Yandang People of Nigeria: Traditions, Culture, Festivals & History

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Every culture holds within it a mirror to humanity’s creativity, resilience, and sense of belonging. Among the Yandang people, tradition is not just remembered; it is lived. Their way of life offers a rare insight into how communities can preserve identity while adapting to change, how rituals can carry history across generations, and how spirituality can deepen our understanding of the unseen forces that shape existence.

This blog provides valuable insights into their world, where farming transcends mere survival, marriage serves as a bridge between families, language serves as a memory keeper, and festivals serve as sacred renewals of life itself. To follow the Yandang story is to discover lessons about kinship, resilience, and balance that remain just as relevant today as they were centuries ago. By the end, you will not just learn about a people; you will understand why their traditions still matter in a rapidly changing world.

 

Traditional Systems of the Yandang People

The Yandang people are primarily farmers, with guinea corn as their staple crop, complemented by the rearing of farm animals. Farming is not only central to their survival but also a reflection of their cultural identity, tying them closely to the land and its seasonal rhythms.

In the Yandang culture, marriage emphasises parental consent. A suitor presents a “Mou” (an iron once used for tools and weapons) to the bride’s parents; its acceptance signifies approval. This is followed by negotiations over the bride price (hinlengki) and wah-konag (a hut for the mother-in-law or its equivalent). Traditional marriage items include yams, beer, guinea corn, a kansuki (a ceremonial dance rod), a ram, and two he-goats, symbols of prosperity and respect.

In Yandang culture, the first child (marrah) belongs to the mother’s family, unlike in many Nigerian groups that trace lineage through the father. A firstborn son is raised and initiated by his maternal relatives, who also handle his marriage and burial, while they oversee a firstborn daughter’s bride price and burial. This marrah system fortifies kinship bonds, guaranteeing reciprocity and equilibrium among families.

Their naming system also preserves memory and history: children are named after circumstances of birth, such as Bonzinbaba (“no more guinea corn”), given during challenging times, or Tansiye (“good news”), marking moments of joy. These traditions reflect a society deeply connected to family, land, and collective memory.

 

The Yandang Language

The Yandang language, also known as Yendang or Maya, is an Adamawa language spoken in eastern Nigeria, particularly in Adamawa and Taraba States. It belongs to the Mumuye, a Yandang subgroup of the Niger-Congo family, reflecting deep historical ties with the neighbouring Mumuye people.

Although Yandang is the primary language of the people, the name “Maya” has been proposed to represent a broader cluster of closely related languages spoken in the region. This highlights the rich linguistic diversity of the Yandang and their neighbours, where variations in associated dialects and tongues weave together into a shared cultural-linguistic heritage.

According to Blench (2009), the classification of the Maya (Yendang) cluster is as follows:

• Maya (Yendang)
• Bali, Kpasham
• Waka, Yendang (including Kusheki), Yoti
• Teme
• Gengle, Kugama, Kumba (Sate, Yofo)

This classification shows that Yandang is not only a language but also part of a larger network of related tongues, underscoring its importance in understanding the cultural and linguistic landscape of Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

 

Leadership and Governance Among the Yandang

Traditionally, the Yandang lived in a democratic and egalitarian society with no kings or chiefs. Authority rested within families, where the oldest male presided over essential decisions affecting communal welfare. Age grades reinforced social organisation: groups of initiated, circumcised men who formed a military class. These groups safeguarded the community from external threats and maintained law and order in the village, guaranteeing both security and equilibrium.

Modern history, however, brought change. In 2018, the Yandang people suffered devastating attacks by suspected herders, leading to the tragic loss of life and displacement. In response to this crisis and years of marginalisation, the Taraba State government created a chieftaincy institution for the Yandang. A traditional ruler, now recognised as the Chief of Yandang, was appointed to represent the people, giving them a unified leadership structure within the wider Nigerian political system.

This transition reflects both the resilience of the Yandang and their ability to adapt, moving from a system of egalitarian self-governance to one that blends tradition with the demands of modern statehood.

 

Festivals of the Yandang People

Festivals play a central role in Yandang culture, serving as moments of spiritual renewal, community bonding, and cultural continuity. They are not just occasions for celebration but also opportunities to honour the ancestors, mark life’s critical stages, and strengthen unity among the people.

 

Herra Yawhithi (Yandang Day)

Celebrated once a year at the ancestral mountain, this festival marks the beginning of the rainy season in May. Here, the people gather to pray for a fruitful harvest and protection throughout the year. People view the mountain as sacred, establishing a connection between the living and their ancestors. Through prayers, songs, and communal gatherings, the festival renews faith in both the land and the spirit of the forebears.

 

Bhoki Tuka Festival

Held every four years, this rite of passage celebrates the transition of young boys into manhood. During the festival, they are circumcised and formally initiated, while elders teach them the values of courage, responsibility, and service to the community. Songs, drumming, and dancing fill the air, honouring not only the initiates but also the enduring strength of Yandang traditions.

 

The History of the Yandang People

Like their close relatives, the Mumuye, the Yandang trace their origin to ancient Egypt, from where their ancestors are believed to have migrated southward in search of new homelands. Oral traditions recount that both groups once lived in Yoro before the Yandang embarked on their final migration to the lands they now occupy in Adamawa and Taraba States.

Their ancestral homeland is Gorobi in Adamawa State, a place of striking beauty surrounded by mountains and hills. This rugged landscape did more than provide fertile soil and water; it served as a natural fortress, shielding the Yandang from slave raiders well into the twentieth century. Gorobi remains central to their collective memory and cultural identity.

Within Gorobi, the Yandang organised themselves into seventeen clans, each with its own lineage and responsibilities. These clans were further subdivided into houses and sub-clans forming a deeply rooted social structure that emphasised kinship, cooperation, and resilience. This system not only provided governance but also preserved history and traditions across generations.

Today, the Yandang are found across Mayo-Belwa in Adamawa State, as well as Lau, Ardo Kola, and Gasol in Taraba State. Despite migration, modern pressures, and interactions with other ethnic groups, they have maintained a strong cultural identity, anchored in their history of migration, their ancestral homeland of Gorobi, and their enduring clan-based traditions.

 

Spirituality of the Yandang People

The spirituality of the Yandang reflects a deep connection to the natural world and the unseen forces that govern life. Some Yandangs continue to honour Rubi, regarded as the sun god, along with his son Va-Lerubi. Yet their worship goes beyond the visible sun itself. Contrary to common belief, the Yandang do not revere the sun as a mere object; instead, they direct their devotion to the power that sustains the sun, the divine force that makes it shine and stand in the heavens.

This understanding reveals a profound spiritual insight: Rubi symbolises not just light and life, but the mystery of creation behind the sun. In honouring Rubi, the Yandang affirm their belief in a supreme creative power that governs the universe, a force that transcends the physical and connects humanity with the divine.

 

Conclusion

The story of the Yandang is one of continuity and resilience. From their farming practices that tie them to the rhythms of the land, to the marrah system that strengthens kinship, to the songs and ceremonies that echo through their festivals, every aspect of their culture carries a meaning more profound than mere tradition; it is identity made visible. Their history of migration, their survival through hardship, and their evolving governance show a people who adapt without losing themselves.

Their spirituality shows that culture is about the past and the unseen forces that shape human life. To learn about the Yandang is to see how a community can honour its ancestors, nurture its land, and uphold its values while facing the challenges of modernity. Their voice enriches Nigeria’s cultural mosaic and offers lessons in unity, balance, and resilience for generations to come.

 

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