B'Dora Mnemon

Magajiya: The Senior Female Title in Hausa Kingdoms — Trade, Ritual, and Political Authority

| Queen Mothers & Royal Offices |

The Magajiya was one of the most senior female titleholders in the Hausa kingdoms of present-day northern Nigeria and southern Niger. Rooted in pre-Islamic systems of complementary governance, she held substantial authority over women’s affairs, market regulation, and ritual life, serving as a counterbalance to the male emir. This article examines the origins, political functions, economic powers, and enduring legacy of the Magajiya, drawing on oral traditions, palace chronicles, and critical Africanist scholarship.

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Rainmaking and Matriliny: Did Rain Authority Pass Through Women in Central and Southern Africa?

| Succession & Matriliny |

This article examines the intersection of rainmaking ritual power and matrilineal succession in Central and Southern Africa. Focusing on the Lovedu Rain Queens and the Chewa rain priestess Makewana, it assesses whether rain authority passed through women, the mechanisms of female inheritance, and the limits of colonial and patriarchal interpretations.

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