Re: Somalis

More in general, Pirate societies have been examples of societies much more technologically advanced than hunter-gatherers and farmers and herders. Somalia today is as close as a stateless society has ever been to industrialization. Most of its industrial goodies, maybe all, are imported. But they certainly arrive. And they certainly know how to wire the money to the UAE.

I wasn't really thinking as much of Somalia as the Pirate societies of the Golden Age: in the Caribbean, Barbary and Southeast Asia. But many things apply at least a little to all of them.

In general, Pirate societies are made of outlaws by choice or by necessity (who cannot return to governed land because of something against them). They are not just stateless, but actively kratophobic. And the fact that they are all outlaws usually turns them into tolerant by necessity: they can all be hanged if captured, so you cannot rat out on anyone.

The effects are amplified if there is a port in a land, belonging into the full control of Pirates; instead of just a port where they are tolerated by the local authority. Places like Kingston and Tripoli have been both. Mogadishu isn't: Pirates don't control anywhere on Somali land, although they are completely tolerated because they do defend it and provide for the local economy.

Historically, Pirates have been age-blind, gender-blind and race-blind about who joined them of their free will. However, they never were any blind about who they enslaved, and had relatively light triggers for enslaving pplz.

But yes, circumcision of both genders is common in Somalia.

And precisely the point: there is no state enforcing parental authority. Clearly the kids are there voluntarily. Maybe grudgingly, but voluntarily. Even girls would have easy options to run away, precisely because of statelessness.