QUEEN AMINA WARRIOR QUEEN

Amina was born around 1533 in Zaria. To give you a peek into what was happening around the world at this time, Henry the 8th was going through major divorce drama and married his new beau Ann Boleyn (bummer-city). Jacques Cartier “discovers” Montreal, because Canada didn’t exist before him. And Michaelangelo, the Italian artist not the turtle, was getting commission after commission making hella money and making poor fashion choices. These are relatively well known historical icons with noticeable similarities *cough* European *cough* men *cough cough*. It wasn’t until college that I started to learn about African history beyond Egypt, or significant historical women. And that was just because I chose to take an Africana and women’s studies courses. A shame! Africa is the largest continent on EARTH, we should be learning more about the histories of each empire. And women make up half the goddamn population, we should DEFINITELY be learning about some of those birds. Learning about Amina empowered me. I saw that a nation not only had a literal warrior queen, but it thrived under her. Yes I know about Queen Elizabeth, but I thought she among a handful of other historical women were an anomaly. Ever since I learned about Amina, she stuck in my head. I imagined tons of ways to honor her memory and teach others about her. Come 6 years later and I painted a massive surrealist piece illustrating her value. But that wasn’t enough. She sent me down a rabbit hole of research about historical women around the globe. Women we have never heard of from countries us Americans generally don’t learn about in school. The people must know! But you know, sometimes reading historical material is great for putting you to sleep. So let’s get to it, and keep it an easy read with nice bright pictures.

SIDENOTE: I wanted credible material to reference in these articles so you all would know I’m not a piece of shit liar. I found plenty of well researched articles on the internet about these women, but they were not from the .org or professor scholar reference that I needed. Basically I found articles like the one I am writing…not written by a professional historian. But wtf, I could barely find ANYTHING on the entire INTERNET to reference! Guess what I had to do to legitimize myself? Go to the library. Is this 1995, wtf is happening right now? The library? But, but, internet is our new God, how does it not have all the answers? Well honestly, it’s even hard to find scholarly books written on these women. Most of the books available I could have ordered from Amazon, but fuck Amazon. Trying to kick that addictive Amazon habit, even though I can buy cheap fun cat toys at the tips of my fingers. Okay so I’ll reserve my Amazon purchases just for my kittens, but that’s because I’m willing to sacrifice human labor for my babies. Yes, they are my fur babies. And I want a third. How did this become about my cats.

Anyhoo.

Amina was born around 1533 in Zazzau, “now the province of Zaria in modern Nigeria,” (Toler). She was around a couple centuries before the region was conquered by the British. Of course. The British are so predictable. Anyhoo. Ruler Bakwa of Turunku was her dad and her mom was Queen Bakwa Turunku. Queen Bakwa Turunku helped build the city of Zazzau, naming the city after their youngest daughter Zaria. (Not Amina? Their most powerful, glorious daughter? Wow. Someone is hard to please. Parents just don’t understand.) The Turunku fam swam in a wealth of trade in imported metals, cloth, cola (not the soda), salt, Pokémon cards and horses. When papa Bakwa passed away in 1566, Amina’s brother Karama (anyone watch Queer Eye? Let’s picture him. Yum.) took the throne. While Karamo, excuse me, Karama exercised the peaceful reign of his father, Amina chose to become Sara Conner. Her every waking moment was dedicated to studying military tactics with the Zazzau cavalry and honing her fighting skills. It didn’t take her long to become the leader of the Zazzau cavalry and become independently Kardashian-level wealthy and win so many accolades, if she wore them on her chest she’d tip over. It took her 10 years to become a fierce and respected Zazzau warrior, so when her brother died (this family is FALLING APART) she was able to assume the reign of the kingdom.

Weirdly enough, pre-colonial Nigerian men were not threatened by women in power, because they recognized the fact that they deserved to be there due to age, kinship or merit, not gender. Powerful women could even exile men who were not up to par. Though this all sounds hunky-dory, of course women still had a harder time. Going Danyeras-style to assert their authority was sometimes necessary. 

During Amina’s reign, “Zazzau was situated at the crossroads of three major trade corridors of northern Africa, connecting the Sahara with the remote markets of the southern forest lands and the western Sudan,” (Loth). Zazzau was one part of the seven original states that made up Hausaland – Katsina, Daura, Kano, Gobir, Rano and Garun Gabas. All of Hausaland was a whopping 500 square miles. So obviously they had some competition, known as the dominant Songhai people. Those sexy trade routes ignited many a battle, many a war during the 15th and 16th centuries. Guess who came out on top of those wars? Our favorite battle queen! Yes, Queen Amina herself put the state of Zaria on TOP. 

“[She] led her first military charge a few months after assuming power. For the rest of her [34 year] reign, she continued to fight and expand her kingdom to [its] greatest in history,” (Palmer). She led an army of 20,000 men, with plans to grasp the surrounding cities of Hausaland and beyond, and put them in her gold-lined pocket. The goal, total DOMINATION, domination, domination. She expanded the borders of Zazzau wider than my spread out legs in the face of Chris Hemsworth. Although Zazzau thrived, Queen Amina’s muscles bulged, calling for more blood and land for straight 34 years. Yahoo! Or Yahoo?

Let’s say, yahoo!

Under warrior Queen Amina, her kingdom became the trading center, guaranteeing Zaria’s prosperity. She crossed trading lines that had never been crossed before and linked them together. She was untouchable, physically and metaphorically. Now all of Zazzau felt like a Kardashian. More kola nuts than the eye can see, countless eunuchs (who doesn’t love a good eunuch?), hella new crops, fresh slaves, gold and gold and gold and I LOVE GOLD. Zazzau was known for it’s metal trade and talented metal work. Amina HERSELF introduced armor, including iron helmets and chain mail, to her army. Yes she put them through 34 years of battle, but she used inventive ways to protect them, and she wouldn’t force them into a battle she wouldn’t go into herself! She wasn’t swoll for nothin’! “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength,” Arnold Schwarzenegger.

You know what ELSE Queen Amina is credit for? Guess. Never mind you’ll never guess. She built “defensive earthenwork walls around her camp at every stop. Today ancient Hausa fortifications are still known as “Amina’s Walls”, or ganuwar (Toler). “Walls around a city? Not impressed.” You may say. BUT Queen Amina observed the effect walls had on not only her enemies, but her people as well. The walls resembled the conquered cities, and created the oneness that was Zazzau. People felt protected, and like they were a part of a whole country within these walls. Friggin’ psychological security! Plus, walls were considered prestigious. The bigger the walls the more respect Amina’s political affiliates had for her. Remind you of anything? Those walls were so goddamn big and sexy, and strong, they may as well have been oiled up and thrown in a red bathing suit. Many of those walls remain in existence to this day. 

The legends behind Amina are pretty awesome. If she wasn’t badass (kinda scary?) enough, she left a legacy of many men behind her. And under her. Apparently Amina refused to marry and instead took a temporary husband from the legions of vanquished foes after every battle. Some legends say, she took a temporary husband and went black widow on them when she was done. Yikes! But since it was so long ago I can disassociate and think it’s cool. Cool!

Queen Amina’s demise was, you guessed it, during battle. According to records it was during a military campaign at Atagara near Bida, you know the area. It was in Nigeria. You know what’s extra cray about the our brilliant warrior queen? Her legendary escapades inspired the HIT television series Xena: Warrior Princess. HOW have we not all heard of Queen Amina before goddammit?!

Today, an equestrian statue with Queen Amina wielding her sword stands at the entrance of the National Arts Theatre in Lagos State, Nigeria. She is celebrated and honored as Nigeria’s first woman general.

Bibliography

Osa-Okunbor, K. 2012. Subsidy Removal: Decision Was Collective, Says Akpabio. The Nation. Pp. 02-04. Palmer, H. R. (eds.), 1980. The Kano Chronicle. Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 38: Pp. 1-75.

Loth, Heinrich (1987) Woman in Ancient Africa (translated from German by Sheila Narnie). Leipzig. 

BBC News / World Africa

Women Warriors, (2019) An Unexpected History, Beacon Press; 1st Edition edition (February 26, 2019)