Kwanka language

Kwanka, or Kwang (Kwaŋ), is a dialect cluster of Plateau languages in Nigeria.

Not to be confused with Kwang language (Chad).
Kwanka
Kwang (Kwaŋ)
Native toNigeria
RegionPlateau State, Bauchi State
Native speakers
20,000 (2003)[1]
Dialects
  • Kwang (Vaghat, Kadung)
  • Ya (Boi)
  • Bijim (incl. Legeri)
Language codes
ISO 639-3Variously:
jbm – Bijim
dkg – Kadung
tyy – Tiyaa
Glottologvagh1247

Varieties
Vaghat
PersonVaghat
PeopleAvaghat
LanguageTivaghat
Ya
PersonYa
PeopleAya
LanguageTiya

Kwang or Vaghat is the main variety. Others are Ya (Tiyaa) and Bijim.

Vaghat is perceived as distinct from Kadung. Mutual intelligibility between Vaghat/Kadung, Ya and Bijim is fairly low. Kadung and Bijim are more closely related to each other, while Yaa is more divergent.[2]

Kwang and Ya are endonyms, with loconyms Kadun and Kwanka for Kwang and Boi for Ya.

Distribution

The main settlements are Càmpàk, Kwànkà, Làrkà, Bùkòʃì, Wùyà, Gileŋ, Kùmbùl, Kaduŋ, Wùʃìmà, ɗə̀kdèy, Kwándarì, Rɔ̀k, Jàrkàn, Dùfyàm, Mícìji, and others. They are located in Pankshin LGA and Mangu LGA, Plateau State. Surrounding languages are Mwaghavul, Ngas, Pyem, and Fulani.[3]

Vaghat
See also: Vaghat people

The Vaghat originally lived in the following hill settlements in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro LGAs in southwestern Bauchi State.[4]

  • Akusha
  • Anjere (no longer inhabited)
  • Aruti
  • Dala
  • Goŋzi
  • Gwoɓi (no longer inhabited). There is a cave where the skulls of Vaghat ancestors are kept.
  • Kaduk (no longer inhabited)
  • Kudal (central village where the chief lived)
  • Kwafa
  • Maŋgar
  • Yaghap
  • Yalas
  • Yaŋ
  • Yɔghɔs (Yaush)
  • Yise
  • Zhindir

Today, the Vaghat have also moved to many towns and settlements spread across Bauchi State, Plateau State, and Kaduna State (mostly near Zaria).[4]

Vaghat highland clans are: Āyàlàs, Àyìtūr, Àtòròk, Āyīpàɣí, Āyīgònì, Àyàkdàl, Àyánàvēr, Āyàtōl, Àyàʒíkʔìn, Àyìʤìlìŋ, Áyàshàlà, and Àzàrā.[5]

Vaghat lowland clans are: Āyàlàs, Àyàkdàl, Àyàʒíkʔìn, Àyàgwàr, and Àyàgyēr.[5]

The Vaghat people also have a cave in a mountain where they keep the skulls of their ancestors.[5]

Further reading

References
  1. Bijim at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Kadung at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Tiyaa at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Blench, Roger. 2023. The Sur-Myet (Tapshin) language of Central Nigeria and its affinities. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  3. Blench, Roger. 2021. The Kwaŋ language of Central Nigeria and its affinities.
  4. Blench, Roger. 2022. Introduction to Vaghat language. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  5. Blench, Roger. 2022. Skull-cults and soul arrows: the religion of the Vaghat people. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
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