How Sallah durbar set Kano aglow

For three days since Sallah, residents of Kano lined up the streets to watch horse parades by their Emir, his councillors, servants and subjects Durbar is a spectacular horse procession festival organised by traditional rulers, especially the emirs in northern Nigeria. The royal parade takes place mostly during the two Sallah festivities (Eid al-Fitr and […]

For three days since Sallah, residents of Kano lined up the streets to watch horse parades by their Emir, his councillors, servants and subjects

Durbar is a spectacular horse procession festival organised by traditional rulers, especially the emirs in northern Nigeria. The royal parade takes place mostly during the two Sallah festivities (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) or when the emirs honour distinguished guests with a special treat.
The festival parades hundreds of men in colourful garments and other traditional regalia such as turban and decorated animal skin, riding horses well-bred and also beautifully adorned horses. The durbar has been held in Kano State for many decades until the late Emir Alhaji Ado Bayero, suspended it for two years due to his ill health between 2010 and 2012.
However, his successor, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi ll, restored the custom in 2014 after he ascended the throne. This special horse procession is organised in Kano by the emirate as a three-day affair and it comprises five different processions, namely the Hawan Idi/Sallah, Hawan Nassarawa, Hawan Daushe, Hawan Dorayiand Hawan Panisau.
Hawan Dorayi and Hawan Panisau are interchangeable. While Hawan Dorayi is conducted during the Eid-el-Fitr the Panisau durbar is held during the Eid-el Kabir festival. Traditionally, all the processions start with a special gun salute by the Yan Bindiga under the command of Maitafari, who is the Sarkin Yan Bindiga (leader).
The gun salute is a signal to the people of Kano and horse riders as well that the emir is about to embark on the procession, so that all horse riders mount for the trip round parts of the city and its environs. This is why this particular gun salute is referred to as ‘Bindigar daura sirdi’.

Hawan Idi/Sallah
This is a short trek by the emir and his entourage from the palace to the Eid-el ground at Kofar Mata in the morning on Sallah day. The emir and his entourage will join other Muslim faithful to observe the two Raka’at congregational prayer.
In compliance with the norm, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi ll had on the Sallah day (Wednesday, July 6, 2016) dressed in an all-white attire, led his entourage to the Kofar-Mata Eid-prayer ground for the yearly congregational prayer.  Shortly after observing the prayer, Sanusi rode a whitehorse and led the entourage back to the palace in a colourful horse procession.
The emir led his entourage back to the palace through a different route. But he stopped over at Gidan Shatima where he exchanged greetings with the state’s Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who was there with members of his cabinet and other dignitaries to receive the monarch.
Shortly after the pleasantries, the emir then moved to Kofar Kwaru where he stopped again and received the traditional greeting called Jahi from the children of emirs. There, he delivered his Sallah message to the people of Kano and finally retired home after the Yan Bindiga fired barrage
of shots signifying the end of Hawan Sallah.

Hawan Daushe
In the evening of Sallah same day, precisely around 4pm, the Yan Bindiga started the celebration with another gun salute signalling that the emir was set for the Hawan Daushe, the second segment of Hawan Sallah activities in the state.
Though both Hawan Sallah and Hawan Daushe processions are conducted same day, but the latter is much longer. While Hawan Sallah entails trekking from the palace to the Eid-el ground, Hawan Daushe on the other hand takes the emir and his entourage round the city of Kano in an attractive horse procession.
It was gathered that Hawan Daushe was introduced to Kano during the reign of Muhammadu Rumfa in the 1400s. This particular durbar is always avails the people of Kano city with an opportunity to see the emirduring Sallah festivities.
Unlike during the Hawan Idi, for this year’s Hawan Daushe, Emir Sanusi came out from the palace riding a she-camel. As usual he was surrounded by Giwar Sarki, a team of unflinching loyalist courtiers and special guards. The Giwar Sarki team comprises of the Shamaki, Sallama,Dan-Rimi, Kilishi, Sarkin Dogarai and Makaman Dan-Rimi among others.
Immediately behind the emir is a local band mounted on camels. The main function of this group of drummers is to make the procession lively. The procession was highly organized as it was conducted based on the hierarchical order of the district heads with each district head escorted by his people who also dressed in different colourful attires and riding decorated horses.
It was observed that the emir’s horse was located almost at the centre of the procession. The Yan Bindiga group leads the processions,followed by the Yan Kwalkwali, Yan Silke and then the Dogarai, the emir’s local guards.
Hawan Daushe was initially a short ride from the palace to a Gwangwazo quarters where the emir’s mother resided. It is the emir’s first outing during Sallah purposely to pay homage to his mother at her residence called Babban Daki. But as it moves on, the procession gets longer.
In compliance with the norm, Emir Sanusi kick-started this year’s annual Hawan Daushe from Kofar Kwaru riding a beautifully decorated she-camel. His first stop was at Asiya Bayero Hospital where he received greetings from his district heads and then led the entourage round the city. They passed through Sabon Titi, Galadanchi, Diso, Tudun Wazirchi and finally stopped at Babban Daki where he disembarked, went into the house and greeted his mother.
While he was with his mother, the district heads and other horse riders moved to Kofar Kudu and waited for him in an organised manner. On his arrival, the emir stays at a particular spot and received Jahi from the district heads and other horse riders, Jahi. This procession is also called Zagaye, meaning going round.
During the procession, the emir stopped at almost every ward and received cheers from the crowd that had been waiting for his arrival.
It was observed that series of mini dramas by musicians, dancers and drummers also took place while the procession was in progress.
As usual, the durbar ended with series of Dane gun salute shot by the Yan Bindiga.
Hawan Daushe is one of the most attractive events during the Sallah periods in Kano. It always attracts diplomats from across the globe,who converge on Kano to witness the beautiful cultural event every year.