Info For You Lot Bakweri People: Ancient Tearing Fighters, Traditionally Spiritual, Custom-Abiding In Addition To Agrarian Bantu People Of Mountain Cameroon
The Bakweri (or Kwe) are ancient vehement fighters, traditionally spiritual, customs-abiding in addition to agriculturalist Mokwe-speaking people of Bantu origins who live on the steep but fertile slopes of the Republic of Cameroon Mountain (Mt Fako) inwards the Republic of Cameroon. They are closely related to Cameroon's coastal peoples (the Sawa), specially the Duala in addition to Isubu.
The Bakweri live primarily inwards over 100 villages E in addition to southeast of Mount Republic of Cameroon with Buea as their main population centre. Bakweri settlements largely prevarication inwards the mountain's foothills in addition to go on upwards its slopes as high as 12,000 metres. They have got farther villages along the Mungo River in addition to the creeks that feed into it. The town of Limbe is a mixture of Bakweri, Duala, in addition to other ethnic groups.
The Bakweri who are aboriginal Bantu people originated from Mboko, the surface area southwest of Mount Republic of Cameroon in addition to migrated to their nowadays dwelling E of the mount inwards the mid-18th century. They also delineate their ancestry to Mokuri or Mokule, a blood brother of the Duala's forebear Ewale, who migrated to the Mount Republic of Cameroon surface area for hunting.
According to Edwin Ardener (in Nigeria No. 60, pp. 31-8, 1959) They are placidity in addition to reserved in addition to are non widely known exterior the Southern Cameroons despite the fact that both the Premier of the Southern Cameroons, Dr. E. M. L. Endeley, in addition to the capital, Buea, are The Bakweri are primarily concentrated inwards Cameroon's Southwest Province." Dr. E. M. L. Endeley was the foremost Prime Minister of the British Southern Cameroons from 1954–1959. He led other Southern Cameroonian parliamentarians to seccede from the Nigerian Eastern House of Assembly inwards 1954.
Historically the Bakweri are territorial people in addition to vehement fighters who have got ever defended their rights, solid ground in addition to civilization against the successive colonising powers of Deutschland in addition to Britain.
It must live noted that the Bakweri people were ane of the African people to resist the spoliation of their lands yesteryear German linguistic communication imperialists.
They are known to have got mounted a vehement anti-German drive led yesteryear their fearless leader, Chief Kuva Likenye of Buea, specially around the slopes of Mount Fako, in addition to successfully inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Germans at Buea inwards 1891; the foremost ever German linguistic communication military machine loss on the African continent, which led to a consummate reappraisal of German linguistic communication colonial/military policy on the continent, and, unfortunately, set the footing for the fell drive to annihilate the Bakweri. The Bakweri were ane of the few groups inwards all of German linguistic communication Africa that were thoroughly in addition to systematically suppressed yesteryear the Germans. That they fifty-fifty survived to tell the story is a testimony to their resilience in addition to tenacity inwards the human face of adversity.
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Bakweri people
The Bakweri are known inwards Republic of Cameroon for their traditional wrestling (Wesuwa), which encompasses all the qualities the Bakweri have got inherited from their ancestors: physical endurance, agility, vehement fighting techniques, in addition to a non bad sense of competition. Wesuwa is taken really seriously yesteryear all the members of the community in addition to the most interesting thing is that women takes component division inwards this wrestling competition long before . In the yesteryear wrestling used to live an of import way of determining leadership inwards the villages; it fifty-fifty resulted inwards a state of war betwixt 2 villages inwards 1891, when people from Ghango burnt downward the hamlet of Molonde inwards revenge for the expiry of their best wrestlers.
Bakweri women engaged inwards vehement wrestling combat
Before the start of colonial conquest inwards the early on 1880s, the Bakweri constituted a really fragmentary society dominated yesteryear an egalitarian ideology-- it is non fifty-fifty for certain that at that topographic point was ever a existent chieftaincy seat at the hamlet level. Ardener nevertheless emphasizes that at that topographic point was a strong vogue with the Bakweri to accumulate wealth, particularly, goats, pigs in addition to brusque cows. It was through accumulation that individuals increased their prestige inwards the villages.
Although the Bakweri are at nowadays completely modernised, some have got fifty-fifty converted to Christianity, they are still attached to their ancestral traditions in addition to have got retained their ancient tribal organisation. Each Bakweri hamlet is headed yesteryear a primary in addition to his tribal council who are fundamental to all cultural events. The Bakweri take pride inwards celebrating their cultural heritage during events such as the Race of Hope, when they perform subway rituals to bless the mountain.
Bakweri people
The symbol of the Bakweri people is the elephant or Njoku. To say that the Bakweri have got a mascot, which happens to live the elephant, would live an understatement. Indeed, the contrary is true. For the Bakweri, the elephant, a denizen of the pelting forests of the slopes of Mount Fako, is non just a mascot. It is a cultural symbol, a mystical, spiritual co-creature. To the Bakweri, the Balondo in addition to the Bomboko, people can, in addition to do go elephants, in addition to elephants tin in addition to do go people. The attributes of the elephant or Njoku are component division in addition to packet of the psyche of the Bakweri people. The creature’s sheer strength, size, loyalty to its (family) troupe, its calm, yet unpredictable temperament, proud indifference, in addition to graceful behaviour are, to the Bakweri, the motion-picture exhibit of physical in addition to psychic behavioral perfection. It is hence no surprise that the Bakweri, have got a subway society that venerates, imitates in addition to personifies the attributes of the elephant. Indeed, those who belong to the Maalé, the subway elephant society, swear yesteryear zilch other than Loxodonta Africana (the African elephant.)
The Bakweri lives inwards traditional "mat house" or ndaw'a ngonja. These days, most whakpe novel construction consists of modern buildings with cement blocks in addition to corrugated aluminium roofs. Construction of ndaw'a ngonja is at nowadays a dying art.
The Bakweri`s Mount Fako (Cameroon) is a unique Ecotourism Site. This lovely volcanic mount welcomes visitors straight off they create it Buea. It stands majestically along the background of Buea Town. The Mountain spreads from Bomboko to Bakweri of Buea in addition to downward to the Limbe Beach. It is 4100 metres inwards height. H5N1 see to Mount Republic of Cameroon is ever an exciting experience both inwards the rainy in addition to dry out seasons.
Capital Residence of Bakweri town of Buea, Cameroon
Geography
The Bakweri are primarily concentrated inwards Cameroon's Southwest Province. They live inwards over 100 villages E in addition to southeast of Mount Republic of Cameroon with Buea their main population centre. Bakweri settlements largely prevarication inwards the mountain's foothills in addition to go on upwards its slopes as high as 12,000 metres. They have got farther villages along the Mungo River in addition to the creeks that feed into it. The town of Limbe is a mixture of Bakweri, Duala, in addition to other ethnic groups.
There is an ongoing dispute betwixt the Bakweri Land Claims Committee (BLCC) in addition to the authorities of Republic of Cameroon regarding the disposition of Bakweri Lands formerly used yesteryear the Germans as plantations in addition to at nowadays managed yesteryear the Republic of Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC)'
Buea from the human foot of Mount Cameroon
Terrain of the land: Their population is much greater than 16,000. Before the German linguistic communication conquest of 1894, they were living inwards scattered settlements around the southern slopes of Mount Cameroon. There are really few mountains inwards West Africa, in addition to none is as high as this (more than 13,000 feet). It is also unusual that it stands correct on the coast, descending through a maze of foothill to the sea.
University of Buea, Cameroon
At 4 degrees North of the equator, it is non high plenty for permanent snow. Instead, winds loaded with wet from 4,000 miles of Atlantic storey precipitate copious rains, in addition to swathe the slopes inwards mist in addition to drizzle for many months of the year. Inside the clouded summit is an active volcano from which novel craters flare-up out every few decades.
Ekom autumn inwards Mount Cameroon, Buea
The pelting in addition to he volcanic soil have got made the the mount surface area ane of the most fertile inwards Africa, in addition to the wood covers the mount upwards to 6,000 feet. The Bakweri lived ( in addition to live ) inwards the thickest concentration inwards a belt of villages betwixt 1,500 in addition to 3,000 feet higher upwards the sea level, but the they occupied the whole base of operations of the mount below this really thinly, as far as the sea level.
Climate: The Bakweri are atmospheric condition forecasters, in addition to it is believed that they possess scientist who are able to alter the climate at will, for example, during special occasions, or the coming of high personality. Generally, the surface area is covert with mist in addition to drizzle, in addition to several copious rains through out the twelvemonth due to the presence of the Atlantic ocean.
Kumba Buea
This part is having the equatorial maritime climate with temperature higher upwards 25%c which is really heavy with really high atmospheric humidity throughout the year. It is made upwards of elements of the 3 dissimilar tropical climate regimes which are equatorial with rainfall throughout the year, seasonal comprising of 2 seasons inwards a twelvemonth that is the dry out in addition to wet in addition to finally monsoon with non bad contrast betwixt the seasons. The climate of this part is strongly affected yesteryear its altitude. The temperature is moderated yesteryear breeze from the Atlantic Ocean.
Soil in addition to Vegetation: The topography of this part is flat. It is composed of rudiments brought from the interior in addition to also volcanic soil gotten from the weathered rocks during the eruption of mount Cameroon. The plantations that are located closer to the mount benefits from the weathered basalt or lava in addition to those beside the mangrove, the soil is lateritic. Further away from the northward eastern parts of mount Fako, the soil is loamy in addition to sandy.
The vegetation of this part is the wood types which have got almost disappeared due to the exploitation yesteryear people for the tillage of nutrient crops in addition to construction of houses for settlement, living only the swampy in addition to less accessible areas.
Due to the equatorial maritime climate, in addition to the high fertility of the soil, the Bakweri people are expert agriculturalists, in addition to their main source of income is from agriculture. They grow crops similar cocoyams, in addition to maize. Since the climate tin sometimes live really harsh, the Bakweri people have on long sleeve shirts, in addition to thick pullovers in addition to sweaters during almost the entire menstruum of the year. Since they grow crops similar cocoyams, their main diet is based on cocoyam.
Their main dish is the kwakoko, in addition to they have got many other dishes, which acquire their spices from the high fertility of the soil. Also, due to the really depression temperatures which are really frequent, the Bakweri donot have got a lot of social activities similar swimming, or playing tennis, but they have got activities similar mount race which occurs inwards February, where places are warmer. Also, the Bakweri have got restricted their dressing to “rapa”(loins), in addition to shirts for the men, in addition to also a loin or “rapa” for the women. For the men, this dressing tin sometimes live accompanied yesteryear special hat,and a tie.
Buea
Language
The Bakweri speak Mokpwe, a natural language that is closely related to Bakole in addition to Wumboko. Mokpwe is component division of the identify unit of measurement of Duala languages inwards the Bantu grouping of the Niger–Congo linguistic communication phylum. Neighbouring peoples often utilise Mokpwe as a merchandise language, due largely to the spread of the natural language yesteryear early on missionaries. This is specially truthful with the Isubu, many of whom are bilingual inwards Duala or Mokpwe.
In addition, individuals who have got attended schoolhouse or lived inwards an urban centre usually speak Pidgin English linguistic communication or criterion English. H5N1 growing number of the Bakweri today grow upwards with Pidgin as a to a greater extent than widely spoken language. The Bakweri also used a drum linguistic communication to convey intelligence from clan to clan, in addition to they also utilized a horn linguistic communication peculiar to them.
The Mokpe Alphabet is similar to that of English linguistic communication with the exception of 3 unusual characters, which volition live brought to you lot later. There are 21 consonants in addition to 7 vowels. Here below is the Mokpe alphabet.
kp l m mgb mw n ny
The 21 consonants have got the same sounds as inwards English, but 4 of them pose a work of pronunciation to immature speakers in addition to writers of the Mokpe language.
They are f, s, v in addition to w. Follow the description below really carefully.
"f"
In English linguistic communication the missive of the alphabet 'f' is a labio-dental fricative that is you lot usage the lips in addition to teeth to make this sound, In Mokpe it is a bilabial fricative where you lot usage both lips at that topographic point yesteryear producing a audio as if you lot were blowing out a candle.
Practise sounding it several times.
Ff Ff Ff Ff
“s”
To make the Mokpe 's' identify the tip of natural language on the difficult palate in addition to allow out the piece of cake producing a soft hissing sound, unopen the English linguistic communication 's'
Ss Ss Ss Ss Ss
'v' is produced using both lips, instead of placing the bottom lip on the Teeth as instance inwards English. The missive of the alphabet 'w' is the same as inwards English, rounding both lips. Practise these 2 sounds in addition to uncovering the difference.
Vv Vv Vv Vv
Ww Ww Ww Ww
Read the Following words aloud
'F'
Fáo - knife
fátâ - pluck
fimbâ - throw
fendâ - close
"S"
Sâ - dance
Sia - iron
Siaô - redants
Sosa - wash
"V"
valána - women
vána - children
vakpe - Bakweri
Veloma - scoldings
Velimo - spirits
"W"
waná - mouth
ewóka - compound
wana - You volition fight
wotéá - begin
PRONUNCIATION OF NEW CHARACTERS
Ñ” as inwards p penny, lend, empty
Å‹ as inwards hang, language, hungry
c (reversed c or opened upwards O) as inwards war, law, lawn
History in addition to The Origin of the Bakweri People
The Bakwerians are from the lower Bomboko behind Mount Fako. They were mostly fishermen, who settled along the coast, farmers, in addition to hunters who settled beside the mountain. Most of the Bakweri villages claimed to have got been founded from a grouping of villages which lies inwards a belt betwixt 650m in addition to 1000m upwards mount Cameroon.
The root of the Bakweri settlement could live attributed to 2 separate traditions. Firstly, the tradition of the Buea grouping stated that a for certain Eye Njie used to come upwards from Bomboko to hunt on the Eastward side of the mount with a friend Nakande. Nakande used to hunt close the site of nowadays solar daytime Wonakanda piece Eye moved on to a river close the nowadays solar daytime Buea. When they brought inwards their wives, other friends in addition to relatives from Womboko joined them in addition to they opened gardens. Another tradition affirmed that ManyangMasonje left Isongo in addition to Bakingili where he settled around Bimbia where he had many catches inwards “ISU” important the halt of my journey. Nakande from Bomboko settled inwards Bonakanda which was called Ligbea which meant a identify for expert farming. He was a farmer.
Bakwer subway society dancer
However, although hunting was the primary motive behind the Bomboko migration, fertility of the soil on the slopes of mount Republic of Cameroon was as a house factor. While the men were engaged inwards hunting, the women farmed the solid ground in addition to subsequently, other migrants from Bomboko established Bakweri villages which were named after their founders. Although at that topographic point is some see that the truthful Bakweri are the people of Buea in addition to its surrounding villages, other groups classified nether Bakweri included Bomboko, the surface area which the Bakweri are said to have got originated in addition to Wovea. The Bakweri are found on the eastern in addition to S eastern slopes of the mountain, coastal Bomboko on the south-east coast, the inland Bomboko on the North-west of the Bakweri in addition to Isuwu in addition to Wovea are on the southern coast of the Fako Division.
The Isuwu are also believed to have got originated from Bomboko. Isuwu was also known as Bimbia named after MbibiMbela who was the primary of the surface area inwards the lastly quarter of the 19th century. According to some other source, their ancestors came from Bankingili in addition to womana. The wovea claimed to have got originated from Fernando Po who settled inwards the islands of Ambas Bay. All the higher upwards was due to the potential of the surface area similar fertile soil in addition to hunting facilities. This same fertile soil also attracted the Europeans into the surface area since their motive was centered on economic. Although these groups lived closer to each other, in addition to practiced the same culture, they were independent from each other. The German linguistic communication successful attacks on the Bakweri could live attributed to this division. If the Bakweri were united, so their lastly defeat yesteryear the Germans during the Bakweri resistance nether the leadership of KuvaLikenya could have got failed in addition to fifty-fifty if non the alienation policy powerfulness have got adopted a dissimilar shape, thus the loose political in addition to social ties with the Bakweri worked inwards favor of the Germans.
The Bakweri belong to the most north-western branch of the Bantu speaking people inhabiting fundamental in addition to southern Africa. To live for certain almost the appointment the Bakweri reached their nowadays site, it was around 1750 as confirmed yesteryear genealogical evidence that it was the fourth dimension they arrived ane of their earliest settlement, Buea. Other sources asserted that the population clitoris per unit of measurement area which affected Nigeria drove the Bakweri from their habitation close Lake Barombi inwards Kumba to the mount Fako area.
Bakweri chieftains
Economy
The economic scheme included agriculture, beast husbandry, hunting , line-fishing in addition to nutrient gathering. The dissimilar methods applied to agriculture included the slash in addition to burn. Most people practiced subsistence farming which included careful solid ground direction techniques similar intensive farming because the solid ground of the mount slopes were really fertile. Generally, tools usage include earthworks sticks, hoes, in addition to matches. Fire was also used to clear the bush. Sometimes, fences were constructed to guard against beast incursion in addition to destruction. Before formal agriculture, the early on people practiced fishing, hunting in addition to nutrient gatherings. They used spears, clubs in addition to other implements to hunt game inwards the mountain, wood in addition to slopes.
The presence of plantations brought inwards a alter inwards economic scheme in addition to commerce as the traditional commerce which was characterized yesteryear merchandise yesteryear batter came to an end. The marketplace seat economic scheme was introduced inwards which every transaction was inwards price of German linguistic communication mark. Before the introduction of plantation agriculture, the natives were involved inwards subsistence agriculture inwards which nutrient crops such as cocoyam, plantains, beans, maize in addition to yams were grown. The introduction of plantations led the natives to undertake cash crop production inwards crops similar cocoa, palm products in addition to java for export. With the introduction of cash crops it led to the creation of Botanical garden inwards Victoria yesteryear Governor Von Soden who was charged with the inquiry plants suitable for the plantations. Dr Preuss was the principal officeholder inwards accuse of the Garden. This inquiry centre controlled other stations inwards the interior. Over a K dissimilar plants were tested soil studies carried out in addition to meteorological data tabulated. Investigations inwards this garden included the command of cocoa diseases? It was these botanical gardens that gave inspiration to the creation of the Republic of Cameroon Development Corporation the inquiry centre at Ekona in addition to many other authorities inquiry stations inwards Cameroon.
In spite of the higher upwards mentioned advantaged that the plantations brought into the Bakweri land, it was for certain that it as brought some setbacks which could live examined inwards dissimilar perspective.
Dr Emil Mandoa, Bakweri tribe`s man
Source of income: They practise mixed farming in addition to they hunt. Crops mostly cultivated are cocoyam, palm fruit but they mostly live on cocoyams. They sell the excess of their production. Through the rearing of animal. Those who possessed many animals where consider as rich. They reared animals similar pigs in addition to bush cows, but they do non bring upwards nor eat sheep. Between 1850 in addition to 1890, the Bakweri became rich inwards other ways. By trading nutrient stuffs to the coast, in addition to blocking the way of expedition into the interior, they had acquired considerable merchandise goods. Servants where taken within the tribe, they were non payed but had complimentary food.
Leveling mechanisms: In the Bakweri soceity, at that topographic point is no particular shape of of leveling mechanism. Everybody owns his/her farm, in addition to everybody minds his or her business. The only situatin where sharing is needed is during the menstruum of rituals, where every private must give a portion of his grunter to every ane who comes across his/her.
Buea Market, Cameroon
Sexual Division of Labour in addition to The Mokpe (Bakweri) Woman in addition to her Role inwards the Mokpe Traditional Society
There is a sexual partition of labour (SDL) inwards bakweri inwards which at that topographic point is the delegation of dissimilar tasks betwixt men in addition to women. Among nutrient foragers, men in addition to women target dissimilar types of nutrient in addition to portion them with each other for a mutual or familial benefit. In some villages, men in addition to women eat slightly dissimilar foods, in addition to in some other, men in addition to women routinely portion the same food.
Bakweri adult woman of Buea heating the foliage before using it to wrap food
According to Catherine L. L. Musoko "In spite of existence relegated to the background, the traditional Bakweri adult woman nonetheless wielded lots of powerfulness behind the scenes, in addition to greatly influenced decisions related to the running of the clan.
Traditional Bakweri society was matrilineal inwards structure. This was seen inwards the Ewong’a Yowo in addition to Ewong’a Mokossa (“medicine bench”) which was shared entirely yesteryear the sons in addition to daughters of the same mothers, in addition to never of the same fathers. The patrilineal human relationship was, however, strongly upheld as far as settlement of property, the burial of the deceased, the selection of a permanent abode for the family, or the taking of a married adult woman were concerned.
Bakweri women Washing clothes inwards the catchment surface area of Bonduma inwards Buea.
Thus, the children of a boy (whose married adult woman naturally came from a dissimilar mother-clan) could non portion inwards the ceremonies of the medicine human of the Ewong’a Yowo, whose duty was to ensure the well-being in addition to continuity of the mother-clan. So, people who shared the Jongo or “pot” were bound together yesteryear an unalterable in addition to undivided kinship, in addition to they stood yesteryear each other through thick in addition to thin. Matrilineal kinship was for ever!
The Mokpe Woman in addition to the Health of the Family: The Mokpe adult woman was, straight or indirectly, the custodian of the identify unit of measurement health. This was manifested from the 2nd she became pregnant. She had to nurture the yet unborn kid yesteryear taking component division inwards all the traditional pre-natal rituals – the Masongis, the native herbs that serve as enema; the nutrient to eat or non to eat; the places to go; the fourth dimension to live or non to live intimate with her husband, etc. If she missed out on whatever of these rituals in addition to something went incorrect with the baby, the blame would live wholly hers in addition to her mother-clan. No ane else took responsibility.
The Mokpe Woman in addition to her Spouse: In traditional Bakweri society, women were chosen as time to come spouses when they were still children, in addition to inwards some cases, fifty-fifty before they were born. However, ane time the spousal human relationship had taken identify in addition to the hubby did non live upwards to expectations, the adult woman was complimentary to divorce him. This was done irrespective of the see of the woman’s manly mortal relatives, including that of her ain father.
All that was required of adult woman was that she did non involve her manly mortal parent inwards the “dowry-refund” predicament, in addition to that she was speedily picked upwards yesteryear some other hubby either through an intermediary or at the Chief’s residence, where such spousal human relationship deals were to a greater extent than often than non reported. In this instance the adult woman was a complimentary mitt – she could fifty-fifty take her hubby yesteryear next the historic menstruum old custom of boldly going to the caprine animal house (Lièfe) of the human of her pick in addition to slaughtering the biggest nanny caprine animal yesteryear wounding or cutting its cervix or head. The would-be hubby deemed this a sign of laurels in addition to accepted the mitt of the adult woman with joy. Of course, a adult woman taking such a measuring knew her ain assets – elements such as her beauty or reputation for difficult function pose her inwards expert stead.
The Mokpe adult woman as a nursing woman parent was expected to curb her sexual appetite so as to safeguard the life in addition to wellness of her baby. Hence, during this period, she was constantly warned; “don’t appear that way”, important she had to allow for a few marital escapades yesteryear her husband.
Nonetheless, the traditional Bakweri adult woman was yesteryear no agency a yes-sir woman. She took her rightful identify inwards deciding which other adult woman her hubby wished to take, in addition to sometimes fifty-fifty take such a “mbanyi” herself.
H5N1 husband’s prosperity was also intricately linked to the influence of his married adult woman or wives. The wives tended his pigs, goats, cattle, looked after his mawus, arable land, so no ane could trespass or laissez passer on them, etc.
Mokpe women were in addition to still are the animators of the social life of their people. They characteristic prominently inwards engagements, weddings, in addition to other events such as the election of a novel Chief, the celebration of a “fombo”, or successes inwards courtroom cases.
Female dances include the Ambassi in addition to the Maninga, which are especially for the youths; in addition to the Lingombi, the Mundame, the Wokeka in addition to the Veleke that are preformed yesteryear both men in addition to women.
The Masua Cult It was a cult that brought together women of high repute inwards the community, specially those who had successfully gone through the kpave or sasswood ordeal. These women formed a society of desirables in addition to men vied for their hand.
On the whole, Bakweri women led in addition to influenced all areas of community life, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly. They still do.
Political organization
The bakweri s are an illustration of a segmentary society. They are grouped inwards societies of villages where each identify unit of measurement maintains its independence. They bakweri live inwards a pocket-sized clusters of 10 to xx house in addition to settlement designing was imposed on them yesteryear the Germans. The Germans herded the Bakweri people into the peripheries when they expropriated the solid ground for plantation. The hamlet caput has only limited authority. They hamlet has a council of elders which helps the primary inwards regulating the affairs of they village. The most prominent families inwards Bakweri tribal history are Wonya Likenye Endeley of buea in addition to the identify unit of measurement of Mangaa William of the Victoria ( today called Limbe). The Bakweri political organisations was divided into dissimilar classes.
The Family
It was composed of a human in addition to his married adult woman (wives) his children in addition to relatives with blood ties. The identify unit of measurement unit served as the base of operations of political establishment inwards the Bakweri society. The manly mortal parent was the caput in addition to has as obligations to preside over identify unit of measurement affairs. At the storey of the extended identify unit of measurement the caput was the oldest human who was believed to have got a lot of experience inwards wordily matters. He was automatically considered patriarch of the tribe. He had as business office to perform ancestral sacrifices in addition to chair identify unit of measurement gatherings. These decisions were non autocratic especially due to the fact that he had to consult some elderly people inwards the identify unit of measurement lineage before taking decisions on matters of paramount importance. Consequently, the eldest people inwards the Bakweri community earned much admiration in addition to abide by from the younger generations due to the fact that they performed the mediatory role betwixt the ancestors in addition to the world of the living. In the same line of thought, historic menstruum was considered as the only criteria which enabled people inwards the Bakweri society to commune with the ancestors in addition to decode ancestral messages. In monastic tell words, historic menstruum was the main criteria required to climb the drapery of power.
The Village Administration
At this storey of the community, the villages were autonomous from ane some other consisting of identify unit of measurement compounds separated from ane some other yesteryear a fence called “NgaoMboa”. The hamlet political leaders had a similar source of powers as those at the identify unit of measurement level. The variation hither was with the identify unit of measurement of the hamlet founder that a leader was chosen. Consequently, the identify unit of measurement of the hamlet founder was automatically considered the royal family.
Traditional Leader of Muea, Buea, H.R.H. Chief David Ikome Molinge
This was how the Likenya identify unit of measurement came to prominence inwards Buea as they were linked to Eeye Tama Lifenje, the foremost persons to settle inwards Buea. At the storey of hamlet administration, the primary did non execute this heavy project alone. He was assisted yesteryear a hamlet council which had effective powers over the village. It was an ill-defined torso with no precise number of members. The decisions of the council were made world yesteryear the hamlet councils spoke human “Sango Mboa” in addition to the members of the hamlet council were elders called “Vanbaki”. The organizational nautical chart of the Bakweri society was a triangular mechanism which revolved around the identify unit of measurement at the base, with the hamlet council in addition to the primary at the top. Thus the Bakweri whose territorial limits were governed yesteryear fixed in addition to permanents institutions were a state- similar society. These organs, oriented political in addition to social life in addition to organized the society inwards the human face of external aggression.
Political succession
This Likenye chiefly line of Buea delineate their pridigree from1884 downward to the nowadays solar daytime as inwards the nautical chart below:
Law in addition to Social Control
It is handled yesteryear the primary or the quarter head, you lot are foremost taken to the quarter caput when you lot don’t abide by the law, if non satisfied with that judgment you lot are taken to the primary where you lot are guess yesteryear notables. Land dispute, fighting taking belongings that doesn’t belong to you, you lot are taken to the quarter head. Concerning sanctions the primary or elders determine or how you lot are to live punished. If you lot are guilty of serious crimes similar incest, in addition to trahison, you lot are exiled to Limbe.
Bakweri leaders
Social Organization
The Bakweri society just similar most tribal scheme inwards the wood zone was organized inwards peculiar fashion which was inwards accordance with their ain perception of life. The social construction shall live examined from the dot shape stratification.
Class Stratification
The traditional African societies inwards full general had a peculiar way of organizing themselves. The Bakweri people were no exception to this rule. They were stratified nether 3 distinct groups notably strangers, natives in addition to slaves. Natives of the Bakweri ethnic grouping were called “Wopnja”. They were those believed to have got blood ties with ancestral world of the clan.
This shape of people were privilege to participate inwards restraint subway societies in addition to other affairs concerning the Bakweri human in addition to his territory. Next to this grouping with abide by to hierarchy was the strangers called “wajili”. This was attributed to unusual settlers inwards the solid ground considered as Bakweri territory with no blood human relationship with the ancestors of the Bakweri people. Finally, were the slaves called “Wokomi” which was the lastly grouping in addition to was situated at the bottom of the social table.They consisted of people who co-habited with Bakweri people but had lesser privileges. They settled on Bakweri soil as a outcome of the fact that they were either bought from neighboring tribes or caught as state of war captives.
Marriage in addition to identify unit of measurement life
Dating rituals: It is the manly mortal parent who looks for the wife. The Bakweri people are non usually allow to date. It is the manly mortal parent of the man child or missy who appear for a partner for their son/daughter.
The bakweri are non commonly supposed to have got sexual practice before marriage. It is only when all the bride toll has existence paid, that the bride is taken to the grooms room, they have got sex. On this night, a white bed sheet is spread on the bed, for the pair to have got sexual practice on it. Since the bride has to live a virgin, she must bleed on the bed sheet, in addition to that volition evidence to the groom’s identify unit of measurement that the bride was a expert one.
Marriage patterns: The Bakweri have got traditionally practised polygamy, although with Christianisation, this custom has go extremely rare. In the traditional Bakweri society, women are chosen as time to come spouses when they are still children, in addition to inwards some cases, fifty-fifty before they were born. The manly mortal parent or relative of the adult woman have got been paid a dowry, thus the adult woman is considered as a belongings to the hubby in addition to his family. Upon the husband’s death, the eldest surviving blood brother inherits the wife. H5N1 husband’s prosperity was also intricately linked to the influence of his married adult woman or wives. The wives tended his pigs, goats, cattle, arable land, so no ane could trespass or laissez passer on them, etc. The Bakweri are really exogamous when it comes to marriage. They abide by their blood lineage, hence they do non wed with people from the same village. They do non practise incest. Incest is fifty-fifty considered as a taboo, in addition to serious practise needs to live practise to purify the identify unit of measurement name. They wed from really far area, or distances, but nowadays, some people wed inwards unopen area, in addition to endogamy is at nowadays becoming mutual with the Bakweri.In the bakweri, spousal human relationship is a spousal human relationship betwixt a clan, in addition to identify unit of measurement in addition to non betwixt individuals. The thought is that the bride toll is genuinely never fully paid, because if it is completely paid, it volition live similar the missy has been sold, in addition to no ane inwards the identify unit of measurement or clan volition live able to acquire wed with someone inwards that tribe again, it is to a greater extent than similar an agreement, in addition to the bride toll is to intensify the spousal human relationship relationship.
Marriage rituals in addition to practices: It is the manly mortal parent who pays the dawry, because the immature human is non working in addition to the manly mortal parent is supposed to ain goods hence he is the ane who pays. After fulfilling the requirement it is the human who decides on when to take the wife. The solar daytime of that occasion you lot convey the large in addition to the girls identify unit of measurement will access you lot on what to pay. The manly mortal parent of the missy volition start the biting on the toll of the dowry from 1 million, until the 2 families hit at 500000FCFA, which is usually the lowest amount they tin accept. Sometimes, the 2 families may come upwards come to a compromise in addition to inquire the groom to give what he has. If you lot don’t kill the grunter you lot are non fully married, the Bakweri don’t usually issued spousal human relationship certificate. After paying component division of the dowry, that is when you lot are officially married. On the spousal human relationship day, the girls identify unit of measurement brings the bride to the mans family. The ceremony is celebrated, on after the ceremony, the bride in addition to the grooms identify unit of measurement prepares a prissy bed with a white bed sheet on which the bride is expected to bleed, as a sign of her virginity. If the adult woman bleeds on the sheet, so she is a expert bride, if not, she powerfulness live disregarded yesteryear her groom in addition to the groom’s family.
Bakweri wedding
Bakweri Cultural/Traditional Wedding
According to Mola Mbua Ndoko the formal physical care for of acquiring a married adult woman as was prescribed yesteryear Bakweri elders to a greater extent than than 200 years agone involves 3 phases:
1. The approbation of the parents, specially the mothers of the spouses-elect.
2. Sealing of the spousal human relationship contract (efeyo).
3. The wedding.
Phase One: The Engagement (Ewanda)
H5N1 woman mortal babe was engaged fifty-fifty when she was still inwards her mother's womb. It was an oral contract betwixt expert friends. The contract was regularized inwards due course of teaching at the appropriate time. The physical care for of deciding that an engagement (Ewanda) tin at nowadays take identify is slow since the families concerned demand fourth dimension to quietly investigate each another. Matters to live investigated include: fertility, history of diseases peculiar with for certain families, practices of evil witchcraft such as nyongo.
When the parents of a man child or a man child himself are interested inwards marrying a girl, the manly mortal parent of the man child sends an emissary to communicate his intention to the parents of the girl. The emissary would usually live a unopen fellow member of the family: an aunt, an uncle, or a cousin to the boy. Even when the parents of the missy consider a asking as irresistible their reply would commonly take a shape similar this:
"Thank you. We likewise volition give the thing due consideration".
You have got flattered us (e-jeni isofe vato).
Give us fourth dimension to consider your request".
After ane or 2 months the emissary would render to the parents of the missy to notice out their reaction. If the identify unit of measurement of the missy accepts the proposal their reply would take a shape similar this:
"yaa ! inyo ndi joo-ngo".
Literally:
"We are hither waiting in addition to looking frontward to your farther reaction to the situation".
As recent as 60-70 years agone an engagement (ewanda) was a purely private ceremony involving almost 10 persons, 4 to 5 representatives of the man child intending to wed in addition to almost 5 representatives of the missy to live married. Representatives were commonly unopen members of the families concerned: the parents of the man child in addition to the girl, aunts, uncles, maternal nieces. Ewanda takes identify at the residence of the parents of the girl. Ewanda is an oral contract where the representatives of the man child confirm their intention to have got their man child married to the missy concerned. The identify unit of measurement of the man child commonly presents an ewanda gift to the girl. If the missy is likewise shy to encounter the representatives of the bridegroom elect, the girl’s woman parent would have the gift on behalf of her daughter.
After an engagement ceremony has taken identify the parents of the man child may commence to pay dowry inwards installments to the parents of the girl. The foremost parent to have the foremost installment of dowry must live the woman parent of the girl. Reason. It has been realized that a spousal human relationship that takes identify inwards defiance of disapproval of the woman parent of the missy or the woman parent of the man child is to a greater extent than often than non doomed to failure. The foremost installment of dowry that the woman parent of the missy receives is a immature woman mortal polish looking caprine animal that has non started to deliver. Acceptance of the caprine animal yesteryear a woman parent is a farther postage of approbation of the spousal human relationship yesteryear the mother.
Phase Two: Sealing of the spousal human relationship contract (efeyo)
Efeyo is a world ceremony. There are 2 types of efeyo, namely "efeyo yi itote", in addition to efeyo ya mwese.
(i). Efeyo yi Itote –An all nighttime ceremony inwards which formal assessment in addition to reconciliation of dowry that the manly mortal parent of the bride to live has so far received. More dowry installments may still live paid during the efeyo ceremony. The halt of an efeyo is the formal sealing of a spousal human relationship contract. H5N1 spousal human relationship contract is sealed with the formal sharing of a ngowa ye efeyo to all manly mortal witnesses to an efeyo ceremony. The ngowa is expected to encounter conventional requirements. The ngowa must live either a woman mortal or a castrated ngowa a maata.
Efeyo contracts used to live oral. In a instance where at that topographic point is a written contract the signatories to the contract would commonly live the parents of the spouses-elect. Marriage contracts are traditionally in addition to culturally affairs reserved for handling yesteryear the parents of the spouses-elect.
Note: Dowry received yesteryear the woman parent is a private affair. It is non a world ceremony. The dowry used to live almost ane quarter of the dowry that the manly mortal parent to the missy receives.
At the successful conclusion of an efeyo the girl/woman to live married virtually becomes the wife-elect of his boy/man.
Efeyo yi Itote takes identify at the premises of the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom to be. Before commencement of work concern the guests, that is, the manly mortal parent of the missy to live married in addition to his entourage have got to live entertained with a middle size ngowa in addition to other rich nutrient in addition to a reasonable quantity of palm wine. The ngowa must foremost of all live shown to an accredited representative of the manly mortal parent of the missy to live married before cooking starts. The representative has potency to either take the ngowa or reject it if the ngowa falls brusque of conventional requirements. The manly mortal parent of the missy to live married may similarly reject the ngowa ye efeyo if the ngowa does non encounter normal standards.
e-ngowa ye efeyo is shared into 3 lots.
1. Lot ane goes to the manly mortal parent of the missy to live married in addition to his family. Tradition requires that the thorax of the ngowa should live given to the maternal uncle of the missy to live married.
2. Lot 2 goes to the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom-elect in addition to members of his entourage
3. Lot 3 is reserved for all manly mortal witnesses to the ceremony.
Business commences presently after nightfall. It is a slow all nighttime affair, punctuated intermittently with rich bombastic cultural pronouncements relevant to efeyo. The pronouncements are commonly made yesteryear representatives of the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom-elect in addition to the manly mortal parent of the missy to live married. No ane is inwards a hurry. It is an occasion to boast with exaggerations in addition to to demonstrate how the immediate manly mortal identify unit of measurement members of the spouses-elect are good versed with cultural splendours inwards efeyo in addition to spousal human relationship affairs inwards general.
Dowry is inwards the shape of goats. The manly mortal parent of the missy to live married may asking as many as ane K (ikoli) goats or more. Tradition does non allow that consummate dowry live paid on the solar daytime of the efeyo. The remainder of dowry may live paid inwards installments inwards due course. Taking payoff of this province of affairs the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom to live after consultation with members of his entourage finally boastfully accepts whatever number of goats that his friend requires. At that juncture the most of import stage inwards the ceremony is the presentation, the acceptance, the slaughter in addition to the sharing of e-ngowa ye efeyo. H5N1 spousal human relationship contract, oral or written, is sealed with the slaughter in addition to sharing of e-ngowa ye efeyo.
The sharing of e-ngowa ye efeyo is assigned to someone who knows to whom special parts of the ngowa must go. For instance, the intestine of the ngowa is an automatic extra portion that goes to the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom elect. There is no status known as "gate crasher" inwards the thing of having a portion of e-ngowa ye efeyo. Every manly mortal witness (teenage, adult. elderly) to an efeyo has a traditional/cultural correct to a formal portion of the ngowa. Women are non expected to participate inwards the long all nighttime cultural efeyo ceremony. Not existence active participants or active witnesses to the ceremony women are non entitled to formal shares of e-ngowa ye efeyo. Women nevertheless have got an understandable correct to "taste" the nutrient before it is served to the manly mortal parent of the bride elect in addition to his entourage.
Phase Three - The wedding
Before the nuptials takes place, the parents of the bridegroom-elect volition foremost of all nowadays some other polish looking woman mortal caprine animal that has non yet started to deliver to the woman parent of the bride-elect. The caprine animal is known as "e-mboli etimba nosotros ewongo": Literally, the caprine animal that is expected to usage or lie/sleep on the sofa (ewongo) on which the bride-elect used to sleep.
The Wedding: Abduction or formal.
(a) Abduction. The manly mortal parent of the bride-elect is expected to give her missy substantial nuptials gifts. When the manly mortal parent is unable to, or is reluctant to create the gifts or when he fails on successive occasions to abide by dates fixed for the nuptials it is a diplomatic signal to the identify unit of measurement of the bridegroom-elect that they may abduct the bride-elect. Since yesteryear tradition a bride-elect is virtually a married adult woman after an efeyo abduction is permissible.
(b) H5N1 formal wedding. The Bride is escorted to her matrimonial dwelling yesteryear an entourage of almost 5 to vii duly accredited, respected in addition to successfully married women, accompanied yesteryear 2 or 3 strong men to carry the Bride on their shoulders when the Bride in addition to her entourage are almost to acquire into the hamlet of the Bridegroom. H5N1 bride is expected to move inwards the night. Trekking to her matrimonial dwelling hence commences presently after nightfall.
One of the nuptials gifts that a manly mortal parent is expected to give to her missy is a expert looking mwaaka 2nd mboli (a castrated caprine animal or a woman mortal goat). Fat from the belly of the caprine animal is rubbed on the pilus of the bride, piece the meat of the caprine animal forms component division of the boiled nutrient that the bride takes with her to her matrimonial home.
As presently as trekking begins the entourage starts to sing at the top of their voices "moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee ! The singing is formal notice to the hamlet community that the Bride is departing. Singing commences ane time to a greater extent than whenever the Bride in addition to her entourage are passing through a village. Then comes the pomp in addition to circumstance of the formal entry of the Bride in addition to her entourage into the hamlet of the Bridegroom. The Bride at nowadays firmly carried high on the shoulders of ane of the men inwards the entourage is decorated in addition to redecorated with fanciful caput ties wrapped on her arms in addition to her head. She would commonly have on a full-length kaava. The entourage so intensifies singing of the classical nuptials song:
"Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee (hurrah, behold the Bride is coming).
Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee.
o-maasa Moombi 2nd Ngondo, mo-ma ja (Bridegroom ! The teenage Bride you lot have got been yearning for has at nowadays come).
Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee.
Responding inwards joyful mood, the hamlet community of the Bridegroom joins inwards singing at the top of their voices: "Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee”, in addition to so gracefully escorts the Bride in addition to her entourage inwards pomp in addition to circumstance into the chemical compound of the manly mortal parent of the Bridegroom. The woman parent of the Bridegroom waiting at the main door of the house receives the Bride with an comprehend in addition to so hands to the Bride a walking stick in addition to a woman mortal chicken that has non yet started to deliver. The feathers of the chicken must live void of abrupt contrasting colours such as dark spots on white background (matono ma wuva).
The Bride’s entourage is lavishly entertained with a rich diverseness of food. The Bride sits unopen to the Bridegroom. She may non eat out of shyness. The adjacent stage of the ceremony is a litany of advice inwards the shape of "don’ts". This physical care for is known as "lifema la Moombi".
"Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee",
Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee;
"omasa Moombi 2nd Ngondo, mo-ma ja
You have got been yearning for a teenage Bride.
Here she is.
Moombi wee. wee ! Moombi wee" !
"Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee.
osi taata Munyango, Moombi wee, wee ! Mombi wee".
Bride, don’t care for your hubby with contempt. Moombi wee, wee, Moombi wee.
Don’t starve your husband. Moombi wee, wee, Moombi wee.
Don’t despise members of the identify unit of measurement of your husband. Moombi wee, wee.
Moombi wee", in addition to so on.
Members of the Bride’s entourage render to their respective homes adjacent morning time after breakfast. The manly mortal parent of the Bridegroom hands each fellow member of the entourage an appreciation gift known as "mofaki"
Honeymoon. The length of the honeymoon is determined yesteryear circumstances. During that menstruum the newly married missy is non expected to carry out formal domestic activities, such as cooking, fetching of H2O from the spring, or going to the farm to harvest food. Volunteer woman mortal members of the husband’s identify unit of measurement carry out the cooking in addition to other domestic services.
The halt of the honeymoon is marked yesteryear the preparation of a formal repast yesteryear the newly married girl. She would commonly live assisted inwards cooking yesteryear members of her identify unit of measurement (mother, aunt, sister, niece) in addition to the woman parent in addition to aunts in addition to sisters of her spouse. H5N1 constituent component division of the repast is nguma ngowa, that is, the meat of a immature grunter provided yesteryear the identify unit of measurement of the newly married immature man. The grunter must live either woman mortal or castrated.
Efeyo ya Mwese
In the lawsuit of a divorced adult woman remarrying, her novel hubby refunds to the former hubby dowry that was paid inwards abide by of the woman. The ceremony takes identify either at the hall of a hamlet traditional council or at a customary court.
Bakweri people performing traditional trip the low-cal fantastic at wedding
Inheritance or kinship patterns
Bakweri inheritance is patrilineal; upon the father’s death, his belongings is inherited yesteryear his eldest son. Inheritance also depends on the behavior of the children. If a kid is a primary or is really stubborn or is noted for a really bad grapheme similar arrogance to the elders, or disregard to the tradition, the manly mortal parent tin determine to give his inheritance to the brother.
Also, if the manly mortal parent dies when the children are still really young, the inheritance tin live transfered to a identify unit of measurement fellow member who is trust worthy. Also een the adjacent of manly mortal monarch doesn’t necessarily agency that all the belongings belongs to you, you lot are the ane to command the property. If you lot are non from the royal identify unit of measurement you lot cannot live made a king. King makers are people who come upwards from the primary family. Notables in addition to are the people who decides on the adjacent manly mortal monarch after the initial manly mortal monarch has made his will. Furthermore, nosotros telephone telephone “Manawondja”, when a adult woman is non married in addition to have got attained an historic menstruum when she tin no to a greater extent than acquire married so she tin have got a vocalization inwards the family.
Bakweri people
Household patterns
In the Bakweri soceity, many families are monogamous, in addition to hence at that topographic point is no conjugal household from within the family. Furthermore, the Bakwerians pass a lot of fourth dimension at dwelling with their children, in addition to the identify unit of measurement is the main unit of measurement of production, therefore, at that topographic point is no particular houshold designing within the Bakweri soceity.
Bakweri people
Religious Belief
Bakweris, similar many other tribes inwards the Federal Republic of Republic of Cameroon have got no unjust thought of the Deity. This is clear from the words that they usage inwards describing Him. They ascribe to God the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, in addition to invisibility. They telephone telephone Him the Protector, Maeke ; the Creator of all things, Iwonde ; the Guardian in addition to Keeper of all things, Motateli ; the Law-Giver, the Governor, the Source of the Word, Ovase or Lova.
These important appellations are non just used inwards religious ceremonies. They are component division in addition to packet of every-day language, as for instance, inwards the mutual telephone commutation of greetings. Among Bakweris, when ane is asked "how are you," w'a okaneya, it is non uncommon for the inquirer to have the answer: "N'eki Maeke", I give thank you lot to the Protector. So deep is their belief inwards the omniscience in addition to omnipotence of the Supreme Being that ane has to sympathize the thought patterns of the Bakweris to appreciate the component division that religious mysticism plays inwards their solar daytime to solar daytime affairs.
Bakweri Cosmology: Bakweri cosmology splits the world into 2 orders of being, Vaenya in addition to Vawoo. Literally, these words hateful respectively, the living in addition to the dead. But inwards a wider sense,
Vaenya, the living, is used to comprehend all physical or stuff things. All things that belong to the Vaenya monastic tell tin live perceived yesteryear anyone ; they occupy definite locations inwards space. It is interesting, however, that Bakweris do non include air inwards this category.
Air is to a greater extent than often than non looked upon as a transitory chemical element that forms a span betwixt the monastic tell of Vaenya in addition to that of Vawoo : that this chemical element shares many characteristics of things inwards both orders did non escape the Bakweris inwards their cosmological speculations. For indeed at that topographic point is a schoolhouse of thought which believes that air, at to the lowest degree its fundamental life-giving element, pervades the entire universe. That chemical element is believed to live the essential composition of the entities that belong to the Vawoo order. This concept, it should live noted, is non far removed from the Western theory of "Ether of space" nor is it really dissimilar from what Yogis telephone telephone "Prana".
The Vawoo monastic tell embraces all the invisible forces of nature. This includes the spirits of the dead in addition to a large array of forces that have got ever puzzled human intelligence. While the Bakweris do non create watertight definitions in addition to descriptions of the characteristics of elements inwards the Vawoo order, they do believe that the monastic tell exists in addition to have got thus devised methods yesteryear which contacts tin live made in addition to yesteryear which the forces of that monastic tell tin live directed to, in addition to manipulated for, man's benefit.
Mention has been made higher upwards of the belief that air forms a span betwixt the 2 orders. It has also been stated that a for certain indefinable chemical element inwards air pervades the entire universe. This life-giving in addition to life-sustaining element, Bakweris telephone telephone Muulu. Muulu is needed yesteryear things inwards both orders in addition to inwards human it is life itself ; it is the godliness inwards him in addition to it gives him his individuality. Man is believed to demand Muulu throughout his earthly existence in addition to because of its imperishable in addition to indestructible nature, when Muulu departs from man, in addition to he attains the nation that is called Kpeli or death, Muulu continues.
The Human Spirit After Death: Bakweris believe that Muulu, the life-giving strength of Elinge or soul affects human throughout his earthly existence inwards a number of ways. But this influence upon human cannot live described as control. It falls brusque of that. Nor tin it live equated with what some western philosophers depict as "dualistic interventionism" ; for this latter concept has a number of assumptions which would appear to the Bakweris as illogical, untenable or fifty-fifty pragmatic.
Upon expiry Muulu or Elinge is believed to linger around for 3 days during which it bids cheerio to all with whom the deceased had been acquainted inwards his earthly existence. This is why on the 3rd solar daytime after expiry it is the custom to organize a pocket-sized feast known as Sassa. The feast serves to bid cheerio to the deceased. In feasting, partakers are expected to throw pieces of nutrient around. These are eaten upwards yesteryear domestic animals in addition to birds that may live nowadays in addition to through them the deceased participates inwards the feasting.
This shape of participation is easily understandable in addition to should occasion no surprise. In the transition that is called Kpeli or death, the spiritual essence departs from the torso in addition to becomes ane with the life-giving force, Muulu, that permeates the entire universe - which includes men, animals, in addition to birds. Consequently, the deceased is believed to participate inwards the feasting through men, animals, in addition to birds present. But his cheerio feast does non imply that no farther contact tin live made with departed ones. Bakweris have got a number of names for the Deity. One of these is Ovase which agency the Source of the Word. If readers may permit a piddling diversion into its etymology, Ovase is a substantive coined out of the Bakweri verb l'ova, important to speak, to say.
The Power of the Word: It is important that this Bakweri concept of God as the discussion through which in addition to yesteryear which all things are made in addition to unmade tallies with the Christian version of it as
expressed inwards the Fourth Gospel - the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. John. The Prologue of this Gospel begins as follows : "In the start was the Word ; in addition to the Word was with God, in addition to the Word was God."
The belief inwards the Word, the belief inwards the magic powerfulness of the Word is so deeply embedded inwards the minds of the Bakweris that foreigners who have got non been initiated into their philosophy in addition to cosmological concepts are often at a loss at understanding fifty-fifty the simplest of the numerous practices that create upwards Bakweri religious mysticism. Most of these practices have got received violent denunciations of Westerners in addition to to a greater extent than particularly, Western Missionaries who portion with their colonialist brethren the built inwards conviction that they stand upwards for a "superior culture." The natural corollary of this baseless conviction has been disrespect for all things Cameroonian and, yesteryear extension, all things African.
Bakweris know that human is unique because of his powerfulness over the Word. By this power, human is able to telephone telephone forth in addition to guide the life force. This is the important of life, this is existence : to have the discussion ; to invoke it ; to portion it with other beings, living in addition to dead, human or divine.
Diverse are the uses to which the powerfulness of the Word tin live put. The human of affairs discovers that he is unsuccessful in addition to he decides to usage the powerfulness of the Word to alter his fortune. He obtains a bottle of vino in addition to goes to the grave of an ancestor, pours the vino in addition to asks for God's approving through his ancestor inwards monastic tell that his fortune may change. Parents determine to give their missy inwards spousal human relationship in addition to they pour some vino or water, as the instance may be, at the door of their house in addition to inwards doing so, they conjure upwards the blessings of their ancestors inwards monastic tell that the spousal human relationship may live successful.
The Nganga or healer, whom all foreigners telephone telephone "witch doctor" spits upon his herbs in addition to yesteryear the powerfulness of the Word conjures upwards the blessings of the Supreme Being through the invocation of his ancestors inwards monastic tell that the herbs may upshot a cure - in addition to they do! Those who dot a mocking finger at the so-called "witch doctor" could have got done the same to Christ were they nowadays when He cured the human born blind yesteryear spitting on the ground, making clay with the spittle, in addition to spreading the clay over the man's eyes before commanding him to go in addition to launder inwards the puddle of Siloe, John IX : 1-7. Yet this is just what Christians are doing to-day.
Young men abide by elders ; they give alms to the poor in addition to indulge inwards all sorts of "good works" for which they have inwards render a payment inwards the words : "lova a o namise" which mean, may God bless you. And they are satisfied in addition to believe that through the powerfulness of the Word they volition have the blessings of God. These are some of the positive uses of the powerfulness of the Word in addition to the way that the Bakweris usage in addition to appreciate it inwards their solar daytime to solar daytime affairs. Of course, many other examples tin live given but have got been omitted because of infinite considerations.
The Word in addition to Sorcery: But the powerfulness of the Word is similar a two-edged sword. It tin live used for expert in addition to for evil, for boon in addition to for bane. This is where cursing in addition to other witchological practices
come upwards in. Sorcery, the powerfulness to plough life's vital forces to evil ends, is known to usage with other things, the powerfulness of the Word. One of the commonest uses of this powerfulness is yesteryear cursing. Cursing is done inwards 2 ways : first, the sorcerer may usage actual words or, secondly, he may usage a concatenation of ceremonies, including awesome incantations convert this prototype into a powerful weapon of destruction. This technique is to a greater extent than often than non known as "the powerfulness of the doll."
We shall non go into whatever particular on the uses of the powerfulness of the Word inwards the dark underside of Bakweri mysticism. That is exterior the orbit of this article ; but suffice to say that fifty-fifty the most Christo-centric of westerners who has lived with the Bakweris for whatever length of fourth dimension knows that what is referred to as sorcery, witchcraft, voodoo or nyongo genuinely "works". It would live just as foolish to dismiss these things as superstitions simply because the natives offering no scientific explanations for them as it would live to say that the police of gravity did non be before Newton discovered it.
r
Bakweri elders Slaughtering a grunter for a ritual during the installation of Paul Mokako Gobina as
Traditional Ruler Of Wondongo Village, Buea.
Yet, this is just the work that anyone who seeks to sympathize the natives must face. Understanding cannot come upwards when the inquirer has the built-in-feeling that he represents a "superior culture" ; for, the really thought of a superior civilization is ridiculous. Any seek at comparative evaluation of cultures presupposes an ethnocentric perspective. And those who frown upon in addition to usage derogatory epithets to depict such practices as libation ought to realise that cultural relativism stipulates, with other things, that all cultures must live viewed as adequate in addition to meaningful adjustments which people have got made to the imperatives of living.
There are definitely some Cameroonians, in addition to Africans for that matter, who are so plagued yesteryear the alien mentality they have got acquired inwards the course of teaching of their sojourn inwards distant lands that they would prefer non to beak over these practices at all. But inwards this our historic menstruum when it rests upon our shoulders to dovetail what is expert inwards our society with the expert things that nosotros have got learnt from our colonial masters, nosotros cannot afford to live apathetic or ashamed to examine all aspects of our national life inwards monastic tell to select the best from it.
Christianity: The Bakweri have got been largely Christianised since the 1970s. Evangelical denominations dominate, specially the Baptist church. Christianity plays an of import role inwards Bakweri regions, where music played over the radio is as probable to live the latest from Nigerian gospel vocalist Agatha Moses as it is the latest striking yesteryear a Nigerian music star.
Presby Church Buea
Arts
The Bakweri still practise arts in addition to crafts handed downward for generations. The Bakweri are known to live skilled weavers of hats in addition to shirts, for example. They also build armoires, chairs, in addition to tables.
Bakweri dances serve a number of purposes. The Bakweri Male Dance, for example, demonstrates the performers' virility. Other dances are purely for enjoyment, such as the maringa in addition to the ashiko, which arose inwards the 1930s, in addition to the makossa in addition to ambasse bey dances that accompany those musical styles.
The greatest venue for Bakweri music in addition to trip the low-cal fantastic are the 2 major festivals that take identify each twelvemonth inwards December. The Ngondo is a traditional festival of the Duala, although today all of Cameroon's coastal Sawa peoples are invited to participate. It originated as a agency of preparation Duala children the skills of warfare. Now, however, the main focus is on communicating with the ancestors in addition to asking them for guidance in addition to protection for the future. The festivities also include armed combat, beauty pageants, pirogue races, in addition to traditional wrestling.
The Mpo'o brings together the Bakoko, Bakweri, in addition to Limba at Edéa. The festival commemorates the ancestors in addition to allows the participants to consider the problems facing the groups in addition to humanity as a whole. Lively music, dancing, theatre, in addition to recitals accompany the celebration.
Bakweri Traditional Attire
The traditional attire of the Bakweri is similar to that of most, if non all, the coastal ethnic groups of Republic of Cameroon such as the Duala. It consists of the Sanja for the men in addition to the Kabba for women. While the exact root of this attire is unknown, nosotros tin assume that it appeared with the advent of European traders on the Republic of Cameroon coast who exchanged loin clothes for nutrient stuffs
At the plough of the 19th century, Carl Bender noted that: “In towns close the coast, where European traders offering their wares inwards telephone commutation for cocoa beans, kernels in addition to palm oil, the loin cloth, or lapalap, a slice of colored punt or sateen almost 2 yards long, is coming to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than into use”. According to Bender, the Bakweri did inwards fact have got a traditional attire that was worn before the arrival of Europeans.
According to Daniel Matute: "The Bakweri human inwards the hamlet dresses inwards a long waist stuff called Sanja tied circular the waist with 2 overlapping edges yesteryear the sides called masu'u topped yesteryear a long sleeve shirt, preferably white, with a caput necktie or scarf around the neck. Usually a chapeau may live worn if the human so desires. The Sanja is stitched according to the size of the private but usually 3 fathoms is a expert sized Sanja. Some men would prefer a coat to go along with the attire."
With regards to women, Matute states that: "A typical traditional attire worn yesteryear the Bakweri women is a voluminous, clocked clothe popularly known as “Kabba”. This attire goes with a caput necktie to check with the dress. The women are highly respected for their high criterion of clothe making. Exposure of the feminine legs yesteryear wearing bikinis or a pair of shorts is highly discouraged."
According to Bender: "The original native clothe is a really uncomplicated affair… It consists of a pocket-sized apron made of fibre or grass in addition to is girded almost the loins. H5N1 still to a greater extent than uncomplicated clothe is worn yesteryear women in addition to girls only - a braided fibre belt almost 3 inches wide."
Cuisine/Food/Traditional Spices
The official dish of the Bakweri is Kwakoko in addition to Mosaka (Palm nut) soup. Apart from that the Bakweri have got a number of other traditional dishes that they have got made their ain yesteryear cooking or spicing them upwards with the leaves, seeds in addition to other elements from the lush vegetation of the Mount Fako region. Here is a listing of some of those spices:
Manjuweli: The foliage of a pocket-sized works life of the same identify unit of measurement as "Mbongo" in addition to "Indoko ja mokpe":(alligator pepper). Used mostly inwards Mosaka especilly inwards those days when the mosaka was to a greater extent than often than non cooked with "ekosel'a ngoa"(young pig) the foliage is haversted in addition to washed, in addition to wrapped around the pieces of meat or fish to live used inwards the "Mosaka".
Eseke-seke: it is obtained from a tree inwards the forest(not for certain how to depict the tree)fresh, in addition to so dried before consumption. The quantitiy to usage is a thing of private taste. It is used mostly inwards pepper soup, kwalala, mosaka, in addition to Ngonya wembe.
Jowe(Black Pepper): Also obtained from a wood tree.(little light-green in addition to carmine seeds) that plough dark after the drying process. Used inwards pepper soup, kwalala, ngonya wembe in addition to for spicing of roasted meats in addition to fish.
Njangasanga: Also obtained from a really huge wood tree. the tree bears pods that incorporate the njangasanga seeds. The pods are harvested whe mature, in addition to cracked opened upwards to extract the seeds which are than sun-dreid. Does good inwards warm climates. Most of it comes from Muyuka, in addition to Manyu division, but it is also said that at that topographic point is ane huge tree somewhere inwards Bonankanda. Used inwards pepper soup, Kwalala, Ngonya wembe, spicing of meats in addition to fish for roasting.(also inwards left over mosaka to live eaten with wolanga.) It is also used together with jowe in addition to ngaikai inwards a dish called "Liphele".(Fish spiced in addition to wrapped inwards plantain leaves in addition to cooked over hot coals)
Ngai-kai: Also harvested from a wood tree. It almost looks similar what nosotros called "cashew" dorsum home. It is cracked opened upwards in addition to the seed within is the Ngaikai, which is either Sun dried or smoke-dried before consumption. The next are non used as spices yesteryear the Bakweri , they are used yesteryear the Bakweri for dissimilar ailments.
Masephu: H5N1 uncomplicated works life found inwards most peoples yards. the leaves are washed in addition to the juice squeezed out of them using water. It is used for uncomplicated tummy aches. Also included inwards the concoction of other leaves, plants in addition to barks of trees that are steamed in addition to used for "li-tumba"(a mortal suffering from malaria is sat infront of this steaming pot underneath a covert ) in addition to allowed to sweat off the fever . when the H2O cools downward inwards it so used as an enema as well. It is also said that having this works life inwards the chemical compound drives away evil spirits.
Mbongo: Seeds obtained from a works life of the same species as alligator pepper.The bakweri volition ground or fifty-fifty chew it, in addition to mix it inwards "manyanga"(palm marrow oil). it is the applied all over the torso of a kid with a high fever to forestall convulsions. It is also the main spice inwards "mbongo-chobi" dish of the Bassa of Cameroon.
Games
Bakweri have got a famous game for children called Kweti. It is a game that is played during the rainy flavor yesteryear the fireside. This game emphasizes the importance of naming one's relatives in addition to it emphasizes the importance of retentivity in addition to quick thinking; The winner has to live really smart inwards verbal expression, physical dexterity in addition to also to have got a abrupt memory.
Usually, children play this game using wood ash (liwu) in addition to a stone (liyE) or charcoal (findi). While sitting yesteryear the kitchen board (ewongo) or chair (konda), someone would say, (joke kweti) lets play kweti. Then members of the identify unit of measurement would play yesteryear selecting the foremost mortal who would acquire a pocket-sized pebble in addition to hide it behind his or her dorsum in addition to exhibit both hands to some other play in addition to say “ (Mame ne) what is this, the responder would take in addition to say I take this mitt in addition to I throw away this mitt in addition to so call a relative. (mamene kweti, mame ne joli, na wowene, nafakene mola Esombi). If the instrumentalist does non call a relative really fast, the other instrumentalist would striking the spice handbasket that hangs higher upwards the give the sack play (mokove) in addition to say (et]]ng] ). And the instrumentalist would have got to forfeit their plough to the other instrumentalist who striking the spice handbasket in addition to said et]]ng]. If the instrumentalist called the call of a relative inwards time, he/she would dip their fore finger inwards wood ash in addition to pose a dot on the their leg to bespeak a point. Then the game continues until the people concord to count the dots on their legs. The mortal with the largest amount of wood ash dots on their legs wins.
Sports
One special sporting event, the Bakweri Traditional Wrestling, encompasses all the qualities the Bakweri have got inherited from their ancestors: physical endurance, agility, vehement fighting techniques, in addition to a non bad sense of competition.
Wrestling is known as wesuwa in addition to it’s taken really seriously yesteryear all the members of the community. In the yesteryear wrestling used to live an of import way of determining leadership inwards the villages; it fifty-fifty resulted inwards a state of war betwixt 2 villages inwards 1891, when people from Ghango burnt downward the hamlet of Molonde inwards revenge for the expiry of their best wrestlers. Fortunately, this behaviour at nowadays a thing of the past. Today, wrestling is a friendly competition drawing a huge crowd from all over the region. Every Dominicus for 8 weeks inwards Feb in addition to March every hamlet gathers their best wrestlers inwards a major competition to regard who has the best fighters with athletes showing off their fighting prowess. Each hamlet is the host of the wrestling for ane day.
Although Bakweri wrestling is a traditional shape of fighting, it has similarities with WWF wrestling. H5N1 check betwixt 2 villages starts with all the contestants, who have on skimpy sarongs, coming together inwards the middle of the large expanse of grass which forms the wrestling pitch. The wrestlers tease each others yesteryear making gestures of threat in addition to so challenge each others into a nail-biting fight. H5N1 contestant wins a bout yesteryear throwing his opponent on his dorsum or yesteryear taking him downward in addition to so either rolling him on his dorsum or forcing him apartment on this stomach. To set the atmosphere, drummers on an elevated stage crunch intricate rhythms on large log drums throughout the check piece the crowds roar in addition to cry encouragement to the wrestlers. The setting is magnificent; the villages are surrounded yesteryear dense in addition to lush vegetation with Mount Republic of Cameroon towering inwards the background over the wrestling land in addition to glimpses of the sea tin live seen on the horizon.
The competition culminates with the annunciation of the year’s champion wrestler who is so carried with the spectators to loud acclaim accompanied yesteryear tradition songs in addition to dances performed yesteryear the cheerleaders – the elderberry tribeswomen.
Funeral Rites (Life After Death)
As presently as a spouse dies the survivor is stripped of all vesture in addition to so clad inwards barkcloth (enjinja) piece circular the caput are tied some leaves of the lisafo works life from which are suspended some seeds of the malaguetta pepper (Aframomum melegueta). The mourner must at nowadays also carry a pocket-sized knife. These protect the mourner from the spirit of the deceased which for the adjacent 3 days is believed to haunt the house where he died. The mortal whose duty it is to regard that the mourner is so properly protected against the deceased is ane who has already been a widower or widow, according to the sexual practice of the mourner.
The corpse if that of a man, is washed yesteryear manly mortal relatives; if that of a woman, yesteryear females, in addition to prepared for burial. While the corpse is existence buried inwards the house, inwards accordance with Bakweri custom, the mourner is taken to the dorsum of the house in addition to kneel on ane knee. With the left mitt the left ear is closed piece the correct mitt holds the knife, in addition to some lisafo fronds.
If the mourner is a widower, a substitute wife, if he had only ane wife, is so brought to him with whom to have got sexual intercourse piece he calls out words of powerfulness to avoid existence haunted yesteryear the spirit of his deceased wife. In the instance of a widow a substitute hubby is provided. Thereafter the widow has to refrain from whatever sexual intercourse until she has been purified. Any manly mortal who is found to have got had sexual intercourse with her before she has been purified is said to "whitened her", or has taken away the spirit of the deceased from her. If the seducer is non a fellow member of the deceased's identify unit of measurement he would live heavily fined for this premature purification of the widow. Widows should fifty-fifty refrain from shaking hands with men until after their lastly purification.
If a widow is suspected of having been unfaithful to her hubby during his life-time, his relatives volition telephone telephone inwards a medicine human who has reached the rank of a Mbwaya. This human volition at nowadays pose the adult woman to the njembu test. He volition gather the next herbs, ngeny, motimbilimbi which is the long fruit of the Kigelia tree, in addition to an crude palm branch. These items are placed on the ground in addition to on top of them a gun or a horn is placed. Then the Mbwaya volition conjure the widow to repeat the next words after him: I am leaping over this njembu 3 times as a adult woman who knew no other human than my hubby in addition to if I tell a prevarication may njembu destroy me. It is believed that whatever widow who told a lie, that is, did non break the call of whatever paramour, would thereafter shortly sicken in addition to die. Any human so named yesteryear the widow as a paramour in addition to who would thus have got been inwards enemity with the deceased in addition to powerfulness live regarded as responsible for his expiry was made to pay the deceased's identify unit of measurement a heavy fine inwards goats.
The corpse is usually buried inwards a shaft in addition to alcove grave. The torso existence placed inwards the alcove in addition to the alcove walled off from the shaft so that when the grave is filled inwards Earth does non touching the body.
After the burial of the corpse the mourner has, until purified, to slumber on the ground, or on the bark of a tree over which some dry out plantain leaves have got been spread. H5N1 expert give the sack is kept burning inwards the hut and, where the mourner is a widow, she ceases to ready in addition to some other adult woman cooks for her. Only pocket-sized quantities of nutrient are eaten for the foremost 3 days; some mourners fifty-fifty fast for the entire 3 days. During this menstruum the lastly repast of the solar daytime must live eaten before dark in addition to when lying downward for the nighttime the mourner must chew a few grains of malaguetta pepper and, spitting them out, must say: We component division to-day, allow me never to a greater extent than dream of you.
The mourner, piece inwards mourning, is non supposed to venture out of the house after dark because it is believed that the spirit of the deceased volition beset him or her. The Bakweri believe that the spirit of the deceased volition seek to have got sexual intercourse with its living partner in addition to thus spirit away that partner.
As illustrating this belief, Mr. Wolatae mentioned that some fourth dimension agone a for certain Bakweri died in addition to was buried. His widow grieved deeply in addition to sorely over his death. Some months later, piece she was working inwards the farm given to her yesteryear her dead husband, he all of a precipitous appeared before her. She became speechless in addition to unable to move. He said to her: I have got seen in addition to heard how bitterly you lot are weeping in addition to lamenting for me solar daytime in addition to night. Your non bad grief gives me no chance to forget you lot in addition to rest. I also have got been seeking an chance to encounter you lot in addition to at nowadays nosotros are hither together.
He so lay with the adult woman who returned dwelling stricken dumb. As is ever the instance with persons who regard or encounter a spirit, this widow fell ill. H5N1 medicine human was called in. He treated her so that at lastly she recovered her spoken communication in addition to was able to tell all that befell her on the farm. H5N1 few days later she died. [In amplification of the handling given to persons afflicted yesteryear the supernatural Mr.
Wolatae supplied the next information: If anyone meets a spirit in addition to returns dwelling dumb or inwards a fainting status so ane should straight off necktie circular that person's brow a fern frond...This handling volition enable the mortal to beak in addition to tell what was seen or to explicate the cause of his condition. If, on the other hand, a mortal falls sick because of dark magic or of witchcraft so a band of white stuff must live tied circular the forehead. If no such white stuff is available so the stalk of the njesenge plant, a type of fern, must live used instead. The sick mortal afflicted yesteryear dark magic or witchcraft volition rave similar a mad mortal in addition to break everything inwards his talking. To care for this sick person, an beast is taken in addition to sacrificed. Pigs in addition to cows, for this usage are non regarded as suitable sacrificial animals. The beast is so killed in addition to its blood is smeared on the patient's torso piece the next words are chanted yesteryear the medicine man: "Oh, animal, choke so that the boy of human may live." After this chant yesteryear the medicine human the patient, to ensure a consummate cure, is told what nutrient is forbidden to him for the ease of his life in addition to on the 9th solar daytime after the sacrifice of the animal, which is the solar daytime for the lastly cure of the patient's illness, he must so vow to abstain from this forbidden food, whatever it is, for the ease of his life. If he does non he volition autumn ane time to a greater extent than nether the spell of the dark magic or witchcraft.]
Post Burial Rites: From the foremost cockcrow after the burial until the Sun rises, the mourner, especially if a widow, must live heard lamenting loudly. If the deceased is an of import human all his woman mortal relatives in addition to the other women of his hamlet are expected to pass the whole morning time in
lamentations. This lamenting powerfulness lastly for a calendar month or more.
The morning time after the burial sees a piddling food, palm wine, and, if the deceased were a snuff taker, a piddling snuff placed on the grave. Fresh nutrient in addition to vino in addition to snuff are thereafter placed on the grave each morning time for a week, livua, which with the Bakweri consists of nine days. During this livua all members of the deceased's identify unit of measurement gather at this fourth dimension at the grave to sing, dance, eat in addition to chant the praises of the deceased.
On the 2nd solar daytime after the burial the relatives go to the farms of the deceased to collect nutrient for the adjacent day's feast. After gathering the necessary food, component division of the deceased's farm is destroyed as existence his share. The component division so destroyed is called vesasale. In the eve of this 2nd solar daytime the villagers gather to honour the retentivity of the deceased yesteryear dancing in addition to singing his praises, yesteryear reciting ancient tales in addition to stories with proverbial meanings in addition to yesteryear playing musical instruments.
The 3rd solar daytime is the ane on which the Bakweri believe that the spirit of the deceased leaves the hut where the torso is buried in addition to proceeds to the spirit world as a molimo. This solar daytime is called sasa solar daytime inwards Bakweri. On this day, the mourner is led off into the bush where a give the sack is kindled with the turn down from crude palm nuts in addition to inwards it the dry out plantain leaves of the bedding in addition to the barkcloth worn are burnt. Then the mourner's torso is washed with metatoani or the juice from the stems of plantains. The physical care for is known as the foremost purification in addition to frees the mourner from the spirit as an elinge hovering around the hut of the deceased, but non from the spirit as a molimo inwards the spirit world. For this argue the mourner must go on to chew in addition to spit out the seeds of the malaguetta piece still uttering words of powerfulness in addition to must have on mourning costume until the lastly purification ceremony marker the halt of the mourning takes place.
The mourner must also go on to have on the lisafo frontlet in addition to the usage of the crude palm nut pericarp fibre inwards kindling a give the sack are regarded as affording powerful magical protection against machinations of the spirit of the deceased.
After the initial purification the mourner is at nowadays dressed inwards the proper mourning clothe which is ever dark inwards colour. Women inwards add-on have on dark give the sack bangles, necklaces in addition to anklets in addition to rub their bodies over with dark sooty oil. This mourning accoutrement is worn until the lastly purification. The children in addition to grandchildren of the deceased's identify unit of measurement are taken inwards mitt yesteryear a man
who himself has lost both parents. He takes them exterior a corner of the deceased's house. There he makes them sit down inwards a circle. In their midst is placed a bowl of nutrient from the feast prepared for the wake. From this bowl he selects a slice of meat in addition to some nutrient in addition to knots them upwards inwards a strip of dark mourning stuff called itinge. This knotted stuff is so worn as a necklace yesteryear each kid or grandchild during the protracted mourning period.
If the deceased was a fellow member of the Mbwaya society, his wives in addition to relatives remained inwards a nation of mourning for vii months. If the deceased was a rich man, good advanced inwards years, a fellow member of the Mbwaya in addition to possessor of many wives in addition to children, so the mourning menstruum was extended to nine months. If the deceased was a human of noble nascence or kondange in addition to also a fellow member of Mbwaya, the mourning menstruum was extended to twelve or 13 months. If, on the other hand, the deceased was just an ordinary man, so the mourning menstruum would live but 5 months. Mourners do non cut, comb or clothe their pilus until the lastly purification.
If however, piece thus habited inwards the mourning clothe the mourner happens to kill a ophidian called fe, phe or pe the mourning menstruum ends straight off in addition to the mourning costume in addition to all that went with it may live discarded. Some people, inwards retentivity of the dead man, would turn down for the ease of their lives to partake of for certain foods. For example, if the deceased was a non bad hunter who used to convey dorsum much meat, so on his expiry his woman parent or some fellow member of the identify unit of measurement powerfulness thereafter abstain from the flesh of a for certain antelope or animal; or if the deceased were a expert palm vino tapper, his woman parent or sis powerfulness so for the ease of their lives refrain from drinking palm wine.
To choke piece inwards a nation of mourning is considered to live a grave misfortune. The Bakweri believe that, if a mortal dies piece mourning, that mortal volition go on for ever after inwards that poor nation inwards the spirit world.
The nursing woman parent is exempt from mourning. If a woman's missy dies inwards childbirth in addition to the babe survives, so the daughter's woman parent is given for certain medicines to quaff to cause the current of milk inwards her breasts so that she tin nourish the motherless baby. Such a grandmother does non go into mourning for her dead daughter.
The Funeral Feast: The wake or funeral feast for the deceased is called sasa in addition to is celebrated as
follows. First comes the moanda nyo or paying for the expert deeds of the deceased. If the deceased live a married adult woman so all the children, slaves in addition to the other members of the identify unit of measurement who were nether her command in addition to care, including all her in-laws, have got to create offerings inwards recognition of all the expert function in addition to loving kindness she bestowed on them piece she was alive. In the old days it was customary to offering fowls, shells, ika in addition to other gifts. To-day people give money varying inwards amount from ane penny to ane shilling .
[On this Bakweri word, ika Mr. Wolatae wrote that its important inwards the days of their ancestors is at nowadays non known. Whether ika meant the Fe money of the Grassland peoples or the mukoko of the Duala is non clear. The call mikoko for the Fe bars that were anciently used as money still persists inwards the spousal human relationship ceremony where the cattle paid as dowry are still reckoned inwards mikoko. Mr. Wolatae so illustrated the nowadays solar daytime usage of this discussion ika inwards Bakweri language: should a creditor encounter his debtor who say owes him 10 shillings in addition to the debtor is unable to repay the loan, then, when making some other hope to pay what he owes, those persons nowadays volition inquire the debtor "to cutting in addition to give one-half an ika" before the novel hope tin live considered. Hence the debtor volition have got to pay at ane time a shilling, say, to his creditor, but this payment of the shilling still leaves the original debt of 10 shilling un-reduced. Hence the saying that the debtor has cutting or given one-half an ika, that is,
esung ika.]
These gifts are so shared yesteryear the co-wives in addition to relatives of the deceased to the exclusion of course of teaching of those who made the offerings. These offerings are regarded as a legacy left yesteryear the deceased. If the deceased live a married man, so all the wives in addition to women of his brothers pay the moanda nyo. Then the people of the hamlet in addition to relatives from afar gather at the deceased's place. They convey nutrient offerings such as goats, pigs, sheep cattle. Such animals for the feast are called moleli. Each beast as it is killed is divided into 3 parts. One component division goes to the possessor of the animal; ane component division is cooked for the feast in addition to the 3rd component division is given to the spectators.
Each bereaved spouse has, yesteryear custom, to render a special beast for the funeral feast. This beast is called ngo a itoto or ngo a veese which agency 'a grunter of bones' or 'a grunter of burnt sacrifice'. This facial expression refers to all the meat brought dwelling yesteryear the hubby in addition to eaten yesteryear the wives. Each widow is at nowadays called upon to render an beast inwards recognition of all the expert nutrient his dead married adult woman cooked for him. The women at nowadays start cooking foods that specially delighted the deceased. The flesh is cooked separately in addition to all nutrient of its sort is placed inwards its ain bowls. The foods are non mixed.
Those participating inwards the funeral feast must eat the nutrient prepared for them away from the deceased's house in addition to out inwards the bush inwards a specially prepared palace at that topographic point to encounter with the molimo or spirits of the dead. When the feast is ready the men pick upwards the diverse bowls of food, palm vino in addition to snuff, in addition to follow the leader. He carries a matchet inwards ane mitt in addition to a blazing give the sack create inwards the other. This create must live kept burning at the site of kindling a give the sack with it. In the prepared clearing the funeral feasters sit down downward together in addition to start to eat the foods prepared, eating ane bowl after another. From each bowl a morsel of nutrient must live thrown on the ground as an offering to the spirit of the dead. H5N1 piddling nutrient is left inwards each bowl for the spirit of the deceased who is so requested to portion it with the other spirits that he meets inwards the solid ground of the dead. This nutrient left inwards the bush clearing is for dogs in addition to pigs to eat.
Should this nutrient non live touched yesteryear these animals it is so believed that the spirit of the deceased is angry in addition to has non attended his funeral feast, nor partaken of the nutrient prepared in addition to offered to him. If after this nutrient has remained untouched for a solar daytime or 2 some greedy beast willfully consumes these rejected offerings ane tin hear the beast squealing in addition to yelping as though existence beaten. But if ane approaches, ane tin regard zilch that is beating the squealing beast in addition to so ane believes it is the offended spirit of the deceased doing so.
Food acceptable to the spirits volition live freely in addition to gently eaten yesteryear dogs or pigs because the spirits eat or take only the 'whiff' of each morsel of food. After the feast is over, the feasters are summoned dorsum to the house of the deceased yesteryear the crunch of a wooden gong. Thereupon each mortal plucks a foliage from a bush in addition to puts the foliage into his mouth. The leader so with his matchet inwards his hand, leads the procession silently back. No ane is supposed to beak or to appear dorsum till the house of the
deceased is reached. As they create it a gun is fired to denote their prophylactic return. The feasters so take the leaves from their mouths in addition to throw them on to the roof of the deceased's house.
Final Purification: The bereaved spouse has so far non partaken of the feast in addition to at nowadays ane who is
already a bereaved spouse proceeds to bless the portion allotted to the bereaved spouse. This officiant begins yesteryear uttering expert words of comfort both to the living spouse in addition to to the spirit of the dead one. But before this exhortation is uttered the living spouse has to payoff the officiator. If the living spouse is a woman, she hands over a fowl, chillies, tabular array salt or anything else available. If the bereaved spouse is a man, he pays to a greater extent than heavily. After his payment the bereaved spouse's hands are purified yesteryear existence washed yesteryear the officiator inwards the juice of a plantain stem; at the same fourth dimension a purification prayer is said. Not until this component division of the funeral ceremony is consummate may the bereaved spouse in addition to the children live given whatever of the funeral feast. In the instance of the bereaved spouse the nutrient is passed inwards through the partially closed door of the house.
When the mourning menstruum is over all the mourners gather inwards a house piece exterior a give the sack is kindled with crude programme nut fibre. This give the sack volition eat all the mourning clothe worn yesteryear the mourners. Their pilus is shaved off in addition to they are washed inwards the juice of plantain stems in addition to may so have on ordinary clothes in addition to resume their ordinary way of life.
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Efasa Moto, the God of Mount Fako
By Wose Yangange Martin
According to Wose Yangange Martin, "Efasa-Moto is the folkloric god of the Fako Mountain. It is believed that he controls the entire "hill" from the West Coast to the border with Balondo solid ground to the northward E coast, in addition to towards Meme Division.
According to Bakweri oral tradition, Efasa-Moto is the manly mortal constituent of the Liengu la Mwanja or the legendary "Mammy Water." It is said that after an understanding betwixt the two, Efasa-Moto chose to live inwards the mount in addition to piece the Liengu la Mwanja remained at sea.
It has been suggested that during the Oct 1992 eruption of the Fako Mountain, the path of the impressive lava current towards the Atlantic Ocean was specifically chosen yesteryear Efasa-Moto as an human activity of bonding in addition to solidarity with his wife, Liengu la Mwanja, the sea mermaid.
It is believed that Efasa-Moto in addition to Liengu la Mwanja are the greatest spiritual figures that the Earth has ever known. Physically, Efasa-Moto's is described as existence divided vertically from top to bottom inwards a unusual mixture of one-half human in addition to one-half stone, in addition to yet shaped inwards the shape of a human giving a consummate motion-picture exhibit of a caprine animal standing on its hind legs.
Liengu la Mwanja on the other mitt is a beautiful looking adult woman with an oval-shaped face, an enchanting grin with a love gap-tooth, flood pilus of dark wool resembling a beautiful Indian lady with high in addition to good curved hips.
Efasa-Moto lives inwards the mount alone. He maintains a rich salubrious carbohydrate cane plantation. His visitors tin eat the carbohydrate cane on the spot but cannot carry whatever away. It is said that the carbohydrate cane is has an unforgettable sweetness.
Efasa-Moto is also said to live the mountain's spiritual protector. In times of old, albinos were abandoned on the mount as offerings of appeasement to the mount god so that he could go on to bless the inhabitants at the human foot of the mountain.
Some elders say Efasa-Moto helped the Bakweri defeat the Germans inwards the Battle of Bokwango of 1891. The elders add together that the Bakweri eventually lost the state of war because they betrayed Efasa-Moto's trust.
Efasa-Moto is reportedly a harmless creature, but it is believed that if anyone carries some evil charm or amulets to the mountain, that the mortal volition non render alive. The instance of a Nigerian athlete who collapsed at Hut II during the 1986 mount race in addition to later died when he returned dwelling is cited as a recent example. It is believed the athlete died because he carried some evil medicine on his mortal during the race.
In recent times, at that topographic point has been a growing belief that because Efasa-Moto is an impartial in addition to humble creature, he forestall yesteryear winners of the Guinness Mount Republic of Cameroon race from winning ane time to a greater extent than if they boast of having conquered the mountain. With Efasa-Moto the mount is unconquerable.
Some people lend credence to this belief yesteryear citing the instance of the humble Reverend Father Walter Stifter who won the race 3 successive times. At times, he fifty-fifty preferred to give his prize to the runner-up.
The greed, pride in addition to self-righteousness of the Bakweri is said to have got alienated them from the Efasa-Moto. Modern-day hunters still believe inwards the existence of Efasa-Moto the mount caretaker. They believe that the bond betwixt the Bakweri in addition to their benefactor god could live re-established if the former undergo intense ritualistic cleansing."
Witchcraft inwards Contemporary Bakweri Society
by Rosemary Ekosso
The belief inwards witchcraft or liemba is really mutual with the Bakweri. It considered to live the fine art of influencing the lives of other people yesteryear occult means. Such influence is usually malevolent in addition to affects a person’s spirit, in addition to through that, his hear in addition to body. Alternatively, it is benevolent, but requires the harnessing of such powerful in addition to potentially ungovernable forces that its practise is shunned yesteryear many people. In the Western world, people who practise witchcraft tin live referred to either as Wicca (male witches) in addition to Wicce (female witches), or wizards in addition to witches, also respectively manly mortal in addition to woman mortal practitioners of witchcraft. For our purposes nosotros shall usage the latter terminology. Witchcraft shall live considered hither to live expert or bad witchcraft, depending on whether ‘black magic’ or ‘white magic’ is used. Among the Bakweri, bad magic is what is known as liemba. Good magic is often just called.
The practise of witchcraft seems to live intimately linked to the usage of plants, which are used inwards combination with rituals to seek to attain the desired effect.
H5N1 mortal who practises malevolent witchcraft with the Bakweri is called a mot’a liemba: a witch or a wizard. Witchcraft is practised yesteryear persons of both sexes in addition to all ages. It is non clear whether whatever ane sexual practice is preponderantly active inwards witchcraft, but the full general belief is that men are to a greater extent than proficient inwards witchcraft than women. Witchcraft tin live passed on to offspring yesteryear either parent or to other persons, live they blood relations or not, yesteryear initiation. Initiation may live voluntary or involuntary.
Contrary to Western witches, who often worship goddesses similar Hecate, Diana, Isis, Artemis, etc. in addition to have got declared their leanings inwards myriad publications, it is non known whether the Bakweri witches in addition to wizards genuinely worship a deity, or whether they draw their powerfulness from whatever determined preternatural source. However, pop wisdom has it that witches in addition to wizards are the servants of unknown spirits.
Because witchcraft is shrouded inwards secrecy, its classification according to forms is problematic. However, at that topographic point is believed to live ane shape of witchcraft called nyongo. Nyongo consists inwards causing people to die, in addition to afterward taking them to some other world where they function as slaves to amass wealth for the nyongo human or woman. The rapid in addition to unexplained amassment of wealth yesteryear whatever mortal is usually taken as a sign that this mortal has joined the nyongo. The nyongo is believed to live a subway society where people of similar hear come upwards together to organise the enslavement of others for personal gain.
Nyongo people are believed to live completely ruthless inwards their pick of victims, often choosing spouses, siblings, parents in addition to offspring. When a victim of the nyongo is to live enslaved, he is foremost caused to die. There is some combat almost whether victims genuinely choke or are drugged to simulate death, in addition to their senseless bodies secretly recovered yesteryear the nyongo people for their ain ends. Whatever the case, it would seem that the enslaved spirit or torso is so transported to a identify inwards a world similar to the ane nosotros know, though inwards some other dimension, in addition to pose to function at menial tasks on farms, etc. to earn money for his/her master/mistress. There have got been reports of people escaping this enslavement in addition to returning to the solid ground where they lived, but it is said of these escapees that they are unable to relate inwards whatever particular what they have got experienced, in addition to some of them are either struck with dumbness or madness yesteryear their onetime captors to forestall them from revealing the secrets of the cult.
Chief Tande Mosenge of Bakweri hamlet of Wonganga inwards Buea Subdivision of Republic of Cameroon leading traditional rulers into his palace
The Bakweri live primarily inwards over 100 villages E in addition to southeast of Mount Republic of Cameroon with Buea as their main population centre. Bakweri settlements largely prevarication inwards the mountain's foothills in addition to go on upwards its slopes as high as 12,000 metres. They have got farther villages along the Mungo River in addition to the creeks that feed into it. The town of Limbe is a mixture of Bakweri, Duala, in addition to other ethnic groups.
The Bakweri who are aboriginal Bantu people originated from Mboko, the surface area southwest of Mount Republic of Cameroon in addition to migrated to their nowadays dwelling E of the mount inwards the mid-18th century. They also delineate their ancestry to Mokuri or Mokule, a blood brother of the Duala's forebear Ewale, who migrated to the Mount Republic of Cameroon surface area for hunting.
According to Edwin Ardener (in Nigeria No. 60, pp. 31-8, 1959) They are placidity in addition to reserved in addition to are non widely known exterior the Southern Cameroons despite the fact that both the Premier of the Southern Cameroons, Dr. E. M. L. Endeley, in addition to the capital, Buea, are The Bakweri are primarily concentrated inwards Cameroon's Southwest Province." Dr. E. M. L. Endeley was the foremost Prime Minister of the British Southern Cameroons from 1954–1959. He led other Southern Cameroonian parliamentarians to seccede from the Nigerian Eastern House of Assembly inwards 1954.
Bakweri people performing traditional dance
Historically the Bakweri are territorial people in addition to vehement fighters who have got ever defended their rights, solid ground in addition to civilization against the successive colonising powers of Deutschland in addition to Britain.
It must live noted that the Bakweri people were ane of the African people to resist the spoliation of their lands yesteryear German linguistic communication imperialists.
Dr. Emmanuel Mbella Lifafe (EML) Endeley, Bakweri human in addition to the foremost Premier of the British Southern Cameroons
They are known to have got mounted a vehement anti-German drive led yesteryear their fearless leader, Chief Kuva Likenye of Buea, specially around the slopes of Mount Fako, in addition to successfully inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Germans at Buea inwards 1891; the foremost ever German linguistic communication military machine loss on the African continent, which led to a consummate reappraisal of German linguistic communication colonial/military policy on the continent, and, unfortunately, set the footing for the fell drive to annihilate the Bakweri. The Bakweri were ane of the few groups inwards all of German linguistic communication Africa that were thoroughly in addition to systematically suppressed yesteryear the Germans. That they fifty-fifty survived to tell the story is a testimony to their resilience in addition to tenacity inwards the human face of adversity.
Bakweri people
The Bakweri are known inwards Republic of Cameroon for their traditional wrestling (Wesuwa), which encompasses all the qualities the Bakweri have got inherited from their ancestors: physical endurance, agility, vehement fighting techniques, in addition to a non bad sense of competition. Wesuwa is taken really seriously yesteryear all the members of the community in addition to the most interesting thing is that women takes component division inwards this wrestling competition long before . In the yesteryear wrestling used to live an of import way of determining leadership inwards the villages; it fifty-fifty resulted inwards a state of war betwixt 2 villages inwards 1891, when people from Ghango burnt downward the hamlet of Molonde inwards revenge for the expiry of their best wrestlers.
Bakweri women engaged inwards vehement wrestling combat
Before the start of colonial conquest inwards the early on 1880s, the Bakweri constituted a really fragmentary society dominated yesteryear an egalitarian ideology-- it is non fifty-fifty for certain that at that topographic point was ever a existent chieftaincy seat at the hamlet level. Ardener nevertheless emphasizes that at that topographic point was a strong vogue with the Bakweri to accumulate wealth, particularly, goats, pigs in addition to brusque cows. It was through accumulation that individuals increased their prestige inwards the villages.
Although the Bakweri are at nowadays completely modernised, some have got fifty-fifty converted to Christianity, they are still attached to their ancestral traditions in addition to have got retained their ancient tribal organisation. Each Bakweri hamlet is headed yesteryear a primary in addition to his tribal council who are fundamental to all cultural events. The Bakweri take pride inwards celebrating their cultural heritage during events such as the Race of Hope, when they perform subway rituals to bless the mountain.
Bakweri people
The symbol of the Bakweri people is the elephant or Njoku. To say that the Bakweri have got a mascot, which happens to live the elephant, would live an understatement. Indeed, the contrary is true. For the Bakweri, the elephant, a denizen of the pelting forests of the slopes of Mount Fako, is non just a mascot. It is a cultural symbol, a mystical, spiritual co-creature. To the Bakweri, the Balondo in addition to the Bomboko, people can, in addition to do go elephants, in addition to elephants tin in addition to do go people. The attributes of the elephant or Njoku are component division in addition to packet of the psyche of the Bakweri people. The creature’s sheer strength, size, loyalty to its (family) troupe, its calm, yet unpredictable temperament, proud indifference, in addition to graceful behaviour are, to the Bakweri, the motion-picture exhibit of physical in addition to psychic behavioral perfection. It is hence no surprise that the Bakweri, have got a subway society that venerates, imitates in addition to personifies the attributes of the elephant. Indeed, those who belong to the Maalé, the subway elephant society, swear yesteryear zilch other than Loxodonta Africana (the African elephant.)
The Bakweri lives inwards traditional "mat house" or ndaw'a ngonja. These days, most whakpe novel construction consists of modern buildings with cement blocks in addition to corrugated aluminium roofs. Construction of ndaw'a ngonja is at nowadays a dying art.
The Bakweri`s Mount Fako (Cameroon) is a unique Ecotourism Site. This lovely volcanic mount welcomes visitors straight off they create it Buea. It stands majestically along the background of Buea Town. The Mountain spreads from Bomboko to Bakweri of Buea in addition to downward to the Limbe Beach. It is 4100 metres inwards height. H5N1 see to Mount Republic of Cameroon is ever an exciting experience both inwards the rainy in addition to dry out seasons.
Capital Residence of Bakweri town of Buea, Cameroon
Geography
The Bakweri are primarily concentrated inwards Cameroon's Southwest Province. They live inwards over 100 villages E in addition to southeast of Mount Republic of Cameroon with Buea their main population centre. Bakweri settlements largely prevarication inwards the mountain's foothills in addition to go on upwards its slopes as high as 12,000 metres. They have got farther villages along the Mungo River in addition to the creeks that feed into it. The town of Limbe is a mixture of Bakweri, Duala, in addition to other ethnic groups.
Buea from the human foot of Mount Cameroon
Terrain of the land: Their population is much greater than 16,000. Before the German linguistic communication conquest of 1894, they were living inwards scattered settlements around the southern slopes of Mount Cameroon. There are really few mountains inwards West Africa, in addition to none is as high as this (more than 13,000 feet). It is also unusual that it stands correct on the coast, descending through a maze of foothill to the sea.
University of Buea, Cameroon
At 4 degrees North of the equator, it is non high plenty for permanent snow. Instead, winds loaded with wet from 4,000 miles of Atlantic storey precipitate copious rains, in addition to swathe the slopes inwards mist in addition to drizzle for many months of the year. Inside the clouded summit is an active volcano from which novel craters flare-up out every few decades.
Ekom autumn inwards Mount Cameroon, Buea
The pelting in addition to he volcanic soil have got made the the mount surface area ane of the most fertile inwards Africa, in addition to the wood covers the mount upwards to 6,000 feet. The Bakweri lived ( in addition to live ) inwards the thickest concentration inwards a belt of villages betwixt 1,500 in addition to 3,000 feet higher upwards the sea level, but the they occupied the whole base of operations of the mount below this really thinly, as far as the sea level.
Climate: The Bakweri are atmospheric condition forecasters, in addition to it is believed that they possess scientist who are able to alter the climate at will, for example, during special occasions, or the coming of high personality. Generally, the surface area is covert with mist in addition to drizzle, in addition to several copious rains through out the twelvemonth due to the presence of the Atlantic ocean.
Kumba Buea
This part is having the equatorial maritime climate with temperature higher upwards 25%c which is really heavy with really high atmospheric humidity throughout the year. It is made upwards of elements of the 3 dissimilar tropical climate regimes which are equatorial with rainfall throughout the year, seasonal comprising of 2 seasons inwards a twelvemonth that is the dry out in addition to wet in addition to finally monsoon with non bad contrast betwixt the seasons. The climate of this part is strongly affected yesteryear its altitude. The temperature is moderated yesteryear breeze from the Atlantic Ocean.
Soil in addition to Vegetation: The topography of this part is flat. It is composed of rudiments brought from the interior in addition to also volcanic soil gotten from the weathered rocks during the eruption of mount Cameroon. The plantations that are located closer to the mount benefits from the weathered basalt or lava in addition to those beside the mangrove, the soil is lateritic. Further away from the northward eastern parts of mount Fako, the soil is loamy in addition to sandy.
The vegetation of this part is the wood types which have got almost disappeared due to the exploitation yesteryear people for the tillage of nutrient crops in addition to construction of houses for settlement, living only the swampy in addition to less accessible areas.
Due to the equatorial maritime climate, in addition to the high fertility of the soil, the Bakweri people are expert agriculturalists, in addition to their main source of income is from agriculture. They grow crops similar cocoyams, in addition to maize. Since the climate tin sometimes live really harsh, the Bakweri people have on long sleeve shirts, in addition to thick pullovers in addition to sweaters during almost the entire menstruum of the year. Since they grow crops similar cocoyams, their main diet is based on cocoyam.
Their main dish is the kwakoko, in addition to they have got many other dishes, which acquire their spices from the high fertility of the soil. Also, due to the really depression temperatures which are really frequent, the Bakweri donot have got a lot of social activities similar swimming, or playing tennis, but they have got activities similar mount race which occurs inwards February, where places are warmer. Also, the Bakweri have got restricted their dressing to “rapa”(loins), in addition to shirts for the men, in addition to also a loin or “rapa” for the women. For the men, this dressing tin sometimes live accompanied yesteryear special hat,and a tie.
Buea
Language
The Bakweri speak Mokpwe, a natural language that is closely related to Bakole in addition to Wumboko. Mokpwe is component division of the identify unit of measurement of Duala languages inwards the Bantu grouping of the Niger–Congo linguistic communication phylum. Neighbouring peoples often utilise Mokpwe as a merchandise language, due largely to the spread of the natural language yesteryear early on missionaries. This is specially truthful with the Isubu, many of whom are bilingual inwards Duala or Mokpwe.
In addition, individuals who have got attended schoolhouse or lived inwards an urban centre usually speak Pidgin English linguistic communication or criterion English. H5N1 growing number of the Bakweri today grow upwards with Pidgin as a to a greater extent than widely spoken language. The Bakweri also used a drum linguistic communication to convey intelligence from clan to clan, in addition to they also utilized a horn linguistic communication peculiar to them.
The Mokpe Alphabet is similar to that of English linguistic communication with the exception of 3 unusual characters, which volition live brought to you lot later. There are 21 consonants in addition to 7 vowels. Here below is the Mokpe alphabet.
a mb ch nd e Ñ”
f gb i j nj Å‹ k
kp l m mgb mw n ny
o c (reversed c or opened upwards O)
s t u v w y
The 21 consonants have got the same sounds as inwards English, but 4 of them pose a work of pronunciation to immature speakers in addition to writers of the Mokpe language.
They are f, s, v in addition to w. Follow the description below really carefully.
"f"
In English linguistic communication the missive of the alphabet 'f' is a labio-dental fricative that is you lot usage the lips in addition to teeth to make this sound, In Mokpe it is a bilabial fricative where you lot usage both lips at that topographic point yesteryear producing a audio as if you lot were blowing out a candle.
Practise sounding it several times.
Ff Ff Ff Ff
“s”
To make the Mokpe 's' identify the tip of natural language on the difficult palate in addition to allow out the piece of cake producing a soft hissing sound, unopen the English linguistic communication 's'
Ss Ss Ss Ss Ss
'v' is produced using both lips, instead of placing the bottom lip on the Teeth as instance inwards English. The missive of the alphabet 'w' is the same as inwards English, rounding both lips. Practise these 2 sounds in addition to uncovering the difference.
Vv Vv Vv Vv
Ww Ww Ww Ww
Read the Following words aloud
'F'
Fáo - knife
fátâ - pluck
fimbâ - throw
fendâ - close
"S"
Sâ - dance
Sia - iron
Siaô - redants
Sosa - wash
"V"
valána - women
vána - children
vakpe - Bakweri
Veloma - scoldings
Velimo - spirits
"W"
waná - mouth
ewóka - compound
wana - You volition fight
wotéá - begin
PRONUNCIATION OF NEW CHARACTERS
Ñ” as inwards p penny, lend, empty
Å‹ as inwards hang, language, hungry
c (reversed c or opened upwards O) as inwards war, law, lawn
Bakweri divisional primary holding spiritual broom, which is his staff of office
History in addition to The Origin of the Bakweri People
The Bakwerians are from the lower Bomboko behind Mount Fako. They were mostly fishermen, who settled along the coast, farmers, in addition to hunters who settled beside the mountain. Most of the Bakweri villages claimed to have got been founded from a grouping of villages which lies inwards a belt betwixt 650m in addition to 1000m upwards mount Cameroon.
The root of the Bakweri settlement could live attributed to 2 separate traditions. Firstly, the tradition of the Buea grouping stated that a for certain Eye Njie used to come upwards from Bomboko to hunt on the Eastward side of the mount with a friend Nakande. Nakande used to hunt close the site of nowadays solar daytime Wonakanda piece Eye moved on to a river close the nowadays solar daytime Buea. When they brought inwards their wives, other friends in addition to relatives from Womboko joined them in addition to they opened gardens. Another tradition affirmed that ManyangMasonje left Isongo in addition to Bakingili where he settled around Bimbia where he had many catches inwards “ISU” important the halt of my journey. Nakande from Bomboko settled inwards Bonakanda which was called Ligbea which meant a identify for expert farming. He was a farmer.
Bakwer subway society dancer
However, although hunting was the primary motive behind the Bomboko migration, fertility of the soil on the slopes of mount Republic of Cameroon was as a house factor. While the men were engaged inwards hunting, the women farmed the solid ground in addition to subsequently, other migrants from Bomboko established Bakweri villages which were named after their founders. Although at that topographic point is some see that the truthful Bakweri are the people of Buea in addition to its surrounding villages, other groups classified nether Bakweri included Bomboko, the surface area which the Bakweri are said to have got originated in addition to Wovea. The Bakweri are found on the eastern in addition to S eastern slopes of the mountain, coastal Bomboko on the south-east coast, the inland Bomboko on the North-west of the Bakweri in addition to Isuwu in addition to Wovea are on the southern coast of the Fako Division.
Dr E.M.L. Endeley (with folder), foremost Premier of the British Southern Cameroons. Behind him is Nerius N Mbile (left)
The Isuwu are also believed to have got originated from Bomboko. Isuwu was also known as Bimbia named after MbibiMbela who was the primary of the surface area inwards the lastly quarter of the 19th century. According to some other source, their ancestors came from Bankingili in addition to womana. The wovea claimed to have got originated from Fernando Po who settled inwards the islands of Ambas Bay. All the higher upwards was due to the potential of the surface area similar fertile soil in addition to hunting facilities. This same fertile soil also attracted the Europeans into the surface area since their motive was centered on economic. Although these groups lived closer to each other, in addition to practiced the same culture, they were independent from each other. The German linguistic communication successful attacks on the Bakweri could live attributed to this division. If the Bakweri were united, so their lastly defeat yesteryear the Germans during the Bakweri resistance nether the leadership of KuvaLikenya could have got failed in addition to fifty-fifty if non the alienation policy powerfulness have got adopted a dissimilar shape, thus the loose political in addition to social ties with the Bakweri worked inwards favor of the Germans.
The Bakweri belong to the most north-western branch of the Bantu speaking people inhabiting fundamental in addition to southern Africa. To live for certain almost the appointment the Bakweri reached their nowadays site, it was around 1750 as confirmed yesteryear genealogical evidence that it was the fourth dimension they arrived ane of their earliest settlement, Buea. Other sources asserted that the population clitoris per unit of measurement area which affected Nigeria drove the Bakweri from their habitation close Lake Barombi inwards Kumba to the mount Fako area.
Bakweri chieftains
Economy
The economic scheme included agriculture, beast husbandry, hunting , line-fishing in addition to nutrient gathering. The dissimilar methods applied to agriculture included the slash in addition to burn. Most people practiced subsistence farming which included careful solid ground direction techniques similar intensive farming because the solid ground of the mount slopes were really fertile. Generally, tools usage include earthworks sticks, hoes, in addition to matches. Fire was also used to clear the bush. Sometimes, fences were constructed to guard against beast incursion in addition to destruction. Before formal agriculture, the early on people practiced fishing, hunting in addition to nutrient gatherings. They used spears, clubs in addition to other implements to hunt game inwards the mountain, wood in addition to slopes.
The presence of plantations brought inwards a alter inwards economic scheme in addition to commerce as the traditional commerce which was characterized yesteryear merchandise yesteryear batter came to an end. The marketplace seat economic scheme was introduced inwards which every transaction was inwards price of German linguistic communication mark. Before the introduction of plantation agriculture, the natives were involved inwards subsistence agriculture inwards which nutrient crops such as cocoyam, plantains, beans, maize in addition to yams were grown. The introduction of plantations led the natives to undertake cash crop production inwards crops similar cocoa, palm products in addition to java for export. With the introduction of cash crops it led to the creation of Botanical garden inwards Victoria yesteryear Governor Von Soden who was charged with the inquiry plants suitable for the plantations. Dr Preuss was the principal officeholder inwards accuse of the Garden. This inquiry centre controlled other stations inwards the interior. Over a K dissimilar plants were tested soil studies carried out in addition to meteorological data tabulated. Investigations inwards this garden included the command of cocoa diseases? It was these botanical gardens that gave inspiration to the creation of the Republic of Cameroon Development Corporation the inquiry centre at Ekona in addition to many other authorities inquiry stations inwards Cameroon.
In spite of the higher upwards mentioned advantaged that the plantations brought into the Bakweri land, it was for certain that it as brought some setbacks which could live examined inwards dissimilar perspective.
Dr Emil Mandoa, Bakweri tribe`s man
Source of income: They practise mixed farming in addition to they hunt. Crops mostly cultivated are cocoyam, palm fruit but they mostly live on cocoyams. They sell the excess of their production. Through the rearing of animal. Those who possessed many animals where consider as rich. They reared animals similar pigs in addition to bush cows, but they do non bring upwards nor eat sheep. Between 1850 in addition to 1890, the Bakweri became rich inwards other ways. By trading nutrient stuffs to the coast, in addition to blocking the way of expedition into the interior, they had acquired considerable merchandise goods. Servants where taken within the tribe, they were non payed but had complimentary food.
Leveling mechanisms: In the Bakweri soceity, at that topographic point is no particular shape of of leveling mechanism. Everybody owns his/her farm, in addition to everybody minds his or her business. The only situatin where sharing is needed is during the menstruum of rituals, where every private must give a portion of his grunter to every ane who comes across his/her.
Buea Market, Cameroon
Sexual Division of Labour in addition to The Mokpe (Bakweri) Woman in addition to her Role inwards the Mokpe Traditional Society
There is a sexual partition of labour (SDL) inwards bakweri inwards which at that topographic point is the delegation of dissimilar tasks betwixt men in addition to women. Among nutrient foragers, men in addition to women target dissimilar types of nutrient in addition to portion them with each other for a mutual or familial benefit. In some villages, men in addition to women eat slightly dissimilar foods, in addition to in some other, men in addition to women routinely portion the same food.
Bakweri adult woman of Buea heating the foliage before using it to wrap food
According to Catherine L. L. Musoko "In spite of existence relegated to the background, the traditional Bakweri adult woman nonetheless wielded lots of powerfulness behind the scenes, in addition to greatly influenced decisions related to the running of the clan.
Traditional Bakweri society was matrilineal inwards structure. This was seen inwards the Ewong’a Yowo in addition to Ewong’a Mokossa (“medicine bench”) which was shared entirely yesteryear the sons in addition to daughters of the same mothers, in addition to never of the same fathers. The patrilineal human relationship was, however, strongly upheld as far as settlement of property, the burial of the deceased, the selection of a permanent abode for the family, or the taking of a married adult woman were concerned.
Bakweri women Washing clothes inwards the catchment surface area of Bonduma inwards Buea.
Thus, the children of a boy (whose married adult woman naturally came from a dissimilar mother-clan) could non portion inwards the ceremonies of the medicine human of the Ewong’a Yowo, whose duty was to ensure the well-being in addition to continuity of the mother-clan. So, people who shared the Jongo or “pot” were bound together yesteryear an unalterable in addition to undivided kinship, in addition to they stood yesteryear each other through thick in addition to thin. Matrilineal kinship was for ever!
The Mokpe Woman in addition to the Health of the Family: The Mokpe adult woman was, straight or indirectly, the custodian of the identify unit of measurement health. This was manifested from the 2nd she became pregnant. She had to nurture the yet unborn kid yesteryear taking component division inwards all the traditional pre-natal rituals – the Masongis, the native herbs that serve as enema; the nutrient to eat or non to eat; the places to go; the fourth dimension to live or non to live intimate with her husband, etc. If she missed out on whatever of these rituals in addition to something went incorrect with the baby, the blame would live wholly hers in addition to her mother-clan. No ane else took responsibility.
The Mokpe Woman in addition to her Spouse: In traditional Bakweri society, women were chosen as time to come spouses when they were still children, in addition to inwards some cases, fifty-fifty before they were born. However, ane time the spousal human relationship had taken identify in addition to the hubby did non live upwards to expectations, the adult woman was complimentary to divorce him. This was done irrespective of the see of the woman’s manly mortal relatives, including that of her ain father.
All that was required of adult woman was that she did non involve her manly mortal parent inwards the “dowry-refund” predicament, in addition to that she was speedily picked upwards yesteryear some other hubby either through an intermediary or at the Chief’s residence, where such spousal human relationship deals were to a greater extent than often than non reported. In this instance the adult woman was a complimentary mitt – she could fifty-fifty take her hubby yesteryear next the historic menstruum old custom of boldly going to the caprine animal house (Lièfe) of the human of her pick in addition to slaughtering the biggest nanny caprine animal yesteryear wounding or cutting its cervix or head. The would-be hubby deemed this a sign of laurels in addition to accepted the mitt of the adult woman with joy. Of course, a adult woman taking such a measuring knew her ain assets – elements such as her beauty or reputation for difficult function pose her inwards expert stead.
The Mokpe adult woman as a nursing woman parent was expected to curb her sexual appetite so as to safeguard the life in addition to wellness of her baby. Hence, during this period, she was constantly warned; “don’t appear that way”, important she had to allow for a few marital escapades yesteryear her husband.
Nonetheless, the traditional Bakweri adult woman was yesteryear no agency a yes-sir woman. She took her rightful identify inwards deciding which other adult woman her hubby wished to take, in addition to sometimes fifty-fifty take such a “mbanyi” herself.
H5N1 husband’s prosperity was also intricately linked to the influence of his married adult woman or wives. The wives tended his pigs, goats, cattle, looked after his mawus, arable land, so no ane could trespass or laissez passer on them, etc.
Mokpe women were in addition to still are the animators of the social life of their people. They characteristic prominently inwards engagements, weddings, in addition to other events such as the election of a novel Chief, the celebration of a “fombo”, or successes inwards courtroom cases.
Female dances include the Ambassi in addition to the Maninga, which are especially for the youths; in addition to the Lingombi, the Mundame, the Wokeka in addition to the Veleke that are preformed yesteryear both men in addition to women.
The Masua Cult It was a cult that brought together women of high repute inwards the community, specially those who had successfully gone through the kpave or sasswood ordeal. These women formed a society of desirables in addition to men vied for their hand.
On the whole, Bakweri women led in addition to influenced all areas of community life, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly. They still do.
Political organization
The bakweri s are an illustration of a segmentary society. They are grouped inwards societies of villages where each identify unit of measurement maintains its independence. They bakweri live inwards a pocket-sized clusters of 10 to xx house in addition to settlement designing was imposed on them yesteryear the Germans. The Germans herded the Bakweri people into the peripheries when they expropriated the solid ground for plantation. The hamlet caput has only limited authority. They hamlet has a council of elders which helps the primary inwards regulating the affairs of they village. The most prominent families inwards Bakweri tribal history are Wonya Likenye Endeley of buea in addition to the identify unit of measurement of Mangaa William of the Victoria ( today called Limbe). The Bakweri political organisations was divided into dissimilar classes.
The Nakuve: Chief SML Endeley-Paramount Chief of Buea
The Family
It was composed of a human in addition to his married adult woman (wives) his children in addition to relatives with blood ties. The identify unit of measurement unit served as the base of operations of political establishment inwards the Bakweri society. The manly mortal parent was the caput in addition to has as obligations to preside over identify unit of measurement affairs. At the storey of the extended identify unit of measurement the caput was the oldest human who was believed to have got a lot of experience inwards wordily matters. He was automatically considered patriarch of the tribe. He had as business office to perform ancestral sacrifices in addition to chair identify unit of measurement gatherings. These decisions were non autocratic especially due to the fact that he had to consult some elderly people inwards the identify unit of measurement lineage before taking decisions on matters of paramount importance. Consequently, the eldest people inwards the Bakweri community earned much admiration in addition to abide by from the younger generations due to the fact that they performed the mediatory role betwixt the ancestors in addition to the world of the living. In the same line of thought, historic menstruum was considered as the only criteria which enabled people inwards the Bakweri society to commune with the ancestors in addition to decode ancestral messages. In monastic tell words, historic menstruum was the main criteria required to climb the drapery of power.
The Village Administration
At this storey of the community, the villages were autonomous from ane some other consisting of identify unit of measurement compounds separated from ane some other yesteryear a fence called “NgaoMboa”. The hamlet political leaders had a similar source of powers as those at the identify unit of measurement level. The variation hither was with the identify unit of measurement of the hamlet founder that a leader was chosen. Consequently, the identify unit of measurement of the hamlet founder was automatically considered the royal family.
Traditional Leader of Muea, Buea, H.R.H. Chief David Ikome Molinge
This was how the Likenya identify unit of measurement came to prominence inwards Buea as they were linked to Eeye Tama Lifenje, the foremost persons to settle inwards Buea. At the storey of hamlet administration, the primary did non execute this heavy project alone. He was assisted yesteryear a hamlet council which had effective powers over the village. It was an ill-defined torso with no precise number of members. The decisions of the council were made world yesteryear the hamlet councils spoke human “Sango Mboa” in addition to the members of the hamlet council were elders called “Vanbaki”. The organizational nautical chart of the Bakweri society was a triangular mechanism which revolved around the identify unit of measurement at the base, with the hamlet council in addition to the primary at the top. Thus the Bakweri whose territorial limits were governed yesteryear fixed in addition to permanents institutions were a state- similar society. These organs, oriented political in addition to social life in addition to organized the society inwards the human face of external aggression.
His Royal Highness Chief Humphrey Tande Mosenge of Small Soppo Wonganga, Buea
This Likenye chiefly line of Buea delineate their pridigree from1884 downward to the nowadays solar daytime as inwards the nautical chart below:
Law in addition to Social Control
It is handled yesteryear the primary or the quarter head, you lot are foremost taken to the quarter caput when you lot don’t abide by the law, if non satisfied with that judgment you lot are taken to the primary where you lot are guess yesteryear notables. Land dispute, fighting taking belongings that doesn’t belong to you, you lot are taken to the quarter head. Concerning sanctions the primary or elders determine or how you lot are to live punished. If you lot are guilty of serious crimes similar incest, in addition to trahison, you lot are exiled to Limbe.
Bakweri leaders
Social Organization
The Bakweri society just similar most tribal scheme inwards the wood zone was organized inwards peculiar fashion which was inwards accordance with their ain perception of life. The social construction shall live examined from the dot shape stratification.
Chief Tande Mosenge receiving gift from his wife
Class Stratification
The traditional African societies inwards full general had a peculiar way of organizing themselves. The Bakweri people were no exception to this rule. They were stratified nether 3 distinct groups notably strangers, natives in addition to slaves. Natives of the Bakweri ethnic grouping were called “Wopnja”. They were those believed to have got blood ties with ancestral world of the clan.
This shape of people were privilege to participate inwards restraint subway societies in addition to other affairs concerning the Bakweri human in addition to his territory. Next to this grouping with abide by to hierarchy was the strangers called “wajili”. This was attributed to unusual settlers inwards the solid ground considered as Bakweri territory with no blood human relationship with the ancestors of the Bakweri people. Finally, were the slaves called “Wokomi” which was the lastly grouping in addition to was situated at the bottom of the social table.They consisted of people who co-habited with Bakweri people but had lesser privileges. They settled on Bakweri soil as a outcome of the fact that they were either bought from neighboring tribes or caught as state of war captives.
Marriage in addition to identify unit of measurement life
Dating rituals: It is the manly mortal parent who looks for the wife. The Bakweri people are non usually allow to date. It is the manly mortal parent of the man child or missy who appear for a partner for their son/daughter.
The bakweri are non commonly supposed to have got sexual practice before marriage. It is only when all the bride toll has existence paid, that the bride is taken to the grooms room, they have got sex. On this night, a white bed sheet is spread on the bed, for the pair to have got sexual practice on it. Since the bride has to live a virgin, she must bleed on the bed sheet, in addition to that volition evidence to the groom’s identify unit of measurement that the bride was a expert one.
Marriage patterns: The Bakweri have got traditionally practised polygamy, although with Christianisation, this custom has go extremely rare. In the traditional Bakweri society, women are chosen as time to come spouses when they are still children, in addition to inwards some cases, fifty-fifty before they were born. The manly mortal parent or relative of the adult woman have got been paid a dowry, thus the adult woman is considered as a belongings to the hubby in addition to his family. Upon the husband’s death, the eldest surviving blood brother inherits the wife. H5N1 husband’s prosperity was also intricately linked to the influence of his married adult woman or wives. The wives tended his pigs, goats, cattle, arable land, so no ane could trespass or laissez passer on them, etc. The Bakweri are really exogamous when it comes to marriage. They abide by their blood lineage, hence they do non wed with people from the same village. They do non practise incest. Incest is fifty-fifty considered as a taboo, in addition to serious practise needs to live practise to purify the identify unit of measurement name. They wed from really far area, or distances, but nowadays, some people wed inwards unopen area, in addition to endogamy is at nowadays becoming mutual with the Bakweri.In the bakweri, spousal human relationship is a spousal human relationship betwixt a clan, in addition to identify unit of measurement in addition to non betwixt individuals. The thought is that the bride toll is genuinely never fully paid, because if it is completely paid, it volition live similar the missy has been sold, in addition to no ane inwards the identify unit of measurement or clan volition live able to acquire wed with someone inwards that tribe again, it is to a greater extent than similar an agreement, in addition to the bride toll is to intensify the spousal human relationship relationship.
Marriage rituals in addition to practices: It is the manly mortal parent who pays the dawry, because the immature human is non working in addition to the manly mortal parent is supposed to ain goods hence he is the ane who pays. After fulfilling the requirement it is the human who decides on when to take the wife. The solar daytime of that occasion you lot convey the large in addition to the girls identify unit of measurement will access you lot on what to pay. The manly mortal parent of the missy volition start the biting on the toll of the dowry from 1 million, until the 2 families hit at 500000FCFA, which is usually the lowest amount they tin accept. Sometimes, the 2 families may come upwards come to a compromise in addition to inquire the groom to give what he has. If you lot don’t kill the grunter you lot are non fully married, the Bakweri don’t usually issued spousal human relationship certificate. After paying component division of the dowry, that is when you lot are officially married. On the spousal human relationship day, the girls identify unit of measurement brings the bride to the mans family. The ceremony is celebrated, on after the ceremony, the bride in addition to the grooms identify unit of measurement prepares a prissy bed with a white bed sheet on which the bride is expected to bleed, as a sign of her virginity. If the adult woman bleeds on the sheet, so she is a expert bride, if not, she powerfulness live disregarded yesteryear her groom in addition to the groom’s family.
Bakweri wedding
Bakweri Cultural/Traditional Wedding
According to Mola Mbua Ndoko the formal physical care for of acquiring a married adult woman as was prescribed yesteryear Bakweri elders to a greater extent than than 200 years agone involves 3 phases:
1. The approbation of the parents, specially the mothers of the spouses-elect.
2. Sealing of the spousal human relationship contract (efeyo).
3. The wedding.
Phase One: The Engagement (Ewanda)
H5N1 woman mortal babe was engaged fifty-fifty when she was still inwards her mother's womb. It was an oral contract betwixt expert friends. The contract was regularized inwards due course of teaching at the appropriate time. The physical care for of deciding that an engagement (Ewanda) tin at nowadays take identify is slow since the families concerned demand fourth dimension to quietly investigate each another. Matters to live investigated include: fertility, history of diseases peculiar with for certain families, practices of evil witchcraft such as nyongo.
When the parents of a man child or a man child himself are interested inwards marrying a girl, the manly mortal parent of the man child sends an emissary to communicate his intention to the parents of the girl. The emissary would usually live a unopen fellow member of the family: an aunt, an uncle, or a cousin to the boy. Even when the parents of the missy consider a asking as irresistible their reply would commonly take a shape similar this:
"Thank you. We likewise volition give the thing due consideration".
You have got flattered us (e-jeni isofe vato).
Give us fourth dimension to consider your request".
After ane or 2 months the emissary would render to the parents of the missy to notice out their reaction. If the identify unit of measurement of the missy accepts the proposal their reply would take a shape similar this:
"yaa ! inyo ndi joo-ngo".
Literally:
"We are hither waiting in addition to looking frontward to your farther reaction to the situation".
As recent as 60-70 years agone an engagement (ewanda) was a purely private ceremony involving almost 10 persons, 4 to 5 representatives of the man child intending to wed in addition to almost 5 representatives of the missy to live married. Representatives were commonly unopen members of the families concerned: the parents of the man child in addition to the girl, aunts, uncles, maternal nieces. Ewanda takes identify at the residence of the parents of the girl. Ewanda is an oral contract where the representatives of the man child confirm their intention to have got their man child married to the missy concerned. The identify unit of measurement of the man child commonly presents an ewanda gift to the girl. If the missy is likewise shy to encounter the representatives of the bridegroom elect, the girl’s woman parent would have the gift on behalf of her daughter.
After an engagement ceremony has taken identify the parents of the man child may commence to pay dowry inwards installments to the parents of the girl. The foremost parent to have the foremost installment of dowry must live the woman parent of the girl. Reason. It has been realized that a spousal human relationship that takes identify inwards defiance of disapproval of the woman parent of the missy or the woman parent of the man child is to a greater extent than often than non doomed to failure. The foremost installment of dowry that the woman parent of the missy receives is a immature woman mortal polish looking caprine animal that has non started to deliver. Acceptance of the caprine animal yesteryear a woman parent is a farther postage of approbation of the spousal human relationship yesteryear the mother.
Phase Two: Sealing of the spousal human relationship contract (efeyo)
Efeyo is a world ceremony. There are 2 types of efeyo, namely "efeyo yi itote", in addition to efeyo ya mwese.
(i). Efeyo yi Itote –An all nighttime ceremony inwards which formal assessment in addition to reconciliation of dowry that the manly mortal parent of the bride to live has so far received. More dowry installments may still live paid during the efeyo ceremony. The halt of an efeyo is the formal sealing of a spousal human relationship contract. H5N1 spousal human relationship contract is sealed with the formal sharing of a ngowa ye efeyo to all manly mortal witnesses to an efeyo ceremony. The ngowa is expected to encounter conventional requirements. The ngowa must live either a woman mortal or a castrated ngowa a maata.
Efeyo contracts used to live oral. In a instance where at that topographic point is a written contract the signatories to the contract would commonly live the parents of the spouses-elect. Marriage contracts are traditionally in addition to culturally affairs reserved for handling yesteryear the parents of the spouses-elect.
Note: Dowry received yesteryear the woman parent is a private affair. It is non a world ceremony. The dowry used to live almost ane quarter of the dowry that the manly mortal parent to the missy receives.
At the successful conclusion of an efeyo the girl/woman to live married virtually becomes the wife-elect of his boy/man.
Efeyo yi Itote takes identify at the premises of the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom to be. Before commencement of work concern the guests, that is, the manly mortal parent of the missy to live married in addition to his entourage have got to live entertained with a middle size ngowa in addition to other rich nutrient in addition to a reasonable quantity of palm wine. The ngowa must foremost of all live shown to an accredited representative of the manly mortal parent of the missy to live married before cooking starts. The representative has potency to either take the ngowa or reject it if the ngowa falls brusque of conventional requirements. The manly mortal parent of the missy to live married may similarly reject the ngowa ye efeyo if the ngowa does non encounter normal standards.
e-ngowa ye efeyo is shared into 3 lots.
1. Lot ane goes to the manly mortal parent of the missy to live married in addition to his family. Tradition requires that the thorax of the ngowa should live given to the maternal uncle of the missy to live married.
2. Lot 2 goes to the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom-elect in addition to members of his entourage
3. Lot 3 is reserved for all manly mortal witnesses to the ceremony.
Business commences presently after nightfall. It is a slow all nighttime affair, punctuated intermittently with rich bombastic cultural pronouncements relevant to efeyo. The pronouncements are commonly made yesteryear representatives of the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom-elect in addition to the manly mortal parent of the missy to live married. No ane is inwards a hurry. It is an occasion to boast with exaggerations in addition to to demonstrate how the immediate manly mortal identify unit of measurement members of the spouses-elect are good versed with cultural splendours inwards efeyo in addition to spousal human relationship affairs inwards general.
Dowry is inwards the shape of goats. The manly mortal parent of the missy to live married may asking as many as ane K (ikoli) goats or more. Tradition does non allow that consummate dowry live paid on the solar daytime of the efeyo. The remainder of dowry may live paid inwards installments inwards due course. Taking payoff of this province of affairs the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom to live after consultation with members of his entourage finally boastfully accepts whatever number of goats that his friend requires. At that juncture the most of import stage inwards the ceremony is the presentation, the acceptance, the slaughter in addition to the sharing of e-ngowa ye efeyo. H5N1 spousal human relationship contract, oral or written, is sealed with the slaughter in addition to sharing of e-ngowa ye efeyo.
The sharing of e-ngowa ye efeyo is assigned to someone who knows to whom special parts of the ngowa must go. For instance, the intestine of the ngowa is an automatic extra portion that goes to the manly mortal parent of the bridegroom elect. There is no status known as "gate crasher" inwards the thing of having a portion of e-ngowa ye efeyo. Every manly mortal witness (teenage, adult. elderly) to an efeyo has a traditional/cultural correct to a formal portion of the ngowa. Women are non expected to participate inwards the long all nighttime cultural efeyo ceremony. Not existence active participants or active witnesses to the ceremony women are non entitled to formal shares of e-ngowa ye efeyo. Women nevertheless have got an understandable correct to "taste" the nutrient before it is served to the manly mortal parent of the bride elect in addition to his entourage.
Phase Three - The wedding
Before the nuptials takes place, the parents of the bridegroom-elect volition foremost of all nowadays some other polish looking woman mortal caprine animal that has non yet started to deliver to the woman parent of the bride-elect. The caprine animal is known as "e-mboli etimba nosotros ewongo": Literally, the caprine animal that is expected to usage or lie/sleep on the sofa (ewongo) on which the bride-elect used to sleep.
The Wedding: Abduction or formal.
(a) Abduction. The manly mortal parent of the bride-elect is expected to give her missy substantial nuptials gifts. When the manly mortal parent is unable to, or is reluctant to create the gifts or when he fails on successive occasions to abide by dates fixed for the nuptials it is a diplomatic signal to the identify unit of measurement of the bridegroom-elect that they may abduct the bride-elect. Since yesteryear tradition a bride-elect is virtually a married adult woman after an efeyo abduction is permissible.
(b) H5N1 formal wedding. The Bride is escorted to her matrimonial dwelling yesteryear an entourage of almost 5 to vii duly accredited, respected in addition to successfully married women, accompanied yesteryear 2 or 3 strong men to carry the Bride on their shoulders when the Bride in addition to her entourage are almost to acquire into the hamlet of the Bridegroom. H5N1 bride is expected to move inwards the night. Trekking to her matrimonial dwelling hence commences presently after nightfall.
One of the nuptials gifts that a manly mortal parent is expected to give to her missy is a expert looking mwaaka 2nd mboli (a castrated caprine animal or a woman mortal goat). Fat from the belly of the caprine animal is rubbed on the pilus of the bride, piece the meat of the caprine animal forms component division of the boiled nutrient that the bride takes with her to her matrimonial home.
As presently as trekking begins the entourage starts to sing at the top of their voices "moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee ! The singing is formal notice to the hamlet community that the Bride is departing. Singing commences ane time to a greater extent than whenever the Bride in addition to her entourage are passing through a village. Then comes the pomp in addition to circumstance of the formal entry of the Bride in addition to her entourage into the hamlet of the Bridegroom. The Bride at nowadays firmly carried high on the shoulders of ane of the men inwards the entourage is decorated in addition to redecorated with fanciful caput ties wrapped on her arms in addition to her head. She would commonly have on a full-length kaava. The entourage so intensifies singing of the classical nuptials song:
"Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee (hurrah, behold the Bride is coming).
Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee.
o-maasa Moombi 2nd Ngondo, mo-ma ja (Bridegroom ! The teenage Bride you lot have got been yearning for has at nowadays come).
Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee.
Responding inwards joyful mood, the hamlet community of the Bridegroom joins inwards singing at the top of their voices: "Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee”, in addition to so gracefully escorts the Bride in addition to her entourage inwards pomp in addition to circumstance into the chemical compound of the manly mortal parent of the Bridegroom. The woman parent of the Bridegroom waiting at the main door of the house receives the Bride with an comprehend in addition to so hands to the Bride a walking stick in addition to a woman mortal chicken that has non yet started to deliver. The feathers of the chicken must live void of abrupt contrasting colours such as dark spots on white background (matono ma wuva).
The Bride’s entourage is lavishly entertained with a rich diverseness of food. The Bride sits unopen to the Bridegroom. She may non eat out of shyness. The adjacent stage of the ceremony is a litany of advice inwards the shape of "don’ts". This physical care for is known as "lifema la Moombi".
"Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee",
Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee;
"omasa Moombi 2nd Ngondo, mo-ma ja
You have got been yearning for a teenage Bride.
Here she is.
Moombi wee. wee ! Moombi wee" !
"Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee.
osi taata Munyango, Moombi wee, wee ! Mombi wee".
Bride, don’t care for your hubby with contempt. Moombi wee, wee, Moombi wee.
Don’t starve your husband. Moombi wee, wee, Moombi wee.
Don’t despise members of the identify unit of measurement of your husband. Moombi wee, wee.
Moombi wee", in addition to so on.
Members of the Bride’s entourage render to their respective homes adjacent morning time after breakfast. The manly mortal parent of the Bridegroom hands each fellow member of the entourage an appreciation gift known as "mofaki"
Honeymoon. The length of the honeymoon is determined yesteryear circumstances. During that menstruum the newly married missy is non expected to carry out formal domestic activities, such as cooking, fetching of H2O from the spring, or going to the farm to harvest food. Volunteer woman mortal members of the husband’s identify unit of measurement carry out the cooking in addition to other domestic services.
The halt of the honeymoon is marked yesteryear the preparation of a formal repast yesteryear the newly married girl. She would commonly live assisted inwards cooking yesteryear members of her identify unit of measurement (mother, aunt, sister, niece) in addition to the woman parent in addition to aunts in addition to sisters of her spouse. H5N1 constituent component division of the repast is nguma ngowa, that is, the meat of a immature grunter provided yesteryear the identify unit of measurement of the newly married immature man. The grunter must live either woman mortal or castrated.
Efeyo ya Mwese
In the lawsuit of a divorced adult woman remarrying, her novel hubby refunds to the former hubby dowry that was paid inwards abide by of the woman. The ceremony takes identify either at the hall of a hamlet traditional council or at a customary court.
Bakweri people performing traditional trip the low-cal fantastic at wedding
Inheritance or kinship patterns
Bakweri inheritance is patrilineal; upon the father’s death, his belongings is inherited yesteryear his eldest son. Inheritance also depends on the behavior of the children. If a kid is a primary or is really stubborn or is noted for a really bad grapheme similar arrogance to the elders, or disregard to the tradition, the manly mortal parent tin determine to give his inheritance to the brother.
Bakweri human dancing
Also, if the manly mortal parent dies when the children are still really young, the inheritance tin live transfered to a identify unit of measurement fellow member who is trust worthy. Also een the adjacent of manly mortal monarch doesn’t necessarily agency that all the belongings belongs to you, you lot are the ane to command the property. If you lot are non from the royal identify unit of measurement you lot cannot live made a king. King makers are people who come upwards from the primary family. Notables in addition to are the people who decides on the adjacent manly mortal monarch after the initial manly mortal monarch has made his will. Furthermore, nosotros telephone telephone “Manawondja”, when a adult woman is non married in addition to have got attained an historic menstruum when she tin no to a greater extent than acquire married so she tin have got a vocalization inwards the family.
Bakweri people
Household patterns
In the Bakweri soceity, many families are monogamous, in addition to hence at that topographic point is no conjugal household from within the family. Furthermore, the Bakwerians pass a lot of fourth dimension at dwelling with their children, in addition to the identify unit of measurement is the main unit of measurement of production, therefore, at that topographic point is no particular houshold designing within the Bakweri soceity.
Bakweri people
Religious Belief
Bakweris, similar many other tribes inwards the Federal Republic of Republic of Cameroon have got no unjust thought of the Deity. This is clear from the words that they usage inwards describing Him. They ascribe to God the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, in addition to invisibility. They telephone telephone Him the Protector, Maeke ; the Creator of all things, Iwonde ; the Guardian in addition to Keeper of all things, Motateli ; the Law-Giver, the Governor, the Source of the Word, Ovase or Lova.
These important appellations are non just used inwards religious ceremonies. They are component division in addition to packet of every-day language, as for instance, inwards the mutual telephone commutation of greetings. Among Bakweris, when ane is asked "how are you," w'a okaneya, it is non uncommon for the inquirer to have the answer: "N'eki Maeke", I give thank you lot to the Protector. So deep is their belief inwards the omniscience in addition to omnipotence of the Supreme Being that ane has to sympathize the thought patterns of the Bakweris to appreciate the component division that religious mysticism plays inwards their solar daytime to solar daytime affairs.
Bakweri Cosmology: Bakweri cosmology splits the world into 2 orders of being, Vaenya in addition to Vawoo. Literally, these words hateful respectively, the living in addition to the dead. But inwards a wider sense,
Vaenya, the living, is used to comprehend all physical or stuff things. All things that belong to the Vaenya monastic tell tin live perceived yesteryear anyone ; they occupy definite locations inwards space. It is interesting, however, that Bakweris do non include air inwards this category.
Air is to a greater extent than often than non looked upon as a transitory chemical element that forms a span betwixt the monastic tell of Vaenya in addition to that of Vawoo : that this chemical element shares many characteristics of things inwards both orders did non escape the Bakweris inwards their cosmological speculations. For indeed at that topographic point is a schoolhouse of thought which believes that air, at to the lowest degree its fundamental life-giving element, pervades the entire universe. That chemical element is believed to live the essential composition of the entities that belong to the Vawoo order. This concept, it should live noted, is non far removed from the Western theory of "Ether of space" nor is it really dissimilar from what Yogis telephone telephone "Prana".
The Vawoo monastic tell embraces all the invisible forces of nature. This includes the spirits of the dead in addition to a large array of forces that have got ever puzzled human intelligence. While the Bakweris do non create watertight definitions in addition to descriptions of the characteristics of elements inwards the Vawoo order, they do believe that the monastic tell exists in addition to have got thus devised methods yesteryear which contacts tin live made in addition to yesteryear which the forces of that monastic tell tin live directed to, in addition to manipulated for, man's benefit.
Mention has been made higher upwards of the belief that air forms a span betwixt the 2 orders. It has also been stated that a for certain indefinable chemical element inwards air pervades the entire universe. This life-giving in addition to life-sustaining element, Bakweris telephone telephone Muulu. Muulu is needed yesteryear things inwards both orders in addition to inwards human it is life itself ; it is the godliness inwards him in addition to it gives him his individuality. Man is believed to demand Muulu throughout his earthly existence in addition to because of its imperishable in addition to indestructible nature, when Muulu departs from man, in addition to he attains the nation that is called Kpeli or death, Muulu continues.
The Human Spirit After Death: Bakweris believe that Muulu, the life-giving strength of Elinge or soul affects human throughout his earthly existence inwards a number of ways. But this influence upon human cannot live described as control. It falls brusque of that. Nor tin it live equated with what some western philosophers depict as "dualistic interventionism" ; for this latter concept has a number of assumptions which would appear to the Bakweris as illogical, untenable or fifty-fifty pragmatic.
Upon expiry Muulu or Elinge is believed to linger around for 3 days during which it bids cheerio to all with whom the deceased had been acquainted inwards his earthly existence. This is why on the 3rd solar daytime after expiry it is the custom to organize a pocket-sized feast known as Sassa. The feast serves to bid cheerio to the deceased. In feasting, partakers are expected to throw pieces of nutrient around. These are eaten upwards yesteryear domestic animals in addition to birds that may live nowadays in addition to through them the deceased participates inwards the feasting.
This shape of participation is easily understandable in addition to should occasion no surprise. In the transition that is called Kpeli or death, the spiritual essence departs from the torso in addition to becomes ane with the life-giving force, Muulu, that permeates the entire universe - which includes men, animals, in addition to birds. Consequently, the deceased is believed to participate inwards the feasting through men, animals, in addition to birds present. But his cheerio feast does non imply that no farther contact tin live made with departed ones. Bakweris have got a number of names for the Deity. One of these is Ovase which agency the Source of the Word. If readers may permit a piddling diversion into its etymology, Ovase is a substantive coined out of the Bakweri verb l'ova, important to speak, to say.
The Power of the Word: It is important that this Bakweri concept of God as the discussion through which in addition to yesteryear which all things are made in addition to unmade tallies with the Christian version of it as
expressed inwards the Fourth Gospel - the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. John. The Prologue of this Gospel begins as follows : "In the start was the Word ; in addition to the Word was with God, in addition to the Word was God."
The belief inwards the Word, the belief inwards the magic powerfulness of the Word is so deeply embedded inwards the minds of the Bakweris that foreigners who have got non been initiated into their philosophy in addition to cosmological concepts are often at a loss at understanding fifty-fifty the simplest of the numerous practices that create upwards Bakweri religious mysticism. Most of these practices have got received violent denunciations of Westerners in addition to to a greater extent than particularly, Western Missionaries who portion with their colonialist brethren the built inwards conviction that they stand upwards for a "superior culture." The natural corollary of this baseless conviction has been disrespect for all things Cameroonian and, yesteryear extension, all things African.
Bakweris know that human is unique because of his powerfulness over the Word. By this power, human is able to telephone telephone forth in addition to guide the life force. This is the important of life, this is existence : to have the discussion ; to invoke it ; to portion it with other beings, living in addition to dead, human or divine.
Diverse are the uses to which the powerfulness of the Word tin live put. The human of affairs discovers that he is unsuccessful in addition to he decides to usage the powerfulness of the Word to alter his fortune. He obtains a bottle of vino in addition to goes to the grave of an ancestor, pours the vino in addition to asks for God's approving through his ancestor inwards monastic tell that his fortune may change. Parents determine to give their missy inwards spousal human relationship in addition to they pour some vino or water, as the instance may be, at the door of their house in addition to inwards doing so, they conjure upwards the blessings of their ancestors inwards monastic tell that the spousal human relationship may live successful.
The Nganga or healer, whom all foreigners telephone telephone "witch doctor" spits upon his herbs in addition to yesteryear the powerfulness of the Word conjures upwards the blessings of the Supreme Being through the invocation of his ancestors inwards monastic tell that the herbs may upshot a cure - in addition to they do! Those who dot a mocking finger at the so-called "witch doctor" could have got done the same to Christ were they nowadays when He cured the human born blind yesteryear spitting on the ground, making clay with the spittle, in addition to spreading the clay over the man's eyes before commanding him to go in addition to launder inwards the puddle of Siloe, John IX : 1-7. Yet this is just what Christians are doing to-day.
Young men abide by elders ; they give alms to the poor in addition to indulge inwards all sorts of "good works" for which they have inwards render a payment inwards the words : "lova a o namise" which mean, may God bless you. And they are satisfied in addition to believe that through the powerfulness of the Word they volition have the blessings of God. These are some of the positive uses of the powerfulness of the Word in addition to the way that the Bakweris usage in addition to appreciate it inwards their solar daytime to solar daytime affairs. Of course, many other examples tin live given but have got been omitted because of infinite considerations.
The Word in addition to Sorcery: But the powerfulness of the Word is similar a two-edged sword. It tin live used for expert in addition to for evil, for boon in addition to for bane. This is where cursing in addition to other witchological practices
come upwards in. Sorcery, the powerfulness to plough life's vital forces to evil ends, is known to usage with other things, the powerfulness of the Word. One of the commonest uses of this powerfulness is yesteryear cursing. Cursing is done inwards 2 ways : first, the sorcerer may usage actual words or, secondly, he may usage a concatenation of ceremonies, including awesome incantations convert this prototype into a powerful weapon of destruction. This technique is to a greater extent than often than non known as "the powerfulness of the doll."
We shall non go into whatever particular on the uses of the powerfulness of the Word inwards the dark underside of Bakweri mysticism. That is exterior the orbit of this article ; but suffice to say that fifty-fifty the most Christo-centric of westerners who has lived with the Bakweris for whatever length of fourth dimension knows that what is referred to as sorcery, witchcraft, voodoo or nyongo genuinely "works". It would live just as foolish to dismiss these things as superstitions simply because the natives offering no scientific explanations for them as it would live to say that the police of gravity did non be before Newton discovered it.
rBakweri elders Slaughtering a grunter for a ritual during the installation of Paul Mokako Gobina as
Traditional Ruler Of Wondongo Village, Buea.
Yet, this is just the work that anyone who seeks to sympathize the natives must face. Understanding cannot come upwards when the inquirer has the built-in-feeling that he represents a "superior culture" ; for, the really thought of a superior civilization is ridiculous. Any seek at comparative evaluation of cultures presupposes an ethnocentric perspective. And those who frown upon in addition to usage derogatory epithets to depict such practices as libation ought to realise that cultural relativism stipulates, with other things, that all cultures must live viewed as adequate in addition to meaningful adjustments which people have got made to the imperatives of living.
There are definitely some Cameroonians, in addition to Africans for that matter, who are so plagued yesteryear the alien mentality they have got acquired inwards the course of teaching of their sojourn inwards distant lands that they would prefer non to beak over these practices at all. But inwards this our historic menstruum when it rests upon our shoulders to dovetail what is expert inwards our society with the expert things that nosotros have got learnt from our colonial masters, nosotros cannot afford to live apathetic or ashamed to examine all aspects of our national life inwards monastic tell to select the best from it.
Christianity: The Bakweri have got been largely Christianised since the 1970s. Evangelical denominations dominate, specially the Baptist church. Christianity plays an of import role inwards Bakweri regions, where music played over the radio is as probable to live the latest from Nigerian gospel vocalist Agatha Moses as it is the latest striking yesteryear a Nigerian music star.
Presby Church Buea
Arts
The Bakweri still practise arts in addition to crafts handed downward for generations. The Bakweri are known to live skilled weavers of hats in addition to shirts, for example. They also build armoires, chairs, in addition to tables.
Bakweri dances serve a number of purposes. The Bakweri Male Dance, for example, demonstrates the performers' virility. Other dances are purely for enjoyment, such as the maringa in addition to the ashiko, which arose inwards the 1930s, in addition to the makossa in addition to ambasse bey dances that accompany those musical styles.
The greatest venue for Bakweri music in addition to trip the low-cal fantastic are the 2 major festivals that take identify each twelvemonth inwards December. The Ngondo is a traditional festival of the Duala, although today all of Cameroon's coastal Sawa peoples are invited to participate. It originated as a agency of preparation Duala children the skills of warfare. Now, however, the main focus is on communicating with the ancestors in addition to asking them for guidance in addition to protection for the future. The festivities also include armed combat, beauty pageants, pirogue races, in addition to traditional wrestling.
The Mpo'o brings together the Bakoko, Bakweri, in addition to Limba at Edéa. The festival commemorates the ancestors in addition to allows the participants to consider the problems facing the groups in addition to humanity as a whole. Lively music, dancing, theatre, in addition to recitals accompany the celebration.
Bakweri Traditional Attire
The traditional attire of the Bakweri is similar to that of most, if non all, the coastal ethnic groups of Republic of Cameroon such as the Duala. It consists of the Sanja for the men in addition to the Kabba for women. While the exact root of this attire is unknown, nosotros tin assume that it appeared with the advent of European traders on the Republic of Cameroon coast who exchanged loin clothes for nutrient stuffs
Bakweri women dress
At the plough of the 19th century, Carl Bender noted that: “In towns close the coast, where European traders offering their wares inwards telephone commutation for cocoa beans, kernels in addition to palm oil, the loin cloth, or lapalap, a slice of colored punt or sateen almost 2 yards long, is coming to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than into use”. According to Bender, the Bakweri did inwards fact have got a traditional attire that was worn before the arrival of Europeans.
Bakweri men dress
According to Daniel Matute: "The Bakweri human inwards the hamlet dresses inwards a long waist stuff called Sanja tied circular the waist with 2 overlapping edges yesteryear the sides called masu'u topped yesteryear a long sleeve shirt, preferably white, with a caput necktie or scarf around the neck. Usually a chapeau may live worn if the human so desires. The Sanja is stitched according to the size of the private but usually 3 fathoms is a expert sized Sanja. Some men would prefer a coat to go along with the attire."
With regards to women, Matute states that: "A typical traditional attire worn yesteryear the Bakweri women is a voluminous, clocked clothe popularly known as “Kabba”. This attire goes with a caput necktie to check with the dress. The women are highly respected for their high criterion of clothe making. Exposure of the feminine legs yesteryear wearing bikinis or a pair of shorts is highly discouraged."
According to Bender: "The original native clothe is a really uncomplicated affair… It consists of a pocket-sized apron made of fibre or grass in addition to is girded almost the loins. H5N1 still to a greater extent than uncomplicated clothe is worn yesteryear women in addition to girls only - a braided fibre belt almost 3 inches wide."
Bakweri men inwards their modern dress
Cuisine/Food/Traditional Spices
The official dish of the Bakweri is Kwakoko in addition to Mosaka (Palm nut) soup. Apart from that the Bakweri have got a number of other traditional dishes that they have got made their ain yesteryear cooking or spicing them upwards with the leaves, seeds in addition to other elements from the lush vegetation of the Mount Fako region. Here is a listing of some of those spices:
Manjuweli: The foliage of a pocket-sized works life of the same identify unit of measurement as "Mbongo" in addition to "Indoko ja mokpe":(alligator pepper). Used mostly inwards Mosaka especilly inwards those days when the mosaka was to a greater extent than often than non cooked with "ekosel'a ngoa"(young pig) the foliage is haversted in addition to washed, in addition to wrapped around the pieces of meat or fish to live used inwards the "Mosaka".
Eseke-seke: it is obtained from a tree inwards the forest(not for certain how to depict the tree)fresh, in addition to so dried before consumption. The quantitiy to usage is a thing of private taste. It is used mostly inwards pepper soup, kwalala, mosaka, in addition to Ngonya wembe.
Jowe(Black Pepper): Also obtained from a wood tree.(little light-green in addition to carmine seeds) that plough dark after the drying process. Used inwards pepper soup, kwalala, ngonya wembe in addition to for spicing of roasted meats in addition to fish.
Njangasanga: Also obtained from a really huge wood tree. the tree bears pods that incorporate the njangasanga seeds. The pods are harvested whe mature, in addition to cracked opened upwards to extract the seeds which are than sun-dreid. Does good inwards warm climates. Most of it comes from Muyuka, in addition to Manyu division, but it is also said that at that topographic point is ane huge tree somewhere inwards Bonankanda. Used inwards pepper soup, Kwalala, Ngonya wembe, spicing of meats in addition to fish for roasting.(also inwards left over mosaka to live eaten with wolanga.) It is also used together with jowe in addition to ngaikai inwards a dish called "Liphele".(Fish spiced in addition to wrapped inwards plantain leaves in addition to cooked over hot coals)
Ngai-kai: Also harvested from a wood tree. It almost looks similar what nosotros called "cashew" dorsum home. It is cracked opened upwards in addition to the seed within is the Ngaikai, which is either Sun dried or smoke-dried before consumption. The next are non used as spices yesteryear the Bakweri , they are used yesteryear the Bakweri for dissimilar ailments.
Masephu: H5N1 uncomplicated works life found inwards most peoples yards. the leaves are washed in addition to the juice squeezed out of them using water. It is used for uncomplicated tummy aches. Also included inwards the concoction of other leaves, plants in addition to barks of trees that are steamed in addition to used for "li-tumba"(a mortal suffering from malaria is sat infront of this steaming pot underneath a covert ) in addition to allowed to sweat off the fever . when the H2O cools downward inwards it so used as an enema as well. It is also said that having this works life inwards the chemical compound drives away evil spirits.
Mbongo: Seeds obtained from a works life of the same species as alligator pepper.The bakweri volition ground or fifty-fifty chew it, in addition to mix it inwards "manyanga"(palm marrow oil). it is the applied all over the torso of a kid with a high fever to forestall convulsions. It is also the main spice inwards "mbongo-chobi" dish of the Bassa of Cameroon.
Games
Bakweri have got a famous game for children called Kweti. It is a game that is played during the rainy flavor yesteryear the fireside. This game emphasizes the importance of naming one's relatives in addition to it emphasizes the importance of retentivity in addition to quick thinking; The winner has to live really smart inwards verbal expression, physical dexterity in addition to also to have got a abrupt memory.
Bakweri wrestling
Usually, children play this game using wood ash (liwu) in addition to a stone (liyE) or charcoal (findi). While sitting yesteryear the kitchen board (ewongo) or chair (konda), someone would say, (joke kweti) lets play kweti. Then members of the identify unit of measurement would play yesteryear selecting the foremost mortal who would acquire a pocket-sized pebble in addition to hide it behind his or her dorsum in addition to exhibit both hands to some other play in addition to say “ (Mame ne) what is this, the responder would take in addition to say I take this mitt in addition to I throw away this mitt in addition to so call a relative. (mamene kweti, mame ne joli, na wowene, nafakene mola Esombi). If the instrumentalist does non call a relative really fast, the other instrumentalist would striking the spice handbasket that hangs higher upwards the give the sack play (mokove) in addition to say (et]]ng] ). And the instrumentalist would have got to forfeit their plough to the other instrumentalist who striking the spice handbasket in addition to said et]]ng]. If the instrumentalist called the call of a relative inwards time, he/she would dip their fore finger inwards wood ash in addition to pose a dot on the their leg to bespeak a point. Then the game continues until the people concord to count the dots on their legs. The mortal with the largest amount of wood ash dots on their legs wins.
Sports
One special sporting event, the Bakweri Traditional Wrestling, encompasses all the qualities the Bakweri have got inherited from their ancestors: physical endurance, agility, vehement fighting techniques, in addition to a non bad sense of competition.
Wrestling is known as wesuwa in addition to it’s taken really seriously yesteryear all the members of the community. In the yesteryear wrestling used to live an of import way of determining leadership inwards the villages; it fifty-fifty resulted inwards a state of war betwixt 2 villages inwards 1891, when people from Ghango burnt downward the hamlet of Molonde inwards revenge for the expiry of their best wrestlers. Fortunately, this behaviour at nowadays a thing of the past. Today, wrestling is a friendly competition drawing a huge crowd from all over the region. Every Dominicus for 8 weeks inwards Feb in addition to March every hamlet gathers their best wrestlers inwards a major competition to regard who has the best fighters with athletes showing off their fighting prowess. Each hamlet is the host of the wrestling for ane day.
Although Bakweri wrestling is a traditional shape of fighting, it has similarities with WWF wrestling. H5N1 check betwixt 2 villages starts with all the contestants, who have on skimpy sarongs, coming together inwards the middle of the large expanse of grass which forms the wrestling pitch. The wrestlers tease each others yesteryear making gestures of threat in addition to so challenge each others into a nail-biting fight. H5N1 contestant wins a bout yesteryear throwing his opponent on his dorsum or yesteryear taking him downward in addition to so either rolling him on his dorsum or forcing him apartment on this stomach. To set the atmosphere, drummers on an elevated stage crunch intricate rhythms on large log drums throughout the check piece the crowds roar in addition to cry encouragement to the wrestlers. The setting is magnificent; the villages are surrounded yesteryear dense in addition to lush vegetation with Mount Republic of Cameroon towering inwards the background over the wrestling land in addition to glimpses of the sea tin live seen on the horizon.
The competition culminates with the annunciation of the year’s champion wrestler who is so carried with the spectators to loud acclaim accompanied yesteryear tradition songs in addition to dances performed yesteryear the cheerleaders – the elderberry tribeswomen.
Funeral Rites (Life After Death)
As presently as a spouse dies the survivor is stripped of all vesture in addition to so clad inwards barkcloth (enjinja) piece circular the caput are tied some leaves of the lisafo works life from which are suspended some seeds of the malaguetta pepper (Aframomum melegueta). The mourner must at nowadays also carry a pocket-sized knife. These protect the mourner from the spirit of the deceased which for the adjacent 3 days is believed to haunt the house where he died. The mortal whose duty it is to regard that the mourner is so properly protected against the deceased is ane who has already been a widower or widow, according to the sexual practice of the mourner.
The corpse if that of a man, is washed yesteryear manly mortal relatives; if that of a woman, yesteryear females, in addition to prepared for burial. While the corpse is existence buried inwards the house, inwards accordance with Bakweri custom, the mourner is taken to the dorsum of the house in addition to kneel on ane knee. With the left mitt the left ear is closed piece the correct mitt holds the knife, in addition to some lisafo fronds.
If the mourner is a widower, a substitute wife, if he had only ane wife, is so brought to him with whom to have got sexual intercourse piece he calls out words of powerfulness to avoid existence haunted yesteryear the spirit of his deceased wife. In the instance of a widow a substitute hubby is provided. Thereafter the widow has to refrain from whatever sexual intercourse until she has been purified. Any manly mortal who is found to have got had sexual intercourse with her before she has been purified is said to "whitened her", or has taken away the spirit of the deceased from her. If the seducer is non a fellow member of the deceased's identify unit of measurement he would live heavily fined for this premature purification of the widow. Widows should fifty-fifty refrain from shaking hands with men until after their lastly purification.
If a widow is suspected of having been unfaithful to her hubby during his life-time, his relatives volition telephone telephone inwards a medicine human who has reached the rank of a Mbwaya. This human volition at nowadays pose the adult woman to the njembu test. He volition gather the next herbs, ngeny, motimbilimbi which is the long fruit of the Kigelia tree, in addition to an crude palm branch. These items are placed on the ground in addition to on top of them a gun or a horn is placed. Then the Mbwaya volition conjure the widow to repeat the next words after him: I am leaping over this njembu 3 times as a adult woman who knew no other human than my hubby in addition to if I tell a prevarication may njembu destroy me. It is believed that whatever widow who told a lie, that is, did non break the call of whatever paramour, would thereafter shortly sicken in addition to die. Any human so named yesteryear the widow as a paramour in addition to who would thus have got been inwards enemity with the deceased in addition to powerfulness live regarded as responsible for his expiry was made to pay the deceased's identify unit of measurement a heavy fine inwards goats.
The corpse is usually buried inwards a shaft in addition to alcove grave. The torso existence placed inwards the alcove in addition to the alcove walled off from the shaft so that when the grave is filled inwards Earth does non touching the body.
After the burial of the corpse the mourner has, until purified, to slumber on the ground, or on the bark of a tree over which some dry out plantain leaves have got been spread. H5N1 expert give the sack is kept burning inwards the hut and, where the mourner is a widow, she ceases to ready in addition to some other adult woman cooks for her. Only pocket-sized quantities of nutrient are eaten for the foremost 3 days; some mourners fifty-fifty fast for the entire 3 days. During this menstruum the lastly repast of the solar daytime must live eaten before dark in addition to when lying downward for the nighttime the mourner must chew a few grains of malaguetta pepper and, spitting them out, must say: We component division to-day, allow me never to a greater extent than dream of you.
The mourner, piece inwards mourning, is non supposed to venture out of the house after dark because it is believed that the spirit of the deceased volition beset him or her. The Bakweri believe that the spirit of the deceased volition seek to have got sexual intercourse with its living partner in addition to thus spirit away that partner.
As illustrating this belief, Mr. Wolatae mentioned that some fourth dimension agone a for certain Bakweri died in addition to was buried. His widow grieved deeply in addition to sorely over his death. Some months later, piece she was working inwards the farm given to her yesteryear her dead husband, he all of a precipitous appeared before her. She became speechless in addition to unable to move. He said to her: I have got seen in addition to heard how bitterly you lot are weeping in addition to lamenting for me solar daytime in addition to night. Your non bad grief gives me no chance to forget you lot in addition to rest. I also have got been seeking an chance to encounter you lot in addition to at nowadays nosotros are hither together.
He so lay with the adult woman who returned dwelling stricken dumb. As is ever the instance with persons who regard or encounter a spirit, this widow fell ill. H5N1 medicine human was called in. He treated her so that at lastly she recovered her spoken communication in addition to was able to tell all that befell her on the farm. H5N1 few days later she died. [In amplification of the handling given to persons afflicted yesteryear the supernatural Mr.
Wolatae supplied the next information: If anyone meets a spirit in addition to returns dwelling dumb or inwards a fainting status so ane should straight off necktie circular that person's brow a fern frond...This handling volition enable the mortal to beak in addition to tell what was seen or to explicate the cause of his condition. If, on the other hand, a mortal falls sick because of dark magic or of witchcraft so a band of white stuff must live tied circular the forehead. If no such white stuff is available so the stalk of the njesenge plant, a type of fern, must live used instead. The sick mortal afflicted yesteryear dark magic or witchcraft volition rave similar a mad mortal in addition to break everything inwards his talking. To care for this sick person, an beast is taken in addition to sacrificed. Pigs in addition to cows, for this usage are non regarded as suitable sacrificial animals. The beast is so killed in addition to its blood is smeared on the patient's torso piece the next words are chanted yesteryear the medicine man: "Oh, animal, choke so that the boy of human may live." After this chant yesteryear the medicine human the patient, to ensure a consummate cure, is told what nutrient is forbidden to him for the ease of his life in addition to on the 9th solar daytime after the sacrifice of the animal, which is the solar daytime for the lastly cure of the patient's illness, he must so vow to abstain from this forbidden food, whatever it is, for the ease of his life. If he does non he volition autumn ane time to a greater extent than nether the spell of the dark magic or witchcraft.]
Post Burial Rites: From the foremost cockcrow after the burial until the Sun rises, the mourner, especially if a widow, must live heard lamenting loudly. If the deceased is an of import human all his woman mortal relatives in addition to the other women of his hamlet are expected to pass the whole morning time in
lamentations. This lamenting powerfulness lastly for a calendar month or more.
The morning time after the burial sees a piddling food, palm wine, and, if the deceased were a snuff taker, a piddling snuff placed on the grave. Fresh nutrient in addition to vino in addition to snuff are thereafter placed on the grave each morning time for a week, livua, which with the Bakweri consists of nine days. During this livua all members of the deceased's identify unit of measurement gather at this fourth dimension at the grave to sing, dance, eat in addition to chant the praises of the deceased.
On the 2nd solar daytime after the burial the relatives go to the farms of the deceased to collect nutrient for the adjacent day's feast. After gathering the necessary food, component division of the deceased's farm is destroyed as existence his share. The component division so destroyed is called vesasale. In the eve of this 2nd solar daytime the villagers gather to honour the retentivity of the deceased yesteryear dancing in addition to singing his praises, yesteryear reciting ancient tales in addition to stories with proverbial meanings in addition to yesteryear playing musical instruments.
The 3rd solar daytime is the ane on which the Bakweri believe that the spirit of the deceased leaves the hut where the torso is buried in addition to proceeds to the spirit world as a molimo. This solar daytime is called sasa solar daytime inwards Bakweri. On this day, the mourner is led off into the bush where a give the sack is kindled with the turn down from crude palm nuts in addition to inwards it the dry out plantain leaves of the bedding in addition to the barkcloth worn are burnt. Then the mourner's torso is washed with metatoani or the juice from the stems of plantains. The physical care for is known as the foremost purification in addition to frees the mourner from the spirit as an elinge hovering around the hut of the deceased, but non from the spirit as a molimo inwards the spirit world. For this argue the mourner must go on to chew in addition to spit out the seeds of the malaguetta piece still uttering words of powerfulness in addition to must have on mourning costume until the lastly purification ceremony marker the halt of the mourning takes place.
The mourner must also go on to have on the lisafo frontlet in addition to the usage of the crude palm nut pericarp fibre inwards kindling a give the sack are regarded as affording powerful magical protection against machinations of the spirit of the deceased.
After the initial purification the mourner is at nowadays dressed inwards the proper mourning clothe which is ever dark inwards colour. Women inwards add-on have on dark give the sack bangles, necklaces in addition to anklets in addition to rub their bodies over with dark sooty oil. This mourning accoutrement is worn until the lastly purification. The children in addition to grandchildren of the deceased's identify unit of measurement are taken inwards mitt yesteryear a man
who himself has lost both parents. He takes them exterior a corner of the deceased's house. There he makes them sit down inwards a circle. In their midst is placed a bowl of nutrient from the feast prepared for the wake. From this bowl he selects a slice of meat in addition to some nutrient in addition to knots them upwards inwards a strip of dark mourning stuff called itinge. This knotted stuff is so worn as a necklace yesteryear each kid or grandchild during the protracted mourning period.
If the deceased was a fellow member of the Mbwaya society, his wives in addition to relatives remained inwards a nation of mourning for vii months. If the deceased was a rich man, good advanced inwards years, a fellow member of the Mbwaya in addition to possessor of many wives in addition to children, so the mourning menstruum was extended to nine months. If the deceased was a human of noble nascence or kondange in addition to also a fellow member of Mbwaya, the mourning menstruum was extended to twelve or 13 months. If, on the other hand, the deceased was just an ordinary man, so the mourning menstruum would live but 5 months. Mourners do non cut, comb or clothe their pilus until the lastly purification.
If however, piece thus habited inwards the mourning clothe the mourner happens to kill a ophidian called fe, phe or pe the mourning menstruum ends straight off in addition to the mourning costume in addition to all that went with it may live discarded. Some people, inwards retentivity of the dead man, would turn down for the ease of their lives to partake of for certain foods. For example, if the deceased was a non bad hunter who used to convey dorsum much meat, so on his expiry his woman parent or some fellow member of the identify unit of measurement powerfulness thereafter abstain from the flesh of a for certain antelope or animal; or if the deceased were a expert palm vino tapper, his woman parent or sis powerfulness so for the ease of their lives refrain from drinking palm wine.
To choke piece inwards a nation of mourning is considered to live a grave misfortune. The Bakweri believe that, if a mortal dies piece mourning, that mortal volition go on for ever after inwards that poor nation inwards the spirit world.
The nursing woman parent is exempt from mourning. If a woman's missy dies inwards childbirth in addition to the babe survives, so the daughter's woman parent is given for certain medicines to quaff to cause the current of milk inwards her breasts so that she tin nourish the motherless baby. Such a grandmother does non go into mourning for her dead daughter.
The Funeral Feast: The wake or funeral feast for the deceased is called sasa in addition to is celebrated as
follows. First comes the moanda nyo or paying for the expert deeds of the deceased. If the deceased live a married adult woman so all the children, slaves in addition to the other members of the identify unit of measurement who were nether her command in addition to care, including all her in-laws, have got to create offerings inwards recognition of all the expert function in addition to loving kindness she bestowed on them piece she was alive. In the old days it was customary to offering fowls, shells, ika in addition to other gifts. To-day people give money varying inwards amount from ane penny to ane shilling .
[On this Bakweri word, ika Mr. Wolatae wrote that its important inwards the days of their ancestors is at nowadays non known. Whether ika meant the Fe money of the Grassland peoples or the mukoko of the Duala is non clear. The call mikoko for the Fe bars that were anciently used as money still persists inwards the spousal human relationship ceremony where the cattle paid as dowry are still reckoned inwards mikoko. Mr. Wolatae so illustrated the nowadays solar daytime usage of this discussion ika inwards Bakweri language: should a creditor encounter his debtor who say owes him 10 shillings in addition to the debtor is unable to repay the loan, then, when making some other hope to pay what he owes, those persons nowadays volition inquire the debtor "to cutting in addition to give one-half an ika" before the novel hope tin live considered. Hence the debtor volition have got to pay at ane time a shilling, say, to his creditor, but this payment of the shilling still leaves the original debt of 10 shilling un-reduced. Hence the saying that the debtor has cutting or given one-half an ika, that is,
esung ika.]
These gifts are so shared yesteryear the co-wives in addition to relatives of the deceased to the exclusion of course of teaching of those who made the offerings. These offerings are regarded as a legacy left yesteryear the deceased. If the deceased live a married man, so all the wives in addition to women of his brothers pay the moanda nyo. Then the people of the hamlet in addition to relatives from afar gather at the deceased's place. They convey nutrient offerings such as goats, pigs, sheep cattle. Such animals for the feast are called moleli. Each beast as it is killed is divided into 3 parts. One component division goes to the possessor of the animal; ane component division is cooked for the feast in addition to the 3rd component division is given to the spectators.
Each bereaved spouse has, yesteryear custom, to render a special beast for the funeral feast. This beast is called ngo a itoto or ngo a veese which agency 'a grunter of bones' or 'a grunter of burnt sacrifice'. This facial expression refers to all the meat brought dwelling yesteryear the hubby in addition to eaten yesteryear the wives. Each widow is at nowadays called upon to render an beast inwards recognition of all the expert nutrient his dead married adult woman cooked for him. The women at nowadays start cooking foods that specially delighted the deceased. The flesh is cooked separately in addition to all nutrient of its sort is placed inwards its ain bowls. The foods are non mixed.
Those participating inwards the funeral feast must eat the nutrient prepared for them away from the deceased's house in addition to out inwards the bush inwards a specially prepared palace at that topographic point to encounter with the molimo or spirits of the dead. When the feast is ready the men pick upwards the diverse bowls of food, palm vino in addition to snuff, in addition to follow the leader. He carries a matchet inwards ane mitt in addition to a blazing give the sack create inwards the other. This create must live kept burning at the site of kindling a give the sack with it. In the prepared clearing the funeral feasters sit down downward together in addition to start to eat the foods prepared, eating ane bowl after another. From each bowl a morsel of nutrient must live thrown on the ground as an offering to the spirit of the dead. H5N1 piddling nutrient is left inwards each bowl for the spirit of the deceased who is so requested to portion it with the other spirits that he meets inwards the solid ground of the dead. This nutrient left inwards the bush clearing is for dogs in addition to pigs to eat.
Should this nutrient non live touched yesteryear these animals it is so believed that the spirit of the deceased is angry in addition to has non attended his funeral feast, nor partaken of the nutrient prepared in addition to offered to him. If after this nutrient has remained untouched for a solar daytime or 2 some greedy beast willfully consumes these rejected offerings ane tin hear the beast squealing in addition to yelping as though existence beaten. But if ane approaches, ane tin regard zilch that is beating the squealing beast in addition to so ane believes it is the offended spirit of the deceased doing so.
Food acceptable to the spirits volition live freely in addition to gently eaten yesteryear dogs or pigs because the spirits eat or take only the 'whiff' of each morsel of food. After the feast is over, the feasters are summoned dorsum to the house of the deceased yesteryear the crunch of a wooden gong. Thereupon each mortal plucks a foliage from a bush in addition to puts the foliage into his mouth. The leader so with his matchet inwards his hand, leads the procession silently back. No ane is supposed to beak or to appear dorsum till the house of the
deceased is reached. As they create it a gun is fired to denote their prophylactic return. The feasters so take the leaves from their mouths in addition to throw them on to the roof of the deceased's house.
Final Purification: The bereaved spouse has so far non partaken of the feast in addition to at nowadays ane who is
already a bereaved spouse proceeds to bless the portion allotted to the bereaved spouse. This officiant begins yesteryear uttering expert words of comfort both to the living spouse in addition to to the spirit of the dead one. But before this exhortation is uttered the living spouse has to payoff the officiator. If the living spouse is a woman, she hands over a fowl, chillies, tabular array salt or anything else available. If the bereaved spouse is a man, he pays to a greater extent than heavily. After his payment the bereaved spouse's hands are purified yesteryear existence washed yesteryear the officiator inwards the juice of a plantain stem; at the same fourth dimension a purification prayer is said. Not until this component division of the funeral ceremony is consummate may the bereaved spouse in addition to the children live given whatever of the funeral feast. In the instance of the bereaved spouse the nutrient is passed inwards through the partially closed door of the house.
When the mourning menstruum is over all the mourners gather inwards a house piece exterior a give the sack is kindled with crude programme nut fibre. This give the sack volition eat all the mourning clothe worn yesteryear the mourners. Their pilus is shaved off in addition to they are washed inwards the juice of plantain stems in addition to may so have on ordinary clothes in addition to resume their ordinary way of life.
Sourcehttp://www.bakweri.com/
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Efasa Moto, the God of Mount Fako
By Wose Yangange Martin
According to Wose Yangange Martin, "Efasa-Moto is the folkloric god of the Fako Mountain. It is believed that he controls the entire "hill" from the West Coast to the border with Balondo solid ground to the northward E coast, in addition to towards Meme Division.
According to Bakweri oral tradition, Efasa-Moto is the manly mortal constituent of the Liengu la Mwanja or the legendary "Mammy Water." It is said that after an understanding betwixt the two, Efasa-Moto chose to live inwards the mount in addition to piece the Liengu la Mwanja remained at sea.
It has been suggested that during the Oct 1992 eruption of the Fako Mountain, the path of the impressive lava current towards the Atlantic Ocean was specifically chosen yesteryear Efasa-Moto as an human activity of bonding in addition to solidarity with his wife, Liengu la Mwanja, the sea mermaid.
It is believed that Efasa-Moto in addition to Liengu la Mwanja are the greatest spiritual figures that the Earth has ever known. Physically, Efasa-Moto's is described as existence divided vertically from top to bottom inwards a unusual mixture of one-half human in addition to one-half stone, in addition to yet shaped inwards the shape of a human giving a consummate motion-picture exhibit of a caprine animal standing on its hind legs.
Liengu la Mwanja on the other mitt is a beautiful looking adult woman with an oval-shaped face, an enchanting grin with a love gap-tooth, flood pilus of dark wool resembling a beautiful Indian lady with high in addition to good curved hips.
Efasa-Moto lives inwards the mount alone. He maintains a rich salubrious carbohydrate cane plantation. His visitors tin eat the carbohydrate cane on the spot but cannot carry whatever away. It is said that the carbohydrate cane is has an unforgettable sweetness.
Efasa-Moto is also said to live the mountain's spiritual protector. In times of old, albinos were abandoned on the mount as offerings of appeasement to the mount god so that he could go on to bless the inhabitants at the human foot of the mountain.
Some elders say Efasa-Moto helped the Bakweri defeat the Germans inwards the Battle of Bokwango of 1891. The elders add together that the Bakweri eventually lost the state of war because they betrayed Efasa-Moto's trust.
Efasa-Moto is reportedly a harmless creature, but it is believed that if anyone carries some evil charm or amulets to the mountain, that the mortal volition non render alive. The instance of a Nigerian athlete who collapsed at Hut II during the 1986 mount race in addition to later died when he returned dwelling is cited as a recent example. It is believed the athlete died because he carried some evil medicine on his mortal during the race.
In recent times, at that topographic point has been a growing belief that because Efasa-Moto is an impartial in addition to humble creature, he forestall yesteryear winners of the Guinness Mount Republic of Cameroon race from winning ane time to a greater extent than if they boast of having conquered the mountain. With Efasa-Moto the mount is unconquerable.
Some people lend credence to this belief yesteryear citing the instance of the humble Reverend Father Walter Stifter who won the race 3 successive times. At times, he fifty-fifty preferred to give his prize to the runner-up.
The greed, pride in addition to self-righteousness of the Bakweri is said to have got alienated them from the Efasa-Moto. Modern-day hunters still believe inwards the existence of Efasa-Moto the mount caretaker. They believe that the bond betwixt the Bakweri in addition to their benefactor god could live re-established if the former undergo intense ritualistic cleansing."
Witchcraft inwards Contemporary Bakweri Society
by Rosemary Ekosso
The belief inwards witchcraft or liemba is really mutual with the Bakweri. It considered to live the fine art of influencing the lives of other people yesteryear occult means. Such influence is usually malevolent in addition to affects a person’s spirit, in addition to through that, his hear in addition to body. Alternatively, it is benevolent, but requires the harnessing of such powerful in addition to potentially ungovernable forces that its practise is shunned yesteryear many people. In the Western world, people who practise witchcraft tin live referred to either as Wicca (male witches) in addition to Wicce (female witches), or wizards in addition to witches, also respectively manly mortal in addition to woman mortal practitioners of witchcraft. For our purposes nosotros shall usage the latter terminology. Witchcraft shall live considered hither to live expert or bad witchcraft, depending on whether ‘black magic’ or ‘white magic’ is used. Among the Bakweri, bad magic is what is known as liemba. Good magic is often just called.
The practise of witchcraft seems to live intimately linked to the usage of plants, which are used inwards combination with rituals to seek to attain the desired effect.
H5N1 mortal who practises malevolent witchcraft with the Bakweri is called a mot’a liemba: a witch or a wizard. Witchcraft is practised yesteryear persons of both sexes in addition to all ages. It is non clear whether whatever ane sexual practice is preponderantly active inwards witchcraft, but the full general belief is that men are to a greater extent than proficient inwards witchcraft than women. Witchcraft tin live passed on to offspring yesteryear either parent or to other persons, live they blood relations or not, yesteryear initiation. Initiation may live voluntary or involuntary.
Contrary to Western witches, who often worship goddesses similar Hecate, Diana, Isis, Artemis, etc. in addition to have got declared their leanings inwards myriad publications, it is non known whether the Bakweri witches in addition to wizards genuinely worship a deity, or whether they draw their powerfulness from whatever determined preternatural source. However, pop wisdom has it that witches in addition to wizards are the servants of unknown spirits.
Because witchcraft is shrouded inwards secrecy, its classification according to forms is problematic. However, at that topographic point is believed to live ane shape of witchcraft called nyongo. Nyongo consists inwards causing people to die, in addition to afterward taking them to some other world where they function as slaves to amass wealth for the nyongo human or woman. The rapid in addition to unexplained amassment of wealth yesteryear whatever mortal is usually taken as a sign that this mortal has joined the nyongo. The nyongo is believed to live a subway society where people of similar hear come upwards together to organise the enslavement of others for personal gain.
Nyongo people are believed to live completely ruthless inwards their pick of victims, often choosing spouses, siblings, parents in addition to offspring. When a victim of the nyongo is to live enslaved, he is foremost caused to die. There is some combat almost whether victims genuinely choke or are drugged to simulate death, in addition to their senseless bodies secretly recovered yesteryear the nyongo people for their ain ends. Whatever the case, it would seem that the enslaved spirit or torso is so transported to a identify inwards a world similar to the ane nosotros know, though inwards some other dimension, in addition to pose to function at menial tasks on farms, etc. to earn money for his/her master/mistress. There have got been reports of people escaping this enslavement in addition to returning to the solid ground where they lived, but it is said of these escapees that they are unable to relate inwards whatever particular what they have got experienced, in addition to some of them are either struck with dumbness or madness yesteryear their onetime captors to forestall them from revealing the secrets of the cult.
Chief Mosenge receiving the attributes of business office from the Nakuve
BAKWERI ARMED RESISTANCE TO GERMAN COLONIALISM, 1891 – 1894
By Dibussi Tande
Contrary to widely-held beliefs that the Bakweri made no elbow grease whatsoever to resist the spoliation of their lands yesteryear the Germans, they did inwards fact mount a vehement anti-German campaign, specially around the slopes of Mount Fako, in addition to successfully inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Germans at Buea inwards 1891; the foremost ever German linguistic communication military machine loss on the African continent, which led to a consummate reappraisal of German linguistic communication colonial/military policy on the continent, and, unfortunately, set the footing for the fell drive to annihilate the Bakweri. The Bakweri were ane of the few groups inwards all of German linguistic communication Africa that were thoroughly in addition to systematically suppressed yesteryear the Germans. That they fifty-fifty survived to tell the story is a testimony to their resilience in addition to tenacity inwards the human face of adversity.
The story of Bakweri military machine resistance against the Germans is also the story of Chief KUV’A LIKENYE of Buea, whose epic clashes with German linguistic communication troops rest ane of the most glorious (but largely unknown) chapters inwards Cameroonian history.
THE BAKWERI RESISTANCE CAMPAIGN OF 1891-1985
From the fourth dimension they landed on the Fako coast, in addition to especially after they came inwards contact with the Bakweri of the interior, the Germans had zilch but grudging abide by for the Bakweri, specially the vehement in addition to fearless warriors of the villages around Buea, whom the time to come German linguistic communication Governor of Kamerun, Von Puttkamer, praised inwards 1886 for their “powerful well-built bodies, their courage in addition to their science inwards hunting…” Another German, Dr. Preuss, who would later go infamous for his appalling brutality towards the Bakweri, described them inwards yet some other study as existence “rough (rauhen) in addition to bold (dreisten Benehmen)” inwards their dealings with the White man. These were vehement mount warriors who were non afraid against invaders, as the Germans would acquire the difficult way inwards Buea inwards 1890s as they tried to penetrate into the Bakweri heartland.
THE FIRST BAKWERI-GERMAN WAR OF 1891
The state of war of 1891 has its origins inwards the want of the German linguistic communication colonial authorities to occupy the surface area around Mount Fako, which it believed should have got happened at to the lowest degree a decade before when Kamerun became a German linguistic communication colony/protectorate. It was also an seek to crunch Kuva Likenye, the mount manly mortal monarch who, according to the 1891 Report of Acting German linguistic communication Governor Von Schuckman “frequently disturbed the peace of the mountain, in addition to had instigated an uprising with the mount tribes… the Buea people fifty-fifty threatened to assail Victoria” inwards a bid to reclaim their lands.
In Nov 5, 1891 a German linguistic communication expeditionary strength led yesteryear Karl Freiher Gravenreuth (who had brutally crushed a revolt of the Abo people (Douala) inwards Feb of that same year) in addition to Lieutenant Von Stetten, was dispatched to tame the mount people yesteryear what the acting German linguistic communication Governor described as “… a demonstration of our existing power.” The contingent also included Dahomean, Togolese in addition to Kru (Sierra Leonean) soldiers who had disembarked a few days before at the Victoria port from the H.M Cruiser Habitch.
When Chief Kuva Likenye of Buea learned of the imminent assail yesteryear the German linguistic communication force, he was unimpressed yesteryear it all. Instead, he prepared his forces to post a clear message ane time in addition to for all that the mount people rejected all shape of German linguistic communication command inwards their area. H5N1 seasoned contingent of local fighters, with them 400 marks men, was pose on alert. The German linguistic communication in addition to Bakweri forces would have got a memorable clash at the Minonge ravine, now spanned yesteryear the span betwixt the Buea station roundabout in addition to the Buea Mountain Hotel.
According to records presented during the installation of Chief Luma, Chief Njonje Ekema Teke, the grandson of Ngoni Maliva of the Small Soppo Woteke identify unit of measurement was the foremost primary of Likombe. This was the foremost primary who received the flag from the German linguistic communication Colonial Masters. Then his son, Mombi-Mo-Njonje, took over from him. Chief Mombi handed it to his younger brother, Kang’a Mosisa, when he became old. It was explained that at that topographic point was no elderly mortal inwards the Woteke identify unit of measurement so the Chieftaincy stool moved hands to the Wosingo identify unit of measurement after Chief Kanga became old in addition to weak.
Therefore, Chief Mokoli-Mo-Singe took over in addition to was later succeeded yesteryear his ain son, Luma Francis Mokoli. According to records, Chief Luma Francis Mokoli was gazetted inwards 1939 as primary of Likombe Chiefdom. At his death, his boy Chief Ndumbe Samson Luma took over the baton of command in addition to today, Likombe is blessed with some other chief.
Likombe hamlet is situated at the human foot of Mount Republic of Cameroon inwards Buea, South West Region of Cameroon. It is bounded on the North yesteryear Mount Cameroon, South yesteryear Tole Tea Plantations in addition to Saxenhoff Camps, West yesteryear Mafvanja (Mapanja), in addition to East yesteryear Bwassa villages. The founder of this hamlet is Ngoni Maliva from Small Soppo Woteke.
In spite of superior German linguistic communication forces, the forces of Kuva Likenye held their ground, in addition to foiled the German linguistic communication advance into Buea. The German linguistic communication Commander, Granvenreuth, was killed in addition to Lieutenant Stetten wounded as they desperately tried to dislodge the Bakweri forces from the ravine. With their Commander dead, in addition to the Bakweri guns continuously pounding enemy position, the German linguistic communication expeditionary strength panicked. Routed in addition to inwards total disarray, the strength fled across the Mountain to the Mboko coast in addition to dorsum to Victoria, with the Bakweri inwards hot pursuit.
Although Western historians insist that the only German linguistic communication lost inwards the confrontation was Gravenreuth, Bakweri legend has it that 6 Germans genuinely lost their lives inwards the expedition, in addition to that their skulls at nowadays reside inwards a subway shrine inwards the hamlet of Wondongo, Buea.
For the adjacent 3 years, the Bakweri would take hold the Germans at bay, preventing whatever serious implantation inwards the Bakweri heartland.
Bakweri wrestling competition
According to Edwin Ardener inwards his seminal work, Kingdom on Mount Cameroon,
the waste materials of Gravenreuth’s expedition had serious repercussions. It should have got been used to go far into the interior to counteract French movements. In March 1894, Deutschland signed an understanding with French Republic that fixed the eastern boundary of Kamerun far to a greater extent than narrowly than ane time had been hoped for. The official memorandum on the treaty contained a withering catalogue of the ineffectiveness of German linguistic communication colonial expeditions compared to those of the French. The dwelling negotiators had, as a result, no serious territorial claims inwards northward in addition to E to offer. The Zingraff in addition to Granvenreuth expeditions were singled out as failures inwards this respect. Thanks to their defeat of the German-led forces, the Bakweri had slowed downward the advance of the Germans into the Cameroonian interior, fifty-fifty if only temporarily.
1894: THE GERMAN REVENGE
The Germans never forgot this defeat inwards the hands of what they wrongly considered an ill-trained ragtag army. In the adjacent pair of years, they would implement policies aimed at isolating Kuva Likenye, in addition to cutting off his sources of arms. By 1994, they had largely succeeded inwards their policy of attrition, in addition to inwards Dec 1994, a newly constituted, better-prepared in addition to heavily armed German linguistic communication force, the Schutztruppe, led yesteryear Von Stetten launched an assail on Buea. In spite of a heroic resistance, the Bakweri were no check to this superior German linguistic communication force. As ane historian puts it: “The German linguistic communication Pygmy had go a Giant.” Outmanned in addition to outgunned, Chief Kuva retreated to the hamlet of Ewonda, in addition to sent agents to Momongo to purchase arms.
The arms never came.
In the end, Kuva realized that farther resistance to the German linguistic communication violet ground forces was futile, in addition to that the Bakweri were simply existence annihilated yesteryear forces they could no longer incorporate or overcome.
According to P.M. Kale inwards his 1939 study of the Bakweri,
… for fearfulness of Bakweriland existence annihilated, brave Kuva called his people together, in addition to with the words of a leader bade them to acquire out Buea for a while… this land, he told them, had been ‘their ancestors’ for generations, in addition to it would live theirs forever, in addition to so no fearfulness should live entertained as to their coming dorsum again.
To forestall farther bloodshed, Kuva went on exile to the hamlet of WonyaMokumba where he caught sick in addition to died shortly thereafter. He was secretly buried on the border of Buea in addition to Wokpae, were his grave remains hidden in addition to unmarked to this day. All across Bakweri territory the next vocal of praise could live heard:
Lo! The hands that waved the spear
And loaded the gun
Lo! The dreadful vocalization that roared
And scattered the multitude,
The hero remains immortal.
Dr Emil Mandoa, Bakweri man
In Apr 1895, a fell Peace Treaty was imposed on the Bakweri, in addition to signed on their behalf yesteryear Chief Endeley, blood brother of the Late Kuva. They were dispossessed of their former territory around present-day Buea station, in addition to forcefully herded into what the Germans described as “formerly ownerless land” inwards lower Buea. H5N1 huge fine was imposed upon them, in addition to Bakweri slave labor was later used to build the German linguistic communication Government station, established on their original site that became Buea, the uppercase of German linguistic communication kamerun inwards 1902.
This 2nd German linguistic communication expedition marked the start of the systematic German linguistic communication drive to dehumanize in addition to wipe out the Bakweri, seize their lands for plantation agriculture, in addition to lock them upwards inwards the so-called Native Reserves. Like the Zulus after the defeat of Chaka, similar Native Americans after the failure of their resistance against European settlers, the Bakweri had, yesteryear the halt of the 1890s, been completely subjugated in addition to their ane time vibrant civilization inwards consummate disarray. The roots of the social in addition to cultural ills that would plague them for most of the 20th century tin live traced dorsum to this policy.
THE IMPACT OF THE BAKWERI ANTI-GERMAN CAMPAIGN
That the Bakweri armed resistance failed was non because of cowardice. Far from it! It was simply the instance of a poorly armed African ethnic grouping non existence able to take hold its ain against superior European military machine power. As Ardener has stressed, the Bakweri anti-German campaign
“was a small-scale political movement, but ane which was aided yesteryear the strategic possibilities of the Mountain, was for a brief menstruum genuinely equal inwards scale to the amount of German linguistic communication powerfulness that could live deployed from Victoria.”
In his analysis of the non bad warrior Kuva Likenye, Ardener writes:
Kuva’s instance is of to a greater extent than than local interest. This remote in addition to ideologically only intuitive tribesman held upwards the march of events, yesteryear an unexpected veto on the unusual economical exploitation of the mountain. The veto only ended with his death. During its existence, it revealed serious weaknesses inwards German linguistic communication Colonial administrative in addition to military machine practice… the resistance of the mount people provided ane of the of import shocks of the early on colonial scheme inwards Kamerun. As a resistance movement, it was before its time…
After the 2nd Bakweri-German war, which ended with the defeat of the former, the Bakweri would plough to some other shape of resistance; they engaged inwards an early on shape of passive resistance, yesteryear refusing to do manual labor on their captured lands fifty-fifty when forced. Many died of diseases in addition to cruelties inwards the concentration camps into which they had been driven. The Germans had a uncomplicated solution for this Bakweri strike. They imported other Africans to do the work, hence the historic menstruum old contempt yesteryear the Bakweri for immigrant Africans who were hated for cooperating with the enemy. Of course, Bakweri passive resistance would later live misinterpreted as a sign of laziness, a stereotype that has, unfortunately, go embedded inwards the national psyche.
To conclude, ane thing is certain; if the Germans had coveted whatever other ethnic group's lands to the grade that they coveted the Bakweri lands, they would have got done just as thorough a project of decimating the lands' owners.
115 years after the valiant people of Buea, led yesteryear their fearless leader Kuva Likenye, stood upwards to the German linguistic communication army, some other generation of Bakweri have got taken upwards the drapery to ane time once to a greater extent than combat for the protection of their ancestral lands. Led yesteryear the Bakweri Land Claims Committee (BLCC), the people of Fako partition are taking their instance for solid ground compensation in addition to restitution to the Cameroonian people in addition to the international community. They are insisting that at a fourth dimension when the Republic of Cameroon authorities is determined to sell off the Republic of Cameroon Development Corporation (which controls practically all of the German linguistic communication expropriated lands), the hundred-year old claims of the Bakweri, which began to live expressed inwards an organized in addition to coherent fashion after the Second World War, live taken into account.
Will the Republic of Cameroon authorities hear to the cries from the slopes of Mount Fako, in addition to volition Cameroonian people rally around the Bakweri to rectify this blot on the Cameroonian national landscape?
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