Kadung, or Kadun (Kwaŋ), is a
dialect cluster
A dialect is a variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standardized varieties as well as vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardized varieties, such as those used in developing countries or iso ...
of
Plateau languages
The forty or so Plateau languages are a tentative group of Benue–Congo languages spoken by 15 million people on the Jos Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Nasarawa State and in adjacent areas in central Nigeria.
Berom and Eggon have the most speaker ...
in Nigeria.
Varieties
Kadung or Kadun is the main variety. Others are Ya (''Tiyaa'') and Bijim.
Vaghat is perceived as distinct from Kadung. Mutual intelligibility between Vaghat/Kadung, Ya and Bijim is fairly low. Kadung and Bijim are more closely related to each other, while Yaa is more divergent.
Kadung and Ya are endonyms, with loconyms Kadung and Kadun and Boi for Ya.
Distribution
The main settlements are Chinpyàk, Kwànkà, Làrkà, Bùkòʃì, Wùyà, Gileŋ, Kùmbùl, Kaduŋ, Wùʃìmà, ɗə̀kdèy, Kwándarì, Rɔ̀k, Jàrkàn, Dùfyàm, Amusha, and others. They are located in
Pankshin
Pankshin is a Local Government Area in Plateau State, Nigeria. Its headquarter is in the town of Pankshin.
It has an area of 1,524 km and a population of 191,685 at the 2006 However, some of the native inhabitants are widely found in neigh ...
LGA and
Mangu
Mangu may refer to:
Places
* Mangu, Burma, a village
* Mangu, Estonia, a village
* Mangu, Nigeria, a Local Government Area
* Mangu Farm, a settlement in Kenya
* Mangu station, a railway station in Seoul
* Mangu-dong, a dong (neighborhood) of ...
LGA,
Plateau State
Plateau is a northern states of Nigeria, Nigerian state. It is located in the north-central geopolitical zone of Nigeria and includes a range of hills surrounding the Jos Plateau. Plateau State is described as "The Home of Peace and Tourism". Th ...
. Surrounding languages are
Mwaghavul,
Ngas,
Pyem, and
Fulani
The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people are an ethnic group in Sahara, Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. Inhabiting many countries, they live mainly in West Africa and northern parts of Central Africa, South Sudan, Darfur, ...
.
[Blench, Roger. 2021. ]
The Kwaŋ language of Central Nigeria and its affinities
'.
Vaghat
The Vaghat originally lived in the following hill settlements in
Tafawa Balewa and
Bogoro LGAs in southwestern
Bauchi State
Bauchi (Fula: ''Leydi Bauchi'' 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤦𞤢𞤵𞤷𞥅𞤭) is a States of Nigeria, state in the North East (Nigeria), North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered by Jigawa State, Jigawa to the north, Yobe State, Y ...
.
[Blench, Roger. 2022. ]
Introduction to Vaghat language
'. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
*Akusha
*Anjere (no longer inhabited)
*Aruti
*Dala
*Goŋzi
*Gwoɓi (no longer inhabited). There is a cave where the skulls of Vaghat ancestors are kept.
*Kaduk (no longer inhabited)
*Kudal (central village where the chief lived)
*Kwafa
*Maŋgar
*Yaghap
*Yalas
*Yaŋ
*Yɔghɔs (Yaush)
*Yise
*Zhindir
Today, the Vaghat have also moved to many towns and settlements spread across
Bauchi State
Bauchi (Fula: ''Leydi Bauchi'' 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤦𞤢𞤵𞤷𞥅𞤭) is a States of Nigeria, state in the North East (Nigeria), North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered by Jigawa State, Jigawa to the north, Yobe State, Y ...
,
Plateau State
Plateau is a northern states of Nigeria, Nigerian state. It is located in the north-central geopolitical zone of Nigeria and includes a range of hills surrounding the Jos Plateau. Plateau State is described as "The Home of Peace and Tourism". Th ...
, and
Kaduna State
Kaduna (, جىِهَر كَدُنا; مدينة كدونا; , ; ) is a States of Nigeria, state in the northwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The state capital is its namesake, the city of Kaduna (city), Kaduna, which was the List of Nigerian ...
(mostly near
Zaria
Zaria is a List of Nigerian cities by population, metropolitan city in Nigeria, located at present time within four local government areas in Kaduna State. It serves as the capital of the Zazzau Emirate Council and is one of the original sev ...
).
Vaghat highland clans are: Āyàlàs, Àyìtūr, Àtòròk, Āyīpàɣí, Āyīgònì, Àyàkdàl, Àyánàvēr, Āyàtōl, Àyàʒíkʔìn, Àyìʤìlìŋ, Áyàshàlà, and Àzàrā.
Vaghat lowland clans are: Āyàlàs, Àyàkdàl, Àyàʒíkʔìn, Àyàgwàr, and Àyàgyēr.
The Vaghat people also have a cave in a mountain where they keep the skulls of their ancestors.
[Blench, Roger. 2022. ]
Skull-cults and soul arrows: the religion of the Vaghat people
'. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
Further reading
* Blench, Roger. 2021.
The Kwaŋ language of Central Nigeria and its affinities'. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
* Blench, Roger. 2022.
The Vaghat language of Central Nigeria'. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
* Blench, Roger. 2022.
Skull-cults and soul arrows: the religion of the Vaghat people'. Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
References
{{Platoid languages
Tarokoid languages
Languages of Nigeria