Hausa Films: Portraying Hausa Culture or a New Culture

 A young man seems to be in love with a girl and a few seconds later they are shown to be either singing a song or dancing and singing a song. I would ask: “What type of movie would this remind you of when we talk of the films of the 1980’s?” An Indian film of course!! 

But with the coming of Hausa films, I’m sure when one first reads it definitely it is a depiction of nothing other than our much loved Hausa films. Nowadays you would hardly hear Indian songs being played (as before) in places like Kano, Katsina, Maiduguri, Zaria and Sokoto. In their place and with more fervor we hear Hausa songs such as: ‘Sangaya’, ‘Dan-mazari’, Wasila’, and the many more famous songs that are sung and even memorized by many. Hausa films have become deeply rooted in the Hausa society such that there is hardly a house you would go to in which you wouldn’t find them in so far as there is the wherewithal to have a video player. 

Unfortunately, ever since their rise to prominence, these Hausa films have been blindly and inadvertently used to stage a revolution on the Hausa culture. For in fact much of what attracts the attention of the viewers and in a profound way impresses itself on their minds, does not constitute much of what is part of Hausa culture. 

The main theme of most Hausa films is ‘Love’ and it is here that misrepresentations and misconceptions arise for there is so much foreign material that has gradually been introduced. The total and resultant effect has been that where before in a proper Hausa socio-cultural setting, the issue of ‘Love’ and the relationships between the males and females was one that was surrounded by bashfulness (shyness) and moderateness, nowadays it has been exposed and is rife with suggestions of freeness and lack of shame and it is being digested (watched), and inculcated into our value system. And the worst part is that it is being watched by not only the mature amongst us but even the young who are impressionable to both sight and sound and in fact are in a stage of elevated curiosity due to their tender age and are very much prone to experimentation. 

It might be rightly argued that Hausa films do not have any sexual inclinations which would be the main cause of concern for anyone. That is right. But in other ways it is equally or more dangerously harmful for it is said that: “The enemy you know is better than the friend you do not”. The reason is that Hausa films are watched in atmospheres that usually consist of a large audience constituting family members ranging from the father down to the smallest child in the house. In such situations, there is language that is used on certain occasions and scenes that are inappropriate but it is not seen as being either odd or even inappropriate. Now it is this presumption of their harmlessness that makes them in a way as dangerous as even the American/Indian films that they have allegedly replaced. 

When one complains, the excuse readily given is that: at least now we no longer have the generality of people watching Indian films and American films that bring in negative cultural traits into our society. And some would just dismiss you as being too traditional and anti-social. Well it is these attitudes that are gradually eating away at our cultural fabric for they are giving indirect or silent approval which is also as bad as the actual offence of overt approval. 

What is happening to our cherished Hausa culture is that it is being substituted for another new one gradually and Hausa films are one of the instruments being used. The short-term effect is that for now people are culturally disoriented. Some people are confused and cannot distinctly identify what is part of their culture and what is not. And it is in this chaos that finding nothing definite, they would adopt anything that comes their way. In the long-run, what would happen would be that when people look back in History, they will find that nothing that was originally ‘Hausa’ in the sense of the word, can be found to be still existing.  

This is the main reason why at this ‘relatively’ early stage despite the harm that has already been done, there is a need for swift and effective steps to be taken to address the aforementioned issue. And on none other is the onus and duty to do so become more incumbent than the main agents of socialization, being it a social problem. 

Inarguably, the first and most concerned are the parents for as leaders of individual family units they determine through their actions or inactions, the orientation of their family members and taking a general view those of their society at large. 

The Media and the film industry itself as a whole working as a system is also poised in a similar stance with the responsibility of educating and inculcating knowledge about the values and culture of the society to which they belong rather than aiding in their destruction. The film industry in particular being the main object of discussion makes them the ones to be most concerned with this write-up for it is because someone cares about your well being that he would endeavor to tell you your faults. It is my belief that whatever harm might have been caused by their actions or inactions to the socio-cultural values of their society must not have been intentional and thus given the fact that a general warning is hereby being sounded (and as is being constantly highlighted by other more qualified and seasoned individuals than the writer), it is hoped that the industry would take heed. 

The government as an institution that regulates the society also in this line has to carry out its duty of upholding cultural values, promoting them and warding off any attack on the society’s well being and survival if only considering the fact that it (the government) owes this single responsibility because the society is itself the backbone of not only its legitimacy but also of its existence. 

In conclusion, I would want to note to every other individual concerned i.e. affected, even if he/she may not think so, that as a rational human being it is left to his own discretion to either fight for his values; be nonchalant and ignore any attack on them or aid and abet in their destruction. Whichever choice one makes does not matter for ultimately: “You only reap what you sow.”