13 Interesting Facts About the People of Tangale Ethnic Group in Nigeria

In this article today, you will get to learn 13 Interesting Facts About the People of the Tangale Ethnic Group in Nigeria. Firstly, it is important to note that the current-day Tangale tribe is a product of the amalgamation of different people of different tribes, origins, as well as locations.

13 Interesting Facts About the People of Tangale Ethnic Group

They migrated in search of a better life and now, they form the indigenous Tangale group. You will be learning about them as well as their resident state in this article.

13 Interesting Facts About the People of Tangale Ethnic Group in Nigeria

These interesting facts you are about to read about the people of the Tangale ethnic group in Nigeria will teach you about them;

1. State of Residence in the Country

Tangale people of Nigeria are one of the diverse and numerous ethnic groups that reside in northeastern Nigeria where there are situated in Gombe state Nigeria. Also, just a few of the population lives in Bauchi state where they live in small Tangale ethnicity.

2. Local Government Area

In Gombe state, they occupy the Billiri local government area, Kaltungo local government area, Akko local government area, and also Balanga local government area. While in Bauchi state they live in Futuk village of the Alkaleri local government area.

3. Population; Interesting Facts About the People of Tangale Ethnic Group

They are not the smallest people group in Gombe as well as in Nigeria, but in Bauchi their numbers there makes them one of the smallest tribe. Generally, they are up to 300,000 people in Nigeria as of the 2006 population census.

4. Language

Tangale is their language. It is their main and primary language. Though others may speak the Nigerian pidgin, the majority of them speak Tangale. Hausa is a very popular dialect in Gombe state and the Tangale people are very fluent in the dialect.

5. Religion

Present-day Tangale people now worship God and practice Christianity in their ways of life. But before their now-found religion, they have been idol worshippers since their origin.

6. Ethnicity is One of the Interesting Facts About the People of the Tangale Ethnic Group

Affinity Bloc: Sub-Saharan People

People Cluster: Chadic

People Group: Tangale

Ethnic Code: NAB60b

7. History

Currently, they now live in Gombe. They migrated and travelled a long distance before finally settling in their current settlement. They moved from Yemen through Egypt and then to Borno state before travelling through seven locations which are SanumKude which is near Ngazargamu travelling through Kupto and several other places and then finding a home in Gombe state.

8. Neighbouring Tribes

Before now, the Tangale people shared the same neighbourhood with the Tera people, Songom people, Kare-Kare people, Waja people, as well as Lunguda people. But after their migration to Gombe state, they mostly live with the Hausa tribe now.

9. Clans; Interesting Facts About the People of Tangale Ethnic Group

The Tangale people who live in mountainous areas have different class divisions. These are;

  • Banganje
  • Kalmai
  • Nathe
  • Tal
  • Tanglang
  • Tangatong
  • Todi

10. Politics

In Tangale there are Kingmakers who select and crown the king of the Tangale tribe. The King is known as Mai Tangale. Each Kingmaker must come from at least the seven clans and must conduct elections for the interested candidates for the Mai Tangale position.

This is done after the demise of the former Mai Tangale. Together the Tangale tribe have 15 traditional rulers which include the Kingmakers and the traditional councils which are all below the Mai Tangale.

11. Mai Tangale

Mai Tangale is the King of the entire tribe. Currently, Malam Danladi Sanusi-Maiyamba is the current Mai Tangale.

12. Food; Interesting Facts About the People of Tangale Ethnic Group

The Tangale people are identified by their local cuisine which is ar bayo. This food is a type of daddawa which is a bean cake.

13. Festivals of the Tangale people

There are six festivals of the Tangale people. They are:

  • Pissi Tangale festival
  • Bai Carnival/Palam Tangale festival or Dog festival
  • Eku festival
  • Wula festival
  • Pe Kodok festival
  • Pand Kungo festival

During these festivals, all clans of the Tangale tribe come together to celebrate and entertain themselves with different arts like dancing, wrestling and more.

Conclusion

As you now know, the Tangale people are very rich in culture as in economy. They may not be a very popular tribe in Nigeria, especially in the northeastern region but they are a tribe with a good tribal strength.

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