Who are the Hausa Fulani?
Nigeria is an African country which has the largest population on the continent. It belongs to the 10 most populated countries in the world. It’s also well-known fact that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic state. There are over 250 nationalities and different ethnic groups. Among them the largest ones are considered to be Hausa-Fulani (percentage ratio - 29%), Yoruba, Igbo etc.
By the way, Hausa-Fulani as well as Yoruba and Igbo constitute approximately 70% of the overall population. There are almost 400 local languages and dialects, the most common languages are Hausa and Yoruba. However, in terms of ethnic diversity of the population in the country the official language remains English. Before delving the culture of some groups, it is also worth mentioning about the pre-colonial administration Hausa Fulani.
Hausa and Fulani fight
Hausa people are considered the successors of the ancient Northern Nigerian civilizations (early feudal states such as Zaria, Kano, Katsina, etc.). These people followed centralized administration along with their traditional religion. However, in 19th century there was intrusion by Muslim groups which came from the western part of Sudan. They were called Fulani.
When these groups meddled the affairs of Hausa community many things have been changed drastically. The invaders’ rules had become on a set. After a while they intermarried with the locals, in fact, who were the aborigines with the heathen beliefs. Since the beginning of Hausa Fulani fight and clashes, the invader Usman Dan Fodio decided to form a new Hausa Fulani emirate system.
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Every event has its consequences. So, the above-mentioned emirate system gave the rise to the incipient formation of a new culture. The state was divided into the eastern and western sections in order to minimalize the possibility of jihad and some more negative factors. This scenario was implemented into the reality. Nevertheless, these territories now are referred to as the common community – Hausa Fulani. It means that nowadays there is no great difference between them.
Hausa Fulani music and culture
These unique cultures have been intermixed after the Islam religion became the main faith. In fact, this happened in the 14th century. The majority of cultural destinations and sights such as mosques and ancient palaces appeared due to the influence of the religion in which the overwhelming population was converted. Early buildings were magnificent and glorious. Quite often they included different engravings or elaborated symbols which were designed especially for the facades.
Except the architecture, the newly formed culture began to spread to the traditional music. There are quite understandable reasons for this, as it has played an important role in the everyday life of the locals. Nowadays, due to new traditions, children participate in various kinds of dances, which are usually held in places with a great amount of people, such as the market, for example.
Of course, these events are accompanied by the traditional Hausa Fulani music. Moreover, such songs and melodies can be heard very often during the activities in the rural areas. Musical performances, story-telling, traditional dances, local dramas and there are also a lot of things which are common for the traditional entertainment.
Hausa Fulani traditional clothes
This culture is known for its striking clothing. The locals are fond of their heritage and that is why they try to follow their traditions even today. They skillfully carry their heavy gold jewelry and make tattoos in the style of their tribe. Golden earrings for women are supposed to be a sign of consistency, it also indicates a certain status. As according to the convictions gold reflect special importance in the trans-Saharan trade.
Hausa Fulani hairstyles
Almost everywhere in the world women follow some new trends and directions in the fashion. There is even a certain cult for them in the sphere of the hair styles. Women are ready to spend a huge amount of time in beauty salons in order to be attractive and stunning. That is why hairstyle plays an important role.
If we turn our attention to the prehistory and the further development, we can easily found rapid growth in the beauty industry, especially haircuts. Nowadays, according to Mintel, it brings 684 billion dollars every year. However, despite such tendencies within the globalization, we can’t say the same about the situation in Nigeria. Hausa Fulani hair styles on their own way. Women are proud of their past and their native traditions and customs. Well, they follow their local trends.
Hausa Fulani culture has imprinted and made a certain dent in the universe. You have a possibility to see some of the examples on the next photo. There are also different names for these masterpieces. In order to get more information about Hausa Fulani hairstyles you can follow our website.
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Source: Legit.ng
