Why We Carry Goods on Shoulders

Some tribes in Nigeria and some African countries believe that the Head is the most sacred part of the body.
They regard it as the creator and are of the opinion that such a sacred part of the body should not be stressed with the burden of load

Comfort Yakubu

The Gbagyi people are an ethnic group predominantly found in central Nigeria; Abuja , Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, and Kaduna State.
The traditional occupation of the Gbagyi people are farming, hunting and pottery.
Their Traditional religion is Knunu and the worship is done by offering fowl and beer as a sacrifice to a special tree found deep in the forest (kurmi).
In most African cultures, women carry loads on their heads but that of the Gbagyi woman is different , the Gbagyi women carry goods on their shoulders.
The Gbagyis’ believe the head is the king of the body and should be respected and if the head is burdened with load, such a person will be mentally retarded, they believe carrying luggages on the head can affect the brain. They also believe that loads are lighter on the shoulders than the head.
According to Haruna A Musa, chief of Nariya, a Gbagyi settlement in Igabi Local government area of Kaduna State , in the past it was the duty of Women to carry luggage’s, men don’t carry heavy luggage’s, and the women carry it on their shoulders not the head, but these days modernization is beginning to creep in .
The Gbagyis’ believe the head represent the king of the entire body; hence it should not be disturbed.
Gbagyi women believe the load feel lighter on their shoulders than on their heads.

We had a chat with Azumi James aged 75 and Talatu Kafinta aged 81 both from Narayi, they both said they met older women carrying goods on their shoulders and have been doing so since they were young, both of them also agreed that goods were lighter when carried on the shoulder and as a mark of respect for the head it is not proper for a Gbagyi woman to carry luggage on her head.
These women despite their age are very strong and agile, they seem stronger than most younger women of today, when we asked for the secret of their unusual strength, Talatu Kafinta insisted that it is because they work hard and mainly eat “tuwon dawa” and “tuwon masara” with other natural foods.
Elder James Ernest Yamma Jigo from Bwari area council of the FCT on his part explained that the Gbagyis’ are accommodating and have lived peacefully with their neighbor’s; the koro, Nupe, Ganagana and hausa.

According to him, the head is respected in Gbagyi culture and because it already carries a lot; for example he says the head houses the brain , hence there is no need to burden it with external load.
He explained further that the shoulder is stronger than the neck and because the Gbagyis’ carry a lot of heavy agricultural produce, it is only logical to carry luggage’s on the shoulder rather than the head so that the neck does not break.
He added that in the past people lived on top of the hills and climbing the hill with load on the head is difficult, but when the load is on the shoulder it is easier and you can see where you are going. The head is one he says and the shoulder is two so goods can be changed from shoulder to shoulder for relief if the luggage is heavy.
He however stated that it is not a taboo to carry luggage’s on the head in Gbagyi land it is only convenient.
Speaking on the Gbagyi traditional marriage, he explained that to get a bride in Gbagyi land, you have to farm for seven years for the girl’s father and also give the girl a bundle of guinea corn every year, in the last year ,the bride will be given five bundles of guinea corn
The chief of Narayi, Haruna Musa also speaking on traditional Gbagyi marriage, said marriage in the past was different from now, according to him, a suitor seeking the hand of a girl in marriage would have to farm for seven years and supply grains and yam to the bride’s house in order to get her robust for the day of marriage, a female Gbagyi can be betrothed at the age of eight believing that by the time the dowry is paid she would have been matured enough but these days he adds , the groom simply pays the bride price instead of serving seven years.