The Hausa are originally from an area known as "Hausaland," a region covering 75,000 square miles and straddling the borders of Niger and Nigeria. They first began to settle in Ghana about 500 years ago.

In the fifteenth century, the first Muslim traders from Hausaland arrived and settled in the northeastern section of Ghana. With the expansion of trade in the eighteenth century and the "holy wars" of Fulani in the nineteenth century, Hausa immigration to Ghana increased. Hausa traders, Muslim priests, and Hausa-speaking slaves helped to spread the Hausa culture in Ghana.

What are their lives like?
Since the fifteenth century, Hausa traders imported textile products, leather goods, metal locks, and horse equipment to the area of present-day Ghana. Until the beginning of this century, slaves, kola nuts, coffee, gold, and elephant tusks were the products that the Hausa traded in exchange.

With the expansion of trade, Hausa immigration into Ghana increased. Very few of the Hausa immigrants came to Ghana with wives. Instead, as soon as they began to make a living in any area, they would take local wives and start to build families. However, they would invite Hausa priests to settle near them so that their children would be educated in the Koran. This was done in order to reduce the influence of the children's non-Hausa mothers, and to keep the Hausa culture alive.

Hausa women are given less educational opportunities than men and are required to marry while still very young. They are often confined to the home, except for visits to relatives, ceremonies, and the workplace. They are primarily responsible for tending to the children and doing the household chores. This includes providing the water and fuel needed for cooking. In addition, they are expected to invest the rest of their time in some type of trade. The money earned is used in financing their daughters' dowries.

The Hausa are very industrious people and idleness is not tolerated among them. In fact, they have been known to hold down several occupations at the same time, such as positions in the military, trade and commerce, social services, and the spreading of Islam. In this respect, they have come to dominate the country in the areas of religion and commerce.

The national dress of the Hausa consists of loose flowing gowns and trousers. The gowns have wide openings on both sides for ventilation. The trousers are loose at the top and center, but rather tight around the legs. Leather sandals and turbans are also typical. Today, these gowns and sandals are still worn by the wealthy of northern Ghana; however, more people have begun wearing European style clothing and other tailored garments.

What are their beliefs?
The Hausa of Ghana are 99.9% Muslim. This is a high percentage in a country where only 16% of the population is Islamic. Both the Qadiriyah brotherhood and the Tijaniyah order have followers there. Nevertheless, the religious practices of the Hausa have been mixed with local traditions. For example, they believe in a variety of spirits, both good and bad. Pagan rituals include making sacrificial offerings to the spirits and to the spirit possessed. Most rituals are performed by family members, but specialists are called upon to cure diseases. The Hausa priests, or malams, are thought to have the best charms. According to the malams, different magical formulas have different effects. The priests claim to have cures for every aspect of human concern.

What are their needs?
Today, three missions agencies are working among the Hausa of Ghana; however, there are only 160 known believers among them.

Prayer Points

• Ask the Lord to send long term laborers to live among the Hausa and share the love of Christ with them.
• Pray that God will raise up faithful intercessors who will stand in the gap for the Hausa.
• Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect the small number of Muslim Hausa who have converted to Christianity.
• Pray that their traditional Muslim culture will soften, creating open doors for the Gospel to be preached among them.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to open the hearts of the Hausa towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
• Pray that God will reveal Himself to them through dreams and visions.
• Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Hausa.

See also the following related groups:
The Hausa of Africa (Cluster Profile);
The Hausa of Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, and Nigeria.

THE PEOPLE

• People name: Hausa
• Country: Ghana
• Their language: Hausa
• Population: (1990) 137,800
  (1995) 160,200
  (2000) 185,100
• Largest religion: Muslims (Malikite) 99.9%
• Christians: <1%
• Church members: 160
• Scriptures in their own language: Bible
• Jesus Film in their own language: Available
• Christian broadcasts in their own language: Available
• Mission agencies working among this people: 3
• Persons who have heard the Gospel: 65,800 (42%) Those evangelized by local Christians: 8,200 (6%)
  Those evangelized from the outside: 57,600 (36%)
• Persons who have never heard the Gospel: 94,400 (58%)

• Country: Ghana
• Population: (1990) 15,020,300
  (1995) 17,452,600
  (2000) 21,171,700
• Major peoples in size order: Ashanti 15%
  Fante 12.9%
  Ewe 10.4%
  Brong 3.9%
  Gurenne 3.3%
  
• Major religions: Christian 66.5%
  Ethnic religionist 16.9%
  Muslim 16.5%
• Number of denominations: