Translation: "Ciranin Amana" (Excerpt)

English Translation

Sanye take cikin wata jemammiyar rigar atamfa ko kugu bata kai ba,ga wani wandon yadi ja ajijinta dogo,ta nannade kafa daya iya gwiwarta,wata dagargajajjiyar p cap ce a kanta,tafiya take tana bouncing har wani dinginsa kafa daya takeyi,irin tafiyar nigogi maza takeyi tana shan kamshi tare da dauke kai sama tana hura hanci,tafiya takeyi tare da sa hannayenta a aljihunta tana bouncing tare da yin doro tana kwobarewa hadi da budawa.

She was dressed in a faded, oversized Ankara blouse that didn't even reach her waist, paired with long, tight red fabric trousers. She had one leg rolled up to her knee and wore a massive P-cap on her head. She walked with a bouncing swagger, limping slightly on one leg, walking like a tough street guy, putting on airs with her head held high and nose flaring. She walked with her hands in her pockets, bouncing, strutting, swaggering, and posturing aggressively.

Bata kula kowa kwana take sha,wata dandazon majalisa ta maza tazo,tana zuwa aka fara ihu da tafi sai Amana,kallonsu tayi tare da kara kwobarewa tace sai Baba,sa'a dai sa'a dai tayi Gaba bata kara yin magana ba tafiya kawai takeyi,wani yaro taci karo dashi,sai da ya buya a lungu yace Maza Mazaje Cike da bala'i ta dago kanta aifa sai ta hango yaron,da gudu yaron ya zura,ta bishi itama sai da ta kure masa gudu har cikin gidansu yaron ta kamoshi a gaban Uwarsa ta hau jibgarsa kamar Allah ya aikota,mutane sun taru amma ba Wanda ya riketa saboda kowa yasan halinta,in tayi fushi ba a iya tsaidata,suna ji suna gani ta farfasawa yaron nan jiki sannan ta gyara p cap dinta sosai ta da kyar take gani tsabar janyo hular da tayi, gaba tayi tare da bouncing,ta kusa zuwa kofar fita daga gidan tayi tsalle tayi ball da wani baho da ta gani a hanyar kofar fita daga gidan sai da bahon yayi raga raga,sai da ta fita ta bar gidan sannan mutane suka sami bakin tsine mata tare da Allah wadai da zuriyar Gidan baki gaba dayansu,kowa da abinda yake fada on wannan matashiya da sauran yan uwata tare da iyayensu.

She paid no attention to anyone, just taking corners briskly. She came upon a large gathering of men hanging out at a street corner (majalisa). As soon as she arrived, cheers and applause broke out for Amana. She looked at them, strutted even more, and said, "Only Baba!" With sheer luck, she moved on without saying anything further, just walking. She bumped into a little boy who quickly hid in a corner and muttered, "Real men!" Furious, she lifted her head, spotted the boy, and he took off running. She chased him at full speed right into his house, grabbed him in front of his mother, and started beating him mercilessly as if sent by God. A crowd gathered, but no one dared to hold her back because everyone knew her fierce temperament; when she is angry, she cannot be stopped. Right before their eyes, she thoroughly thrashed the boy, then adjusted her P-cap tightly—pulling it down so far she could barely see—and bounced forward. Near the exit of the house, she leaped and drop-kicked a basin in her path, reducing it to shreds. After leaving the house, the onlookers finally found their tongues to curse her and condemn the entire household of Gidan Baki, each expressing their outrage toward this young woman, her siblings, and their parents.

Summary & Description

Summary

The story introduces Amana, a fierce, unconventional 18-to-19-year-old young woman living in Wudil, Kano State, within a notoriously dysfunctional household known as "Gidan Baki" (The House of Visitors). Her father, Sulemanu Harka, is a notorious womanizer and builder who neglects his family, provides zero financial support, and hosts female visitors in his home for immoral purposes. The household is filled with chaotic, abusive family members, drug users, and unruly siblings. Unlike her peers, Amana rejects traditional feminine behavior, dressing and walking like a tough street guy (nono/dan taba), commanding absolute fear and respect in her neighborhood and school.

Despite her tough, aggressive exterior and quick temper, Amana stands out for maintaining her daily prayers, despising her family's immorality, and possessing a strong work ethic. She frequently clashes with her mother and father over their toxic lifestyles. Recognizing that she does not fit into the chaotic environment and is burning out from the constant dysfunction, her father decides to send her away on a journey (cirani) to Lagos to work and earn money, a prospect Amana welcomes to escape the household madness.

Character Description: Amana

• Appearance: Tall, light-skinned (though not extremely fair), with an exceptional, curvy figure. She has shoulder-length jet-black hair, large expressive eyes, thick eyebrows, a clean cut mouth with light pink lips, a well-proportioned nose, natural dimples, and bright, clean teeth maintained by constant use of aswaki.
• Personality & Behavior: Confident, aggressive, fearless, and physically strong. She adopts masculine manners, walks with a swagger (bouncing), wears caps and oversized clothes, and is quick to resort to physical violence when provoked.
• Values: Despite her rough exterior, she strictly observes Islamic prayers, hates laziness, values education (attending senior secondary school, SS2), works hard to earn her own money, and is the only disciplined person in a corrupt household.

Analytics & Literary Breakdown