The Benadiri people (Somali: Reer Benaadir, Arabic: بناديري) are a coastal group in Somalia who have mixed ancestry of two or more ethnicities.
Overview
The Benadiri traditionally live in Mogadishu, Warsheikh, Jaziira, Gendarshe, Dhanaane, Jilib Marka, Merca, Barawa and Kismayo on the Benadir coast, and are principally engaged in business and fishing. They speak Benadiri Somali, a dialect of the Afro-Asiatic Somali language referred to as Coastal Somali.
Although the Benadiri are sometimes described as the founders of cities on the Benadir coast, such as Mogadishu (hence, one of their colloquial names Reer Xamar or "People of Mogadishu", though the city itself is postulated to be a successor of ancient Sarapion), their members actually trace their origins to diverse groups. The latter include Arab, Persian and Somali people.
The Benadiris are normally referred to as people of the City/Town they hail from ie Reer Xamar, Reer Marka, Reer Baraawe, Reer Gandarshe and etc. With these groups being confederations of the tribes that live there or originated there. For example the Reer Xamars are split into 5 brotherhoods from Shangani and another 4 brotherhoods from Xamarweyn and a standalone qabil who are part of no brotherhood due to social and political constraints. The tribe from part of the Shangani brotherhoods/confederacies are also found in Xamarweyn and other parts of Mugadishu(aswell as other benadiri settlements) as the brotherhood being in Shangani only implies the tribes beginnings were there and not that they only live there. This is also the case for the tribes found in the Xamarweyn brotherhoods.
Benadiris were instrumental in helping to consolidate the local Muslim community, especially in the coastal Benadir region. During the colonial period, they were also among the founding members of the Somali Youth League, Somalia's first political party.