Abstract
This paper investigates the
cultural and political significance of traditional occupational titles within
the Kano Emirate, focusing on their roles in sustaining the emirate’s
socio-political order. The study pursues two core objectives: first, to examine
the status of occupational titles in the Kano Emirate; and second, to analyze
the specific functions of the Chief of Butchers (Sarkin Fawa), Chief of Bone Setters
(Sarkin Ɗori), Chief of Builders (Sarkin Gini), and Chief of Blacksmiths
(Sarkin Ƙira). The research is grounded in the Structural Theory of Culture,
whose foundations can be traced to Ferdinand de Saussure’s structuralist ideas
(Dobie, 2002; Hassan, 2015). The framework is further enriched by the
contributions of scholars such as Auguste Comte (1853), Herbert Spencer
(1876-1896), Emile Durkheim (1893-1984), Max Weber (1946), A. R.
Radcliffe-Brown (1952) and Bronisław, Malinowski (1944), all of whom advanced
structuralist interpretations of culture and society (Mahuta, 2000; Otite,
1978). Methodologically, the study combines textual analysis of secondary
sources including books, theses, and journal articles with oral interviews
conducted among individuals knowledgeable about the Kano Emirate. Findings
demonstrate that occupational titles remain central to the emirate’s cultural
identity and governance structure. In particular, the offices of Sarkin Fawa,
Sarkin Ɗori, Sarkin Gini, and Sarkin Ƙira highlight how the specialized crafts
were historically institutionalized within traditional authority systems.
Keywords:
Role,
Socio-Culture, Occupational Titles, Tradition, Emirate, Kano.
DOI: 10.36349/alqajolls.2026.v01i02.015
author/Musa Suleiman & Dr. Aisha Umar Adamu
journal/AL-QALAM JLLS 1(2) | June 2026
