The Hausa traditionally reside in villages and precolonial towns and cities where they graze animals, including cattle, and engage in local and international trade. There is more to learn about the Hausa tribe than just that.
- The Tribe
The Hausa are a West and Central African ethnic group. They speak the Hausa language, which is the second most spoken language in the Afro-Asian language family after Arabic. The Hausa are a diverse but culturally homogenous people who live primarily in the Sahelian and sparse savanna areas of Southern Niger and Northern Nigeria.
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2. The Language
Northern Nigeria and Southern Niger are the primary Hausa-speaking areas. Northern Ghana, Cameroon, Chad, Sudanese Hausa in Sudan and the Ivory Coast, as well as Fulani, Tuareg, Kanuri, Gur, Shuwa Arab, and other Afro-Asian linguistic communities, speak Hausa. In Northern Nigerian schools, Hausa is utilized as the primary language of instruction, and Hausa is offered as a course of study in Northern Nigerian colleges.
3. The People
Throughout all of West Africa, the Hausa are the largest ethnic group. The Northern and Western parts of Nigeria, also known as “Hausa land”, are home to 30% of all Hausa people. For many years, the Hausa have been involved in international trade. Gold from the Middle East was traded for leather, handicrafts, and food by traders.
4. The Culture And Traditions
Due to their enduring traditions, sense of cultural pride and effective pre-colonial native administration, Hausa cultural practices are unmatched in Nigeria and have weathered the test of time. They have maintained a rich and distinctive mode of dressing, food, language, marriage system, educational system, traditional architecture, sports, music, and other forms of traditional entertainment.
5. Food
Hausa people have various types of food prepared in a variety of ways. The most common include rice, corn, sorghum, which are often made into flour to prepare a dish known as Tuwo, which can be eaten with any type of soup such as Taushe, Dagedage, and Kaka, among others.
- Bean cakes also known as KOSAI are common among Hausa people.
- They have a delicacy of roasted KILISHI, SUYA and many others
- Milk from cows known as NUNU is consumed with FURA, which is among the best treasured meal.
6. Traditional Attire And Clothing
The Hausa people typically wear loose, flowing dresses and pants. The gowns have large ventilation vents on both sides. The top and middle of the trousers are loose, but the legs are somewhat snug. Turbans and leather sandals are also common.
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7. Music
Hausa folk music contributed components like the Goje, the one-stringed violin, to the Nigerian music, which was a significant contribution. Traditional Hausa music falls into two broad categories: rural folk music and urban court music.
Prominent Hausa musicians include:
- Muhamman Shata, who performs with drummers
- Dan Maraya, who plays the Goje and the one-stringed Kuntikii
- Audo Yaron Goje, who plays the Goje
- Ibrahim Na Habu, who plays the kukkuma
8. Religion
The prevalent and long-established religion of the Hausa people is Maliki-style, orthodox Sunni Islam. As early as the 11th century, Islam was practiced in Hausa land, producing illustrious local Sufi saints and academics. The majority of Hausa are devouted Muslims who respect Muhammed as Allah’s prophet as well as Allah. They read the Quran (holy book), fast during Ramadan, give alms to the needy and pray five times a day. They also hope to perform the hajj pilgrimage to the Muslim holy land of Mecca. Nearly every aspect of Hausa behaviour, including attire, art, housing, rites of passage and laws is influenced by Islam. There are communities of non-Muslim people in the countryside.
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