Dala Hill and the first Hausas in Kano

So let’s start in the beginning.

I don’t really like talking about the history of the ethnic groups because so much is contested. I don’t know what is true and what isn’t so please don’t come for my head.

The history of the Hausa dates back millenniums especially because they are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, also living in Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Sudan, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. However, in Nigeria people always start Hausa history with a man named Bayajidda.

Bayajidda was said to have come from Baghdad around the 9th century. When he arrived in Daura (where our president is from 👀) he asked for some water and the town’s people told him there was a snake in their well and the snake only allowed them to fetch water on Fridays. Bayajidda killed the snake and as a reward he was offered the queen of Daura as a wife. With the queen, Bayajidda had seven sons but he also had another seven sons with a mistress. These 14 sons were sent to form different Hausa settlements in Northern Nigeria.

However, it is believed that it was one of the grandsons of Bayajidda that founded Kano. His name was Bagauda. While visiting the Gidan Makama Museum, the guide explains a little history of the Hausas.

He explains that the first Hausas in Kano arrived around 999 BC and first settled on Dala Hill.

Like many other groups at the time, the first Hausas in Kano settled on the hill because it was safer and easier to defend against outsiders. Today, you can see almost all of the ancient city of Kano from the hill. It was a short walk up, about 5 minutes but yet such a great vantage point. In the video, my guide will tell you more about Kano, the first Hausas in Kano and the different hills they lived on.