Nazarin Kwatancin Al'adun Mutuwa Tsakanin Al'ummar Hausawa da ta Ga’anda

Abstract

This paper titled 'Comparative Study of Hausa and Ga'anda Funeral Traditions, in Gombi of
Adamawa State; examines the similarities and differences between Hausa Muslims and Ga'anda
Christians regarding the customs of funeral traditions. The reasons of this research is to expand
knowledge, not for these two communities but to the nation at large. Books were consulted,
observation as well as interviews with cultural experts on handling the deceased from both sides
were also used as data collection methods. The paper brings to light some aspects of the history of
both two communities (Hausawa and Ga'anda) and the areas they are similar and differs ranging
from announcing the death, bathing, clothing, grave digging and mourning to the widowhood. In
the end, the research found out the similarities between showing grief and widowhood, and the
difference is that the Hausas often give charity for the repose of the soul of their dead, while the
Ga'anda do not. Then the Ga'anda dress the deceased with clothes that potray their position in the
church and put him in a box and their widows wear black clothes as well as males who’s their
wives died too undergoes widowhood traditions and a widow male or female can ask to shorten
his or her period of widowhood if he so wish, while in Hausa people were not, and so on.