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The Ashingin, or Kambari, people, are mainly found in Agwara, Magama, and Mariga LGAs in Niger State. Some live in Rijau, Wushishi, and Borgu LGAs of Niger state.
The Kambari people are one of the few nomadic tribes existing in Nigeria.
These people live their life without any worry of not getting any support from the government.
Those who visited the community found that they actually practice nudity as they see no big deal in it. Both male and female, young and old are walking about and going about their daily activities with little or no clothes at all.
According to the people, they have no need for education, primary health care, access to good roads, and other social amenities as they have never demanded for one from the government.
They prefer to use herbs in treating all their health issues. The only time they mix with outsiders is when they are in the market to sell their farm produce.
During their market days, where they sell agricultural produce, they cover their waist down in wrappers.
Here are a few things you should know about the Kambari people;
Language
In Niger state, the widely spoken language is Hausa but the Kambari people do not speak Hausa nor English. They have their own language which is the native Kambari.
Transportation
You will be surprised that in Kambari, the only sophisticated means of transportation are donkeys.
If you do not have a donkey, then you have to trek.
Development
This community seems to have been forgotten by the whole nation as there are no signs of infrastructural development and they are not even bothered. They are happy living their lives so simple.
According to The Sun, Mallam Mohammed Bello, a resident of Rijau town, who has a good history of the people, told its correspondent that since the creation of Niger State, no government has ever shown interest in the communities, and they have never been treated as indigenes of the state.
According to him;
“The two communities of the Kambari tribe have lived here for over 50 years without any reference to government and they are not worried because they have all it takes to care for themselves.
“The government only remembers them during political campaigns to seek votes and once the election is over, they are abandoned until the next rounds of election.”
“They cannot read and write and are not ready to embrace modernisation. They don’t care what government and other people will do for them.
“To them, their tradition is the best thing that has happened to them and they cannot leave it, no matter the pressure.”
“Missionaries and other organisations have been trying their best to reform them but could not succeed. They still stick to their beliefs.”
Religion
The Kambari people do not practice the most popular religions – Christianity or Islam. These people have their own god which they call Magiro.
Magiro is celebrated annually by the Kambari people. They believe in curses, witchcraft, and magic.
Occupation
The people are largely agrarian and nomadic. In the bush where they settle, they cultivate crops on a large scale, thereby feeding other people in their area.
The most popular crops produced are corn, millet, sorghum, rice, etc. They also rear cattle and livestock such as goats, chickens, and so on.
Marriage
The people cherish early marriage. Parents believe marrying off their children at a young age is the best gift they could give them. Men save up through their harvests and use the money to get married.
The people are said to marry themselves since no one understands their culture.
A man can marry up to four wives once he can take care of them. Marriage here is celebrated by slaughtering goats and cows for food while the parents of the bride cook food for the groom. Once the food is eaten, the marriage is contracted.
The most unbelievable fact about the Kambari people is that despite the number of rape cases in the Northern part of the country, and despite living their lives naked everyday, women in Kambari have no experience of rape by their men.
“It is unacceptable and unforgivable and our people are conscious of this,” the Mai Angwar (community head) of one of the communities, Gandi Kamuna, told Sun News.
According to him, men and women mix freely unclad because their nudity does not elicit any s3xual emotion. They are born into it and they are used to it. It is a normal way of life
“Moving around naked or half-naked is our culture and we don’t care what people say about us. We are comfortable that way because we find it normal, we don’t see it the way you see it. That is why we are not comfortable with influx of strangers to these communities.
“However, those who find their way into the communities must adapt to the way of life of our people so that they can live in peace. You can see that we don’t have police here but we are free from any form of criminality or social vices.
“Here, in our communities, what attracts men is not nudity. Our men are attracted by how women plait their hair, good manners, and the tattoos the young ladies have. This might sound funny to you but that is the truth.”
What do you think about this?
Would you like to spend a week in a community where there are no infrastructural facilities or even a network for browsing?
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