The Identity of Hausa People in Dilemma

Kano, Nigeria. Photo by Shariz Chakera. Found ...Image via Wikipedia
By Muhammad KabirYusuf 

The director of Centre for Hausa Cultural Studies, Kano , professor Abdallah Uba Adamu explained that the identity of Hausa man is a controversial issue which is not yet resolved and subject for continuing discussion among the stake holders. The professor who explained this while presenting his paper Hausa da Hausanci (Hausa and Hausanism) at the 1st international conference on Hausa literature and culture yesterday in the republic of Niger explained that the linguistic traits previously considered by the scholars to determine the identity of a Hausa man can no longer holds sway. This is because, according to him the most important thing to consider is what he termed ‘the core value of Hausa man’ which he believed gives Hausa man the inner sense of belonging and psychological proximity to the Hausa community as a whole.

In response to the controversy, many scholars of internationally acclaimed standing discussed the identity issue of Hausa as a language and as a nation. In an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP correspondent, Mallam Kabiru Sani, the chairman of the association of Nigerian authors’ Katsina chapter expressed hope about the way in which Hausa language is presently receiving acceptance the world over. Hausa language which is today spoken by the population well above 100,000 (hundred thousand) is being taught up to the degree level in more than 10 (ten) universities in America alone. He drew attention over the way in which Europeans and people from far Eastern Asia came to Hausa land in order to learn Hausa language. Mallam Sani explained that it is high time that Hausa land should take Hausa language very serious to the point of making it the medium of learning in primary and secondary schools.

In the continuation of the intellectual discussions about the strategic tools for the development of Hausa culture and literature, Hambali Junju a multi lingual and an internationally acclaimed professor of linguistics insisted that until the African governments come to the aid of literary writings and cultural artifacts, the move is not likely to yield the desired goal. He further explained that the media of mass communication and entertainment has a serious role to play in the development and preservation of Hausa cultural artifacts.

Earlier in his presentation, professor Adamu expressed concern over the semi extinction of the Hausa cultural music instruments that are being slowly replaced by the foreign musical instruments. He ascribed the problem to the retiring cultural musicians who are never willing to teach the next generation under the pretext of either exclusiveness of their professionalism or that they don’t want their children to inherit their profession. He called upon the cultural musicians to open up and the governments to come in, so as to preserve these cultural artifacts.
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Comments

Bali said…
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Mohammed Umar Pharook (kasu/09/mcm/1063) said…
I really don't think the problem is only with the music but also with public portrayal and presentation of the Hausa culture, which is fast becoming replaced by a self invented westernised-Hindi culture. The younger generation now prefer to be seen as western and at the same time indian than the Hausa that they are. One quick place to start seeking redress is from the angle of kannywood, enough with the indian-Hausa film.
Unknown said…
OLUYORI RONKE PRECIOUS
KASU/09/MCM/1093
Today's generation have neglected the culture,tradition,norms and values of their people and embraced the culture of the westem world.
EVELYN MORENIKE ADIGUN( kasu/09/ mcm/1082) said…
It's not that the retiring cultural musicians are not willing to teach the younger generation, but the younger generation are not willing to learn.The average Hausa youths wants to copy the Western life . Another problem is that we have not been able to package our culture well and sell it to the world.
Anonymous said…
sarah Ayuba kasu/09/mcm/1027 i think dis present generation is know longer interested in their culture.this can nt b attributed alone 2 music but also 2 western movies d watch.
Anonymous said…
Deborah Adesuyi kasu/09/mcm/1085. The truth is our generation is movin fast wit things of the western world, hereby forgettin their origin. We see that in kennywood the hausa's tryin to be like d indians in their mode of dressin and their kind of love songs.
Anonymous said…
Musa Khadijah Karimullah(Kasu/09/mcm/1062). Even though Hausa language is gaining acceptance world wild, the hausa Culture is fast becoming outdated as seen by the youth. Today's hausa youth are trying to emulate the indian culture making them forget their own.
Paul Yunana Adams kasu/09/mcm/1045 said…
The mass media has a greater role to play in the preservation of our indigeneous cultural heritage. This they can do adequtaly with government support. if nothing serious is done to preserve our local languages, some of them may face extinction as time unfolds.
Anonymous said…
simnom usman kasu/09/ mcm/1047 permit me to also attribute then extinction of our cultural values to western education and foreign books we read.they tend to promote their culture thereby relegating africa to the background
Anonymous said…
simnom usman kasu/09/ mcm/1047 permit me to also attribute then extinction of our cultural values to western education and foreign books we read.they tend to promote their culture thereby relegating africa to the background
Anonymous said…
Ezekiel Jonas Auta kasu/09/mcm/1013 western culture and civilization is really eaten deep into the fabric of african society.i pray God help us
Anonymous said…
Tirnoh Goje kasu/08/mcm/1035 there is the need for us to introduce our indegeneous languages into our institutions of higher learning,making its offer a compulsory thing.that way it would help in reviving our cultural heritage
Anonymous said…
yakubu danjuma kasu/09/mcm/1018 the hausa people do not as they are suppose to espesialliy in their movies where they try to copy the indians and some of the youths see the culture as being outdated
Anonymous said…
Evelyn Bartholomew kasu/09/mcm/1031. Hausa culture has its distinct feature, we dont need no government to tel us to appreciate our culture we need 2 do it ourselves starting from our homes.
Anonymous said…
AHMED HUZAIFA KASU/09/MCM/1059. the Hausa people are responsible for the Delimma, because they are no longer regarding their culture as civilization. they always regards western culture as civilization.
hamza umar hassan kasu/09/mcm/1065 said…
I don't blame the youth for trying to copy what indians or westhern world are doing there are only trying to be expose to the world
Anonymous said…
Godiya Daniel
kasu/09/mcm/1025
westernization has taken the place of our cultural values.we are now confuse that we are blown by every breeze that blows.its a shame that what was regarded as taboo is now called socialisation.dont we have a mind of our own?
Anonymous said…
Godiya Daniel
kasu/09/mcm/1025
westernization has taken the place of our cultural values.we are now confuse that we are blown by every breeze that blows.its a shame that what was regarded as taboo is now called socialisation.dont we have a mind of our own?
Anonymous said…
sulaiman zubaida B(kasu/09/mcm/1038). Nigerians no longer believe in their beautiful cultures, values and identity, they just keep trying to look more of the western world.
Anonymous said…
IBRAHIM ZAINAB JIBRL KASU/09/MCM/1007 I think the problem is not from music only. I keep on wondering why people today don't potray their culture,they alwasys try to copy other peoples culture
Anonymous said…
peter ishaku kasu/09/mcm/1020.. Nigerian now neglect the culture and tradition of their people and embraced the culture of the western world.that's the problem.
ismail haruna said…
ismail haruna kasu/09/mcm/1032 aha! this is ma field, it would help me in writing ma project on the cultural heritage of northern Nigeria
muhammad sani bara' u said…
muhammad sani bara'u kasu/09/mcm/1023 the northerners had abandon their culture, so what is the way out
Anonymous said…
Hassana sani zailani kasu 09 mcm 1068 we nigerians embrace the western world culture and neglect our culture norms and values.is a shame.
Anonymous said…
mercy michael,kasu/09/mcm/1014.the problem of hausa youth is the issue of socialization.we are trying to wipe out our culture which is now the major problem we are facing.hausa youths don't want to dress like hausa again,instead hausa-india.another problem is that our musicians are out for money not teaching morals.
Anonymous said…
Opeyemi Babalola
Kasu /09/mcm /1022
This present generation is not ready to embrace and per take in the upliftment of their fathers culture and tradition.
kasu/09/mcm/1010 said…
Our culture and tradition used to be our pride but now WE all want to act 'civilized'. Lovely article.
Anonymous said…
zainab ya'u kanya kasu/09/mcm/1040 We have to be proud of our cultures,ethics and values this will make us appreciate ourselves and our origin.
Anonymous said…
Kasu/09/mcm/1009. Hmmmmmmmm,I think every body wants to be westrnised and its not gonna work because we're loosing our integrity.
Anonymous said…
Hausa culture is one of admirable in the world due to simplicity.bot the hausa people dont appreciate their own culture they that of western janbory.like in kanny wood they copy indian way of doing everything.IBRAHIM ANTHONY.KASU.09.MCM.1069
Anonymous said…
KASU/09/MCM/1054
ABDUSSALAM S. RAMALAN

What would preserve Hausa culture is what we lack. We (the Hausas) are running away from our origin. We don't hav the Radio stations, TV, Newspapers, and the like.
Look at the way Hausa home vedios are doing, contrary to real Hausa "kowa ya bargida..."
Hausa people don't like to publish a books like other culture are doing.
KAYAN ARO BAYA RUFE KATARA
Anonymous said…
Kasu/09/mcm/1072 Hadiza Aliyu hayatu
Its so unfortunate that we forget the beauty of our culture by emulating others. Its not only about the hausa music but even their home videos that are hausanised indians.
Anonymous said…
KASU/09/MCM/1002 JESSICA LARABA AKAITO
modernization, westernization, civilization, has take the place of norms, values, cultures, in our modern day society.
Anonymous said…
Abubakar Aliyu
kasu/09/mcm/1021

Music is a vital aspect of culture and i think without music there can hardly be a sustainable culture .And the problem of mentaining Hausa musical instruments arise from the negative perspective from which most people view the Hausa musicians. Rather than regarding them as performers,most people view them as beggars.
Making Hausa language to serve as a medium of learning sound a good idea but there would be problem of communications with the immediate neighbours.
Anonymous said…
Abubakar Aliyu
kasu/09/mcm/1021

Music is a vital aspect of culture and i think without music there can hardly be a sustainable culture .And the problem of mentaining Hausa musical instruments arise from the negative perspective from which most people view the Hausa musicians. Rather than regarding them as performers,most people view them as beggars.
Making Hausa language to serve as a medium of learning sound a good idea but there would be problem of communications with the immediate neighbours.
Aisha Siraj said…
KASU/09/MCM/1083
Yes the music aspect plays a big role in destroying the culture, some of our old musicians don't like to share the secretes of a good Hausa music, they prefer dying with it, on the other hand most of our youth today are not even interested in old school music rather the western hip hop, pop, rap etc and majority are interested in Indian music which is why our film industry have adopted the Indian style to generate market on the expense of destroying the culture, in addition to, not only the music but the film also, our Hausa films do not portray or culture rather destroys it by copying the Indian and western, instead of preserving our culture they are destroying it. in conclusion i will like to take it to a wider scope in Africa our culture is been destroys daily as a result of western influence eg the domination of western movies and cartoons in our media industries, the global link ie social network and the rest are all contributing factors
IBRAHIM SALISU GIMBA. KASU/09/MCM/1058 said…
Civilisation is also another problem in this context because those musicians realised that nowadays people are patronising their products. The Hausa musicians of today are never that of yesterday due to some problems which the government need to promptly address.
Ibrahim kabir said…
Hindu's culture introduced to Hausa society since 50s, when cinima houses always shows indian film then, and eveen when the TV came in 70s they continue playing indian films and music, which makes hausas to adopt such culture,to me i see nothing wrong with that, becouse someone has to borrow some things in order to developed.
Anonymous said…
usman moses. kasu/09/mcm/1086. the younger generation are willing to learn from music not music teaches them.
Anonymous said…
Jamila Shehu Rahama
cultural appreciation starts from home and i don't think the government is no position to decide which culture we appreciate/cherish and which not to.
Anonymous said…
Istifanus Umaru kasu/09/mcm/1057 It is high time that Hausa land should take the language very serious otherwise, it whould loss it rich cultural values, if they continue like this.
Anonymous said…
Shamsuddeen Umar kasu/09/mcm/1050

even though hausa language is increasingly becoming acceptable world wide but still we are attracted by westerners culture
Unknown said…
MAIMUNAT ALIYU ISA KASU/09/MCM/1073
Distorted Hausa-Kannywood films coupled with its Indian and Western concomitant make-ups are responsible for the degradation of Hausa culture. I foresee a situation one day where by our children will not be able to remember the contributions of our heroes such as Mamman Shata, Na Rambada, Dan-Maraya, Dan-Kwairo and their likes towards development and preservation of our great Hausa culture internationally.

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