A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

Sarikin Gwari is introduced among the Yan Kurimi, which Tremearne specifically distinguishes as spirits of the grove, rather than the bush or forest. He attributes some members to ancestors and others to animal-related origins, but does not establish a personal ancestor for this named chief. The account connects Sarikin Gwari with foolish behaviour through drink.

At the dance his representative walks with a long chief’s stick, sits on a stool, lights a pipe and smokes. The song places its singers in a war journey involving Gwari and Bauchi and expresses fear of a Gwari knife with a ring-shaped handle. Those lines locate historical language and political imagery in the ritual; they do not make the named spirit interchangeable with an actual contemporary people. His wife receives her own notice as Matan Sarikin Gwari or Ba-Gwariya.

Grove spirit chiefChief’s staffStool and smoking representationDrink associationWar imagery in song
01

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.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete selected spirit notice in chapter XXVIII, printed pp. 387–388; adjoining chapter context read.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    The Ban of the Bori: Demons and Demon-Dancing in West and North Africa

    A. J. N. Tremearne, collector and colonial-era interpreter · 1914

    XXVIII. Spirits of the Forest, Waters and Grove, pp. 387–388; ritual representation and attributed explanation.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Digitized historical ethnographic accountTremearne — Sarikin GwariResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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