01 · Explore
Who are the Hausa? Origins, legend and identity
A language spoken by tens of millions, seven founding states and a legend that explains them: Hausa identity is older than any one empire, yet it has always been open to newcomers.
Start here. Four short pages answer the first questions: who are the Hausa, how old is their language, what does the famous legend say, and why is “Hausa” such a flexible word?
In this chapter
01A language, a homeland, a way of life
Where Kasar Hausa lies, what the language is, and why every number is an estimate.
2 min read →
02Deep roots: language and genes
Chadic languages, the green Sahara and what DNA can and cannot say.
2 min read →
03The legend of Bayajidda
A prince, a serpent, a queen and the two sets of seven states.
3 min read →
04Becoming Hausa: an open identity
How people joined the Hausa world, and why the word is never simple.
2 min read →