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Durbar



Several northern cities in Nigeria celebrate the Durbar festival every year, including Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zazzau, Bauchi, Bida, and Ilorin, as well as others. In addition to being a cultural and religious festival, the Durbar festival is also an equestrian festival celebrated each year in several northern cities of Nigeria, such as Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zazzau, Bauchi, Bida, and Ilorin, among others. Besides marking the end of Ramadan, as well as marking the holiday of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitri for Muslims, this festival also marks the end of Ramadan.

The Emir and his group of horsemen, musicians, and artillerymen perform a colourful mounted parade after dawn prayers. There are many noble men who attend Durbar festivals as a way of paying homage to the Emir and reaffirming their loyalty to their respective emirates. The festival is held in Kano, the largest city in Northern Nigeria, since the 14th century. Featuring horsemanship, street parades, and opulence, the Kano durbar festival takes place over a four-day period.

In 1877, Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of colonial India in a ceremonial assembly known as a Durbar, which was of Persian origin. Hausas, however, use the term "Hawan Sallah" to describe the festival - Hawan meaning "Mount of Eid", in reference to the horse's mounting. The Jahi race is the Durbar's main race and the Hawan Daushe's last item on the program. A number of horse riders charge full speed towards the emir before abruptly stopping and waving their swords or flags as they depart. The Emir and his entourage move through a number of quarters housing historically important families before coming back to the palace via the Kofar Kudu gate for the Jahi - the horsemen's salute. Several gunshots are fired into the air by the Palace guards after the Jahi, signalling the end of Hawan Daushe Durbar.

Hawan Sallah - the Festival Riding, followed by Hawan Daushe, Hawan Nasarawa, and Hawan Doriya. The Durbar celebrations are most fascinating and impressive when the 'Jahi' is included in the Hawan Daushe. Hawan Daushe takes place in the Emir's Palace of Gidan Rumfa, the palace of the Queen Mother, and the Queen Mother's home.

Durbar Festival was prominently featured at Festac 77, the 2nd World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture. Festival events gradually lost their colonial origins, and were associated with pre-colonial traditions such as the use of horses in military ceremonies and the importance of horses in Bornu culture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durbar_festival https://artsandculture.google.com/story/kano-durbar-festival-nigeria-s-most-spectacular-horseparade/tQLi5tQ-fjobJA

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