Research Paper Sample on Kurama Tribe of Nigeria

The Akurmi people who are popularly referred to as the Kurama people are one of the tribes that have settled in Kaduna State, which is located in northern Nigeria. They are said to have originated from the Middle East (Yemen). This was about 600-700 year ago. They are said to have been led by King Kurderu who was also their spiritual leader and finally settled in Kaduna state (Echoes of Hope, 2015).

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The historical traditions or practices of the Kurama people are mainly based on their social groupings. The Kurama people are known to be made of various exogenous divisions. One of their traditions is the fact that one is not to marry from his or her division but intermarriage among the divisions is allowed. The Arerus who are people from one of the divisions, hold the cock with high regard and this is why there has to be the cleansing of a home when one of their women cooked a cock. This is just one of the various traditions that they practiced (Project Bunk, 2013).

The Kurama people as indicated above live in Kaduna state and to be precise in Lere area. This state is in Nigeria which is in the continent of Africa. This is a town that was established around 1850 and that is geographically located at the following latitude and longitude respectively: 10 degrees 39 north and 8 degrees 57 East. It is a place characterized by good climate.

When it comes to the linguistic patterns of the Kurama people, they are said to be bilingual. This means that the people of this tribe are able to speak two or more languages. Their original language is Kurama. However, they are also able to speak Hausa. The younger generation of the Kurama people are able to speak more Hausa when compared to the older generation. Through education, some of the people of this tribe are also able to speak English. Therefore, their ability to speak Kurama, English as well as Hausa makes them bilingual.

There are various subsistence activities that the Kurama tribe is associated with. One and the main one that they are known to undertake is farming. They are known to be subsistence farmers and this is their main economic activity. Besides that, they are also known to be involved in other subsistence patterns. These include livestock rearing, pottery, blacksmith activities, crafting and making of their local mats and brooms among others.

When it comes to the settlement patterns of the Kurama people, they are said to be living in various places. Statistics have indicated that they have spread across four states in Nigeria, approximately six areas of the Local Government, Nine chiefdoms and various districts. Therefore, it is important to note that the Akurmi or Kurama tribe are people that seem to occupy several districts in some wards in the various states they occupy with the majority occupying Kaduna State.

The economic system of the Kurama people is well tied around that of Nigeria as a country. Being that they occupy one of the states in the country, they are affected by the countrys economic systems. They are involved in small economic activities that are also their major source of income. It is from the activities they undertake that their economy is built.

The Kurama tribe as indicated above are known to be divided into divisions. One of their traditions as also indicated above is the fact that a person from one division cannot marry from the same division. This clearly indicates some kinship ties that exist among people of the same division. The Kurama people are also organized in clans or kindreds from which extended and nuclear families could trace their origins.

The marriage patterns of the Kurama people are in such a way that people in the same division are not to marry each other. When obtaining a wife, the normal mode used is that the man offers agricultural services as well as cash or any other form of payment that is agreed upon by the parents or the guardians of the girl in question (Project Bunk, 2013).

The father among the Kurama people is the head of the household and therefore male children were used to identifying ones descendants. The families among the Kurama people are known to live based on the values of respect for elders and social groups that carry out both political as well as religious roles. They also hold very highly Christian family values since most of them are proclaimed Christians.

The Kurama people as indicated above were people who were involved in activities that involved a lot of hand skills. They can be categorized as handy workmen and women. The various forms of art that they were able to come up with are not the actual paintings that people think of. Their creative skills were seen in the weaving of mats and their pottery activities among others. Their local mats were their signature form of artwork.

When it comes to religion, most people of the Kurama tribe are known to be Christians. When we consider Christianity, they are mostly Protestants. Statistics indicate that approximately 88% of the Kurama people are Christians. 6% of them are Muslims and the other 6% practice ethnic religion.

References

Echoes of hope (2015). The Akurmi of Southern Kaduna: a Historical Perspective. Retrieved from https://www.theechoesofhope.com/2015/10/11/the-akurmi-of-southern-kaduna-a-historical-perspective/. Accessed on February 14, 2017

Project Bunk (2013). Aspects of Noun Phrase In Kurama Language. Retrieved from http://www.projectbunk.com/project/aspects-of-noun-phrase-in-kurama-language/. Accessed on February 14, 2017