Hausa literature
Hausa literature is any work written in the Hausa language. It includes poetry, prose, song, music, and drama within the culture of the Hausa. Hausa literature includes folk literature (much of which has been transcribed), and provides a means of recording, preserving, and transmitting knowledge—often in an entertaining fashion—especially in regard to social, psychological, spiritual, or political roles. Hausa works are classified based on poetry, prose or drama. Such works are then categorized according to historical periods, or their adherence to certain aesthetic features or genre. History. Works of Hausa literature have reportedly been in existence  since the 14th century, when the Hausa people began to write their scriptures. Originally, the Hausa language was written in an Arabic script called ""Ajami"". At the time the Hausa had no means of preserving their works in archives for the future. Early literature. Early poets included Ibn Al-Sabbagah and Muhammad Al-Barnawi. Other early Hausa writers using the Arabic script were Abdullahi Sikka and Sheikh Jibril Ibn Umar. Rekindled interest. Works of the early Hausa literature were re-discovered by a jihad issued by Shehu Usman dan Fodio in the late 19th century. Elites of that period (royalists  and Emires) became enamored with the literature, and many immersed themselves in it. It was in this period of time that the Hausa people closely studied Islamic and Arabic literature. Royalists such as Usman dan Fodio, Muhammed Bello, and Nana Asmaʼu possessed many Islamic writings and works, all written in Ajami, Fula, or Arabic. During this revival, Islamic books were often written in Ajami, but by then scholars had a means of archiving their works for future generations. From about 1800 to 1930, all Hausa books and writings were written in Ajami script as a result of deeply rooted Islamic  influences. Following the coming of British colonials in 1904, when the Hausa people were forced into Western-style education systems by their colonial masters, most Hausa became accustomed to reading and writing using Latin script. There are many religious writings by Usman dan Fodio, and his younger brother Abdullahi dan Fodio, remaining from the nineteenth century. Nana Asma'u, daughter of Abdullahi Fodio, is considered one of the greatest women writers in northern Nigeria history. Hausa novels were first introduced to the Hausa people during the Colonial rule in Nigeria, when the Northern and Southern Nigerian Protectorates were amalgamated. During the  post independence period, the first novels of the early 20th century written in Hausa were the result of a competition established by Rupert East in late 1933. Under the auspices of the Translation Bureau of Northern Nigeria, many educators, writers, and academics engaged in a Hausa competition. The competition was won by Abubakar Imam with his debut novel, "Ruwan Bagaja" (meaning "The Curing Water"). Later that same year, the bureau published another book, this one by Muhammadu Bello Kagara, titled "Ganɗoki", which helped encourage future writers and readers of Hausa. Years later, the bureau published another Hausa book, Magana Jari  Ce, by Abubakar Imam. Modern Hausa women publish a genre of Hausa literature known as 'love books' ("littattafan soyayya"), that are often narrated by them over the radio. Modern usage. The drama form of Hausa literature is intended to show a performance of an actor during a gathering. The process in Hausa cultural literature involves a combination of music and dance that takes place in a ""Dandali"" (or 'opera'). Unlike the English and Greek opera houses, the Dandali is an open place without assigned seating. The play is performed verbally by a playwright, and mainly comprises a dialogue between characters  and the playwright. The modern-day style of Hausa literature was established in 1999 by Hausa-language cinema, from that time the cultural drama was abandoned by most Hausa natives in villages and towns due to the advancement of communication technology the population experienced. Noted Hausa writers. Islamic writers are categorised according to the year they have lived. Renewal period (19th – 21 centuries). Muslim Hausa scholars were discovered in the 19th century when their literary style once again became famous among Hausa Muslims.