GWANDARA GROUPS

 

Ibrahim James (1995) classified Gwandara as Gwandara Karshi, Gwandara Koro, Gwandara Kyan-kyara, Gwandara Ara, Gwandara Toni,Gwandara Gitata and Gwandara Padan Karshi in Kaduna state. All these groups speak distinctive dialects of the Gwandara language. this suggests that the Gwandara are not from one stroke, in any Gwandara towns or villages, there are families that trace their origin to other ethnic groups like the Jukum, Eggon, Mada, Koro Gade, Hausa, Alago and Gwagyi. These families lost their cultural identities and adopted Gwandara language and culture and also Gwandara History.

 

GWANDARA CULTURE

 

The Gwandara were originally a pagan ethnic group and at the time of their migration from Kano, they prefer to remain so, retainig their freedom to juju worship, hunting and rearing of dogs. Today, the majority of the Gwandara are Muslims. There are also Christians, while traditional worshipers are still found in nnumbers. The traditionalists worship many deities that live in rocks, river and trees, they also worship the graves of the ancestors because they believe the spirits of their ancestors continue to live in their families as protectors. They believe that the spirits of their ancestors also come out in the forms of masquerades to guide the affairs of the people and to entertain them in dances and various rituals. They practice Boir or Arizeni which is a culture they brought down from Kano.

 

Compiled by

His Royal Highness S.O Ayih

(Abaga Toni)

 

Presented

Alhaji Yahaya Asawu

(Sarkin Pada Idu Abuja)

 

GWANDARA RELATIONSHIP WIYH OTHERS

 

The Gwandara people were peace loving people that they accommodate different kinds of people and end up marrying some of them. In marrying amongs other tribes this bring about different intonation that now varies with languages like Koro, Ganagana, Habe Hausa that is in the FCT while Bassa, Mada, Eggon in the Nassarawa State and others can be found in the lower Platue.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND FESTIVALS

The Gwandara people are identified with cultures and many fetish believe as far as their biography. The Gwandara people have different kinds of festivals to apiece their gods and they create period of doing that.

Those festivals like

1. Bori:- this is a kind of group worship that they believe Jinn enter into them and they become strong in doing things ever before, believiing that whatever they do at very moment they are doing the will of their gods, that it was the spirit of their gods that enter them.

   The Masquerade (Potoci) this is a kind of mask wearing believiing to be descendant from gods to pass message to the followers of their idols and it was believe that they posses a power that nobody posses it, they foretell what may happen in some days to come or to it believers to their ancestral parents that have died many years back. such masquerades are;-Akililinki(Adawuya), Abayinka of Shabu or Gitata ,Akoku, Kakamayiwa, Adamariko, Ashama, Ngaji-Idu etc and their are generally refers to as Melleku

2. Marriage aceremony:- Marriage Ceremony differs in various community, but the similarity, Marriage Ceremony is celebrated after courtship of the couples, when a boy say a girl that he likes, he will his parent. Through the link of the both parent,introductory items will be sent to the gilr's parent telling them of the goods news, when it's accepted by the girl and her parent second items will be sent, such as:- raw food, palm-oil, Locust beans(Dawa-dawa), she-goat, white plain cloth, kola-nut, Hen and local drink(burukutu or palm wine), so that a little merriment will be done the elders will be notice and the relationship will be officially announce to hearing of others in the community so also the marriage proper date will be known in a week or months times.

   When the day come the girl will run to unclosed place except to her so closed friend, the youth or her age mate both boys and girls will go looking for her, when she is found she will be brought to the center of her parent compound and her hairs will be loose open, tow white kola-nut will be inserted into her mouth(not to chew), the erderly women will perform all thei neccessary traditional required and will be put to Lellih, after that then birthing her, There she willbe cover with that very white plain cloth brought before, that remain her cloth till she enter her husband house.

   The merriment will continue till she will be escorted by her parent and some relations in the night for final advive and farewell messages then she will be be lead to her husband house where she will will be left with a little girl called "Ya aturuka" some of her friends called "Oboki Akeshe". In the night after every body had left the husband willm no come for his wife and sleep in her room, in the follwing morning the eldest woman in the house to woke them to check the white plain cloth if it's stained, that is to know if the girl is virgin or not.

3. Wasa-Dembe (Boxing) and Wasa-Kokuwa (Wrestling):- this is another kind of festival performance when there is less farm work and it comes in middle of rainin season, these involve some invitation of the neighboring community around for challenges among the heroes in and around the environs and sometimes this is where heroes gets engaged by the best ladies in the society.