The Duka, also known as the Dukawa or Dukkawa, are an ethnic group in Nigeria with a rich culture and distinct traditions.

Location and Economy

• Geographic Region: The Dukawa are primarily located in the northwestern part of Nigeria. Their homeland is concentrated in the areas around the Yauri Division of Sokoto State and the Yelwa Division of the Kontagora Province, spanning parts of modern-day Kebbi and Niger states. The region is characterized by rocky, hilly terrain and rivers.
• Livelihood: They are traditionally a people of farmers and fishermen. Major crops include millet, guinea corn, maize, peanuts, and onions, which are grown along the fertile riverbanks. They also grow their own tobacco.

Language and Demographics

• Language: The Dukawa speak the Hun-Saare language, which is part of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family. They are linguistically and culturally close to the Kamberi people.
• Physical Traits: They are often described as a “fine race,” with men averaging just under six feet in height and women having strong, healthy physiques.

Culture and Traditions

• Martial History: The Dukawa have a history of being skilled fighters and hunters. Their traditional weapons included bows and poisoned arrows. Successful warriors wore black shirts and bracelets made from the skins of their victims.
• Initiation into Manhood: Unlike many Nigerian tribes, male circumcision is not a common practice. Instead, a boy’s journey to manhood begins when he is able to wrestle. Upon this achievement, his father gives him land to farm for seven years before he is ready to marry.
• Marriage Customs: Girls and boys often meet at wrestling matches. A girl can signify her choice of a spouse by sprinkling flour on the head of the boy she chooses.
• Traditional Dress and Aesthetics: Historically, women wore bundles of leaves around their waists, though this is modernizing. Traditional aesthetics included wearing brass rings in their lower lips and ear ornaments of red stone or silk. Some remote communities continue to practice the filing of teeth.
• Settlements: Many of their traditional settlements are defensive towns surrounded by high, strong walls, deep moats, and outer trenches with thorns, reflecting their history as fighters.

Religion

The Dukawa practice a mix of traditional beliefs and modern religions:

• Traditional Religion: The majority traditionally practiced animism and ethnic religions. They believe in a host of gods, witchcraft, and spirits, with a belief that at death, they join their ancestors. They are also known for rituals involving sacrifices to inanimate objects.
• Modern Influence: Due to contact with traders and other groups, a growing number of Dukawa have adopted Islam or Christianity.

The Dukawa culture is undergoing a process of modernization, with increasing assimilation into Nigeria’s broader, commercialized society, especially after a forced resettlement in 1968 due to the completion of the Kainji Dam Project.