|
Tribe Snapshots Hausa |
| Location: |
Northern Nigeria, northwestern Niger |
| Population: |
15 million |
| Language: |
Hausa |
| Neighboring
Peoples: |
Kanuri, Fulani, Akan peoples, Songhay, Yoruba |
| Types
of Art: |
Beautiful indigo dyed cloth is still produced
in the Kano state of northern Nigeria. |
| History: |
Origin myths among the Hausa claim that their
founder, Bayajidda, came from the east in an effort
to escape his father. He eventually came to Gaya,
where he employed some blacksmiths to fashion
a knife for him. With his knife he proceeded to
Daura where he freed the people from the oppresive
nature of a sacred snake who guarded their well
and prevented them from getting water six days
out of the week. The queen of Daura gave herself
in marriage to Bayajidda to show her appreciation.
The two gave birth to seven healthy sons, each
of whom ruled the seven city states that make
up Hausaland. The rise of the Hausa states occurred
between 500 and 700 A.D., but it was not until
1200 that they really began to control the region.
The history of the area is intricately tied to
Islam and the Fulani who wrested political power
from the Hausa in the early 1800s through a series
of holy wars. |
| Economy: |
Since the beginning of Hausa history, the seven
states of Hausaland divided up production and
labor activities in accordance with their location
and natural resources. Kano and Rano were known
as the "Chiefs of Indigo." Cotton grew readily
in the great plains of these states, and they
became the primary producers of cloth, weaving
and dying it before sending it off in caravans
to the other states within Hausaland and to extensive
regions beyond. Biram was the original seat of
government, while Zaria supplied labor and was
known as the "Chief of Slaves." Katsina and Daura
were the "Chiefs of the Market," as their geographical
location accorded them direct acccess to the caravans
coming across the desert from the north. Gobir,
located in the west, was the "Chief of War" and
was mainly responsible for protecting the empire
from the invasive Kingdoms of Ghana and Songhai. |
| Political
Systems: |
Leadership in the early Hausa states was based
on ancestry. Those who could trace their relations
back to Bayajidda were considered royal. With
the introduction of Islam, many Hausa rulers adopted
this new religion while at the same time honoring
traditional ways. This position allowed the elite
to benefit from the advantages of both systems.
The Fulani took over political power in the region
in the early 1800s. Their rule lasted for about
a century until the British colonized the region
in the early part of the 20th century. |
| Religion: |
There was an Islamic presence in Hausaland as
early as the 11th century. According to tradition,
Islam was brought to Hausa territory by Muhommad
Al-Maghili, an Islamic cleric, teacher, and missionary,
who came from Bornu toward the end of the 15th
century. Early Islamization proceeded peacefully,
mainly at the hands of prophets, pilgrims, and
merchants. In the early days the number of individuals
who accepted Islam was small, and among those
who did, it was usually practiced along with traditional
Hausa religious beliefs. In many cases, the ruling
elite were the first to convert to Islam. It was
not until the early 1800s that the Fulani began
to put pressure on the Hausa to undergo large
scale conversion. Through a series of holy wars
(jihads) the northern part of what is today Nigeria
was unified in the name of Islam under the auspices
of the Fulani empire. |
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