Walking Turunku - A Photographer’s Journey

Words and images by Irene Becker

Queen Amina’s Stone Seat, Turunku, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Mundeya sits in the legendary seat, overlooking the village, mud houses, baobab trees, and the misty savannah—a view that connects history, legend, and the landscape of Queen Amina’s lost city.

Early morning in Turunku – beneath the rocky mountains of Queen Amina’s hometown.

The Ancestral Heart of Zaria

Turunku is more than a village—it is the ancestral heart of Zaria, where stones and stories have shaped generations. Yet, centuries after Queen Amina’s reign, her birthplace is both a living legend and a neglected treasure.

Village Head Alh. Ibrahim Usman with elders of Turunku—leaders of Queen Amina’s historic hometown.

“Anybody who does not have a history, it is like, he is not of the world.”

— Emir, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman

Climbing with Abubakar

As I walked the ancient paths, guided by Abubakar and a handful of eager children, I felt both the weight of history and the ache of abandonment. The Emir’s words echoed as we climbed, reminding us that Turunku’s legacy is both precious and fragile.

“If you have a good heart, you come here in peace and you leave in peace, we have no problem.”

Relics and Reminders

Despite its illustrious past, Turunku’s legacy is at risk of fading. The tomb of Queen Amina’s father sits fenced but overgrown, wells once used for tie and dye are choked with grass, and the treasures of the past are scattered, unmarked, and unprotected.

“The neglect of Turunku is almost as legendary as its illustrious heroine.”

Village girls collecting firewood at the giant tree marking Queen Amina’s cenotaph in Sabon Turunku—an evocative tribute to her legacy.

Stones that Speak

Yet, the spirit of Queen Amina endures. Abubakar led me to her legendary stone seat, the vantage point from which she is said to have watched over her people and planned her campaigns. The children raced ahead, pointing out the rock ayo board—its carved hollows still visible, a silent witness to games played centuries ago. Nearby, the poison mortar lies weathered by time, a reminder of the ingenuity and strategy that defined Turunku’s defenders. High above the village, Sadiya sits atop the ox-shaped rock—a striking formation that blends legend, history, and the wild beauty of Turunku’s landscape.

Living Legends

Legends live in every shadow:
A great snake, said to have lived in a mountain hole for over a hundred years, its presence marked by a strange odour and stories whispered by generations.

“It used to come out every Sunday, but it vanished after a journalist took its photograph.”

— Abubakar, tour guide

The Summit and the Past

At the summit, Abubakar paused beside Queen Amina’s rock bed—a stone far wider than any modern bed.
“People of her time were much bigger than us,” he said with a grin, half-myth, half-belief. The wind carried laughter and legends as we traced the paths once walked by warriors and queens.

Queen Amina’s Rock Bed, unique stone formation, Sabon Turunku, Kaduna State.

Stones, Names, and Memory

It’s easy to imagine the scale of the ancient city, its buildings with windows and fittings, the strategic vantage points from which Queen Amina could see as far as Zaria, the river, and beyond. Every stone has a name, every path a purpose—whether for war, worship, or escape.

Mountain View Toward Zaria
A man stands on the mountain top, looking toward Zaria and the distant hills.
Mountain View East – Abubakar, Turunku Behind
Abubakar looks east from the summit, with Turunku village behind him.
Turunku Hill Landscape – Rocky Slopes, Dried Grass, and Burning Sun
Turunku Hill Landscape – Rocky Slopes, Lonely Tree

Legacy and Hope

Turunku may have been forgotten by those in power, but it is fiercely remembered by its people. Their stories, their hospitality, and their longing for recognition are as much a part of the landscape as the stones themselves.

“We are asking and begging that this town’s history be brought back. This history is important to us, to the state, to Nigeria at large and also to foreigners like the God sent we have in our midst.”

As a photographer, I am both witness and messenger, hoping these images and words will help preserve Turunku’s legacy—and perhaps inspire others to listen, remember, and protect the histories that shape us all.

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