Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 17, 2026

Tunzu language

Tunzu (Tunzuii), or Itunzu, also known as Duguza (Dugusa) in Hausa, is a Kainji language of Nigeria.

Last revised
Jul 17, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
134 w
Citations
3
Source
Tunzu
Tunzuii
Duguza
Native toNigeria
RegionPlateau State and Bauchi State
Native speakers
2,500 (2003)1
Language codes
ISO 639-3dza
Glottologtunz1235
ELPTunzu
Tunzu2
PersonTunzú
PeopleàTunzû
LanguageìTunzû

Tunzu (Tunzuii), or Itunzu, also known as Duguza (Dugusa) in Hausa, is a Kainji language of Nigeria.

Demographics

The Tunzu people live in 7 villages. There are 5 villages (including the main settlement of Gada) in Jos East LGA, Plateau State and 2 villages (Kurfi and Magama) in Toro LGA, Bauchi State. The Tunzu villages in Bauchi State are assimilated into Hausa culture. There were 2,500 speakers (2003 estimate), although there might be 2,000 more ethnic Tunzu who do not speak the Tunzu language.3

References

References

  1. Tunzu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Blench, Roger (2019). An Atlas of Nigerian Languages (4th ed.). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  3. Blench, Roger. 2021. Introduction to the Shammɔ peoples of Central Nigeria.