Trip to Nigeria: Gerewol Ceremony and Hausa Emirates

Gerewol Ceremony

The nomadic Pulo people, known as the Mbororo, perform an annual Gerewol near the town of Dutse. It is the most beautiful in Nigeria. For their celebration, the young men will decorate their faces and put on their best clothes with the aim of flirting and attracting young women. We will enjoy the songs, dances and performances that they perform during the ceremony.

Hausa emirates

We will visit different Hausa emirates with the aim of getting closer to their culture, learning about their customs and admiring the traditional architecture. We will have the pleasure of meeting with different royal families. We will try to understand their current role within society.

Kano Emirate
It is the richest and largest and is the second oldest in Nigeria. The walled city of Kano takes the traveler back to medieval times, when it was an important center of global trade. We will take an urban tour of the old town. In it we will visit the central mosque of Kano, the gateway to the old city and the Kurmi market (the oldest in Africa that is still active). Lastly, we will visit the dye wells and tanneries, vestiges of ancient trades that have survived to this day.

Zaria Emirate
It is the oldest in northern Nigeria. We will find another walled city that houses beautiful old architecture. We will walk through the central market and the old town to enjoy the atmosphere. We will discover different architectural treasures, such as the oldest Christian church in Nigeria, built entirely in adobe.

Dutse Emirate
Previously, it was part of the greater Kano Emirate. We will be received by the Emir of Dutse and his guards will escort us to the old palace. There we will have an official meeting with His Royal Highness and members of the palace. We will walk through the small but beautiful walled old town of Dutse and attend a traditional boxing match. We will also visit a small Hausa village. There we will meet a family that has several hyenas as living fetishes.

Durbar
We will have the opportunity to witness the historic Hausa military parade, known as the Durbar. Dozens of horsemen will pay homage to the Emir with a parade through the streets of Dutse. The royals dress up for the occasion in their best outfits and decorate their horses. We will end this special day with a dinner at the palace with the royal family and the nobility of Dutse.

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The trip is designed for lovers of Africa, animist religions and ethnic groups. Click here to easily reach the itinerary download form.