A month ago I launched Ron-Kulere meeting place, a new website for the Ron-Kulere speaking world. Some of you may already have noticed it and may have wondered what is the aim of this new thing. I thought I should post a short notice here to explain a bit.
What is it ?
Like the current form of Chadic Newsletter, Ron-Kulere meeting place is a weblog, i.e. besides some general static pages it mostly consists of entries (posts) which are displayed in reverse chronological order. I have chosen this form because it allows me to add more things on an irregular basis, whenever I find the time. Thus, Ron-Kulere meeting place will keep growing.
What can you find here?
Ron-Kulere meeting place combines text, images, audio material and links to other web pages related to its topic. Besides information on Ron-Kulere languages, culture and history, people can also find material in Ron-Kulere languages, both written and recorded. Thus, you can read a Ron story and at the same time listen to it.
Who is it for ?
Ron-Kulere meeting place is for everyone (not just the scientific world) who is interested in the culture, history and language of the Ron-Kulere. Above all, it is intended for the Ron-Kulere speakers themselves. Of course I know that the number of Ron-Kulere speakers who have access to the world wide web is extremely small. But they do exist and I hope that they will find this blog interesting and will spread the word to others.
Possible criticism
I know very well that from a scientific point of view, the way I present the facts and materials is imperfect. Linguists will criticize me for not using the IPA system of transcription and for not marking tone. Also, the quality of many of the audio recordings is quite poor and wouldn’t be good enough for signal processing. Many of these recordings were done by Ron speakers using low quality tape recorders. Given the chance (and money) to do more research on Ron, today I would try to use the latest digital recording equipment.
But then, I think an imperfect presentation of my data (will it ever be perfect?) is still better than no presentation at all.
I will be happy to read – and answer – any questions and comments.
Chadic Newsletter Online 
This is a very good in initiative. Ron-Kulere, especially the Kulere culture, history and language have not been documented. I hope this window will create the opportunity for the documentations. I am personally interested in these issues and hope that together we shall achieve the aim of establishing this network.
Dear Ishaku,
You may not know about it but actually quite a lot has been published on Kulere culture and history by a German anthropologist, late Barbara Frank. The language, too, has been documented. There is a whole section on Kulere language in Herrmann Jungraithmayr’s book “Die Ronsprachen”. The problem is that many times people in Nigeria haven’t seen these publications, so there is the impression that “nothing has been done”. I myself did most of my research on the Daffo dialect of Ron. I have a lot of materials and I hope that with time, I will be able to publish things on the described website.
Dear Useibert,
Thank you for the information. I have actually heard of late Barbara Frank’s book but have not seen it as you rightly noted. Unfortunately, the publications you listed are in German? Is there any English translation?
There is a short English summary in the back of Barbara Frank’s book. Unfortunately, I haven’t got the book in my library, otherwise I could scan it and send it to you. There have been short articles in English, too. But most is in German, I am afraid.
Hi Useibert. I don’t seem to notice much activity on this website? or is it my ignorance? May I to refer to your comments of June 1, 2010 and suggest that since most Kulere are more likely to understand English than German, can the publishers be requested to translate Barbara Frank’s book (Die Kulere) into English?
Ishaku Amapu
Dear Ishaku,
You are quite right. I haven’t put very much online in the last two years. And yes, Barbara Frank’s book “Die Kulere” should be translated into English. I will try to contact the publisher and ask about it. But it will take a while again (sigh!).
Hello Seibert,
Good to meet you on this channel. I read your works on Ron while writing my undergraduate research thesis on the phonology of the language. They are very good stuffs! I’m currently serving with an institution as a language surveyor; planning to carryout an assessment of Kulere sociolinguistic situation in the next two or three weeks. I would appreciate it if you can guide me on how to get literatures to read on Kulere before going for the fieldwork.
Thanks
John.
Am from a kulere tribe, west africa nigeria plateau state i wish to say that i need a book that will tell me more of my people.culture,way of life habit and in fact the reality of my people. could you suggest a book for me aside frank barbars’s.
i have seach even via the british mesium but the fact base on the ideology differ from that spoking by our grand parents. The comment state above is from my uncle and am in tune with his feelings towards that am martins tamai from the tribe in question here is my email if there is any new development martinodecowboy@yahoo.com.
Here are three English articles by Barbara Frank you might like to read, if you get hold of them:
1990 From Village Autonomy to Modern Village Administration among the Kulere of Central Nigeria. Africa 60 (2), p. 270-293.
1995 Permitted and Prohibited Wealth: Commodity-Possessing Spirits, Economic Morals, and the Goddess Mami Wata in West Africa, Ethnology 34/4, p. 331-46.
2004. Gendered Ritual Dualism in a Patrilineal Society. Opposition and Complementarity in Kulere Fertility Cults. In: Africa 74, 2: 217-240.
my name is Akos azzuwut, please where can i get those article i would like to know more of my tribe history
I was able to access two of the articles (1990 and 2004) and have forwarded same to Martin. Hope the articles will help quench some of his quests.
May I also thank Useibert for accepting my suggestions on the need to translate Barbara’s books in German into English.
Ishaku Amapu
I am kulere by tribe from massange nasarawa state.actualy i coment you for a welldone job,& i want you to please help me whit some fact on how,& were did kulure people magreted from.
Great Initiative! Keep up the good work. Future generations will benefit immensely from such archive.
Useibert and Ishaku
May I know whether you have translated the book from Dutch(German) into English? If not what are the challenges ? I am interested in getting an English translated version of Die Kulere.
Actually, a German lady in Maiduguri was or still is working on the translation of Dr. Frank’s book. I haven’t seen it yet, but it should be available soon.
Good day my friend in research, I will like to know if you have contacted the translator of b. frank book on kulere culture and history pls if you have her contact or mail add i may wish to have sir.
have a very beautiful new year.
Dear Useibert,
Thank you for the efforts in researching and documenting the Ron language. I am really impressed by the web blog (‘disang’) you have created and the resources therein. I am drawing on some of the resources there to set out a background to a study that I plan to conduct later in the year. For this study, I am puzzled by the increasing ‘coldness’ in community development among the Ron people, and I would like to investigate why this is the case.
Thank you also for mentioning Barbara’s work. I have been able to source one of her paper (From Village Autonomy to Modern Village Administration among the Kulere of Central Nigeria) for my planned study.
Kind regards,
Maren
Dear Useibert,
I have got all three articles published by Barbara and I am happy to share. Kindly refer those who are interested to me – they can contact me on my email – mdmaren@yahoo.com.
Best regards,
Maren.