Kano’s dambe culture refuses to die

With modernity putting to the sword many African cultures, local boxing popularly known as Dambe has bodly marched into the new millennium and retained its traditional style and characteristics as practiced in ancient times. The arena is fenced with old roofing sheets, with the ring at the middle demarcated by white ropes tied around erected […]

With modernity putting to the sword many African cultures, local boxing popularly known as Dambe has bodly marched into the new millennium and retained its traditional style and characteristics as practiced in ancient times.

The arena is fenced with old roofing sheets, with the ring at the middle demarcated by white ropes tied around erected poles with leather mats spread at the centre where the gladiators battle. The spectators sit on benches placed round the ring while many others stand.

With a gate fee of N200, not fewer than three thousand people troop in to enjoy the spectacle.

A dambe coach, Mohammed Bashir Danliti explained that there are no official weight classifications but usually competitors in tournaments are fairly matched in size. One fist is wrapped in pieces of cloths the other is left bare.

“In the fist, the boxers wrap all sorts of things given to them by their fortune tellers. The strength of one’s soothsayer and his prowess determines his victory in dambe. These diviners are worshipped by the boxers, their words are deemed ultimate and their projections seriously believed. The unwrapped palm supports the boxer in defense during a fight. Also, one leg of a boxer is often wrapped in a chain, and the chain-wrapped leg is then used for both attack and defense. The unwrapped leg can also be used to kick with the aim of causing the opponent to either touch the ground or knocking him out completely. When this is done, a round is completed and the person who falls or touches the ground is said to be killed in dambe parlance,” coach says.

He further explained that there is no specific time to consider a dambe match over because it is determined by technicalities.

“Once no contender is killed, three rounds are allowed and if at the end, no winner emerges, the game is considered drawn. A normal dambe round is determined with what we call turmi, meaning, exchange of blows by the contenders and a complete game is made of turmi uku (three rounds of blows)” he adds.

Malam Dankarami is a champion who has triumphed in different tournaments. He said traditionally dambe was exclusive to butchers and fishermen but now it has been opened to other class of people.

“The situation now is unlike what obtained years back when only sons of butchers and fishermen took part in dambe, a lot of us are not from such families and have found ourselves in it and I tell you we are doing it just perfectly. We rub shoulders with those who think dambe was peculiar to them and in many instances even defeat them”.

Another of the new breeds is Shagon Degree. His mouth bruised by blows from a dambe bout he said:  “ I came from a hunters’ family but here I am doing the trade of others even better and my dream is to be a renowned boxer, like Shago, I want to keep records of bravery and victory in dambe” Shagon Degree said.

He further said he has set a target for himself to retire from dambe once he gets married, which he hopes to be in a year’s time. On whether he must achieve his aim by that time, he said, “So far so good, I think I have achieved a lot and hope to realise my dream within the next one year” he assured.

Shagon Degree’s battered mouth is a testament to how dangerous the sport can be. Some contestants have lost their lives, others severely injured. Others take pride in never having been seriously damaged. One of them is Sarkin damben Borno, Nura Bata Jamu Ba.

He said he was crowned Sarkin Dambe some years back and boast that he has never been woefully beaten to the ground such that people had to help him up. “I can say this anywhere, I have in several instances been defeated in the ring but certainly not such that I lie completely on the ground but whenever I kill anyone, it’s as if it were a car on high speed that hit him,” he proudly said.

Spectators’ delight

Spectators throng the venue in droves and some of them have the fun of their lives watching the spectacle.

Aliyu Kusa, an avid follower of the sport admitted to being  addicted to dambe. “Honestly, I feel incomplete any day I happen to miss this. It is one of the best ways to release tension of the day to day activities. I believe it is one thing that can prevent hypertension,” he said

Another fan, Ibrahim Usher said he can afford to gamble any amount once his champion is in the ring. “Just like football, we watch this game with keen interest. Gambling anything one owns has become the order of the day and that I have done in several occasions where I win some and lose others but the joy of it is that tomorrow is another day, therefore, one can always recoup.”

The Sidekicks

Dambe is usually accompanied by drumming and songs by professional singers specialised in the field. One of the entertainers who spoke to Sunday Trust , Alhaji Sarki Hussaini na Mai Koso has been in the business for 17 years. He said he inherited the trade from his father, late Sarki Hussaini na Mai Koso. He added that he makes an average of N3, 000 from his performance per day.

Other businesses thrive on account of dambe. Marijuana is a common stimulant used and delears profit at the arena. Cigarette and kolanut sellers make brisk business while free women make themselves amply available. To some, dambe is more than a sport, it is an addiction.