- Tarok
infobox ethnic group
group=Tarok
popplace=Nigeria -Plateau ,Nasarawa ,Taraba
rels=Christianity ,African traditional religion
langs= Tarok, English
related-c=Ngas ,Boghom ,Tiv ,Berom ,Eggon ,Jukun ,Montol The
Tarok are anagrarian society in the hills and on the plains southeast ofPlateau State inNigeria .The Tarok People
The
Tarok people call themselves as oTárók, their language as iTárók and their land ìTàrók. They are found principally in Langtang-North, Langtang-South,Wase , Mikang and Kangke Local Government Areas (LGAs) ofPlateau State in CentralNigeria . Their main town ofLangtang is located about 186 kilometres south-east ofJos , the state capital. They are also found in large numbers inShendam , Qua'an-Pan, Kanam and Pankshin LGAs. Scattered inNasarawa andTaraba states are Tarok farming communities. The people have been described to some extent in anthropological and ethnographical works by Fitzpatrick (1910),Roger Blench , Lamle (1995), Famwang and Longtau (1997). The oTárók are an amalgamation of various peoples who now form a more or less ‘homogeneous’ group. The constituents were of Pe, Ngas,Jukun ,Boghom , Tel (Montol ) and probably Tal origins, while others still remain obscure or unknown. The culture at a micro level portrays this admixture of peoples of the Tarok nation. The focus here is a description of their language.Name of the Language
In the literature, other names have been used for Tarok as Appa, Yergam and its variants of Yergum and Yergem. The name Tarok itself has been wrongly spelt by some as Taroh. The name Appa on the other hand is used by the
Jukun to refer to oTarok as a friendship term. These fresh insights are pointing to a conclusion that Tarok was a nickname given to the Tal/Ngas immigrants. The name of the original group is lost and has been replaced by the nickname. The term Pe-Tarok refers to the people who first spoke the original form of the language called Tarok today the mismatch notwithstanding. The origins of the peoples may be a knotty topic, but it is clear that Proto-Tarok is the parent of the language which is known as Tarok today (whatever might have been their original name).Tarok in a sea of Chadic languages
Longtau described Tarok as one of the
Benue-Congo languages which is almost completely submerged in a sea of Chadic languages. These languages includeNgas , Tel, Boghom,Hausa /Fulfulde and Yiwom. Its non-Chadic neighbours are Pe, Jukun-Wase and Yangkam. Tarok has spread considerably in thetwentieth century and it now borders Wapan in the south-east. The Chadic languages belong to a different language phylum calledAfroasiatic . Longtau explained that Tarok had settled in their present abode long before the eastern and southward movements of Boghom and Ngas respectively.On the other hand, Lamle (1995, 199, 2005) described the Tarok as a consortium of ethnic groups who came together and borrowed the Language of the initial inhabitants of the Pe-Tarok stock who are now residing in Funyallang, Timwat and scattered all over Tarokland. Analysis of the migration pattern of the Tarok people to their contemporary homeland, Langtang in the Middle Belt of Nigeria shows that Pezip of Kurswang clan, an ancestor of the Funyallang people was the initial migrant to contemporary Tarokland. He left his kin in Pe to migrate in search of greener pastures in Funyallang. He was later on followed by Man clan ancestor, his brother from Pe. Also Kwangpe followed Man and Kurswang to settle in Funyallang. Finally, Dwal clan ancestor came to settle with them. These were the intial inhabitanats of Tarokland. The Funyallang inhabitants were followed by their cross cousins the Pe of Timwat. The Pe of Timwat then settled in the plains of Langtang. Other Pe Clans followed and settled all over the plains of Tarokland.
In the early twentieth century people from other ethnic groups such as Tal, Ngas, Jukun, Tel (Montol/Dwal) and Yiwom (Gerkawa) migrated and settled together with the intial Timwat and Funyallang clans. People from these ethnic groups came as migrants labour workers. The Timwat and Funyallang people gave them land to settle in Tarokland after they have served the former. Colonialism and Christianity came into Tarokland by 1904 (Lamle 1995). The initial inhabitants could not trust the missionaries and colonialists as such did not encourage their people to join them. with the introduction of modernism the later migrants to Tarokland used their connections to the missionaries and colonialists to acquire western education and join the army. Today these latter migrants are at the hem of affairs in Nigeria as such tries to use their influence to change history ( cf. Lamle 2005).
The framework of Tarok migration supports the assertion above and is based on the fact that the Tarok people are part of the Benue-Congo ethno-linguistic phylum. This conclusion is based on the assertion that the contemporary language that the Tarok people speak is of the Benue-Congo phylum. However, others of the Chadic ethno-linguistic phyla such as the Ngas, Boghom, Tel (Montol) and Yiwom joined the Benue-Congo Phylum and are given the full status of Tarokness (Lamle 1998). Also Jukun which are of the Benue Congo group joined the Tarok and are given the same status as that of the Chadic. What is called the Tarok people are actually a consortium of many ethno-linguistic groups that mongrelized and gave birth to the Tarok people. This is because even though the cognate of the Tarok language is of the Benue-Congo phylum, their morphemes are a combination of the Benue Congo and Chadic ethno linguistic phylum (Lamle 2008)
The Tarok Culture
On the other hand, Lamle (1995, 199, 2005) described the Tarok as a consortium of ethnic groups who came together and borrowed the Language of the initial inhabitants of the Pe-Tarok stock who are now residing in Funyallang, Timwat and scattered all over Tarokland. Analysis of the migration pattern of the Tarok people to their contemporary homeland, Langtang in the Middle Belt of Nigeria shows that Pezip of Kurswang clan, an ancestor of the Funyallang people was the initial migrant to contemporary Tarokland. He left his kin in Pe to migrate in search of greener pastures in Funyallang. He was later on followed by Man clan ancestor, his brother from Pe. Also Kwangpe followed Man and Kurswang to settle in Funyallang. Finally, Dwal clan ancestor came to settle with them. These were the intial inhabitanats of Tarokland. The Funyallang inhabitants were followed by their cross cousins the Pe of Timwat. The Pe of Timwat then settled in the plains of Langtang. Other Pe Clans followed and settled all over the plains of Tarokland.
In the early twentieth century people from other ethnic groups such as Tal, Ngas, Jukun, Tel (Montol/Dwal) and Yiwom (Gerkawa) migrated and settled together with the intial Timwat and Funyallang clans. People from these ethnic groups came as migrants labour workers. The Timwat and Funyallang people gave them land to settle in Tarokland after they have served the former. Colonialism and Christianity came into Tarokland by 1904 (Lamle 1995). The initial inhabitants could not trust the missionaries and colonialists as such did not encourage their people to join them. with the introduction of modernism the later migrants to Tarokland used their connections to the missionaries and colonialists to acquire western education and join the army. Today these latter migrants are at the hem of affairs in Nigeria as such tries to use their influence to change history ( cf. Lamle 2005).
The framework of Tarok migration supports the assertion above and is based on the fact that the Tarok people are part of the Benue-Congo ethno-linguistic phylum. This conclusion is based on the assertion that the contemporary language that the Tarok people speak is of the Benue-Congo phylum. However, others of the Chadic ethno-linguistic phyla such as the Ngas, Boghom, Tel (Montol) and Yiwom joined the Benue-Congo Phylum and are given the full status of Tarokness (Lamle 1998). Also Jukun which are of the Benue Congo group joined the Tarok and are given the same status as that of the Chadic. What is called the Tarok people are actually a consortium of many ethno-linguistic groups that mongrelized and gave birth to the Tarok people. This is because even though the cognate of the Tarok language is of the Benue-Congo phylum, their morphemes are a combination of the Benue Congo and Chadic ethno linguistic phylum (Lamle 2008)The Tarok people have an
ancestral cult which retains considerable prestige and importance, despite major inroads of Christianity into the area. The ancestors, orìm, are represented by initiated males and post-menopausal women.Cult activities take place in sacred groves outside almost all Tarok settlements. Orìm are mostly heard, but emerge as masked figures under some circumstances, especially for the disciplining of ‘stubborn’ women and for making prophecies. Orìm figures speak through voice disguisers in a language dotted with code words although framed in normal Tarok syntax and their utterances are interpreted by unmasked figures.Each Tarok settlement of any size has a sacred grove outside it, which is conserved as the place of the orim or ancestors. The singular from, ùrìm, is applied to a dead person or an ancestor, while orìm refers to the collective ancestors and the cult itself. Men above a certain age are allowed to enter the grove and engage with the ancestors. These inhabit the land of the dead and are thus in contact with all those who have died, including young people and children who were not admitted to the orìm. On certain nights when the ‘
orìm are out ’, women and children must stay in their houses. Orim can also be seen ‘dressed’, i.e. appearing as masquerades, when they engage with women through an interpreter. Surprisingly, most Tarok areChristian and Langtang hosts some largechurches , but the association of the orìm with power ensures that these two systems continue toco-exist . Indeed it is said that the orìm take care to visit the houses of the retired generals and other influential figures at night to cement the bonds between two very different types of power. Orìm society is graded, in the sense that there are members who are not fully initiated and so cannot be let into the inner secrets of the society. Some of the orìm vocabulary is therefore for internal concealment, that is, there are code-words among the elder members to conceal the meaning of what is being said from junior members.The main function of the orim from the external point of view is to maintain order, both
spiritual and actual, within the society but also to prepare for warfare and other collective action. In practice, maintaining order seems to be about disciplining women, who are forced to cook food as a punishment for being lazy or ‘stubborn’. This category of orìm is called orìm aga., literally ‘masquerade that gives trouble’ and its speciality is to fine women. There is a special season, aga. ‘time of trouble’, for meting out fines to offenders. The orìm are also in contact with the dead and it is believed that the spirits of dead children require to be fed; hence they will request special meals from the mother of such children. Orìm also have a marriage-broking function; for example, young women tell the orìm the name of the young man they would like to marry, and they find ways of passing on the message.Prominent Tarok People
Lt Gen Joshua Nimyel Dogonyaro (rtd), Lt Gen.
Jeremiah Useni (rtd), Lt. Gen Domkat Bali (rtd), Brig Gen John N. Shagaya (rtd and presently Senator), Major Gen.Joseph Nanven Garba ,Chief Solomon Lar ,Prof. Mary Lar currently Nigeria's Ambassador to TheHague, Netherlands , Air MarshalJonah Domfa Wuyep (Former Chief of the Air Staff of theNigerian Air Force )Professor Jemkur (Professor of Archeology Univeristy of Jos Nigeria, Professor Lombin Nigerian Representative at WFO Italy, Drs Elias Nankap Lamle (Dontorandus Katholieke Universitiet Leuven Belgium)Professor Lohdip Nandul (HEad of Department Chemistry Univeaisty of Jos), Chief Nanzing Nden (head of Audit Abuja Municipal Council)ee also
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Langtang, Nigeria
*Langtang Mafia References
Adive, J.R., 1989. The Verbal Piece in
Ebira . Publication in Linguistics No. 85. Summer Institute of Linguistics andUniversity of Texas at Arlington .Lamle, E. N. Corporeality and Dwelling Spaces in Tarokland. Journal of Tarok studies: Nigerian Bible Translation Trust. Jos (Vol. 1 No 1 2005) pp 23
Lamle, E. N. (1995). Cultural Revival and Church Planting: A Nigerian Case study. Jos: CAPRO Media Lamle, E. N. (2000). The Light Shines in Their hearts: COCIN and the Gospel in Tarokland. Jos: Crossroads Communication.
Lamle, E. N., (1998). The Essentials of Traditional Education in Nigeria: A Case Study of the Tarok people. Jos: Crossroads Communications
Lamle. E. N. Origin, Origin, Migration and Clan Structure of the Tarok People: Tree in the Forest Mandyeng: Journal of Central Nigeria Studies (pp 25-56 forth Coming)
Roger Blench (1995c) with S. Longtau, Tarok Ophresiology. pp. 340-344 in Issues in African Languages and Linguistics: Essays in Honour of Kay Williamson. Emenanjọ, E.N. and Ndimele, O-M. eds. Aba, National Institute for Nigerian Languages.
Kyanship and Kinship among the Tarok, by
M. G. Smith and Mary F. Smith © 1990Edinburgh University Press .Tarok Language Committee, 1980. Re i nyi iTarok. [Let’s Learn Tarok, An Alphabet Booklet] Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.
Roger Blench and Longtau, Selbut R., (in prep.). Tarok Farming in its Cultural Setting.Roger Blench and Longtau, Selbut R., 1995. Tarok Ophresiology: An Investigation into the Tarok Terminology of Odour. In Issues in African Languages and Linguistics. Essays in Honour ofKay Williamson , ed. by E. Nolue Emenanjo and Ozo-mekuri Ndimele, pp. 340-344. Aba.Prof. Mary Lar , 1983. Nkuń ki iTarok 3. (Tarok Reader 3), Tarok Language Committee,Langtang .Prof. Mary Lar , and Longtau, S.R., 1985. Tarok Teachers' Notes for Reader 1, 2, and 3. Tarok Language Committee, Langtang.Prof. Mary Lar , et. al. 1994. A Trilingual Tarok Dictionary. Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, Jos.Roger Blench and Longtau, S.R. (in prep). Tarok Adjectives 1: Morphology.Cooper, R.H., 1933. Wasika A Yohanna Ga Ngisi. The Langtang Church, S.U.M.
Crozier, D.H. and
Roger Blench 1992. An Index of Nigerian Languages.Summer Institute of Linguistics Dallas .
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