Gwari and Their Body Decoration
Posted: Thursday, November 05, 2009
by Rahaman Onike
BACKGROUND : Gwari as ethnic nationality originates from Kaduna , in the Northern part of Nigeria . They were the original settlers of Gwagwalada in Abuja . The first settler was an hunter who was on expedition to Paikokun land, a thick forest in Abuja . Paikokun was the name of the mountain where the first settler inhabited. Historically, Gwari People do not have geo-historical ties with either Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba as ethnic groups. The traditional occupation of Gwaris is farming.
In terms of dressing, Gwari people usually dress like Hausas and they have predominantly Muslim population. In the traditional era, Gwaris used to go to market naked. Any time they are at home, Gwari women do tie wrapper. They plant cotton on their farms, the materials of which they use to fabricate their traditional cloths.
In the area of language, Gwari people are linguistically different from Hausa in dialect and pronunciation. They also experience difficulties pronouncing "R". They don't attach any meaning to colour of their dressings. Also, there is high rate of illiteracy among Gwari people.
BODY DECORATION :- This is an act of body beautification. Body decoration is a popular practice among Gwaris and the practice is still being sustained up till date. Body decoration can take the form of tattoo, piercing of certain parts of the body like nose, ear, abdomen etc. Traditionally, Gwari women do body decoration to attract men.
Body decoration has aesthetic values. It increases honour and respect of the doer. Body decoration is essentially done for easy identification. Before it could be done, consent of the doer needs to be obtained.
In certain circumstances, the spinsters among Gwari ladies use body decoration to scare potential suitors by wring the name of their would be husbands on their hands. Gwari people believe that by writing the names of their proposed husbands in their hands is not only for decoration but also a from of oath or covenant to marry the person whose name was written in their hands. Another important body decoration among Gwaris is facial mark. The idea of facial mark became prominent among Gwari people during the second world war for easy identification.
Essentially, body decoration and dressing among Gwaris do not have spiritual attachment. The type of body decoration a person does is a matter of preference. Animate and inanimate objects are designed as body decoration. Names of ones heroes, friends, relatives and lovers could be written to decorate the body.
Body decoration could be done by self or by the specialists. The instruments for body decoration are blade, niddle, and lamb smoke. Due to advert of science and technology, the body decorators now use halogen to heal the decorated spots. The body decoration healing process takes two to three days. The use of "laali", a common herbal/medicinal leaves is becoming prevalence nowadays among Gwari people as material for body decoration.
As a matter of fact, the parts of the body that are exposed such as hands, legs and face are usually decorated. There is different designs suitable for each part of the body. Body decoration is exclusively meant for mature women.
By:- Onike Rahaman.
FreelanceWriter & Editorial Consultant
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)wow,d info here waz veri helpfulGOOD PIECE! But I disagree with the statement in paragraph three that gwaris used to go to market naked. In the history of gwaris there is no any evidence to prove that they used to move naked talkless of going to market naked. Even before the coming of white people in to this country, gwaris used to have their own special dress weaved by them. And that they do not have unique color, i think that is not true, the gwaris clothings most of the times reflect black and other not too bright colors. As for the fact that they are illiterate, it depends on what you mean, i know very well that there are professors and doctors among them, the problem there is that how do you differentiate an educated gwaris from Hausa or northern tribes, certainly you should know that an educated gwari woman should not go to market with her loads on her back.
good article but i dont believe they dont attach any meaning to the colour of their dressings. you should have highlighted that the native colour of their woven wrapper is dark blue. surely this must have a significance. and when you say they are illliterate, in what exactly are they literate? the gwari people have a very rich culture and though i am not gwari, i know that there's a lot about them that people do not know about.
i agree with some the statements but the should equally study the kambaris in niger to see similarity with the gwaris culture
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