HAUSA DAY (RANAR HAUSA) 2022

 HAUSA DAY (RANAR HAUSA):

26th August 2022.

By

Abubakar Abdulkadir Abubakar.

In 2015 the Hausa linguistics society of Nigeria Universities under its various departments agreed to set a side every 26 August as the day to commiserate with Hausawa and to celebrate the day as "Hausa day" to bridge up ideas and reminiscence with historical event and to examined new vocabularies that comes into the language and to bring out those vocabularies that were going into extinctions, the population of Hausa keeps increasing day after day, the current Hausa population can be put to over 120 million in the World, Hausa is becoming a fasted growing language after English, French and Arabic. 

This year event was celebrated not only at home but in other part of the World where Hausa speaking population resides and in this year celebration people like Professor Farouq Kperogi of the linguistics department of Atlanta Georgia University add more glamour to the event by contributing a topic "20 Hausa Words in Everyday Nigerian English" Farouq elaborate on words that were brought from and into Hausa or in similarities by coincidence with other languages, words like "Jara" derived from "gyara", "Megad" derived from "Maigadi" "Buka" derived from "Bukka" "Do guy" hausa referred it "Dan gaye"etc etc while some words like "Wahala" was an Arabic word brought into Hausa and Pidgin English in Nigeria. "Haba" and Habahaba" jovial or friendly person was even a common expression according to America English of 1940 and one may not be surprised if the word originated from Hausa during the slavery era of the 18 Century.

Hausa speaking population adopted what an African Proverb said "The best way to fight an alien and invasive culture, is to embrace your own" today the language is rich in vocabularies and Proverbs just as Chinua Achebe said "Proverbs are like palm oil with which yams are eaten" that is so with any language Proverbs is a pride of any language. Hausa language is pull of Proverbs and Vocabularies.

The word "Hausa" came through the famous BayaJiddah history of "Yahausa" meaning he "rode on Bull" a story connected to the killing of a notorious Snake that prevents people of Daura and it's environs from fetching water in the famous "Kusugu" Well except on Fridays. The word was first used by a Woman to described BayaJiddah as a stranger  who rode on Bull. "He rode on a male Cow" which was never known or seeing. According to the history the ruler of Daura that time was a Woman refers as "Sarauniya" and came to the scene to see for herself the dead Snake and the Person that kills it and also to give a befitting gift to him and on questioning the old woman, she gave account of what transpired between her and her guest who temporarily fled from the scene and told the Queen that "Yahausa" So from "Yahausa' the word "Hausa" came into existence, but their could be many other narratives different from this one due to divergent historical antecedent.

It is imperative to discuss the prevalence words that have similarities with Hausa or those that are going into extinctions.

1.  Laulawa - meaning Keke which means Bicycle. These words is going into extinction. The word "Laulawa' most originate from the inbalance while learning to ride bicycle when it was introduced by the British colonials.

2. Taga - meaning Window, the word is no longer used nowadays. 

3. Tsingaro - a broken piece of clay pot.

4. Sakaina - a broken piece of Calabash.

5. Bindiga - Bring the Gun. It was used by British when they want to have their gun they command " bring the gun" and it translate to mean "bindiga".

6. Bappah - is a Fulani word borrowed into Hausa to means a father brother or relatives from father side.

Yaddiko - a Fulani word

Ya wuro - a Fulani word

Inna wuro - a Fulani. Meaning step mother, mother sister and mother.

6. Falo - from English meaning Parlour. A big room for receiving guest. The correct hausa name is "Turaka".

7. WusaWusa - Wusasa. A town in Zaria but British Change the name to mean Wusasa.

Sakkwato - Sokoto. British Change it to Sokoto.

While Hausa pronounce these names to reads

-Germany - Jamus.

-France - Faransa.

-America - Amurka.

-Persia - Fasha.

8. Mummuki - Biredi meaning Bread. Today the word is about to disappeared completely.

9. Likidiri - Bokiti meaning "Bucket". People hardly remembered this word today.

10. Sitiyari - Kanbun Mota which in English refers as "Steering". That is flexibly turns around. Mota itself means "Motor" it real name is assignment for another day.

And the list can go on and on.

The below Proverb caught my attention:

"Biri baya Azumi, ko yayima in ya shiga gonar Ayaba zai karya" the close to it translation means "monkeys are not conversant to fasting and even if they do, once enters into Banana farm they will breaks it". In essence the Proverbs is teaching us that "some people are treacherous or never to be trusted or to be assigned with responsibilities".

The next "Ranar Hausa" my feature discourse will be on "Ruwan Atafi" a famous water pond in Hadejia or Hadeja mentioned by Dr Alhaji Mamman Shata where in those days Hadeja Warriors drank from the pond before they go to War. The running water from the pond that runs down the street is also a source of strength and power to even those who drink it from far. But first I have to travel to Hadeja and visit the famous Atafi pond to see for myself and if available to drink from it.

Have a happy Hausa day.

Abubakar can be reached through: majejidda7@gmail.com