The gbagyi/gbari: origin, identity and impact of knunu (“tradition/ culture”)

This paper seeks to examine the Gbagyi/Gbari: Origin, Identity and impact of Knunu (“Tradition/Culture”) with a view to make recommendations towards further understanding of the Gbagyi/Gbari as an ethnic group, by an extensive review of literature on the origin, identity and impacts of Knunu within the writing on theGbagyi/Gbari people. The methodological strategy adopted for the study is Ethnography. The data sourced is from both primary and secondary. Participant observation and semi structured interviews were conducted with (30) Gbagyi/Gbarinatives and documents related to the origin, identity and impact were reviewed. The data was analysed using content and thematic analysis. The results show that the origins, identity and language are important socio-cultural distinctions that give the Gbagyi/Gbari their relevance and locate them within the larger Nigerian family as a separate ethnic group with exceptional uniqueness in the Middle Belt (central Nigeria) region. Based on the results obtained recommendations were made to assist in the academia, practice and policy.