عنوان

Hausa Calligraphic and Decorative Traditions of Northern Nigeria:

Number

LA111033

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

Hausa Calligraphic and Decorative Traditions of Northern Nigeria:

General Material Designation

[Article]

Other Title Information

From the Sacred to the Social

First Statement of Responsibility

Mustapha Hashim Kurfi

Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.

Leiden

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Brill

Text of Note

In the past, sacred Islamic calligraphies were used strictly in sacred places, whereas profane calligraphies were used in secular spheres. However, the trend now among some Hausa artists is to extend the sacred Islamic calligraphic tradition to the social domain. Some Hausa calligraphers do so by "desacralizing" their Islamic-inspired calligraphies. This article deals with the extension of Islamic decorations to secular social domains in Kano, Northern Nigeria. Such works are produced by calligraphers like Sharu Mustapha Gabari. I show how Hausa calligraphers like Mustapha Gabari creatively extend their arts, talents, and skills to other social domains. These domains include the human body, clothing, houses, and other objects. This article describes the ways in which the sacred and the secular realms overlap, and illustrates some key processes of enrichment the Islamic arts have undergone in sub-Saharan Africa. These processes exemplify the ʿAjamization of Islamic arts in Africa, especially how sub-Saharan African Muslims continue to creatively appropriate and enrich the Islamic calligraphic and decorative traditions to fit their local realities and address their preoccupations. In the past, sacred Islamic calligraphies were used strictly in sacred places, whereas profane calligraphies were used in secular spheres. However, the trend now among some Hausa artists is to extend the sacred Islamic calligraphic tradition to the social domain. Some Hausa calligraphers do so by "desacralizing" their Islamic-inspired calligraphies. This article deals with the extension of Islamic decorations to secular social domains in Kano, Northern Nigeria. Such works are produced by calligraphers like Sharu Mustapha Gabari. I show how Hausa calligraphers like Mustapha Gabari creatively extend their arts, talents, and skills to other social domains. These domains include the human body, clothing, houses, and other objects. This article describes the ways in which the sacred and the secular realms overlap, and illustrates some key processes of enrichment the Islamic arts have undergone in sub-Saharan Africa. These processes exemplify the ʿAjamization of Islamic arts in Africa, especially how sub-Saharan African Muslims continue to creatively appropriate and enrich the Islamic calligraphic and decorative traditions to fit their local realities and address their preoccupations.

Date of Publication

2017

Physical description

13-42

Title

Islamic Africa

Volume Number

8/1-2

International Standard Serial Number

2154-0993

Subject Term

African Studies

Subject Term

ʿAjamization

Subject Term

Calligraphy

Subject Term

Decoration

Subject Term

Desacralized

Subject Term

Enrichment

Subject Term

Hausa

Subject Term

Religion

Subject Term

Sacred

Mustapha Hashim Kurfi

Call Number

10.1163/21540993-00801003

Electronic name

p

[Article]

275578

a

Y