Hausa is one of the largest tribes in Nigeria. Learn more about its language, culture and traditions.

Do you like Nigeria? Want to know about its culture, traditions, history, and other interesting things? Then, we will give you a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with the language of one of the largest tribes on the territory of the country.


Hausa people It's essential to know that they are one of the biggest ethnic groups in Africa. However, the majority of them live in Nigeria. These people have their traditions.

Hausa culture is a part of African history. That’s why many people try to preserve it. This ethnicity has not only their own language, but possesses some other features of valuable culture.

Hausa music. It is beautiful. Many contemporary artists use the features of it in their compositions. Moreover, such music type is becoming more popular. In Hausa tribes, it is usually accompanied with dances, such as asauwara. The most common instruments are calabash and lute. The modern compositions are also often accompanied by drums.
Religion. All people of this ethnicity are Muslims. However, they might differ a bit. Some of them keep to stricter traditions than the others.

Cuisine. As any other tribe in Nigeria, Hausa people are very proud of their food. The most widespread ingredients are sorghum, millet, rice, and maize. As for the dishes, they prefer cakes, porridges, and soups.

Language. You know, many people in Nigeria speak English. However, it's impossible to forget the ancient culture and heritage. That’s why people keep learning native languages. What is more, Hausa language has more first-language speakers than any other language in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nowadays, their rich poetry, prose, and musical literature are available in print and in recordings.

Where did Hausa language originated from?
It is Chadic language, which belongs to Afroasiatic family branch. Originally, this language was stretching across southern part of Niger and northern part of Nigeria. However, it's developed into so-called lingua franca across the major territory of western Africa. The main reason was trade. Then, in the 20th and 21st centuries, it has become more commonly published in print and online.
There exist a few dialects. The key difference is tonality. The language itself might be written by means of Arabic script (ajami) or Latin alphabet – boko (which is more common now)

Where is Hausa spoken? This language has a very large distribution. As we have mentioned, it was initially used in Niger and Nigeria. However, a bit later, it has been expended across such African countries, as Chad, Sudan, Benin, Ghana, Cameroon, CAR, Gabon etc. It is spoken mostly by the Muslims.

Hausa is the first language for 35 million people. 90 million of Nigerians use it as their second one. And in total, there're more than 250 second-language speakers in the world. Is Hausa an international language?
If you think it is not, you are wrong. In fact, Hausa is considered one of world's major languages. It has widespread application in large number of West African countries.


Moreover, In Nigeria, it's even learned at elementary level in many schools. It has great impact on the other Muslims, who do not belong to Hausa group. Thus, being so widespread and influential, it might be called international.
How to speak Hausa language? Nowadays people are getting more interested inHausa history. It makes them want to learn their native language. We offer several tips, which may help you to do it:
★If your first language is English, it’s better to use Latin version.
★There are several tones, such as high tone, low tone, and high- low falling tone.
★Try to use special apps for your device (they are available for free).
First, choose the group of essential words and learn them. Then select the vocabulary according to the subject. Find someone to help you (it's advisable to have native speaker nearby).
Nigeria has a very rich culture. Hausa language is part of it. Many people want to preserve and expand it. You may also help in this task or just have fun learning this interesting language. Get closer to the heritage of your country.
https://ask.naij.com/culture/what-is-hausa-language-i23977.html

Sosai!