Turaren wuta: Pleasant fragrance of the North

Turaren wuta is a traditional scented wood popularly used in Northern Nigeria, for its pleasant scent.

The origin of Turaren wuta can be traced to the Arabs and North Africans – Libya, Sudan, Chad etc. But in Nigeria, it found a home in Maiduguri, Borno State, and from there, it spread to other Northern states.

Maiduguri people make Turaren wuta and use it constantly. Women use it based on their preference; while some use it twice daily, others use it occasionally. Some don’t only use it in their houses, they also use it on their body and clothes.

Some women also believe that the consistent use of Dhukkan (a particular type of incense) serves as an aphrodisiac.

Turaren wuta is a scented wood or blends of natural traditional spices, wood chips. It is soaked in fragrant oils and mixed with natural ingredients.

These scented chips are burnt in charcoal or incense burners to cover the house and clothing with a fragrant mist. Incense is generally used every day or on special occasions. It is used during weddings as a sign of blessing and to provide fragrance and to retain feminine charm and attraction.

The chips are burned in a traditional incense burner called Kasko (it has other names in other cultures). Charcoal or artificial charcoal briquettes are used in burning the incense inside the Kasko. In recent times, using electrical incense burners to burn incense chips is faster and safer. However, many women still prefer to use charcoal because it’s traditional, natural and burns the chips better.

The use of incense has grown to the extent that it is not only appreciated by Northerners, but also by people from other parts of the country.

Weekend Trust spoke to Fatima Adam (Kaka), a Turaren Wuta vendor in Kano and owner of Dukkan Incense and Perfumes.

A Chadian, Kaka said she started the business of making and selling Turaren wuta since childhood as she grew up watching her mother make Turaren wuta.

“Even though I inherited the business from my mother, I would say it came as a result of passion because I love smelling good.

“My mum used to assign me to do one thing or the other whenever she was making Turaren wuta while growing up, and unconsciously, I started making it myself and later took over the business.”

She explained that there are different types of Turaren Wuta. There’s Sandal balls, Sandal sticks, Halud, Gab-gab etc. As the names differ, the scent also differs.

“Many people think the scent of Turaren wuta is the same. No, there are lots of different scents depending on what you want.

“Once you assemble ingredients like sandal halud, hawi, farce, the next thing is to soak it with sugar and fry it in a frying fan. When it is done, you pour different types of oil perfumes on it. Then you put it inside a bucket and cover it. Take note that for Turaren wuta to be heavily scented, you have to keep it for at least one month before you start using it.

“There’s Turaren wuta for the private parts and herbs (Dukkan) which many women use, and there’s also the one to prevent the hair from going grey. Turaren wuta can be used in the bedroom, toilet, kitchen, or even in the office,” she said.

Highlighting the importance and significance of Turaren wuta, Kaka said “Turaren wuta is our signature. We use it constantly as we believe it’s important to our marriages because men like the scent. 

“I think one of the ways you can identify a person from Chad, apart from their dressing and language is Turaren wuta. You would always find them smelling nice irrespective of their social class. There’s this tradition of putting Turaren wuta on their clothes or homes.

“I always use Turaren wuta whenever I’m going out instead of perfumes. If you burn a strong and quality Turaren wuta, the scent will last for weeks in your house. You don’t have to do it all the time,” she said.

Speaking on the business aspect of Turaren wuta, Kaka testified that there are many business opportunities as the market for it is readily available for people to join.

“The business is thriving because many people have embraced its use. There are so many opportunities for people who want to get into the business.

“The thing is that you have to do it perfectly by putting generous amount of perfume oils. I am sure when you do it correctly, brand it well and market it, people will rush to buy your product.

 “I sell Turaren wuta from a minimum of N2,000 depending on the quantity. But for one to get quality one, you have to spend a minimum of N5000.

“If we stock up our store today, in a few days there would be nothing left. People pre-order,” she added.

She also makes Khumrah – the natural perfume used for the body.

“I also make and sell liquid Khumrah and unlike Turaren wuta, Khumrah is used for the body only. When people believe in your product, they would patronise you from wherever they are,” she added.

She said since Turaren wuta is widely used in many African countries, it can move from a small business to a big business with prospects for export.

“Even though it is widely used all over African countries, you can still export it. The secret is to make a quality one.”

The rainy season is a period when people use Turaren wuta regularly. Kaka confirmed this by saying that they sell more during this. “It curtails the damp and mouldy odour that are common during the rainy season”.

A customer, Binta Muhammad, who spoke to Weekend Trust, said she prefers Turaren wuta to any other perfumes.

Binta urged women to imbibe the habit of buying and using it.

“I encourage women to use Turaren wuta frequently. You don’t have to wait for your husband to give you the money. Even the single women should always have it in their drawers because it makes the house smell nice all the time.

“I can spend my last kobo on it. And because of the nice scent, I don’t use other perfumes on my body. I realised that even when I do not use it, people still perceive the scent from me.”

Another Turaren wuta maker, Zubaida Muhammad Musa, said she learnt it out of passion.

“The love for Turaren wuta made me learn how to make it. I love it very much and I use it regularly. Whenever I perceive the scent, it gives me pleasure and happiness. Since I got married, I have never bought Turaren wuta from any one because I can now make it myself,” she said.

Explaining the art of making it, she said, “Different kinds of woods are used in making it and they include Alud, Gab-gab, Hawi, Kuskus, Sandalwood etc. All these woods have different scents. You also need oil perfumes. It doesn’t matter the scents you choose. There’s also farce, musk and the crystal which is just like a crystal white stone that brings out a unique scent and there is sugar.”

“Whatever kind of Turaren wuta one wants to make, you have to get wood, oil, farce and musk. You also need to get a watery perfume. It is diluted and used to soak the wood for many days so that it will become very soft. You need to boil sugar with which to fry the wood as well.

“Once the sugar is melted and becomes brown in colour, you add a reasonable amount of water to the sugar and boil until it becomes gummy. Then, you allow it to cool down. You then get another pot to fry the already soaked wood and add the sugar and leave it on the fire for about two to three minutes.

“Put the farce which you soaked overnight inside detergent, wash off all the dirt and fry it with very soft sand till it becomes golden brown. Then you sieve it to separate it from the sand, clean it very well and grind it. If you are using it for sandal, you have to grind it very well in such a way that it cannot be visible in the content. But if you are using it for wood, you have to allow it to be seen. Then you mix them together.

“When you are done, put it inside a ceramic bottle because the ceramic retains the scent of Turaren wuta. Make sure to close it very well so that air does not penetrate. After doing these, seal and leave it for weeks to allow the ingredients marinate and for the scent to become strong,” she said.

Hauwa Ajidde Muhammad, an indigene of Maiduguri, who specialises in making Turaren wuta tells Weekend Trust, how profitable the business is in Nigeria.

“In Maiduguri, where I was born, almost every woman makes it for herself and for business. One may wonder how we sell it; the thing is that some of us export it to neighbouring countries and even beyond. I can tell you that I have customers in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

“In Nigeria, the most common scents are sandal oud, grounded Kajiji, Hawee balls, sandal sticks, etc,” says Ajidde.

She said some of her ingredients are locally sourced and some come from Senegal, India and Pakistan. She further explained that the most expensive are the ones that contain sandalwood and farce which is gotten from crocodile skin.

Ajidde prefers using local and traditional scented oils in order to make the scents from the Turaren wuta last for a longer period of time, which could be between six to eight hours.

She said in Maiduguri, Turaren wuta is considered an important wedding gift for women, as would-be grooms pay for it for their brides.

“Parents make sure they provide different types for their daughters and they are displayed inside a show glass in their sitting rooms,” she added.

Ajidde encouraged more women to join the business as it is booming in recent times.

“Getting into the business doesn’t need much capital. For instance, with N50,000, you can get two or three varieties of Turaren wuta in litres to resell, and with another N50,000 you can purchase the scents,” she said.

She noted that the business is more profitable when sold in large quantities. Her cheapest Turaren wuta goes for N3500 and the most expensive is N20,000, Weekend Trust gathered.

Hajiya Hàbiba Duniyar Kamshi, another maker, who is based in Kano, said apart from the scented one, she also produces many others that are aphrodisiac.

“I produce Dukkan – a special kind of Turaren wuta that is sometimes considered medicinal to women,” she said.

Although her customer base is mostly women, she also has male customers who buy the body oils and incense for their cars.

Maryam Aminu, a lover of Turaren wuta, told Weekend Trust that she budgets for it monthly. “I spend at least N20,000 monthly purchasing different fragrances for my house.”

“Turaren wuta is part of my life. I burn it everyday to the extent that my house has a special fragrance. The fragrance has become an identity for my house. Everyone who visits my house would take that fragrance home. I didn’t know that until my sister told me that each time she visits me and goes back home, our sisters would be asking if she visited me because they’d perceive the scent of my house on her.” 

A married woman and also an ardent lover of Turaren wuta, Yahanasu Sani, believes that it gives a woman class and special recognition from her husband, such that he will always want to be with her.

“Turaren wuta is part of our womanhood. It gives special recognition. Even among fellow women, when you use it, you will stand out.

“After I sweep and mop my room, the next thing is for me to burn it round the house. This gives me comfort and joy,” she added.

Sadiya Danladi, a teacher in one of the secondary schools in Kano, uses Turaren wuta occasionally.

“I don’t use it as frequently as Maiduguri people. I love using it and my husband likes it too. In fact, he’s the one that encourages me to burn it in the house.

“Most men like Turaren wuta. My husband, for example, told me that whenever he perceives the scent of Turaren wuta in the neighbourhood, he’d hope that it is coming from his house. So, when he comes in and finds out that it’s from his house, he appreciates it,” she said.