Do you dislike the fact of that many folks lump you'all into the Hausa group? Like they won't refer to you as simply Fulani, but rather Hausa-Fulani. My Fulani neighbor says she hates when people do that, in that she feels as though it discredits the Fulani as a substantiated settled group of Nigerians with an identity and place of their own amongst the Nigerian people. She says that people who use such hyphenated title often are those who do not recognize the Fulani as REAL Nigerians, rather considering them as simply foreign settlers or better yet, roaming invaders. What say you?

Another question is; how do Fulani kids within the more modern, big, integrated southern cities of Naija, like Lagos and Abuja, act and socialize being outside of the traditional Fulani environment within small herding communities in the Naija Northern Savannah? Do they, change up their style of dress, become more proactive in school events, go hang out with friends at the malls and other entertainment venues? You know regular kids stuff; or are they restricted to following their extreme cultural limitations of having a social life?

as for me,i always say i'm hausa-fulani cos thats wat i am

Muza:

as for me,i always say i'm hausa-fulani because thats what i am

Interesting. Do you know anthing about the second part of my post?

Anybody that call himself Hausa-fulani is Hausa, as far as we are concern. And for your information we - the people that speak the Fulfulde language- dont call ourselves Fulani. Thats is name used by the Hausa people to call us, just like they call Igbo people Inyamuri and they call Yoruba people Boda (though not sure if all the Hausa states used that). We are Fulbe as a tribe, and Pullo as an individual.

tharma:

Anybody that call himself Hausa-fulani is Hausa, as far as we are concern. And for your information we - the people that speak the Fulfulde language- don't call ourselves Fulani. Thats is name used by the Hausa people to call us, just like they call Igbo people Inyamuri and they call Yoruba people Boda (though not sure if all the Hausa states used that). We are Fulbe as a tribe, and Pullo as an individual.

Well, thank you sista for the clarification on the titles. I wonder why a Hausa would want to call refer to themselves with the added Fulani or Fulbe title unless they were actually of some Fulbe mixture? I find that very odd.

Well there are many reasons why they refer to some of them as hausa-fulani but honestly u need to get a hausa-fulani and ask him why he like to call himself Hausa-fulani.

However from my own understanding it is about identity. The north is made off numerous tribes that all speak the Language of Hausa. In Bauchi for instance I personally know of 7 different languages and in Gombe I know of at least 9. Normally people identify themselves with their particular tribe, but for the fulbe that have intermarried with hausa or other tribes and end up assimilated in to the main stream hausa usually call themselves hausa-fulani, but we dont consider them fulbe. My uncle married hausa woman and all her children consider themselves as hausa-fulani but we consider them as hausa.

Another thing I came to understand is because of Islamic identification. The fulbe consider themselves as constodians of Islam courtesy of Shehu Usmanu Foddiyo, as such to be identified with the fulbe used to be a pride in the north. Dont forget the emirs, apart from Bauchi, are all Fulbe. Moreover the elite in and around the emirs used to be fulbe, so to be identified with fulbe gives u some sense of pride and makes u feel superior. So the tradition kind of continued. So it is some kind of inferiority complex.

I think you fulani folk should be proud your being lumped with Hausa made you appear in broad category of tribes in Nigeria. You may be more in number(?) than the Hausa, but if the compound name is to be done away with, and a simple name si to be used then Hausa, will be most likely adopted, in which case Fulani becomes like any other minority tribe of Ebira,igala, Tiv etc.

Jarus:

I think you fulani folk should be proud your  being lumped with Hausa made you appear in broad category of tribes in Nigeria. You may be more in number(?) than the Hausa, but if the compound name is to be done away with, and a simple name si to be used then Hausa, will be most likely adopted, in which case Fulani becomes like any other minority tribe of Ebira,igala, Tiv etc.

Excuse me, but since when have the Fulani numbers in Nigeria surpassed that of the Hausa?  Or better yet, since when have they're numbers been more than the Hausa anywhere within Africa? Te Hausa ethnic group as a whole within Africa is noticed to be amongst the 3 most populous ethnic groups in all of Africa, while the Fulbe are ranked way down in the teens or 20's somewhere. I'm more than certain that the Fulbe have never numbered more than the Hausa within Nigeria.

Muza:

as for me,i always say i'm hausa-fulani because thats what i am

I have always thought that you are one misguided, dumb and delusional freak. How did you find the way to this forum when you can not discern who you are? There is nothing like hausa-fulani ethnic group in the jungle called Nigeria.

Jarus:

I think you fulani folk should be proud your being lumped with Hausa made you appear in broad category of tribes in Nigeria. You may be more in number(?) than the Hausa, but if the compound name is to be done away with, and a simple name si to be used then Hausa, will be most likely adopted, in which case Fulani becomes like any other minority tribe of Ebira,igala, Tiv etc.

We dont pride ourselve in number, we are never bothered wether we are considered as minority or whatever. We have pride in our conviction. We can compete for our survival in whatever circumtances we find ourselves.

THARMA, is Tharma a Fulbe name?

it is the combination of the first alphabets of my siblings names

Dede1:


I have always thought that you are one misguided, dumb and delusional freak. How did you find the way to this forum when you can not discern who you are? There is nothing like hausa-fulani ethnic group in the jungle called Nigeria.

I doubt you're Nigerian at all, because this is one of the most ignorant posts I've read so far.

@ topic:

Fulani are very good at assimilating when they want to. Most people called Hausa-Fulani are a mixture of both hausa and Fulani. This is something every[b] real [/b]_{and intelligent}  Nigerian learns as early as elementary school.

Most of the ones who live in the townships, still identify with their home villages (like most other Nigerians), which tend to be a bit exclusive, as far as I know. That is, not too many "outsiders" are found there. Some have settled permanently in the towns and mixed with the indigenes. I don't know if these ones still go home to the village or not.

tharma:

We don't pride ourselve in number, we are never bothered wether we are considered as minority or whatever. We have pride in our conviction. We can compete for our survival in whatever circumtances we find ourselves.

do Fulani from different west African countries identify with each other? Havent noticed much in that regard. I had a non-Nigerian Fulani friend who when we first met, objected to being called Fulani. She preferred Peul. Her actual words were along this line: "Some people like to call us Fulani"

please guys refrain from using tribe, the correct and progressive term is ethnicity or ethnic group. Tribe is defined as pre-iliterate and primitive. If that is how u see ur people then continue to refer to them as tribe.
bless.

KB1:

Excuse me, but since when have the Fulani numbers in Nigeria surpassed that of the Hausa? Or better yet, since when have they're numbers been more than the Hausa anywhere within Africa? Te Hausa ethnic group as a whole within Africa is noticed to be amongst the 3 most populous ethnic groups in all of Africa, while the Fulbe are ranked way down in the teens or 20's somewhere. I'm more than certain that the Fulbe have never numbered more than the Hausa within Nigeria.

I hope you know that the '?' sign I put in front of that assertion plus the word 'may' show that I did not categorically state that the Fulani are more than the Hausa. I heard when I was in Sokoto that Fulani are more than Hausa, but not sure.

My granddad always told me that Hausa-Fulani are usually those that are mixtures of Hausa and Fulani in their blood.
For example: Our gateman when i was a kid was Hausa and Fulani, according to him, his mother is Fulani and his father is Hausa.

Jarus:

I hope you know that the '?' sign I put in front of that assertion plus the word 'may' show that I did not categorically state that the Fulani are more than the Hausa. I heard when I was in Sokoto that Fulani are more than Hausa, but not sure.

Actually, Hausa are higher than Fulani though.

I am mix Kanuri and Fulani but I call myself Hausa for the the simple reason that I only know how to speak Hausa.

My father's fulani and mother hausa and I speak Hausa, so I called myself Hausa (also because most people, both european and african were more familiar with hausa it was easier) until some of my family chastised me, saying I degrade myself because my late father was proud fulani man and would be dissapointed that I'm calling myself a 'mere hausa' 

I think it's a question of pride. After looking into the History of Fulanis I now understand, and I wrote about it in my blog post: http://hausanigerian..com/2011/07/difference-between-hausas-and-fulanis.html

And I don't think Fulanis from different countries know enough about each other, mostly because most other Fulanis in Africa are from french-speaking countries (Guinea, Mali etc) and speak French and Fulfude, whilst most Fulanis in Nigeria speak Hausa/English. Also some Fulani sub-groups like the Wodaabe have very different customs (men paint their faces and dance for the women)

Tweety121:

My father's fulani and mother hausa and I speak Hausa, so I called myself Hausa (also because most people, both european and african were more familiar with hausa it was easier) until some of my family chastised me, saying I degrade myself because my late father was proud fulani man and would be dissapointed that I'm calling myself a 'mere hausa' 

I think it's a question of pride. After looking into the History of Fulanis I now understand, and I wrote about it in my blog post: http://hausanigerian..com/2011/07/difference-between-hausas-and-fulanis.html

And I don't think Fulanis from different countries know enough about each other, mostly because most other Fulanis in Africa are from french-speaking countries (Guinea, Mali etc) and speak French and Fulfude, whilst most Fulanis in Nigeria speak Hausa/English. Also some Fulani sub-groups like the Wodaabe have very different customs (men paint their faces and dance for the women)

"mere Hausa"? Humm, that sounds pretty prejudiced to me.

I've been meaning to ask -

Do Fulanis look down on Hausas? I'm getting the impression that there's a hierarchy in this relationship. Hausas and Fulanis (or those in the know) - please comment.

@Tweety121 - I've been to your blog and some of the things you write lead me to believe that this element exists in the relation between Fulanis and Hausas.

^^^
Yeah there is a hierarchy, although it's not always obvious

I don't know much about Hausa but Fulani are very proud warriors
Fulani were the first to embrace Islam in Africa
Usman dan Fodio (Nigeria) and Elhadji Omar Tall (Senegal) have played big role in the Islamization of most west Africa except Mauritania
Nigerians Fulani are the most rich but also the most conservative and radical among Fulani
Fulani are Minority in every  African country Guinea is the most Fulani country where they represent 42% of the population

Tweety121:

^^^
Yeah there is a hierarchy, although it's not always obvious

Do you believe in this hierarchy?

I can see historical reasons why there was a hierarchy, as Araboy says, the fact that Fulani warriors brought Islam to Hausas and became elites in the North is a big deal.

But today Hausas and Fulanis have inter-married so much and share so much that it's hard to know who is a 'pure' Fulani, and to the rest of the world we are one anyway.

However, I am very proud to be Fulani because we have a beautiful culture, and I tend to admire my Fulani heritage more than my Hausa heritage

Tweety121:

I can see historical reasons why there was a hierarchy, as Araboy says, the fact that Fulani warriors brought Islam to Hausas and became elites in the North is a big deal.

But today Hausas and Fulanis have inter-married so much and share so much that it's hard to know who is a 'pure' Fulani, and to the rest of the world we are one anyway.

However, I am very proud to be Fulani because we have a beautiful culture, and I tend to admire my Fulani heritage more than my Hausa heritage

Thanks for the reply.

Let me also ask - do you believe that this hierarchy extends to other ethnic groups in Nigeria? i.e. Do Fulanis generally believe themselves to be somewhat superior to other Nigerians?

@OP,

The Hausa/Fulani came about as a political front considering the ruling class is Fulani but the language is Hausa.

Not necessarily superior (although that's there too) but different because of religion, culture and behaviour. Certain things Hausa-Fulanis would never do that others do, and I think Southerners are more open to mingling with Northerners than vice versa

But each ethnic group thinks their own ways are better than others, the only problem is when this 'my culture is better than yours' thing leads to violence

There might be a hierachy between the fulani and hausa with the fulani being the elites but this hierachy doesn't exist between fulanis and southerners.
Southerners especially Ndigbo and somewhat the Yoruba, generally look down on the hausa/fulanis. Reasons for this include; much educational advancement, much better standard of living, less exposure to poverty, much-acclaimed intelligence etc. These are all stereotypes. Believe at your discretion.
Most southerners don't know of a hierachy between the hausas and fulanis - I myself never knew until I learnt about it on NL.

There are Hausa-Fulani elites who also have "much educational advancement, much better standard of living, less exposure to poverty, much-acclaimed intelligence."

Because of Islam much of our intelligensia don't operate in Western societies like UK and US for everyone to see. We write books too, in both Hausa, arabic and English, we are also doctors, lawyers, business men and politicians (all be it in fewer numbers than others) and a lot of our educated class go into politics or operate in muslim countries. In Nigeria I know a Hausa-Fulani magazine editor, governor and Dubai to Nigeria trader, all women.

Just because you see almajiris around doesn't mean all Northerners are poor and uneducated. That one too is a stereotype. Like every group, there are both rich and poor. We have achievements (both moral and cultural) that make us proud.

dem_people:

There might be a hierachy between the fulani and hausa with the fulani being the elites but this hierachy doesn't exist between fulanis and southerners.

Believe that at your own discretion

Tweety121:

^^^
Yeah there is a hierarchy, although it's not always obvious

I think that explains why the 'Fulanis' have also rode on the backs of the Hausas to rule Nigeria, and I foresee this trend continuing. When ever the northerners produce a president in future, he's most likely to be 'fulani', or a professed one. I this this hierarchy is for real.

Tweety121:

There are Hausa-Fulani elites who also have "much educational advancement, much better standard of living, less exposure to poverty, much-acclaimed intelligence."

Because of Islam much of our intelligensia don't operate in Western societies like UK and US for everyone to see. We write books too, in both Hausa, arabic and English, we are also doctors, lawyers, business men and politicians (all be it in fewer numbers than others) and a lot of our educated class go into politics or operate in muslim countries. In Nigeria I know a Hausa-Fulani magazine editor, governor and Dubai to Nigeria trader, all women.

Just because you see almajiris around doesn't mean all Northerners are poor and uneducated. That one too is a stereotype. Like every group, there are both rich and poor. We have achievements (both moral and cultural) that make us proud.

Believe that at your own discretion

My dear, I think you misunderstood me. I'm not attacking or undermining northerners but, just trying to state the facts of how they're perceived. Yes, there're exceptions to the stereotypes I mentioned but overwhelmingly, they're obvious to the point of being generally noticed.  My good Hausa friend here in London whom I attended the same Uni with,  is a Phd holder and is helping me to learn Hausa.

Unfortunately, stereotypes are stereotypes unless proven otherwise. Igbos are said to be very money-conscious, easily disposed to crimes such as 419 and kidnapping etc. While these are stereotypes, they aren't actually true. I ofcourse, is an exception to these stereotypes nevertheless. 

I'm interested in learning more about Northern Nigeria but I must tell you that, majority of southerners unconsciously do look down on northerners strictly based on those stereotypes I mentioned. As a southerner, I do know better based on my exposure due to education, travelling, friendship and maturity but I must tell you honestly that, we the Igbos HAVE NEVER EVER thought of the Fulani or any other ethnic group to be better than us. Its just not the way we were built.

I like your blog though. Keep it up.