Traditional Hausa Sports: Dambe & Kokowa
- Lanu Agusto
- Sep 4, 2021
- 1 min read
An interesting part of any culture are the sports people engage in. I didn’t experience any sports during my time in Kano but it seemed like a largely unknown aspect that would be great to talk about.
In Hausa, boxing is called Dambe, it is also referred to as martial arts. The participant’s hands are wrapped by cloth and tightly covered by a knitted cord.
There are three rounds. The aim is knock your opponent down or get them to concede. A player can also win by getting their opponent too weak to continue participating. In the olden days, dambe was practiced in preparation for war. Today, it is done as a sport for entertainment and during festivals.
Another sport at the heart of Hausa culture is Kokawa, which means wrestling. So many other ethnic groups in Nigeria also have local wrestling as a sport. What makes wrestling more interesting in Hausa culture is that Kokawa is still used today as a means to get married. The men compete and only the strongest man is allowed to marry. I’m really curious about how this works.
I hope one day I can see experience some of the traditional sports for myself. There are a lot of competitions during festivals in different parts of the country.
Photo credit: Salamba4U
The other two pictures were taken by me in the Gidan Makama museum in Kano.
One of the best things about the https://accessbet.org.ng/app/ is how user-friendly it is. Even if you’re new to online betting, you can navigate easily, check odds, and place bets in just a few taps. The app also sends updates and notifications, which is perfect for staying on top of live games and offers.
Martial arts, it's a pretty interesting sport. Each nation has its own look and technique. You can try to predict the outcome of the match. For accurate forecasts, you need to take into account many factors: team shape, player injuries, tactical changes. Experienced forecasters analyze the statistics of past games and the current dynamics of matches. I was recommended a betting resource called melbet nigeria. Online platforms and mobile apps provide up-to-date odds and event information, enabling timely decision-making. This approach makes the forecasting process exciting and intellectually enriching.