Tashe: Once-famous Hausa traditional pantomime now vanishing

Simply called ‘Tashe’, the once-famous, ages-old Hausa traditional pantomime performances take place during the month of Ramadan. Kick-started yearly from the 10th day of the month, it is mostly done in the evenings, after breaking of the fast. In some communities, it is also performed in the daytime. Mostly performed by boys and girls between […]

Simply called ‘Tashe’, the once-famous, ages-old Hausa traditional pantomime performances take place during the month of Ramadan. Kick-started yearly from the 10th day of the month, it is mostly done in the evenings, after breaking of the fast. In some communities, it is also performed in the daytime. Mostly performed by boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 10, sometimes even adults join in for fun. 
As the name connotes, ‘Tashe’ was originally derived from the word ‘Tashi’, Hausa for ‘wake up’. According to the Executive Secretary, Kano State History and Culture Bureau, Alhaji Ibrahim Mu’azu, the traditional pantomime was introduced as a means of waking people up to eat their pre-down meal, ‘Sahur’. He explained that as time went on, the tradition was modified. 
Mu’azu pointed out that courtesy of these changes, the tradition has over the years been a means of informally documenting some aspects of Hausa/Fulani culture, as well as a source of entertainment for men during the day, and for women at night. He added that because the tradition always goes in tandem with civilization, modern-day Tashe is full of dramatic content, reflecting contemporary events.
As a result of the rich dramatic content in Tashe performances, people always look forward to Ramadan, to witness the latest performances by creative youngsters. Tashe performances vary from one Hausa community to the other, especially in the contained messages.
Mu’azu told Daily Trust that another important aspect of the tradition is that Hausa people also used Tashe to divert the attention of the populace from political, social and economic predicaments. “For instance, after the civil war, a new performance, called ‘Ngozi Uwar Ojukwu’ was introduced, to make people forget the difficulties they faced during the war,” he said. He, however, attributed the fading of Tashe to the issue of insecurity within the region in the last six years, adding that the strong attachment between the young ones and Western influence is also another contributing factor. 
Daily Trust observed that although the tradition has no gender disparity, in typical Hausa society boys and girls are not allowed to perform Tashe together. Rather, each gender has unique types of pantomimes to perform.
Malam Iliyasu Yakubu of Unguwar Yari, Katsina, is a popular performer of the Tashe set called ‘Karo Ba Shawara’, which has been in existence in Katsina for over 50 years. He has been practicing it for over 20 years now. His unique style, onstage charisma, and colourful manipulation of Hausa, attracts many to his shows. Dressed like a traditional Hausa warrior with amulets dangling on a rope around his waist, two swords slung on his shoulder, bow and arrows in one hand and a small axe on the other, he cuts the image of a fearless warrior.
Crowned with a raffia cap decorated with feathers, Yakubu entertains his audiences, singing and dancing deftly. He is most times accompanied and aided by other performers who make the show even more compelling by using traditional musical instruments. His set, as Daily Trust observed, told the story of a man married to two wives, Fatima and Rabi. The duo playing Fati and Rabi are actually men dressed up as women, adding more humour.
According to Yakubu, ‘Karo Ba Shawara’ was brought into Katsina from Sokoto by one late Malam Muhammad Fori who migrated in search of Qur’anic education. “After he died, his son Malam Bature – also late – succeeded him but died after practicing for several years. I succeeded Bature and I have been performing it for over 20 years now,” he recalled.
Sadly, Tashe is gradually fading from Hausa communities, even as Daily Trust searched many days for performers before finally sriking luck with Hafiz Bashir and his group performing the very popular ‘Ka yi Rawa Kai Malam’ in Giginyu Quarters.
In an effort to mimic a local malam in the play, Hafiz appeared with a white beard, dressed with in a Babbar Riga and white turban, holding a slate tasbah. Other members of the group also dressed as typical Hausa people with white beards. In the pantomime, they accused Malam (Hafiz) of dancing (which he’s not supposed to do as a cleric), while he disputes it in a comedic way. As the performance winds up, Malam however ends up dancing in public despite his initial denial.
Hafiz told Daily Trust that his mother taught him how to perform Tashe, which he does simply to entertain and make people happy. Appreciative – and happy – viewers sometimes give him gifts, including money. But it’s not always rosy, as sometimes the group gets chased away by people who do not appreciate the tradition, or find the jokes within distasteful.
Back to Mu’azu, he said the Bureau has concluded arrangements to stage a Tashe session in various place during this Ramadan, including the Emir’s palace, Government House, and others so as to acquaint people with wholesome traditional entertainment.
A lecturer in the Department of Hausa Language at Sa’atu Rimi College of Education, Alhaji Mukhtari Sadauki, said the history of Tashe could be traced as far back as the time of Islam’s coming to Hausaland. “After the coming of Islam, scholars have preached for the importance of pre-down meal during Ramadan fasting, making Muslims anxious about it. As a result, youth took it upon themselves to wake people up every morning for the Sahur,” he said, adding: “And at that time they were doing that through singing and dancing, with some drummers. However, children on the other hand, who were always told about the happenings during Sahur time, became interested and started imitating the grown-ups, organising their own plays and pantomimes at night after breaking of the fast, with a view to entertaining their parents.”
But, Sadauki added, sometimes the tradition becomes a source of concern to traditional leaders following complaints about the attitudes of some youths who sometimes turn Tashe to a violent affair, even sparking turf rivalries. So the local authorities made it a rule that no-one is allowed to perform until on the 10th day of Ramadan and after the Sarkin Gwagware hoists his flag which signifies the commencement of Tashe. “And anybody who violates the rule would be sanctioned,” he added.
However, Sadauki explained to Daily Trust, Tashe was not only meant for entertaining Hausa community. Rather, it is another way of exposing Hausa culture to the rest of the world and at the same time preserving them. “In addition, each Tashe contains a particular message. If you take ‘Ga Mairama Ga Daudu’ for instance, you will discover that it entails the responsibilities of husband and wife in the community. It also highlights types of Hausa food because in the play Mairama, the wife, mentions various key Hausa foods.” He also said in the play ‘Ga Danda Dokin Kara’, the performance highlights the importance of a visitor in Hausa culture, always received with hospitality and honour.
In the background, the laughter of performing youngsters and a cheering crowd of entertained viewers reminds of what Tashe is meant to bring during Ramadan, generally: Happiness.