Origin of the Ancient Hausa Music Kidan Shantu

Updated: Sep 15, 2022
By Ameenah Gumbi
Ebira Pet Names That Will Gladden Your Partners Heart

Ebira Pet Names That Will Gladden Your Partners Heart

Ebira pet names are for people whose partner is an Ebira person. Are you in a relationship and want to express romantic feelings for your significant other? You need to name your love. You want to be able to call them by name, and you want to be able to express your...

30+ Hausa Romantic Names You Can Call Your Partner

30+ Hausa Romantic Names You Can Call Your Partner

These romantic Hausa names are the best way to show your spouse how important they are to you in an endearing way. These names make your spouse know they matter and are very special to you. As a Northerner, how do you develop romantic Hausa names for your significant...

30+ Southern Kaduna Names That Are Easy to Remember

30+ Southern Kaduna Names That Are Easy to Remember

Southern Kaduna names are easy and simple to recall. Even though some names are just too complicated and difficult to pronounce, here are a few southern Kaduna names that are easy to remember. Kato AchigabaJanet DuniyaYohanna GagarauBintu MutuwaBala BwachatBakam Allah...

30+ Christian Hausa Names You Should Know About

30+ Christian Hausa Names You Should Know About

Christian Hausa names are mostly names of prophets or their companions or Arabic-derived names pronounced and written in Hausa. There are also infrequent names that are from original Hebrew that are written in Hausa. Christians bear Muslim names that don’t have...

Tags:

The Hausas have been performing Kidan shantu since before they even come into contact with other people, making it an ancient tradition. The connection to people, however, has caused some alterations to the structure and flow of the Kidan shantu. Kidan shantu is mostly sung by women in large gatherings, mostly during weddings, naming ceremonies in Hausaland, or other festivities.

These days. Songs sung by Shantu’s daughters fall into this category. You can hear them singing along with the shantun song every time they blow. Like other music performed by women, shantu music is performed voluntarily. Women perform shantu music because they are driven by passion.

What is Shantu?

The shantu is a musical instrument played on the body using the feet and is created from the leaves of a spreading plant. When Shantu emerges, it spreads like a pumpkin but is tall and lean. They are then dried and utilized as musical instruments after being harvested and split inside by creating doors above and below.

There are two primary categories of shantu:

  1. Traditional Shantu: This kind of shantu, which is planted, and divided into two doors, is the one that was known to our parents and grandparents. For this one, there are several different designs.
  2. Modern Shantu: This is a metal shantu modeled by the Farfaru people. This particular shantu makes a distinctive sound when blown.

When is Kidan Shantu Played?

Kidan Shantu is one of the tunes that young ladies play when a bride is about to get married. She is always taken to her husband’s house with her shantu so she can sing for him.

Nowadays, girls also sing shantu songs to pass the time during study breaks in boarding schools. Because they add English words, their music differs from the traditional ones.

Numerous groups continue to perform shantu music nowadays. For instance, the Shantu Association of the Kano State Historical and Arts is a well-known group for its shantu songs and performances in other countries.

Conclusion

While Kidan shantu is an ancient tradition amongst the Hausa people, where ladies gather to sing songs during festive occasions using a traditional instrument, the practice is quickly dying. It will take the combined effort of all involved to revive this dying culture.

Popular Reads

Everything on JUMIA

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Whats new?
15+ Unisex Hausa Names You Can Name Your Child

15+ Unisex Hausa Names You Can Name Your Child

Have you ever wondered how to find a gender-neutral name for your baby? One of the many ways you can do that is to name your baby with unisex Hausa names. Some people might want to consider a unisex name for their baby. This does not necessarily mean that the name has...

How NASA Space Station in Kano Helped Put the First Man on The Moon

How NASA Space Station in Kano Helped Put the First Man on The Moon

Did you know that a NASA space station in Kano state in Nigeria was crucial to the success of the Apollo mission, the first mission which landed a human on the moon? Let me tell you how it happened. How NASA Space Station in Kano Helped the Apollo Mission In 1958 at...

The Forgotten Story of Kabo Air

The Forgotten Story of Kabo Air

Kabo air was one of the Nigerian charter airline companies popular in the 90s to 2000s. The Kano-based airline which provided Hajj charter services is now largely forgotten. What happened? Here is the genesis. Origin of Kabo Air Kabo Air was established in February...

100 Kanuri Names and Their Meanings in English

100 Kanuri Names and Their Meanings in English

Kanuri people are one of the ethnic groups in North-East Nigeria, with a lot of cultural heritage and rich history. With an estimated 3 Million speakers in Nigeria alone, mostly in Borno and Yobe states, the Kanuri people are one of the largest ethnic groups in the...

50+ Fulani Names and Their Meanings in English

50+ Fulani Names and Their Meanings in English

Fulani names in Nigeria are very unique. From the female Fulani names to the Fulani male names, each has its own meaning. The Fulani are one of the cultures that have not abandoned their traditions just like the Hausas have their traditional Hausa names hence still...

The Intriguing Story of Fulani Dress Styles

The Intriguing Story of Fulani Dress Styles

The Fulani dress styles are very beautiful and well-recognized, just like the Hausa royal attires. The Fulani culture itself is a well-known diverse and rich one. The Fulani are a member of a pastoral and nomadic people of mixed African and Mediterranean ancestry with...

The Evolution of Polo in Northern Nigeria

The Evolution of Polo in Northern Nigeria

The general metamorphosis of Polo in Northern Nigeria is as fascinating as the sport itself. It started as a sport only the elite male royals partook in. Now, a mark that any member of society can decide to participate in really talks about how polo has evolved and...

Why the Famous Groundnut Pyramids in Kano are No Longer Functional

Why the Famous Groundnut Pyramids in Kano are No Longer Functional

Egypt usually flashes people’s minds whenever they think about the word pyramid. But then, it will baffle you to learn that it wasn’t only Egyptians who were skilled when it comes to constructing pyramids. Countries like Sudan, Peru, Mexico, Spain, Rome, China et al,...

Explore more

You May Also Like…

No Results Found

The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.