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Overview
Gajere Mai-Dowa is translated as Dwarf of the Forest. The notice names Jigo as his father but says that the son is the greater hunter. His general appearance and hunting representation resemble Sarikin Bakka’s, and some informants identify the two, while others maintain a distinction. The separate name and explicit father relationship support keeping this witness visible without claiming that all accounts recognize two completely independent beings.
His announcement identifies his father, and the song repeatedly asks where he shot an animal, answering with the pupil of the eye. A hartebeest is named first, followed by other animals until he leaves the ring. The offering specified for him is dwarfed fowls. These details distinguish the hunter’s particular praise and offering from Sarikin Bakka’s notice, even where the performed hunting actions are said to be the same.
Origins & earliest records
A. J. N. Tremearne combines interviews and descriptions of bori performances with comparative interpretation. These selected notices do not consistently name individual speakers; printed attributes are distinguished from his conjectures.
Records & interpretation
Complete selected notice in chapter XXIV, printed pp. 344; chapter read through its ending.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
The Ban of the Bori: Demons and Demon-Dancing in West and North Africa
Chapter XXIV, printed pp. 344; complete attributed spirit notice and representation.
Family, evolution & connections
Jigo’s three expressly named children
Tremearne’s selected 1914 historical Bori notices, pp. 343–346.
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Individual notices explicitly name Jigo as father of Gajere, Dan Jigo and Mahalbiya. No mother is named. The generic praise Father of the Hunters does not add all hunters as offspring. Disputed Gajere / Sarikin Bakka identity is not harmonized. These are attributed historical religious relationships, not biological phylogeny or a universal contemporary doctrine.
Ba-Toye’s named parents in one qualified witness
Tremearne’s selected 1914 historical Bori notices, pp. 350–351.
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- Gajere + Uwar-Dowa (two stated parents; identification qualified)
Prose explicitly names Gajere and Uwar-Dowa as parents; the song separately names the mother. Joint-parent root groups two individuals. The collector admits confusion over Gajere / Kuri identity; this tree retains Gajere rather than merging alternate names. Uwar-Dowa refers to the forest-aspect naming scope, not every Doguwa manifestation. These are attributed historical religious relationships, not biological phylogeny or a universal contemporary doctrine.
Doguwa
The Doguwa Na Gida notice says that under the Mai-Inna name she is sometimes called Gajere’s wife. This is a qualified town-aspect relationship; it is not merged with the forest aspect’s parentage or all Kuri marriage reports.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Digitized historical ethnographic accountTremearne — Gajere Mai-DowaResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
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