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Aspects Of Gunganci Morphology
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1.3 Historical Background
The tribe
Gùngáwá or Bà rèshe can be found in the Northern part of Nigeria in
Southern Kebbi State (Yà úrà Local Government) few of them are also in
Borgu Local Government Area and North of Borgu in Niger State.
The
Gùngáwá are mostly concentrated in Kebbi State in Yà úrà Local
Government. The Gùngáwá people are the original inhabitants of Yà úrÃ
according to Muazu Bagudu a native of the town.
A source had that the
Gùngáwá were decendents of 17th century warrior called Kisira or
Kachin who allied himself with the Hausa Soldiers to gain territory in
the extreme North who eventually settled with his co-fighters in present
Yà úrà town.
Another source told us of their trace to a songay
warrior who came from Mali to seek territorial control and their
eventual settlement (with his supporters) in Yà úrà and parts of Lopa and
Laru (Gùngáwá neighboring areas).
According to Apollos Aagamalafiya,
a native of Gùngáwá from Rèkúbá»lá» area in Yà úrà belief that the Gùngáwá
people came from Kabuwa that they are hunters from Katsina State.
He
(Apollos) explained further that some say they are from Shagana,
Kambari, Kabbawa or Sarkawa. These are mixed up tribes that constitute
the Yà úrà emirate.
As regard this histories, the actual place of
origin is not clear, and it remain debatable among Gùngáwá people.
Although, the Gùnganci language is closely related with that of the Lopa
and Laru people in term of lexical items and Noun Affixes. No matter
how related these people might be with the Gùngáwá tribe; however, they
(Gùngáwá) still remain divergent in historical root.
Present Gùngáwá People
As
explained ealier, the Gùngáwá are the original inhabitants of Yà úrÃ.
They fled to the nearby Island of the Niger State in the mid 19 century
and eventually return to a new site called Yelwa or Gungu in Yà úri.
During the British regime, the status of Yauri as an emirate and of
Yelwa as the seat of the Emir of Yà úrà were confirmed (Hogben 1966:
259), both Yà úrà and Yelwa have become hausarized as a result of contact
with Hausa People (especially through marriage).
The
British create an emirate because of the multi ethnic groups in Yà úrÃ
however; the Gungu district of Yà úrà Local Government is now the centre
of the Gùngáwá population.
The Gùngáwá live in Islets and
shores of the Niger above Busa until the creation of lake Kainji in
1974 which disrupt their settlement and living outside Illo and Shabanda
in Kebbi State.
Population of Gùngáwá People
The
Gùngáwá people were about 40 to 60 thousand in population about 60%
lives in Yà úrà in Kebbi State, 35% lives outside Yà úrà town, 9% in
Kontogora, North of Busa and Borgu Local Government and 1% in Kaima area
in Kwara State. The population of the speakers in Yà úrà is referred to
as Yà úrawá or Reshewa’.
According to Apollos, Queen Amina of Zaria called them Yà úrawá but generally they are called Gùngáwá.
Among the Gùngáwá in diaspora, they sometimes call themselves Bárèshe (plural) or Úrèshe (singular).
Those that live in the riverside fields were onions, and for their
canoe building and fishing along the Niger are called Sórko or Sórókó.
They may be related to the Bozo of Mali, a western Mande group who are
professional fishermen.
However, Sórókó is now a name used to designate professional fishermen on the Niger river.
1.4 Socio-cultural Profile of the Gùngáwá People
The Gùngáwá has a social and cultural background that is unique and
typical of an African values especially in the area of marriage,
profession and communal work.
Also, the Gùngáwá wrestling
performed in the central plain ground at Yelwa district did not only
attract the peoples and passersby alone but an avenue for tourism.
Also, they make their way of live so simple according to Muazu but very
similar to the Hausas, their lifestyle is centered on the Emirate
system.
At this junction, the socio-cultural background
of the Gùngáwá people shall include their social, cultural, and
political system it will also include their profession or occupation,
marriage, naming, clothing, foods, festival, religions, burial ceremony.
The sociolinguistic aspect shall include language use and attitude,
language shift and the status of the language ( Gúngáncà ).
Sociol Life
The Gùngáwá lives a life similar to the Hausa as a result of long time
contact, only in the aspect of occupation they differ.
The Gùngáwá wear loose rope and relax with friends communal work is
peculiar among them on their farms. They create a round seat when eating
especially at leisure joints or during festival celebration, naming,
wedding or sallah.
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