The Dughwede (Nigeria) |
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Name: |
The Dughwede are also referred to as ‘Ghwa’a’ or ‘Waha’ meaning mountains in Dughwede (Muller-Kosack 1996). First mentioning of ‘Waha’ is by Zimmermann (1906:462), who relates them correctly to the ‘Seledeba’ (Zelidva), but wrongly to the Margi. First mentioning of ‘Johode, Duhode, Dohode’ (Dughwede) is on Moisel’s map (1912- 13). Also Mathews (1934:4) refers to them as ‘Johode’ or ‘Azorvana’ (meaning ‘I said’ in Dughwede). Mathews (ibid) claims that ‘Johode’ is only the name of the place. Muller- Kosack (1999) informs us that ‘Johode’ is the Hausa version for Dughwede, and that Dughwede is the name of the founding ancestor of the Dughwede. Dughwede was the son of ‘Mbra’ or ‘Ngra’ of Turu. Wolff (1971:72) speaks of the ‘Dghwede’, Buchner (1964) of the ‘Truade’, J. Lukas of the ‘Toghwede’, and Rapp (1966) of the ‘Tghuade’. |
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Location: |
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The Dughwede occupy the central part of the southern Gwoza Hills, known as Gwoza Central District. Main administrative units are Kurana Basa and Ghwa’a. While Ghwa’a is the traditional name for the oldest settlement of the Dughwede, Kurana Basa is derived from a small ward of the same name. Kurana Basa as large administrative unit is traditionally referred to as Vaghagaya. While Korana Basa/Vaghagaya forms the northwestern part of Dughwede (facing the plain of Gwoza), Ghwa’a forms the eastern part of Dughwede (facing the plain towards the Cameroonian border. For a complete list of all Dughwede settlements see Muller-Kosack (1996). |
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Population: |
Muller-Kosack (1996:139) estimates that about 15,000 Dughwede live still in the mountains, while about 5,000 live in Barawa (settlement in the plains to the east) and Hambagda (settlement south of Gwoza in the plain of the west). The census 1963 projects for 1996 about 25,000 ‘Azagvana’ (Dughwede), while the census 1991 projects only about 12,000 Dughwede (about 10,000 in the mountains and about 2,000 in the adjacent eastern and western plains). The population density in Dughwede is quite high, maybe about 150 inhabitants per sq/km in the mountains (Muller-Kosack 1999). |
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Ethnicity: |
The Dughwede have an ethnic identity as Dughwede (sons of Mbra/Ngra of Turu). In a traditional context the Dughwede-Ghwa’a are considered as first comers, while those of Dughwede-Vaghagaya came later. There are various smaller groups who don’t derive themselves from Dughwede-Mbra, but become Dughwede. Such associated lineages/clans are the Himbe and Gudule, or the rainmaker lineage Gaske (Ske) and the peacemaker lineage Dagha (Muller-Kosack 1994, 1996). |
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The Dughwede are historically related to the Zelidva. The Zelidva live, like the Dughwede, in the highest parts of the Gwoza Hills (see page Zelidva). Although a large section of the Zelidva speak Lamang (as well as Wandala or Glavda), they don’t see themselves as Lamang, but as an independent ethnic unit of Dughwede descent. The Dughwede too report of Podokwa who formerly lived in the north- eastern parts of Dughwede, but who migrated to the Mora Hills some time ago. The Dughwede also claim close ancestral relationships with the Mandara. |
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Language: |
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The Dughwede refer to their own language as Dughwede but also as Azaghvana, meaning ‘I said’ in Dughwede (Muller-Kosack 1999). Wolff (1971:11), classifies Dughwede as a language of the Wandala group of Biu-Mandara (Central-Chadic). The SIL website ethnologue classifies Dughwede under Mandara Proper, sub-group Glavda (together with Gvoko, Glavda and Guduf). Blench (1999) classifies Dughwede under the Mandara Group A, Wandala cluster (together with Wandala, Mura, Malgwa, Glavda, Guduf, and Gvoko). |
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Literature: |
Main ethnographic literature on the Dughwede is Muller-Kosack (1994 to 1999) consisting of some published and unpublished pieces work (1994, 1996 and 1997) and extensive unpublished fieldnotes (1994 to 1998). Mathews (1931) gives a very brief description of the Dughwede. Wolff (1971 and 1974) presents some of his ethnographic material on the Dughwede. Wolff (ibid) also publishes on the linguistic position of Dughwede. Fricke (1978) has published the phonology of Dughwede. Muller-Kosack(1999) plans to write an ethnographic monograph on the Dughwede. |
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