Yauri Rigata Festival
The over 200-year-old Rigata Festival of the Yauri people is an elaborate and spectacular event. Yauri is an ancient kingdom with a rich cultural heritage located in Kebbi state, northwestern Nigeria. It is considered one of the most important states of the Hausa-speaking people and the chief trade centre in northwestern Nigeria. Although a small emirate, it is a powerful Kingdom in the South of the Sahara and borders Nupe to the South and Kebbi Kingdom to the North.
The Yauri Rigata Festival is celebrated annually in March. The festival often begins with fascinating displays of cultural dances, music, wrestling, acrobatics, and traditional magic shows, followed by captivating water sporting competitions. The festival initially started as a display of naval strength of the Gungu people, where the Gungu warriors annually attacked dangerous hippopotamus that was destroying farmlands. The warriors boarded various sizes of canoes with weapons to attack the animal on the River Niger. This activity required expertise and strength in canoe paddling and naval warfare. Sometimes, it served as a training exercise for upcoming Gungu warriors.
However, after the ban on Hippopotamus hunting in the 19th Century, the Rigata festival became a colourful display of wealth, power and influence during wedding ceremonies. It showcases the bride and her entourage who are escorted in beautifully decorated Jirgin Amarya safely to the Riverbank, accompanied by traditional music.
Highlights of the Festival
Rhythm and Beats
The Rigata festival features prestigious displays of traditional dance moves and traditional music dating back to 500 years. Traditional instruments used include drums, flutes and pipes.
Cultural Dance
Each community has a unique dance move often displayed at the festival.
Rawan Ubayan Dancers
Beautifully adorned dancers are seen performing dance moves unique to their community at the festival.
Cultural Inclusion
Yauri is home to cultures from other parts of Nigeria. The Igbo community for example are given a place in the festival to showcase their culture.
Young Gungawas
At the Rigata festival, energetic young men and women participate in various events either as contestants of the sporting activities or as inventors showcasing their inventions.
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Plastic Bowl Race
Young boys are placed in floating plastic bowls, and at the blow of the whistle paddle with their hands towards the finish line.
Round Gourds Race
Contestants display expertise, balance and stealth as they race towards the finish line. Round gourds are mostly used in northern Nigeria as floating devices for short movements and fishing.
Canoe Race
This includes two categories of contestants, the female team and the male team. The race begins about half a kilometre away from the riverside. Contestants are flagged off as they race towards the bank while officials are lined up along the bank to identify winning contestants as they arrive. Each team includes 10 participants. The first three teams to arrive at the riverside are declared winners
The Beautiful Ending
After the sporting activities are over, the bride’s boat ‘Jirgin Amarya’ arrives at the festival ground with her entourage. This is accompanied by singing and dancing while the bride is led to the groom. There, she receives marital blessings and is united with him.
The Rigata festival is well attended by young people who want to preserve tradition.