AFRICAN CULTURE: The celebration of World Hausa Day serves as a reminder of the critical need to preserve and promote indigenous languages as catalysts for community empowerment and cultural pride.
August 26 marks the annual global celebration to honour the language, rich cultural heritage, traditions, and history of the Hausa people. They are one of the largest ethnic and cultural groups in West Africa, and can be found mostly in Nigeria and Niger, totaling between 50 and 80 million.
World Hausa Day, also known as Ranar Hausa, was founded in 2015 when Nigerian journalist, Abdulbaqi Aliyu Jari started the observance of Hausa as a digital social media campaign aimed at encouraging the use of the Hausa language online.
Hausa is spoken by tens of millions of people as a first or second language, thereby serving as a crucial bridge for commerce and unity across Africa and indeed the world. Although the celebrations are massive across West Africa, in places such as the historic centre, Daura – known as the cradle of Hausa civilization – the message around the importance of Mother Tongue has gained traction globally.
It has since expanded from mere online hashtag (#RanarHausa) into an international event celebrated on over 30 countries, and growing.
