Aspects Of Question Formation In Bura Language
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Aspects Of Question Formation In Bura Language
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
1.1 General Background.
The primary goal of this research is to discuss the various components of ‘Bura’ question generation. This chapter seeks to introduce the work by explaining some historical facts about the Bura people and the language itself.
Language assistants were used in the research approach. This chapter also examines the study’s justifications and scope. The chapter will also discuss the genetic classification of the Bura language and provide a brief overview of our selected framework, the Government and Binding theory.
1.2 Historical Background.
The Pabir and Bura are ethnically distinct, although both share the Bura language. They are the dominant tribes in the Biu and Shani local government regions. The Bura has a population of more than 250,000. Aside from Bura, they speak Housa, Chibok, and Marghi. A few people speak Fulfulde.
The Bura dwelt in northern Biu before being attacked by Yamta-ra-wala in the sixteenth century. Yamta’s small group of followers intermarried with the Bura, establishing the Biu dynasty as a monarchy.
Those derived from Yamta’s group were known as Pabir (Babur). This is why the Pabir and Bura have quite different cultures and appearances.
Until now, the Pabir are the governing class among the Bura, and all Bura villages pay homage to the Emir of Biu. The Bura continues to resent the Pabir.
Bura land is located on the Biu Plateau, which are highlands in northeastern Nigeria that encompass an area of approximately 2,000 square miles (5,200 square kilometres) and have an average elevation of 2,300 feet (700 meters).
The plateau’s highest point is Wiga Hill (2,693 feet (821 meters), and its most notable relief feature is the numerous well-defined, extinct volcanic cones.
Modern-day Bura dwell throughout Nigeria, and their ancestral home can be identified in the coloured areas on the Nigeria map.
1.3 Sociolinguistic Profile of the Bura Tribe
Each town has a distinct way of life. People’s eating habits, clothing choices, and modes of marriage differ throughout societies. The Bura people, like many communities, have a particular culture and heritage.
Bura is a mother tongue language spoken by the Biu local government in Plateau State. It shares borders with Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, and a number of other tribes.
Occupation
Bura people’s major occupation is farming. They practise both subsistence and commercial farming, although their primary focus is on land cultivation and crop growth for household sustainability. The Bura people’s major crops are maize, guinea corn, groundnuts and rice.
Religion
Before Islam and Christianity arrived in the 1920s, the Bura practiced idol worship as their traditional religion. Today, all three religions can be found among the Bura.
The Supreme Being (idol) is known as ‘Hyel or Hyel-taku’. They approach Hyel via ‘Haptu’. The Bura believe that Hyel created everything. However, Haptu is a personal God who cares for each individual.
The Haptu have shrines where they worship and make offerings. Gods are symbolised by a variety of items, including water (a lake or river), stones, mountains, and woods. Usually, a priest consults with the Haptu.
Saturday is a unique day since it is when the majority of sacrifices to God are made. Some gods serve specific clans, and there is no unifying form of traditional religion for the entire tribe. ‘Dlaninps kampeka’, a gigantic entity residing in space, is one of the Haptu. His chief priest is known as ‘Mthakur Haptu’. There is an mthakur haptu in every village.
The most frequent of the gods is symbolised by a covered pot held by a family head. At the start and end of the dry season, or during times of stress, the family leader adds a chicken to the stew for the health of his household. The cult is transmitted from father to son.
The practice of traditional religion has dropped significantly after the entrance of Islam and Christianity. Despite the presence of numerous cities and villages, Islam remains the prevalent religion among the Bura. Christians account for a modest share of the total population.
The religion percentages are roughly as follows: 78% Muslim, 20% Christian, and 2% traditional. There is some agreement between Muslims and Christians, which keeps religious tensions to a minimum in the tribe.
Housing
War and farming are the driving forces for the construction of dwellings on Bura land. The Bura used to live in huts. The main building structures are hay and mud buildings. Those who build with mud are considered civilised. Despite recent developments, people continue to utilise mud to build their homes.
Clothing
Prior to westernisation and civilisation, the Bura people dressed in animal skins. They fashioned themselves in a variety of ways using these skin materials.
For example, they fashioned shirts, pants, skirts, and so on; they even went so far as to carry their children in skin materials, which they mostly used to attach their newborns to their backs.
However, some Bura now wear cotton clothing, but others continue to wear skin materials.
Bura land currently practices two types of marriage: religion marriage (Islam and Christian) and traditional marriage. Bura people practise both monogamous and polygamous marriages.
When a female child is born in Bura country, a suitor may make a proposal by throwing a leafy branch from a specific tree into the female mother’s home. If he is accepted, he gives the daughter presents as she grows older.
He works on her father’s farm, making zana mats for them. When she reaches marriageable age, he gathers his buddies to apprehend her and bring her to his home. The remainder of the bride’s price is then settled, and the wedding ceremony plans are completed.
The bride is traditionally asked to produce a white cloth stained with proof of her virginity, which she may proudly display. Her parents will be embarrassed if she isn’t a virgin.
Another type of wooing in Bura land is for a boy to watch over the girls while they gather firewood or fetch water. When he sees someone he likes, he asks her to marry him, and if she agrees, he sends 8 or 10 strong men to capture her and bring her to his house. Then, the wedding ceremony is planned.
The Bura, like most African societies, had numerous attendant rites and initiations. One of these is the child’s naming ritual, which takes place on the seventh day after birth.
The Bura did not circumcise their boys until the practice was introduced in the 1920s. Boys in Bura country are circumcised around the age of seven.
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