Dukanci: Oldest Hausa profession on the verge of extinction
Dukanci (local shoemaking), one of the oldest Hausa professions, is on the verge of extinction. This is so because most of the dukawa (shoemakers) died without training people who would possibly take over from them. And their children have abandoned the profession. Dukanci is a profession that deals mainly on leather for making local shoes, […]
Dukanci (local shoemaking), one of the oldest Hausa professions, is on the verge of extinction. This is so because most of the dukawa (shoemakers) died without training people who would possibly take over from them. And their children have abandoned the profession.
Dukanci is a profession that deals mainly on leather for making local shoes, sheaths, zabira (bags for local barbers), amulet covers and leather decoration for locally made hats, largely used by Fulani herdsmen.
In the past, you would see dukawa in every nook and cranny of the North and their stalls were located in every market.
In a typical Hausa setting, most professions are often passed on from parents to children, but despite its history, dukanci is becoming an exception to this tradition as the new generation seems is not interested in it.
Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that this profession is being threatened by extinction because the youth are unwilling to carry on the tradition. This may not be unconnected to the fact that, as a result of the advent of civilisation, the trade is no longer lucrative as most of their clients are no longer patronising them. Lack of patronage on the part of the society does not also help matters as only few people use amulets, wear local shoes and use locally made sheaths.
Apart from dukanci, many other Hausa professions such as dyeing, wanzamci (local barbing) and a host of others are also threatened by extinction.
Sauwanu Baduku, who is the only surviving shoemaker (baduku) in the Kankarofi area of Katanga town in Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State, said that while growing up, residents were either shoemakers (dukawa), dyers (marina) or weavers (masaka), but now, there’s no dyer or weaver in Kankarofi. Baduku said he was able to keep the tradition because he took after his father. He added that the traditional shoemaking was his source of livelihood; hence he could not abandon it. He said that as a result of western education, most of his siblings had chosen other careers.
Baduku further said he was able to hold on to the trade because he introduced some modernity into it.
He added that even Fulani herders who largely patronised them in the past are no longer interested. “In the past, Fulani herders would ask you to work on their raffia hats, sticks and machete sheaths, but they no longer do that,’’ he said.
According to him, as the only baduku in his locality, he only concentrates on raffia hat leather decoration, saying he gets supply of hats in large quantities from Hausawa and Wudil villages, which he would work on by improving their quality and decorate with leather.
Baduku explained that he supplied his products to Adamawa, Gombe, Plateau states, as well as Cameroon because there’s a large number of Fulani herders in those places.
“When we were growing up, the entire area of Kankarofi was full of activities as the youth and the elderly were engaged in one trade or another. We all knew our backgrounds and the profession we belonged to.
“Civilisation, as a result of western education, has taken a heavy toll on our ancestral occupation as most of the youth who are supposed to sustain it have secured jobs in the cities.
“The trade was left only for the aged, and when they all died, it also died naturally. When we were growing, a lot of families were dukawa, but now it is all history.
“The society too did not help matters as there is no patronage. People no longer use local knives that require locally made so ab bards as they no longer use locally made shoes (fade). Even the herders that patronised us for decorating the sticks, machetes and hats are no more there for us.
“The profession has suffered some heavy blows, such that one can no longer survive on it. Nobody comes for our services anymore. In this situation, if such a profession goes extinct one will not be surprised,’’ he said.
Also, Mallam Mato Musa, 70, told Daily Trust on Sunday that dukanci was the major trade in their days as they all took over from their parents, adding that in those years at the Karofi area (dyeing pits), there used to be masaka, marina and of course, dukawa.
He further said the entire practitioners of the various trades usually converged under one tree in the town to work. He said community work was a common feature among the various workers, adding that many communities benefitted a lot from this practice.
On why the trade is under the threat of extinction, he blamed parents for not passing it on to their children. As a result of this, children do not look at the trade with dignity, he said.
“It is disheartening that we are allowing our root to go into extinction, just like that. I would have loved to see a situation where the elite among our children are coming up with a solution capable of saving the disturbing situation,’’ he said.
Uzairu Danbalanda, 60, abandoned this ancestral profession for carpentry. He is the eldest in the only family that sustained the trade in Kankarofi.
On why he left the trade for another, Danbalanda said it was not deliberate but a mere coincidence, adding, however, that he still engaged in dukanci but only when his brother, who is now the only known baduku in the town, is not around.
“It is not that the profession cannot sustain one, but people abandoned it because of civilisation. Many other professions came on, and as you know, by nature, human beings love new discoveries,’’ he explained.