’s hierarchical seating arrangement, correlating with the amir nädäba. In addition to the main niches, there are sometimes niches in the nädäbas used to hold shoes or an incense burner.
What really defines a Harari interior is that every wall participates, but not equally—the distribution reflects status, function, and visual harmony.
Harari Basketry (Ge Mot)
In addition to the items stored in the taqets, the walls are extensively decorated with colorful handmade baskets and antique plates. For women, baskets are a symbol of identity; men have nothing to do with baskets or basketwork. They demonstrate that the woman of the house has mastered the art of configuring baskets according to Harari conventions. Mastering this art is a vital rite of passage for young Harari girls, who are expected to become proficient enough to create a minimum set of baskets for their dowry before marriage. This is no small feat, as there are 30 distinct types.
Marriage and Dowry
A bride must bring a traditional set of 15 baskets to her wedding. These baskets are then hung on the walls of the new home to signal her transition to a skilled level of basket making and her role as a master of the house.
Types of Baskets
There are 8 utilitarian baskets intended for frequent, everyday household use, such as carrying meat or grain. These are typically made from natural-colored grasses with little ornamentation. There are 22 decorative and ceremonial ones, which serve as significant cultural symbols. These are used for serving food during festivities, given as wedding gifts, or used for home decoration. They are easily identifiable, as they feature complex geometric patterns in vibrant colors and are often adorned with leather, vinyl, and cowrie shells.
Basketry patterns and colors, specifically red (qeeh), green (wariiq), yellow (hurdi), and black (t’ey), reflect Islamic values and the historical identity of the Harari people.
Specific types of baskets represent different events in a woman’s life, and these are positioned in specific locations on the walls. Thus, one can “read” the arrangement of baskets and learn a good deal about a woman. For instance, whether or not she is married, whether she is widowed, how many of her sons are married, and the relative prosperity of the household. Formerly, all women might have spent a few hours a day weaving baskets as part of their daily routine. Today, most Harari girls pursue a primary and secondary school education, leaving no time to learn basketweaving. Since the demand for marriage baskets still exists, many women have become professional, full-time basketmakers.
Cultural Signaling
To learn about a family or a community, one need just “read the room”, literally. The placement of wall items in a Harari home is not haphazard or coincidental. It is part of a complex system of cultural and social signaling that reflects family identity, social status, and communal values. In “cultural signaling”, particular items placed above the entrance, or in a certain configuration or orientation, can convey social information or tell a story. For instance, if the household has a daughter of marrying age, above the entrance to the home is a shelf (wantaf inci “wood for mats”) where her trousseau is stored and displayed. The presence of the items signals the family’s preparedness for future marital alliances.
This “living museum” environment uses prescribed rules for arranging items—particularly basketry and specialized dishes—to communicate a housewife’s skill and adherence to tradition.
Specialized Rooms
The Dēra (storage room or pantry)
Connected to the main living room is a side room with a low ceiling known as a dēra. The dēra is constructed from porous stone without cement to allow for better ventilation. This space serves multiple purposes but is typically reserved for food preservation because of its thick, cool walls. However, these same thick walls serve another important purpose: privacy. They provide a measure of soundproofing for those wishing to have private conversations.
Special Role for Children during Ramadan
Children under the age of seven are not required to fast. However, they are gradually introduced to fasting through a practice sometimes called “dera fasting” (dēra soman). During Ramadan, the youngsters eat inside the dēra, not in the main room. By doing this out of public view, they learn the discipline and social norms of fasting.
Why the dēra is used
It’s a private, enclosed space where children can eat without “breaking” the public atmosphere of fasting. It helps children practice fasting incrementally, building up to fasting with the adults at age 7.
The kirtat
Situated across from the dēra and parallel to the gidīr gār is a raised, intimate, alcove-like bedroom located in the innermost part of the home. It acts as a primary, private, and sometimes secluded sleeping area used for nuptial chambers, childbearing, and, in some cases, for nursing the sick. Similar to the dēra, it has a low ceiling, and like the gidir gar, it has a nadaba. The kirtät and the gidīr gār share a wall, which sometimes features a window screen with decorative woodcarving.
Special Role for young brides
In the past, the kirtat was also where a young bride would live in seclusion for 8 months after her wedding. After marriage, a bride would move from her parental home to her husband’s home and stay on the kirtat before establishing her own independent home. The seclusion served as a transition period or rite of passage from girlhood to married womanhood. It allowed her time and space to master domestic responsibilities and adjust to her new household. This space was also used to protect her privacy and modesty in line with cultural norms.
The Qala Qal
Next to the dēra is a steep staircase leading to the qala qal (qala qala). Meaning “house fort” or “upper room/stronghold” in Harari, it is one of the more exclusive, intimate spaces of the home.
In traditional homes, the qala qal refers to the upper part (or loft) of the house. Typically used for storage and respite for family members, this area is more private compared to the gidir gar below. In the past, this was where agricultural products, textiles, and seasonal items were stored. Because it was elevated, items were kept safe from dust, pests, and everyday disturbance. More recently, it has become a distinct area, often with several rooms but devoid of nädäbas or other installations.
Nowadays, household items, valuables, and clothing are also stored in this space. In modern usage, some families split the qala into two levels: the lower part serves as a bedroom, while the upper is used for storage.
Gendered Spaces
Spaces in the home may be gendered, with men and women having specific areas dedicated to their use. For example, women traditionally occupy the qala qal when men gather for social meetings known as a bärça.
Barcas are meetings where men chew khat and “meditate”. Khat is a stimulant that provides mild euphoria similar to the use of coca leaves in South America’s Andes Mountains or the betel nut preparations in South Asia.
We were invited into several such homes as we toured the city. Each home we entered was warm and inviting, and the owners were very hospitable. Hararis take great pride in their homes, and they form an important part of the culture.
