Abstract
Slave in Hausa cultural perspective is an attempt to provide an acceptable definition of the terms ‘slave’ and ‘slavery’ in Hausa societies. The meaning of ‘slave’ and ‘slavery’ in Hausa language is very much different to other linguistic families of sub-Saharan Africa. The paper concentrates on the linguistic and cultural connotations of Hausa perception of ‘slave’ and ‘slavery’. In the methodology, folklore and orature of Hausa people was found to be very useful. In the analysis, classification of slaves and grouping them on historical and cultural sources were fairly treated. The linguistic universality of the terms ‘slave’ and ‘slavery’ is undisputable. However, the Hausa concept of ‘slave’ and ‘slavery’ is slightly in conflict with the colonial perception of the terms. Alas! A legitimate slave in Hausa cultural perception must be a person physically and mentally alerted, defeated and captured in war/battle preferably at battlefield, purchased or inherited to same sources. Slavery is a situation of being a slave with all the atrocities attached therein.
Author: Bunza, A.M.
