MASHI LOCAL GOVERNMENT

DUTSEN BAMLE

            Dutsen Bamle is a rock situated between the village of Kasanki and Majigiri, about fifty kilometres north of Mashi town, the headquarters of Mashi Local Government area. According to some sources, the rock got its name from the surrounding are which is popularly called ‘Bamle’. Another source says that the name of the rock was derived from the Fulani word ‘Bamle’ which means ‘come let us move around’. The people who reside close to the rock are predominantly Fulani. According to sarkin Fulanin Bamle, the village head of Birnin Kuka, the Fulani settled in the are in the early part of the 19^th century. However, before they arrived, there were some Hausa people living in neighbouring villages such as Kasanki, Majigiri and others.

            Dutsen Bamle accupies a very important position in the political, social and economic development of Katsina, particularly during the formative years of the Kingdom. According to Dr. Bala Usman, a renowned historian, “One of the focal point of this development was the Dutsen Bamle, one of the few sources of iron ore in the area, and a market that was held at a nearby place known as Rugan Najandarawa. The market, or more appropriately a trade fair, attracted traders from the region of Gazawa to the north and was linked with the area of the Birnin Daura by a route which went via the Dajin Zode (bush). The commodities on cotton, indigo and textiles. The pottery came from the area of Ajiwa, grindstones were obtained from the area of Kwata near Mani, while iron ore mined at Dutsen Bamle’.

            The iron mining site at Dutsen Bamle was one of the major sources of raw material for the iron workers at the neighbouring towns of Matsai and Lafiayaro. The ore was mined during the dry season. The work was done by groups of people, usually ten in number. After obtaining the ore, the workers used the Rahoniya (iron foundry) to smelt the iron. The Rahoniya was molded from clay in the form of a local granary, and allowed to dry. A ditch of about 20ft was dug and filled with grass, four structures known as ‘Duddubai’ were built around the ditch. A large quantity of charcoal was put through the Duddubai. About five baskets of charcoal were put in the Rahoniya, followed by nineteen baskets of raw iron ore on top of which logs of firewood were placed. Fire was made and allowed to burn until the ore smelt into iron. It normally took five to ten hours before the ore turned into liquid iron. When the iron had smelted, it usually made a loud noise. This was a signal for the smelters to look through the Duddubai to the inside of the trench to see whether or not the ore was smelting properly. If it was found to be bad, the whole process was repeated. But when it was good, the liquid iron was allowed to remain in the Rahoniya, while the waste products would soak away through the grass underneath.

            After the completion of this process, the smelted  iron was allowed to cool in the Rahoniya for two or three days before it was removed, normally in a big round flat shape. The smelters called this finished product ‘Buya’. Blacksmiths came to buy the iron for making farm and war implements as well as household items. The Lafiayaro iron centre is said to have attracted iron workers from as far as Kano.

            Another significance associated with Dutsen Bamle is that it was a major centre for the mining of Koalin. In the olden days Kaolin was used for white-washing houses and decorating calabash, thread-making (Kadi), women tattoo etc.

Beside its significance as an iron and kaolin mining centre, Dutsen Bamle also had spiritual significance. It was reported that in the past, people from various walks of life used to visit the rock for the fulfilment of their worldly aspirations. They prayed and offered items which included clothes, food and money. From this information, it can be deduced that the rock possibly served in the pre-islamic days as a centre of Hausa traditional religion which involved the worshiping of spirits which were regarded as supreme beings having influence over human affairs.

Similarly, the existence of a bunker or underground shelter suggests that the rock might have been used for defence purposes. From the available records, the neighbouring kingdoms of Gobir and Zinder which lie to the north-west and north-east were hostile to Katsina particularly in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Therefore, Bamle rock situated to the north-east of Birnin Katsina, might have been used by the rulers of Katsina for strategic defence purposes in those days.

At present, Dutsen Bamle provides a healthy environment for relaxation, particularly for tourists who want to explore a typical Katsina countryside. The atmosphere around the rock is cool and peaceful. The surrounding area is inhabited largely by Hausa and Fulani herdsmen whose social, cultural and economic configuration has not changed much from what was obtained in the past. The climate is comparable to what is obtained in most parts of northern Nigeria, and falls within the Sudan savannah belt.

Source: Katsina State History and Culture Bureau