₦airaland Forum

dem_people:
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.

You're looking at it from your perspective, that of Southerners looking down on Fulanis, and I see it happening all the time. I'm looking at it from it from a Northern perspective though, and we also have reasons for feeling superior. It's a fact of life: each ethnic group thinks their ways are better than others.

DaRapture:
So basically, the Hausa simply live a life of mental enslavement to the Fulani, and this is the reason why the North remains so far behind the South in all facets of life; the Fulani want the Hausa and other northern groups to remain ignorant and out of touch with the want and need for progression past vast mediocrity, because an ignorant people make for better subjects to rule over and control.

Makes perfect sense. The faster the Hausa and other northern groups take a stand and end this Fulani metal subjugation over their minds and lifestyle, the faster the North will grow from being a national terror and leach, in to an actual equal productive partner.

The Hausas and Fulanis have a patnership of convenience BUT also a cultural, religious and relational kinship that goes back centuries. This Fulani subjugation you're talking about is nonsense.

Fulanis may have the upper hand in SOME important areas, but on the whole Fulanis and Hausas are united and have similar objectives in the North.

DaRapture:
I looked at your pics in that link, and from what I saw most of those people looked like South Westerners and South Easterners, with the exception of a few who looked like Horn girls. I suspect that those were the actual Fulani ones, yet why were they dressed like Southerners?

90% of the women and 80% of the guys in the link are either Hausa or Fulani or both. If you mean because they're wearing geles they're dressed like Southerners, we're all Nigerians and we've picked things up from each other (although such things are a recent addition to Hausa weddings). Features like the bride's henna decoration on her hands and feet, the men's clothing, the children's Fulani outfits and various pre-wedding and Islamic traditions are Northern.

Here it is again:

http://www.bellanaija.com/2011/02/28/maryam-tukur-sherif-shagaya-wed-a-spectacular-wedding-story-in-photos/

A few Hausa-Fulanis also have a  mix of traditional and white weddings. I will too because I'm a Christian. You mostly find 'authentic' Fulani weddings in the villages etc (and they're not as much fun lol) the richer the northern couple, the more 'western' or 'southern' their weddings look.

More:

More pics:

More Fulani girls from Guinea

Pictures of MODERN, FULANI WOMEN:

DaRapture:
This thread's been a disappointment, I was under the impression of that they were a better looking group than what's been presented. I really don't see what the rave folks have made about their supposed good looks have been all about.

I agree. This post has not done us justice at all  But like I said before, the majority of these pics are not of Nigerian-Fulanis but of village Fula children from French west africa. The Bellanaija wedding pics are more modern.

Lol @ Razznaija, you got all those pics from my blog!

This one has more pictures of the hausa/fulani guests:

http://www.bellanaija.com/2011/02/28/maryam-tukur-sherif-shagaya-wed-a-spectacular-wedding-story-in-photos/

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

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

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

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

Yes, Diallo is a very popular name, almost every other Fula (Peule) person in countries like Guinea bear the name.

The model looks Fulani, but you're right, very westernised in terms of her artificial hair, full make-up and revealing clothing. 

I wonder if she's Muslim, or mixed with another tribe, or maybe even educated in the West. . .? 

You will never see a normal, well-brought up Fulani-Nigerian girl looking like this, but I guess I can't speak for the rest of Fulas across Africa.

It's a shame 

^^^
There's a difference between traditional mating rituals to attract a mate from your own tribe, which is what the wodaabe do, and flaunting your looks in public and online for the world and his wife to admire.

You 'think' Fula girls enter beauty contests in 'more western' countries like Mali? I doubt it. . . Fulanis from French west africa are somewhat different culturally from Nigerian Fulanis, but they're also Muslims and generally poorer and more rural than Nigerian Fulanis so I doubt it. . .

Hmm, this thread is funny.

Anyway since Nairaland seems to have not many Fulanis here to set things straight, here goes:

1) Only about 2 of the girls in ALL the pictures posted here are Fulani women from NIGERIA. The rest are Fulani young girls (also called Fulbe, Fula) and other tribes from across west africa many of whom have very different cultures from Nigerian-Fulanis, hence the interesting hair styles, face markings etc. Also most of these pictures are of rural/village kids.

2) You will RARELY find pictures of real Fulani girls online that hasn't been taken by a missionary or western sociologist, which is why the selection here are so few and odd-looking. This is because the majority of Fulani girls are strict muslims and our culture frowns upon vanity and exhibiting ourselves online/in public. Well-brought up Fulani girls (a few are not) are conservative, modest and very private by nature and by upbringing due to Islam and little exposure to western ways

3) Fulani girls are considered beautiful in terms of their features, figures and delicate mannerisms. The irony is that despite this, you won't see them enter 'Miss Nigeria' beauty contests etc. It's just not the way our women do things.

4) It seems the more private and covered up Fulani girls are, the more they are desired, like the forbidden fruit, but very few marry outside their religion

Really fascinating discussion/argument. I've learnt a lot, thanks

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)

Before Abdul Muttalab no one had ever heard of a Hausa man embarrassing Nigeria abroad because of petty, desperate criminality

After Abdul Muttalab no one has heard of another Hausa man embarrassing Nigeria abroad because of petty, desperate criminality

Even Abdul Muttalab's crime had nothing to do with desperately trying to make quick money illegally

Shikenan

Laudate are a you a Fulani Christian? So am I! I've met so few, we're rare. I don't speak Fulfude though, only Hausa.

I've been following the work of a British woman from Wycliffe Bible translators, who is working with Fulani Christians in Mali to translate the New Testament into Fulfude. . . .

NEWSFLASH: God's priority isn't to make us rich, it is to make us perfect like He is perfect. Riches are secondary benefits to living a righteous, God-centred, obedient lives and if poverty will make you lean on God better and trust, listen and obey him more (and it usually does) then it may be His will to KEEP YOU FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT ON HIM.

God's blessings doesn't always mean more money.

The gospel of Christ that was supposed to set the captives free has been hijacked by money-hungry wolves who have re-trapped the captives with the chains of 'prosperity gospel,' keeping them chasing money and God's presents when they should be chasing God and his presence.

The materialistic, 'get rich or die trying' culture in Nigeria has seeped into the church: same hustle, different methods.

May God help us all.

With all his money, you'd think he'd wear tailor-made suits, the sleeves on that shirt looks too long

And is he wearing an earring??

@ joecrack and blacklion, I wasn't gloating, just pointing out the difference between the average majority and a powerful minority in terms of Nigerian spending power and countering the wrongful assumptions about 'poor and backward Hausas,' or did you not see the ridicule heaped on us at the suggestion that our spending power could be respected by Westerners?

So it's OK to demean Hausas as poor & illiterate, but to champion them as wealthy and powerful is tasteless?

The truth is politicians and 'business men' of ALL tribes have stolen money from Nigeria and are spending it ostentatiously around the world. I'm not advocating it, I'm just commenting on a thread about retail.

Wow, Nigerians seriously underestimate my Hausa/Fulani people  

Equating Hausa people with those almajiris you see on the streets is silly when rich, powerful alhajis and their families are busy making moves around the world. They study in Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia and Dubai and come to London to SPEND money. They might be mistaken for Somalians or Middle Easterns because of their Islamic dress but they are there. You don't meet them in Peckham or Greenwich university as many live outside the hustle and bustle of London.

Someone already said "the average hausa dude has far more class than an average rich southerner, all they have is noise, so much talk and no substance" Just because we don't broadcast ourselves left and right doesn't mean we're not here, and the Westerners have noticed and respect our spending power and reserved style.

Yorubas of all shapes and sizes hustling and making a living are common in London, but Northerners of wealth and influence are few but powerful, and they are who the Debenhams, Harrods and Selfridges respect and want to attract.

BTW, Hausa is the most widely spoken language in Africa after Swahili. FACT

Ku zauna a chan mana, sai mun gama abun da zamu yi  

1. Cry
2. Watch a movie
3. Moan to God
4. Talk to my boyf
5. Have a pity party

You guys in America are enjoying great TV. All the best shows in England are US imports

Watching:
The Good Wife
The Big C
Teen Mum
Celebrity Apprentice US
The Apprentice (UK)
Keeping up with the Kardashians (I don't care, I love those KK girls!)

Wish I'd watched from the beginning but I'm too late now:
Brothers and Sisters
24
West Wing
House

I stopped watching cos it got crap:
Glee
American Idol

SEFAGO:
@Tweety121

I like your blog. Its pretty cool

Are you dating someone?

Just askin

Really? Dangote made up his Harvard qualification? Hmmmm,

Thanks for checking out the blog but did you really read it and yep, I'm dating someone

@ SEFAGO, You said: "Also no Hausa has ever entered Harvard in the history of the school"

Not true, Sani Dangote went to Harvard Business School: http://www.dangote-sugar.com/bod.php?bodid=6

I'm sure there are many more you didn't hear about

Wise

Inked_Nerd:
OP: I really liked your post

I agree, and I'm so impressed by the responses too, especially by RichyBlack and Seun. It will do us as Black women good to read and take all this in, because the whole 'strong black woman' thing is a detriment to us in the eyes of our men and the wider society, cos it usually means 'negative, argumentative woman.'

Strong, sweet, Black women do exist and we live in England

@ zstranger, part of Rice's skills was her fluency in russian which helped with her foreign relations expertise. My point is her linguistic skills helped her role when she was national securities advisor, she adviced Bush on Soviet affairs, which then led to her becoming his secretary of state.

@kandiikane, yeah 'Mauritian' isn't a language per se, but I was referring to the rarity of knowledge about Mauritius, Mongolia, Mauritania, Madagascar etc in the West so that speaking their (non-european) languages sets you apart.