Take Kalankuwa, for example.

I came across this traditional festival and honestly, my first thought was:

Kalankuwa is a cultural festival celebrated in parts of Northern Nigeria, including Bomo village in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

And unlike some of the big Nigerian festivals we hear about all the time, Kalankuwa is much quieter.

It is connected to the end of the farming season, a time when people come together to celebrate a successful harvest, give thanks and simply enjoy being together.

There is music.

There is dancing.

There are traditional performances and competitions.

Young people gather. 

Families gather. The community gathers.

But there's something I find even more beautiful about it.

The celebration helps keep culture alive.

Stories are told.

Songs are passed down.

Traditional expressions, riddles and forms of storytelling move from one generation to another.

So while it looks like people are simply having a good time, something much bigger is happening underneath.

People are remembering who they are.

And perhaps that's one of the things I love most about discovering these lesser-known parts of Nigeria.

Our history isn't only found in museums or textbooks.

Sometimes it's in a village square.

Sometimes it's in a song an older person teaches a child.

Sometimes it's in a dance everyone seems to know.

Sometimes it's simply in people coming together after months of hard work to say:

Nigeria has so many stories like this.

Stories that don't always make the headlines.

Stories that deserve to be known.

And I'm beginning to think that Hidden Nigeria might be one of my favourite things to explore.

What's one Nigerian tradition, place, food, festival or community story you know that you think more people should hear about?

Tell me. I might feature it next. ❤️🇳🇬