Info For You Lot Bakweri People: Ancient Violent Fighters, Traditionally Spiritual, Custom-Abiding In Addition To Agrarian Bantu People Of Mountain Cameroon
The Bakweri (or Kwe) are ancient tearing fighters, traditionally spiritual, customs-abiding as well as 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), especially the Duala as well as Isubu.
The Bakweri live primarily inwards over 100 villages E as well as southeast of Mount Republic of Cameroon with Buea as their main population centre. Bakweri settlements largely prevarication inwards the mountain's foothills as well as proceed upward its slopes as high as 12,000 metres. They have got farther villages along the Mungo River as well as the creeks that feed into it. The town of Limbe is a mixture of Bakweri, Duala, as well as other ethnic groups.
The Bakweri who are aboriginal Bantu people originated from Mboko, the surface area southwest of Mount Republic of Cameroon as well as migrated to their nowadays domicile E of the mount inwards the mid-18th century. They also line 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 serenity as well as reserved as well as are non widely known exterior the Southern Cameroons despite the fact that both the Premier of the Southern Cameroons, Dr. E. M. L. Endeley, as well as 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 as well as tearing fighters who have got ever defended their rights, terra firma as well as civilization against the successive colonising powers of Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany as well as Britain.
It must live noted that the Bakweri people were i of the African people to resist the spoliation of their lands past times High German imperialists.
They are known to have got mounted a tearing anti-German displace led past times their fearless leader, Chief Kuva Likenye of Buea, especially around the slopes of Mount Fako, as well as successfully inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Germans at Buea inwards 1891; the foremost ever High German armed services loss on the African continent, which led to a consummate reappraisal of High German colonial/military policy on the continent, and, unfortunately, set the ground for the fell displace to annihilate the Bakweri. The Bakweri were i of the few groups inwards all of High German Africa that were thoroughly as well as systematically suppressed past times the Germans. That they fifty-fifty survived to tell the story is a testimony to their resilience as well as 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, tearing fighting techniques, as well as a neat sense of competition. Wesuwa is taken really seriously past times all the members of the community as well as the most interesting thing is that women takes component inwards this wrestling competition long before . In the past times 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 downwards the hamlet of Molonde inwards revenge for the decease of their best wrestlers.
Bakweri women engaged inwards tearing wrestling combat
Before the showtime of colonial conquest inwards the early on 1880s, the Bakweri constituted a really fragmentary society dominated past times an egalitarian ideology-- it is non fifty-fifty for sure that at that spot was ever a existent chieftaincy seat at the hamlet level. Ardener nevertheless emphasizes that at that spot was a strong vogue amid the Bakweri to accumulate wealth, particularly, goats, pigs as well as brusk 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 as well as have got retained their ancient tribal organisation. Each Bakweri hamlet is headed past times a principal as well as his tribal council who are cardinal to all cultural events. The Bakweri take pride inwards celebrating their cultural heritage during events such as the Race of Hope, when they perform cloak-and-dagger 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 as well as the Bomboko, people can, as well as do acquire elephants, as well as elephants tin can as well as do acquire people. The attributes of the elephant or Njoku are component as well as 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, as well as graceful deportment are, to the Bakweri, the movie of physical as well as psychic behavioral perfection. It is hence no surprise that the Bakweri, have got a cloak-and-dagger society that venerates, imitates as well as personifies the attributes of the elephant. Indeed, those who belong to the Maalé, the cloak-and-dagger elephant society, swear past times zip 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 as well as 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 directly they acquire inwards Buea. It stands majestically along the background of Buea Town. The Mountain spreads from Bomboko to Bakweri of Buea as well as downwards to the Limbe Beach. It is 4100 metres inwards height. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 see to Mount Republic of Cameroon is ever an exciting experience both inwards the rainy as well as 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 as well as southeast of Mount Republic of Cameroon with Buea their main population centre. Bakweri settlements largely prevarication inwards the mountain's foothills as well as proceed upward its slopes as high as 12,000 metres. They have got farther villages along the Mungo River as well as the creeks that feed into it. The town of Limbe is a mixture of Bakweri, Duala, as well as other ethnic groups.
There is an ongoing dispute betwixt the Bakweri Land Claims Committee (BLCC) as well as the authorities of Republic of Cameroon regarding the disposition of Bakweri Lands formerly used past times the Germans as plantations as well as at nowadays managed past times 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 High German conquest of 1894, they were living inwards scattered settlements around the southern slopes of Mount Cameroon. There are really few mountains inwards West Africa, as well as 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, as well as swathe the slopes inwards mist as well as 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 as well as he volcanic soil have got made the the mount surface area i of the most fertile inwards Africa, as well as the woods covers the mount upward to 6,000 feet. The Bakweri lived ( as well as live ) inwards the thickest concentration inwards a belt of villages betwixt 1,500 as well as 3,000 feet to a higher identify 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 weather condition forecasters, as well as 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 screen with mist as well as drizzle, as well as 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 to a higher identify 25%c which is really heavy with really high atmospheric humidity throughout the year. It is made upward of elements of the iii 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 as well as wet as well as finally monsoon with neat contrast betwixt the seasons. The climate of this part is strongly affected past times its altitude. The temperature is moderated past times breeze from the Atlantic Ocean.
Soil as well as Vegetation: The topography of this part is flat. It is composed of rudiments brought from the interior as well as 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 as well as those beside the mangrove, the soil is lateritic. Further away from the N eastern parts of mount Fako, the soil is loamy as well as sandy.
The vegetation of this part is the woods types which have got almost disappeared due to the exploitation past times people for the tillage of nutrient crops as well as construction of houses for settlement, living only the swampy as well as less accessible areas.
Due to the equatorial maritime climate, as well as the high fertility of the soil, the Bakweri people are skillful agriculturalists, as well as their main source of income is from agriculture. They grow crops similar cocoyams, as well as maize. Since the climate tin can sometimes live really harsh, the Bakweri people have on long sleeve shirts, as well as thick pullovers as well as sweaters during almost the entire catamenia of the year. Since they grow crops similar cocoyams, their main diet is based on cocoyam.
Their main dish is the kwakoko, as well as 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), as well as shirts for the men, as well as also a loin or “rapa” for the women. For the men, this dressing tin can sometimes live accompanied past times special hat,and a tie.
Buea
Language
The Bakweri speak Mokpwe, a natural language that is closely related to Bakole as well as Wumboko. Mokpwe is component of the menage 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 past times early on missionaries. This is especially truthful amid 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. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 growing number of the Bakweri today grow upward 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, as well as 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 iii unusual characters, which volition live brought to y'all later. There are 21 consonants as well as 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 as well as writers of the Mokpe language.
They are f, s, v as well as 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 y'all utilization the lips as well as teeth to make this sound, In Mokpe it is a bilabial fricative where y'all utilization both lips at that spot past times producing a audio as if y'all 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 as well as allow out the tardily 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 as well as 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 upward O) as inwards war, law, lawn
History as well as 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, as well as 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 as well as 1000m upward mount Cameroon.
The rootage of the Bakweri settlement could live attributed to 2 separate traditions. Firstly, the tradition of the Buea grouping stated that a for sure Eye Njie used to come upward from Bomboko to hunt on the Eastward side of the mount with a friend Nakande. Nakande used to hunt close the site of nowadays twenty-four hours Wonakanda piece Eye moved on to a river close the nowadays twenty-four hours Buea. When they brought inwards their wives, other friends as well as relatives from Womboko joined them as well as they opened gardens. Another tradition affirmed that ManyangMasonje left Isongo as well as Bakingili where he settled around Bimbia where he had many catches inwards “ISU” pregnant the terminate of my journey. Nakande from Bomboko settled inwards Bonakanda which was called Ligbea which meant a identify for skillful farming. He was a farmer.
Bakwer cloak-and-dagger 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 every bit a occupation solid factor. While the men were engaged inwards hunting, the women farmed the terra firma as well as subsequently, other migrants from Bomboko established Bakweri villages which were named after their founders. Although at that spot is some see that the truthful Bakweri are the people of Buea as well as its surrounding villages, other groups classified nether Bakweri included Bomboko, the surface area which the Bakweri are said to have got originated as well as Wovea. The Bakweri are found on the eastern as well as southward eastern slopes of the mountain, coastal Bomboko on the south-east coast, the inland Bomboko on the North-west of the Bakweri as well as Isuwu as well as 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 principal of the surface area inwards the in conclusion quarter of the 19th century. According to some other source, their ancestors came from Bankingili as well as womana. The wovea claimed to have got originated from Fernando Po who settled inwards the islands of Ambas Bay. All the to a higher identify was due to the potential of the surface area similar fertile soil as well as 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, as well as practiced the same culture, they were independent from each other. The High German successful attacks on the Bakweri could live attributed to this division. If the Bakweri were united, as well as then their in conclusion defeat past times the Germans during the Bakweri resistance nether the leadership of KuvaLikenya could have got failed as well as fifty-fifty if non the alienation policy mightiness have got adopted a dissimilar shape, thus the loose political as well as 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 cardinal as well as southern Africa. To live for sure virtually the engagement the Bakweri reached their nowadays site, it was around 1750 as confirmed past times genealogical evidence that it was the fourth dimension they arrived i of their earliest settlement, Buea. Other sources asserted that the population pressure level 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, brute husbandry, hunting , line-fishing as well as nutrient gathering. The dissimilar methods applied to agriculture included the slash as well as burn. Most people practiced subsistence farming which included careful terra firma direction techniques similar intensive farming because the terra firma of the mount slopes were really fertile. Generally, tools utilization include earthworks sticks, hoes, as well as matches. Fire was also used to clear the bush. Sometimes, fences were constructed to guard against brute incursion as well as destruction. Before formal agriculture, the early on people practiced fishing, hunting as well as nutrient gatherings. They used spears, clubs as well as other implements to hunt game inwards the mountain, woods as well as slopes.
The presence of plantations brought inwards a alter inwards economic scheme as well as commerce as the traditional commerce which was characterized past times merchandise past times batter came to an end. The marketplace economic scheme was introduced inwards which every transaction was inwards damage of High German mark. Before the introduction of plantation agriculture, the natives were involved inwards subsistence agriculture inwards which nutrient crops such as cocoyam, plantains, beans, maize as well as yams were grown. The introduction of plantations led the natives to undertake cash crop production inwards crops similar cocoa, palm products as well as java for export. With the introduction of cash crops it led to the creation of Botanical garden inwards Victoria past times Governor Von Soden who was charged with the interrogation plants suitable for the plantations. Dr Preuss was the principal officeholder inwards accuse of the Garden. This interrogation centre controlled other stations inwards the interior. Over a K dissimilar plants were tested soil studies carried out as well as 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 interrogation centre at Ekona as well as many other authorities interrogation stations inwards Cameroon.
In spite of the to a higher identify mentioned advantaged that the plantations brought into the Bakweri land, it was for sure that it every bit brought some setbacks which could live examined inwards dissimilar perspective.
Dr Emil Mandoa, Bakweri tribe`s man
Source of income: They exercise mixed farming as well as 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 as well as bush cows, but they do non raise nor eat sheep. Between 1850 as well as 1890, the Bakweri became rich inwards other ways. By trading nutrient stuffs to the coast, as well as 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 spot is no particular cast of of leveling mechanism. Everybody owns his/her farm, as well as everybody minds his or her business. The only situatin where sharing is needed is during the catamenia of rituals, where every private must give a portion of his squealer to every i who comes across his/her.
Buea Market, Cameroon
Sexual Division of Labour as well as The Mokpe (Bakweri) Woman as well as her Role inwards the Mokpe Traditional Society
There is a sexual partitioning of labour (SDL) inwards bakweri inwards which at that spot is the delegation of dissimilar tasks betwixt men as well as women. Among nutrient foragers, men as well as women target dissimilar types of nutrient as well as portion them with each other for a mutual or familial benefit. In some villages, men as well as women eat slightly dissimilar foods, as well as in some other, men as well as 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, as well as 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 as well as Ewong’a Mokossa (“medicine bench”) which was shared alone past times the sons as well as daughters of the same mothers, as well as 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 homo of the Ewong’a Yowo, whose duty was to ensure the well-being as well as continuity of the mother-clan. So, people who shared the Jongo or “pot” were bound together past times an unalterable as well as undivided kinship, as well as they stood past times each other through thick as well as thin. Matrilineal kinship was for ever!
The Mokpe Woman as well as the Health of the Family: The Mokpe adult woman was, direct or indirectly, the custodian of the menage unit of measurement health. This was manifested from the 2d she became pregnant. She had to nurture the yet unborn kid past times taking component 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 as well as something went incorrect with the baby, the blame would live wholly hers as well as her mother-clan. No i else took responsibility.
The Mokpe Woman as well as her Spouse: In traditional Bakweri society, women were chosen as time to come spouses when they were still children, as well as inwards some cases, fifty-fifty before they were born. However, i time the spousal human relationship had taken identify as well as the hubby did non live upward to expectations, the adult woman was complimentary to divorce him. This was done irrespective of the sentiment of the woman’s manful mortal relatives, including that of her ain father.
All that was required of adult woman was that she did non involve her manful mortal parent inwards the “dowry-refund” predicament, as well as that she was chop-chop picked upward past times 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 manus – she could fifty-fifty take her hubby past times next the historic catamenia old custom of boldly going to the caprine animal house (Lièfe) of the homo of her selection as well as slaughtering the biggest nanny caprine animal past times wounding or cutting its cervix or head. The would-be hubby deemed this a sign of honour as well as accepted the manus of the adult woman with joy. Of course, a adult woman taking such a measurement knew her ain assets – elements such as her beauty or reputation for difficult function set her inwards skillful stead.
The Mokpe adult woman as a nursing woman parent was expected to curb her sexual appetite so as to safeguard the life as well as wellness of her baby. Hence, during this period, she was constantly warned; “don’t appear that way”, pregnant she had to allow for a few marital escapades past times her husband.
Nonetheless, the traditional Bakweri adult woman was past times no agency a yes-sir woman. She took her rightful identify inwards deciding which other adult woman her hubby wished to take, as well as sometimes fifty-fifty take such a “mbanyi” herself.
Influenza A virus subtype 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 i could trespass or overstep them, etc.
Mokpe women were as well as still are the animators of the social life of their people. They characteristic prominently inwards engagements, weddings, as well as 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 as well as the Maninga, which are especially for the youths; as well as the Lingombi, the Mundame, the Wokeka as well as the Veleke that are preformed past times both men as well as women.
The Masua Cult It was a cult that brought together women of high repute inwards the community, especially those who had successfully gone through the kpave or sasswood ordeal. These women formed a society of desirables as well as men vied for their hand.
On the whole, Bakweri women led as well as influenced all areas of community life, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly. They still do.
Political organization
The bakweri s are an instance of a segmentary society. They are grouped inwards societies of villages where each menage unit of measurement maintains its independence. They bakweri live inwards a modest clusters of 10 to 20 house as well as settlement designing was imposed on them past times the Germans. The Germans herded the Bakweri people into the peripheries when they expropriated the terra firma for plantation. The hamlet caput has only limited authority. They hamlet has a council of elders which helps the principal inwards regulating the affairs of they village. The most prominent families inwards Bakweri tribal history are Wonya Likenye Endeley of buea as well as the menage 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 homo as well as his married adult woman (wives) his children as well as relatives with blood ties. The menage unit of measurement unit served as the base of operations of political establishment inwards the Bakweri society. The manful mortal parent was the caput as well as has as obligations to preside over menage unit of measurement affairs. At the storey of the extended menage unit of measurement the caput was the oldest homo 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 as well as chair menage unit of measurement gatherings. These decisions were non autocratic especially due to the fact that he had to consult some elderly people inwards the menage unit of measurement lineage before taking decisions on matters of paramount importance. Consequently, the eldest people inwards the Bakweri community earned much admiration as well as honour from the younger generations due to the fact that they performed the mediatory role betwixt the ancestors as well as the world of the living. In the same line of thought, historic catamenia was considered as the only criteria which enabled people inwards the Bakweri society to commune with the ancestors as well as decode ancestral messages. In monastic tell words, historic catamenia 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 i some other consisting of menage unit of measurement compounds separated from i some other past times a fence called “NgaoMboa”. The hamlet political leaders had a similar source of powers as those at the menage unit of measurement level. The variation hither was amid the menage unit of measurement of the hamlet founder that a leader was chosen. Consequently, the menage 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 menage 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 principal did non execute this heavy project alone. He was assisted past times 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 populace past times the hamlet councils spoke homo “Sango Mboa” as well as 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 menage unit of measurement at the base, with the hamlet council as well as the principal at the top. Thus the Bakweri whose territorial limits were governed past times fixed as well as permanents institutions were a state- similar society. These organs, oriented political as well as social life as well as organized the society inwards the human face of external aggression.
Political succession
This Likenye chiefly line of Buea line their pridigree from1884 downwards to the nowadays twenty-four hours as inwards the nautical chart below:
Law as well as Social Control
It is handled past times the principal or the quarter head, y'all are foremost taken to the quarter caput when y'all don’t honour the law, if non satisfied with that judgment y'all are taken to the principal where y'all are guess past times notables. Land dispute, fighting taking belongings that doesn’t belong to you, y'all are taken to the quarter head. Concerning sanctions the principal or elders create upward one's take heed or how y'all are to live punished. If y'all are guilty of serious crimes similar incest, as well as trahison, y'all are exiled to Limbe.
Bakweri leaders
Social Organization
The Bakweri society just similar most tribal scheme inwards the woods zone was organized inwards peculiar style which was inwards accordance with their ain perception of life. The social construction shall live examined from the dot grade 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 iii distinct groups notably strangers, natives as well as 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 grade of people were privilege to participate inwards restraint cloak-and-dagger societies as well as other affairs concerning the Bakweri homo as well as his territory. Next to this grouping with honour to hierarchy was the strangers called “wajili”. This was attributed to unusual settlers inwards the terra firma 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 in conclusion grouping as well as 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 as well as menage unit of measurement life
Dating rituals: It is the manful mortal parent who looks for the wife. The Bakweri people are non usually allow to date. It is the manful mortal parent of the man child or immature adult woman who appear for a partner for their son/daughter.
The bakweri are non unremarkably supposed to have got sexual activity before marriage. It is only when all the bride cost has existence paid, that the bride is taken to the grooms room, they have got sex. On this night, a white bed sail is spread on the bed, for the brace to have got sexual activity on it. Since the bride has to live a virgin, she must bleed on the bed sheet, as well as that volition testify to the groom’s menage unit of measurement that the bride was a skillful one.
Marriage patterns: The Bakweri have got traditionally practised polygamy, although with Christianisation, this custom has acquire extremely rare. In the traditional Bakweri society, women are chosen as time to come spouses when they are still children, as well as inwards some cases, fifty-fifty before they were born. The manful 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 as well as his family. Upon the husband’s death, the eldest surviving blood brother inherits the wife. Influenza A virus subtype 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 i could trespass or overstep them, etc. The Bakweri are really exogamous when it comes to marriage. They honour their blood lineage, hence they do non espouse with people from the same village. They do non exercise incest. Incest is fifty-fifty considered as a taboo, as well as serious exercise needs to live exercise to purify the menage unit of measurement name. They espouse from really far area, or distances, but nowadays, some people espouse inwards unopen area, as well as endogamy is at nowadays becoming mutual amid the Bakweri.In the bakweri, spousal human relationship is a spousal human relationship betwixt a clan, as well as menage unit of measurement as well as non betwixt individuals. The thought is that the bride cost is genuinely never fully paid, because if it is completely paid, it volition live similar the immature adult woman has been sold, as well as no i inwards the menage unit of measurement or clan volition live able to acquire espouse with someone inwards that tribe again, it is to a greater extent than similar an agreement, as well as the bride cost is to intensify the spousal human relationship relationship.
Marriage rituals as well as practices: It is the manful mortal parent who pays the dawry, because the immature homo is non working as well as the manful mortal parent is supposed to ain goods hence he is the i who pays. After fulfilling the requirement it is the homo who decides on when to take the wife. The twenty-four hours of that occasion y'all convey the large as well as the girls menage unit of measurement will access y'all on what to pay. The manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman volition start the biting on the cost of the dowry from 1 million, until the 2 families arrive at at 500000FCFA, which is usually the lowest amount they tin can accept. Sometimes, the 2 families may come upward come to a compromise as well as inquire the groom to give what he has. If y'all don’t kill the squealer y'all are non fully married, the Bakweri don’t usually issued spousal human relationship certificate. After paying component of the dowry, that is when y'all are officially married. On the spousal human relationship day, the girls menage unit of measurement brings the bride to the mans family. The ceremony is celebrated, on after the ceremony, the bride as well as the grooms menage unit of measurement prepares a overnice bed with a white bed sail on which the bride is expected to bleed, as a sign of her virginity. If the adult woman bleeds on the sheet, as well as then she is a skillful bride, if not, she mightiness live disregarded past times her groom as well as 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 past times Bakweri elders to a greater extent than than 200 years agone involves iii phases:
1. The approbation of the parents, especially the mothers of the spouses-elect.
2. Sealing of the spousal human relationship contract (efeyo).
3. The wedding.
Phase One: The Engagement (Ewanda)
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 woman mortal babe was engaged fifty-fifty when she was still inwards her mother's womb. It was an oral contract betwixt skillful friends. The contract was regularized inwards due class at the appropriate time. The physical care for of deciding that an engagement (Ewanda) tin can 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 sure 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 manful 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 immature adult woman consider a asking as irresistible their reply would unremarkably take a cast similar this:
"Thank you. We besides volition give the thing due consideration".
You have got flattered us (e-jeni isofe vato).
Give us fourth dimension to consider your request".
After i or 2 months the emissary would render to the parents of the immature adult woman to notice out their reaction. If the menage unit of measurement of the immature adult woman accepts the proposal their reply would take a cast similar this:
"yaa ! inyo ndi joo-ngo".
Literally:
"We are hither waiting as well as looking forrad to your farther reaction to the situation".
As recent as 60-70 years agone an engagement (ewanda) was a purely private ceremony involving virtually 10 persons, 4 to 5 representatives of the man child intending to espouse as well as virtually 5 representatives of the immature adult woman to live married. Representatives were unremarkably unopen members of the families concerned: the parents of the man child as well as 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 immature adult woman concerned. The menage unit of measurement of the man child unremarkably presents an ewanda gift to the girl. If the immature adult woman is besides shy to run into 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 immature adult woman 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 immature adult woman receives is a immature woman mortal smoothen looking caprine animal that has non started to deliver. Acceptance of the caprine animal past times a woman parent is a farther postage stamp of approbation of the spousal human relationship past times the mother.
Phase Two: Sealing of the spousal human relationship contract (efeyo)
Efeyo is a populace ceremony. There are 2 types of efeyo, namely "efeyo yi itote", as well as efeyo ya mwese.
(i). Efeyo yi Itote –An all nighttime ceremony inwards which formal assessment as well as reconciliation of dowry that the manful mortal parent of the bride to live has so far received. More dowry installments may still live paid during the efeyo ceremony. The terminate of an efeyo is the formal sealing of a spousal human relationship contract. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 spousal human relationship contract is sealed with the formal sharing of a ngowa ye efeyo to all manful mortal witnesses to an efeyo ceremony. The ngowa is expected to run into 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 spot is a written contract the signatories to the contract would unremarkably live the parents of the spouses-elect. Marriage contracts are traditionally as well as culturally affairs reserved for handling past times the parents of the spouses-elect.
Note: Dowry received past times the woman parent is a private affair. It is non a populace ceremony. The dowry used to live virtually i quarter of the dowry that the manful mortal parent to the immature adult woman 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 manful mortal parent of the bridegroom to be. Before commencement of occupation concern the guests, that is, the manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married as well as his entourage have got to live entertained with a middle size ngowa as well as other rich nutrient as well as a reasonable quantity of palm wine. The ngowa must foremost of all live shown to an accredited representative of the manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married before cooking starts. The representative has potency to either take the ngowa or reject it if the ngowa falls brusk of conventional requirements. The manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married may similarly reject the ngowa ye efeyo if the ngowa does non run into normal standards.
e-ngowa ye efeyo is shared into iii lots.
1. Lot i goes to the manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married as well as his family. Tradition requires that the thorax of the ngowa should live given to the maternal uncle of the immature adult woman to live married.
2. Lot 2 goes to the manful mortal parent of the bridegroom-elect as well as members of his entourage
3. Lot iii is reserved for all manful mortal witnesses to the ceremony.
Business commences before long after nightfall. It is a slow all nighttime affair, punctuated intermittently with rich bombastic cultural pronouncements relevant to efeyo. The pronouncements are unremarkably made past times representatives of the manful mortal parent of the bridegroom-elect as well as the manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married. No i is inwards a hurry. It is an occasion to boast with exaggerations as well as to demonstrate how the immediate manful mortal menage unit of measurement members of the spouses-elect are good versed with cultural splendours inwards efeyo as well as spousal human relationship affairs inwards general.
Dowry is inwards the cast of goats. The manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married may asking as many as i K (ikoli) goats or more. Tradition does non allow that consummate dowry live paid on the twenty-four hours of the efeyo. The residual of dowry may live paid inwards installments inwards due course. Taking wages of this province of affairs the manful 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 as well as the sharing of e-ngowa ye efeyo. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 spousal human relationship contract, oral or written, is sealed with the slaughter as well as 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 manful 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 manful 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 manful mortal parent of the bride elect as well as his entourage.
Phase Three - The wedding
Before the wedding ceremony takes place, the parents of the bridegroom-elect volition foremost of all nowadays some other smoothen 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 utilization or lie/sleep on the sofa (ewongo) on which the bride-elect used to sleep.
The Wedding: Abduction or formal.
(a) Abduction. The manful mortal parent of the bride-elect is expected to give her immature adult woman substantial wedding ceremony gifts. When the manful mortal parent is unable to, or is reluctant to create the gifts or when he fails on successive occasions to honour dates fixed for the wedding ceremony it is a diplomatic signal to the menage unit of measurement of the bridegroom-elect that they may abduct the bride-elect. Since past times tradition a bride-elect is virtually a married adult woman after an efeyo abduction is permissible.
(b) Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 formal wedding. The Bride is escorted to her matrimonial domicile past times an entourage of virtually 5 to 7 duly accredited, respected as well as successfully married women, accompanied past times 2 or iii strong men to carry the Bride on their shoulders when the Bride as well as her entourage are virtually to come inwards the hamlet of the Bridegroom. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bride is expected to move inwards the night. Trekking to her matrimonial domicile hence commences before long after nightfall.
One of the wedding ceremony gifts that a manful mortal parent is expected to give to her immature adult woman is a skillful looking mwaaka bit 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 of the boiled nutrient that the bride takes with her to her matrimonial home.
As before long 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 i time to a greater extent than whenever the Bride as well as her entourage are passing through a village. Then comes the pomp as well as circumstance of the formal entry of the Bride as well as her entourage into the hamlet of the Bridegroom. The Bride at nowadays firmly carried high on the shoulders of i of the men inwards the entourage is decorated as well as redecorated with fanciful caput ties wrapped on her arms as well as her head. She would unremarkably have on a full-length kaava. The entourage as well as then intensifies singing of the classical wedding ceremony song:
"Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee (hurrah, behold the Bride is coming).
Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee.
o-maasa Moombi bit Ngondo, mo-ma ja (Bridegroom ! The teenage Bride y'all 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”, as well as and then gracefully escorts the Bride as well as her entourage inwards pomp as well as circumstance into the chemical compound of the manful 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 as well as and then hands to the Bride a walking stick as well as a woman mortal chicken that has non yet started to deliver. The feathers of the chicken must live void of precipitous contrasting colours such as dark spots on white background (matono ma wuva).
The Bride’s entourage is lavishly entertained with a rich multifariousness of food. The Bride sits unopen to the Bridegroom. She may non eat out of shyness. The side past times side stage of the ceremony is a litany of advice inwards the cast 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 bit 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 menage unit of measurement of your husband. Moombi wee, wee.
Moombi wee", as well as so on.
Members of the Bride’s entourage render to their respective homes side past times side morn after breakfast. The manful 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 past times circumstances. During that catamenia the newly married immature adult woman 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 menage unit of measurement carry out the cooking as well as other domestic services.
The terminate of the honeymoon is marked past times the preparation of a formal repast past times the newly married girl. She would unremarkably live assisted inwards cooking past times members of her menage unit of measurement (mother, aunt, sister, niece) as well as the woman parent as well as aunts as well as sisters of her spouse. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 constituent component of the repast is nguma ngowa, that is, the meat of a immature squealer provided past times the menage unit of measurement of the newly married immature man. The squealer 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 honour 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 toe at wedding
Inheritance or kinship patterns
Bakweri inheritance is patrilineal; upon the father’s death, his belongings is inherited past times his eldest son. Inheritance also depends on the behavior of the children. If a kid is a principal or is really stubborn or is noted for a really bad graphic symbol similar arrogance to the elders, or disregard to the tradition, the manful mortal parent tin can create upward one's take heed to give his inheritance to the brother.
Also, if the manful mortal parent dies when the children are still really young, the inheritance tin can live transfered to a menage unit of measurement fellow member who is trust worthy. Also een the side past times side of manful mortal monarch doesn’t necessarily agency that all the belongings belongs to you, y'all are the i to command the property. If y'all are non from the royal menage unit of measurement y'all cannot live made a king. King makers are people who come upward from the principal family. Notables as well as are the people who decides on the side past times side manful mortal monarch after the initial manful mortal monarch has made his will. Furthermore, nosotros telephone phone “Manawondja”, when a adult woman is non married as well as have got attained an historic catamenia when she tin can no to a greater extent than acquire married as well as then she tin can have got a vocalism inwards the family.
Bakweri people
Household patterns
In the Bakweri soceity, many families are monogamous, as well as hence at that spot is no conjugal household from within the family. Furthermore, the Bakwerians pass a lot of fourth dimension at domicile with their children, as well as the menage unit of measurement is the main unit of measurement of production, therefore, at that spot 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 utilization inwards describing Him. They ascribe to God the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, as well as invisibility. They telephone phone Him the Protector, Maeke ; the Creator of all things, Iwonde ; the Guardian as well as 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 as well as packet of every-day language, as for instance, inwards the mutual telephone substitution of greetings. Among Bakweris, when i 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 y'all to the Protector. So deep is their belief inwards the omniscience as well as omnipotence of the Supreme Being that i has to empathise the thought patterns of the Bakweris to appreciate the component that religious mysticism plays inwards their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours affairs.
Bakweri Cosmology: Bakweri cosmology splits the world into 2 orders of being, Vaenya as well as Vawoo. Literally, these words hateful respectively, the living as well as 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 can live perceived past times 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 as well as 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 spot 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 phone "Prana".
The Vawoo monastic tell embraces all the invisible forces of nature. This includes the spirits of the dead as well as a large array of forces that have got ever puzzled human intelligence. While the Bakweris do non create watertight definitions as well as descriptions of the characteristics of elements inwards the Vawoo order, they do believe that the monastic tell exists as well as have got thus devised methods past times which contacts tin can live made as well as past times which the forces of that monastic tell tin can live directed to, as well as manipulated for, man's benefit.
Mention has been made to a higher identify of the belief that air forms a span betwixt the 2 orders. It has also been stated that a for sure indefinable chemical element inwards air pervades the entire universe. This life-giving as well as life-sustaining element, Bakweris telephone phone Muulu. Muulu is needed past times things inwards both orders as well as inwards homo it is life itself ; it is the godliness inwards him as well as it gives him his individuality. Man is believed to demand Muulu throughout his earthly existence as well as because of its imperishable as well as indestructible nature, when Muulu departs from man, as well as he attains the terra firma that is called Kpeli or death, Muulu continues.
The Human Spirit After Death: Bakweris believe that Muulu, the life-giving forcefulness of Elinge or soul affects homo throughout his earthly existence inwards a number of ways. But this influence upon homo cannot live described as control. It falls brusk of that. Nor tin can it live equated with what some western philosophers draw 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 decease Muulu or Elinge is believed to linger around for iii days during which it bids bye to all with whom the deceased had been acquainted inwards his earthly existence. This is why on the 3rd twenty-four hours after decease it is the custom to organize a modest feast known as Sassa. The feast serves to bid bye to the deceased. In feasting, partakers are expected to throw pieces of nutrient around. These are eaten upward past times domestic animals as well as birds that may live nowadays as well as through them the deceased participates inwards the feasting.
This cast of participation is easily understandable as well as should occasion no surprise. In the transition that is called Kpeli or death, the spiritual essence departs from the torso as well as becomes i with the life-giving force, Muulu, that permeates the entire universe - which includes men, animals, as well as birds. Consequently, the deceased is believed to participate inwards the feasting through men, animals, as well as birds present. But his bye feast does non imply that no farther contact tin can 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 lilliputian diversion into its etymology, Ovase is a substantive coined out of the Bakweri verb l'ova, pregnant to speak, to say.
The Power of the Word: It is important that this Bakweri concept of God as the give-and-take through which as well as past times which all things are made as well as 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 showtime was the Word ; as well as the Word was with God, as well as 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 as well as cosmological concepts are often at a loss at understanding fifty-fifty the simplest of the numerous practices that create upward Bakweri religious mysticism. Most of these practices have got received violent denunciations of Westerners as well as to a greater extent than particularly, Western Missionaries who portion with their colonialist brethren the built inwards conviction that they stand upward for a "superior culture." The natural corollary of this baseless conviction has been disrespect for all things Cameroonian and, past times extension, all things African.
Bakweris know that homo is unique because of his powerfulness over the Word. By this power, homo is able to telephone phone forth as well as guide the life force. This is the pregnant of life, this is existence : to have the give-and-take ; to invoke it ; to portion it with other beings, living as well as dead, human or divine.
Diverse are the uses to which the powerfulness of the Word tin can live put. The homo of affairs discovers that he is unsuccessful as well as he decides to utilization the powerfulness of the Word to alter his fortune. He obtains a bottle of vino as well as goes to the grave of an ancestor, pours the vino as well as asks for God's approbation through his ancestor inwards monastic tell that his fortune may change. Parents create upward one's take heed to give their immature adult woman inwards spousal human relationship as well as they pour some vino or water, as the instance may be, at the door of their house as well as inwards doing so, they conjure upward the blessings of their ancestors inwards monastic tell that the spousal human relationship may live successful.
The Nganga or healer, whom all foreigners telephone phone "witch doctor" spits upon his herbs as well as past times the powerfulness of the Word conjures upward the blessings of the Supreme Being through the invocation of his ancestors inwards monastic tell that the herbs may number a cure - as well as 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 homo born blind past times spitting on the ground, making clay with the spittle, as well as spreading the clay over the man's eyes before commanding him to go as well as launder inwards the puddle of Siloe, John IX : 1-7. Yet this is just what Christians are doing to-day.
Young men honour elders ; they give alms to the poor as well as 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 as well as 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 as well as the way that the Bakweris utilization as well as appreciate it inwards their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours affairs. Of course, many other examples tin can live given but have got been omitted because of infinite considerations.
The Word as well as Sorcery: But the powerfulness of the Word is similar a two-edged sword. It tin can live used for skillful as well as for evil, for boon as well as for bane. This is where cursing as well as other witchological practices
come upward in. Sorcery, the powerfulness to plough life's vital forces to evil ends, is known to utilization amid other things, the powerfulness of the Word. One of the commonest uses of this powerfulness is past times cursing. Cursing is done inwards 2 ways : first, the sorcerer may utilization actual words or, secondly, he may utilization a concatenation of ceremonies, including awesome incantations convert this paradigm 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 amid 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 push clit of gravity did non be before Newton discovered it.
r
Bakweri elders Slaughtering a squealer 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 empathise the natives must face. Understanding cannot come upward 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 as well as utilization derogatory epithets to draw such practices as libation ought to realise that cultural relativism stipulates, amid other things, that all cultures must live viewed as adequate as well as meaningful adjustments which people have got made to the imperatives of living.
There are definitely some Cameroonians, as well as Africans for that matter, who are so plagued past times the alien mentality they have got acquired inwards the class of their sojourn inwards distant lands that they would prefer non to hash out these practices at all. But inwards this our historic catamenia when it rests upon our shoulders to dovetail what is skillful inwards our society with the skillful 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, especially 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 hitting past times a Nigerian music star.
Presby Church Buea
Arts
The Bakweri still exercise arts as well as crafts handed downwards for generations. The Bakweri are known to live skilled weavers of hats as well as shirts, for example. They also build armoires, chairs, as well as 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 as well as the ashiko, which arose inwards the 1930s, as well as the makossa as well as ambasse bey dances that accompany those musical styles.
The greatest venue for Bakweri music as well as trip the low-cal fantastic toe 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 as well as asking them for guidance as well as protection for the future. The festivities also include armed combat, beauty pageants, pirogue races, as well as traditional wrestling.
The Mpo'o brings together the Bakoko, Bakweri, as well as Limba at Edéa. The festival commemorates the ancestors as well as allows the participants to consider the problems facing the groups as well as humanity as a whole. Lively music, dancing, theatre, as well as 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 as well as the Kabba for women. While the exact rootage of this attire is unknown, nosotros tin can 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 substitution for cocoa beans, kernels as well as palm oil, the loin cloth, or lapalap, a slice of colored punt or sateen virtually 2 yards long, is coming to a greater extent than as well as 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 homo inwards the hamlet dresses inwards a long waist stuff called Sanja tied circular the waist with 2 overlapping edges past times the sides called masu'u topped past times a long sleeve shirt, preferably white, with a caput necktie or scarf around the neck. Usually a chapeau may live worn if the homo so desires. The Sanja is stitched according to the size of the private but usually iii fathoms is a skillful 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 past times the Bakweri women is a voluminous, clocked clothe popularly known as “Kabba”. This attire goes with a caput necktie to gibe with the dress. The women are highly respected for their high criterion of clothe making. Exposure of the feminine legs past times wearing bikinis or a pair of shorts is highly discouraged."
According to Bender: "The original native clothe is a really elementary affair… It consists of a modest apron made of fibre or grass as well as is girded virtually the loins. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 still to a greater extent than elementary clothe is worn past times women as well as girls only - a braided fibre belt virtually iii inches wide."
Cuisine/Food/Traditional Spices
The official dish of the Bakweri is Kwakoko as well as Mosaka (Palm nut) soup. Apart from that the Bakweri have got a number of other traditional dishes that they have got made their ain past times cooking or spicing them upward with the leaves, seeds as well as 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 modest flora of the same menage unit of measurement as "Mbongo" as well as "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 as well as washed, as well as 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 sure how to draw the tree)fresh, as well as and then dried before consumption. The quantitiy to utilization is a thing of private taste. It is used mostly inwards pepper soup, kwalala, mosaka, as well as Ngonya wembe.
Jowe(Black Pepper): Also obtained from a woods tree.(little light-green as well as reddish seeds) that plough dark after the drying process. Used inwards pepper soup, kwalala, ngonya wembe as well as for spicing of roasted meats as well as fish.
Njangasanga: Also obtained from a really huge woods tree. the tree bears pods that comprise the njangasanga seeds. The pods are harvested whe mature, as well as cracked opened upward to extract the seeds which are than sun-dreid. Does good inwards warm climates. Most of it comes from Muyuka, as well as Manyu division, but it is also said that at that spot is i huge tree somewhere inwards Bonankanda. Used inwards pepper soup, Kwalala, Ngonya wembe, spicing of meats as well as fish for roasting.(also inwards left over mosaka to live eaten with wolanga.) It is also used together with jowe as well as ngaikai inwards a dish called "Liphele".(Fish spiced as well as wrapped inwards plantain leaves as well as cooked over hot coals)
Ngai-kai: Also harvested from a woods tree. It almost looks similar what nosotros called "cashew" dorsum home. It is cracked opened upward as well as the seed within is the Ngaikai, which is either Sun dried or smoke-dried before consumption. The next are non used as spices past times the Bakweri , they are used past times the Bakweri for dissimilar ailments.
Masephu: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 elementary flora found inwards most peoples yards. the leaves are washed as well as the juice squeezed out of them using water. It is used for elementary tummy aches. Also included inwards the concoction of other leaves, plants as well as barks of trees that are steamed as well as used for "li-tumba"(a mortal suffering from malaria is sat infront of this steaming pot underneath a screen ) as well as allowed to sweat off the fever . when the H2O cools downwards inwards it as well as then used as an enema as well. It is also said that having this flora inwards the chemical compound drives away evil spirits.
Mbongo: Seeds obtained from a flora of the same species as alligator pepper.The bakweri volition ground or fifty-fifty chew it, as well as mix it inwards "manyanga"(palm core oil). it is the applied all over the torso of a kid with a high fever to foreclose 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 past times the fireside. This game emphasizes the importance of naming one's relatives as well as it emphasizes the importance of retentiveness as well as quick thinking; The winner has to live really smart inwards verbal expression, physical dexterity as well as also to have got a precipitous memory.
Usually, children play this game using wood ash (liwu) as well as a stone (liyE) or charcoal (findi). While sitting past times the kitchen board (ewongo) or chair (konda), someone would say, (joke kweti) lets play kweti. Then members of the menage unit of measurement would play past times selecting the foremost mortal who would acquire a modest pebble as well as hide it behind his or her dorsum as well as exhibit both hands to some other play as well as say “ (Mame ne) what is this, the responder would take as well as say I take this manus as well as I throw away this manus as well as and then call a relative. (mamene kweti, mame ne joli, na wowene, nafakene mola Esombi). If the musician does non call a relative really fast, the other musician would hitting the spice handbasket that hangs to a higher identify the give notice play (mokove) as well as say (et]]ng] ). And the musician would have got to forfeit their plough to the other musician who hitting the spice handbasket as well as said et]]ng]. If the musician called the call of a relative inwards time, he/she would dip their fore finger inwards wood ash as well as set a dot on the their leg to betoken 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, tearing fighting techniques, as well as a neat sense of competition.
Wrestling is known as wesuwa as well as it’s taken really seriously past times all the members of the community. In the past times 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 downwards the hamlet of Molonde inwards revenge for the decease 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 as well as March every hamlet gathers their best wrestlers inwards a major competition to consider who has the best fighters with athletes showing off their fighting prowess. Each hamlet is the host of the wrestling for i day.
Although Bakweri wrestling is a traditional cast of fighting, it has similarities with WWF wrestling. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gibe 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 past times making gestures of threat as well as and then challenge each others into a nail-biting fight. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 contestant wins a bout past times throwing his opponent on his dorsum or past times taking him downwards as well as and then either rolling him on his dorsum or forcing him apartment on this stomach. To set the atmosphere, drummers on an elevated stage beat out intricate rhythms on large log drums throughout the gibe piece the crowds roar as well as yell encouragement to the wrestlers. The setting is magnificent; the villages are surrounded past times dense as well as lush vegetation with Mount Republic of Cameroon towering inwards the background over the wrestling patch as well as glimpses of the sea tin can live seen on the horizon.
The competition culminates with the statement of the year’s champion wrestler who is as well as then carried amid the spectators to loud acclaim accompanied past times tradition songs as well as dances performed past times the cheerleaders – the elderberry tribeswomen.
Funeral Rites (Life After Death)
As before long as a spouse dies the survivor is stripped of all article of apparel as well as and then clad inwards barkcloth (enjinja) piece circular the caput are tied some leaves of the lisafo flora from which are suspended some seeds of the malaguetta pepper (Aframomum melegueta). The mourner must at nowadays also carry a modest knife. These protect the mourner from the spirit of the deceased which for the side past times side iii days is believed to haunt the house where he died. The mortal whose duty it is to consider that the mourner is as well as then properly protected against the deceased is i who has already been a widower or widow, according to the sexual activity of the mourner.
The corpse if that of a man, is washed past times manful mortal relatives; if that of a woman, past times females, as well as 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 as well as kneel on i knee. With the left manus the left ear is closed piece the correct manus holds the knife, as well as some lisafo fronds.
If the mourner is a widower, a substitute wife, if he had only i wife, is as well as then brought to him with whom to have got sexual intercourse piece he calls out words of powerfulness to avoid existence haunted past times 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 manful 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 menage 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 in conclusion purification.
If a widow is suspected of having been unfaithful to her hubby during his life-time, his relatives volition telephone phone inwards a medicine homo who has reached the rank of a Mbwaya. This homo volition at nowadays set the adult woman to the njembu test. He volition gather the next herbs, ngeny, motimbilimbi which is the long fruit of the Kigelia tree, as well as an crude oil palm branch. These items are placed on the ground as well as 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 iii times as a adult woman who knew no other homo than my hubby as well as if I tell a prevarication may njembu destroy me. It is believed that whatever widow who told a lie, that is, did non divulge the call of whatever paramour, would thereafter shortly sicken as well as die. Any homo as well as then named past times the widow as a paramour as well as who would thus have got been inwards enemity with the deceased as well as mightiness live regarded as responsible for his decease was made to pay the deceased's menage unit of measurement a heavy fine inwards goats.
The corpse is usually buried inwards a shaft as well as alcove grave. The torso existence placed inwards the alcove as well as the alcove walled off from the shaft so that when the grave is filled inwards world 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. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 skillful give notice is kept burning inwards the hut and, where the mourner is a widow, she ceases to set upward as well as some other adult woman cooks for her. Only modest quantities of nutrient are eaten for the foremost iii days; some mourners fifty-fifty fast for the entire iii days. During this catamenia the in conclusion repast of the twenty-four hours must live eaten before dark as well as when lying downwards for the nighttime the mourner must chew a few grains of malaguetta pepper and, spitting them out, must say: We component 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 as well as thus spirit away that partner.
As illustrating this belief, Mr. Wolatae mentioned that some fourth dimension agone a for sure Bakweri died as well as was buried. His widow grieved deeply as well as sorely over his death. Some months later, piece she was working inwards the farm given to her past times her dead husband, he all of a precipitous appeared before her. She became speechless as well as unable to move. He said to her: I have got seen as well as heard how bitterly y'all are weeping as well as lamenting for me twenty-four hours as well as night. Your neat grief gives me no chance to forget y'all as well as rest. I also have got been seeking an chance to run into y'all as well as at nowadays nosotros are hither together.
He as well as then lay with the adult woman who returned domicile stricken dumb. As is ever the instance with persons who consider or run into a spirit, this widow fell ill. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 medicine homo was called in. He treated her so that at in conclusion she recovered her spoken language as well as was able to tell all that befell her on the farm. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few days later she died. [In amplification of the handling given to persons afflicted past times the supernatural Mr.
Wolatae supplied the next information: If anyone meets a spirit as well as returns domicile dumb or inwards a fainting status as well as then i should directly necktie circular that person's brow a fern frond...This handling volition enable the mortal to beak as well as 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 as well as then a band of white stuff must live tied circular the forehead. If no such white stuff is available as well as then the stalk of the njesenge plant, a type of fern, must live used instead. The sick mortal afflicted past times dark magic or witchcraft volition rave similar a mad mortal as well as divulge everything inwards his talking. To care for this sick person, an brute is taken as well as sacrificed. Pigs as well as cows, for this role are non regarded as suitable sacrificial animals. The brute is as well as then killed as well as its blood is smeared on the patient's torso piece the next words are chanted past times the medicine man: "Oh, animal, expire so that the boy of homo may live." After this chant past times the medicine homo the patient, to ensure a consummate cure, is told what nutrient is forbidden to him for the repose of his life as well as on the 9th twenty-four hours after the sacrifice of the animal, which is the twenty-four hours for the in conclusion cure of the patient's illness, he must as well as then vow to abstain from this forbidden food, whatever it is, for the repose of his life. If he does non he volition autumn i 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 homo all his woman mortal relatives as well as the other women of his hamlet are expected to pass the whole morn in
lamentations. This lamenting mightiness in conclusion for a calendar month or more.
The morn after the burial sees a lilliputian food, palm wine, and, if the deceased were a snuff taker, a lilliputian snuff placed on the grave. Fresh nutrient as well as vino as well as snuff are thereafter placed on the grave each morn for a week, livua, which amid the Bakweri consists of nine days. During this livua all members of the deceased's menage unit of measurement gather at this fourth dimension at the grave to sing, dance, eat as well as chant the praises of the deceased.
On the 2d twenty-four hours after the burial the relatives go to the farms of the deceased to collect nutrient for the side past times side day's feast. After gathering the necessary food, component of the deceased's farm is destroyed as existence his share. The component so destroyed is called vesasale. In the even of this 2d twenty-four hours the villagers gather to honour the retentiveness of the deceased past times dancing as well as singing his praises, past times reciting ancient tales as well as stories with proverbial meanings as well as past times playing musical instruments.
The 3rd twenty-four hours is the i on which the Bakweri believe that the spirit of the deceased leaves the hut where the torso is buried as well as proceeds to the spirit world as a molimo. This twenty-four hours is called sasa twenty-four hours inwards Bakweri. On this day, the mourner is led off into the bush where a give notice is kindled with the reject from crude oil palm nuts as well as inwards it the dry out plantain leaves of the bedding as well as 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 as well as 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 proceed to chew as well as spit out the seeds of the malaguetta piece still uttering words of powerfulness as well as must have on mourning costume until the in conclusion purification ceremony mark the terminate of the mourning takes place.
The mourner must also proceed to have on the lisafo frontlet as well as the utilization of the crude oil palm nut pericarp fibre inwards kindling a give notice 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 notice bangles, necklaces as well as anklets as well as rub their bodies over with dark sooty oil. This mourning accoutrement is worn until the in conclusion purification. The children as well as grandchildren of the deceased's menage unit of measurement are taken inwards manus past times 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 as well as some nutrient as well as knots them upward inwards a strip of dark mourning stuff called itinge. This knotted stuff is as well as then worn as a necklace past times each kid or grandchild during the protracted mourning period.
If the deceased was a fellow member of the Mbwaya society, his wives as well as relatives remained inwards a terra firma of mourning for 7 months. If the deceased was a rich man, good advanced inwards years, a fellow member of the Mbwaya as well as possessor of many wives as well as children, as well as then the mourning catamenia was extended to nine months. If the deceased was a homo of noble nascence or kondange as well as also a fellow member of Mbwaya, the mourning catamenia was extended to twelve or xiii months. If, on the other hand, the deceased was just an ordinary man, as well as then the mourning catamenia would live but 5 months. Mourners do non cut, comb or clothe their pilus until the in conclusion purification.
If however, piece thus habited inwards the mourning wearing apparel the mourner happens to kill a serpent called fe, phe or pe the mourning catamenia ends directly as well as the mourning costume as well as all that went with it may live discarded. Some people, inwards retentiveness of the dead man, would reject for the repose of their lives to partake of for sure foods. For example, if the deceased was a neat hunter who used to convey dorsum much meat, as well as then on his decease his woman parent or some fellow member of the menage unit of measurement mightiness thereafter abstain from the flesh of a for sure antelope or animal; or if the deceased were a skillful palm vino tapper, his woman parent or sis mightiness as well as then for the repose of their lives refrain from drinking palm wine.
To expire piece inwards a terra firma of mourning is considered to live a grave misfortune. The Bakweri believe that, if a mortal dies piece mourning, that mortal volition proceed for ever after inwards that piteous terra firma inwards the spirit world.
The nursing woman parent is exempt from mourning. If a woman's immature adult woman dies inwards childbirth as well as the babe survives, as well as then the daughter's woman parent is given for sure medicines to potable to get the stream of milk inwards her breasts so that she tin can 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 as well as is celebrated as
follows. First comes the moanda nyo or paying for the skillful deeds of the deceased. If the deceased live a married adult woman as well as then all the children, slaves as well as the other members of the menage unit of measurement who were nether her command as well as care, including all her in-laws, have got to create offerings inwards recognition of all the skillful function as well as loving kindness she bestowed on them piece she was alive. In the old days it was customary to offering fowls, shells, ika as well as other gifts. To-day people give money varying inwards amount from i penny to i shilling .
[On this Bakweri word, ika Mr. Wolatae wrote that its pregnant 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 as well as then illustrated the nowadays twenty-four hours utilization of this give-and-take ika inwards Bakweri language: should a creditor run into his debtor who say owes him 10 shillings as well as 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 as well as give one-half an ika" before the novel hope tin can live considered. Hence the debtor volition have got to pay at i 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 as well as then shared past times the co-wives as well as relatives of the deceased to the exclusion of class of those who made the offerings. These offerings are regarded as a legacy left past times the deceased. If the deceased live a married man, as well as then all the wives as well as women of his brothers pay the moanda nyo. Then the people of the hamlet as well as 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 brute as it is killed is divided into iii parts. One component goes to the possessor of the animal; i component is cooked for the feast as well as the 3rd component is given to the spectators.
Each bereaved spouse has, past times custom, to supply a special brute for the funeral feast. This brute is called ngo a itoto or ngo a veese which agency 'a squealer of bones' or 'a squealer of burnt sacrifice'. This aspect refers to all the meat brought domicile past times the hubby as well as eaten past times the wives. Each widow is at nowadays called upon to supply an brute inwards recognition of all the skillful 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 as well as 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 as well as out inwards the bush inwards a specially prepared palace at that spot to run into with the molimo or spirits of the dead. When the feast is ready the men pick upward the diverse bowls of food, palm vino as well as snuff, as well as follow the leader. He carries a matchet inwards i manus as well as a blazing give notice create inwards the other. This create must live kept burning at the site of kindling a give notice with it. In the prepared clearing the funeral feasters sit down downwards together as well as start to eat the foods prepared, eating i 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. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lilliputian nutrient is left inwards each bowl for the spirit of the deceased who is as well as then requested to portion it with the other spirits that he meets inwards the terra firma of the dead. This nutrient left inwards the bush clearing is for dogs as well as pigs to eat.
Should this nutrient non live touched past times these animals it is as well as then believed that the spirit of the deceased is angry as well as has non attended his funeral feast, nor partaken of the nutrient prepared as well as offered to him. If after this nutrient has remained untouched for a twenty-four hours or 2 some greedy brute willfully consumes these rejected offerings i tin can hear the brute squealing as well as yelping as though existence beaten. But if i approaches, i tin can consider zip that is beating the squealing brute as well as so i believes it is the offended spirit of the deceased doing so.
Food acceptable to the spirits volition live freely as well as gently eaten past times 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 past times the beat out of a wooden gong. Thereupon each mortal plucks a foliage from a bush as well as puts the foliage into his mouth. The leader as well as then with his matchet inwards his hand, leads the procession silently back. No i is supposed to beak or to appear dorsum till the house of the
deceased is reached. As they acquire inwards a gun is fired to denote their prophylactic return. The feasters as well as then take the leaves from their mouths as well as throw them on to the roof of the deceased's house.
Final Purification: The bereaved spouse has so far non partaken of the feast as well as at nowadays i who is
already a bereaved spouse proceeds to bless the portion allotted to the bereaved spouse. This officiant begins past times uttering skillful words of comfort both to the living spouse as well as to the spirit of the dead one. But before this exhortation is uttered the living spouse has to wages the officiator. If the living spouse is a woman, she hands over a fowl, chillies, common 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 past times existence washed past times the officiator inwards the juice of a plantain stem; at the same fourth dimension a purification prayer is said. Not until this component of the funeral ceremony is consummate may the bereaved spouse as well as 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 catamenia is over all the mourners gather inwards a house piece exterior a give notice is kindled with crude oil programme nut fibre. This give notice volition eat all the mourning wearing apparel worn past times the mourners. Their pilus is shaved off as well as they are washed inwards the juice of plantain stems as well as may as well as then have on ordinary clothes as well as 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 terra firma to the N E coast, as well as towards Meme Division.
According to Bakweri oral tradition, Efasa-Moto is the manful 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 as well as 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 stream towards the Atlantic Ocean was specifically chosen past times Efasa-Moto as an deed of bonding as well as solidarity with his wife, Liengu la Mwanja, the sea mermaid.
It is believed that Efasa-Moto as well as Liengu la Mwanja are the greatest spiritual figures that the world 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 as well as one-half stone, as well as yet shaped inwards the cast of a homo giving a consummate movie of a caprine animal standing on its hind legs.
Liengu la Mwanja on the other manus 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 as well as good curved hips.
Efasa-Moto lives inwards the mount alone. He maintains a rich salubrious saccharide cane plantation. His visitors tin can eat the saccharide cane on the spot but cannot carry whatever away. It is said that the saccharide 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 proceed 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 as well as later died when he returned domicile 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 spot has been a growing belief that because Efasa-Moto is an impartial as well as humble creature, he foreclose past times winners of the Guinness Mount Republic of Cameroon race from winning i 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 past times citing the instance of the humble Reverend Father Walter Stifter who won the race iii successive times. At times, he fifty-fifty preferred to give his prize to the runner-up.
The greed, pride as well as 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 as well as 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 amid the Bakweri. It considered to live the fine art of influencing the lives of other people past times occult means. Such influence is usually malevolent as well as affects a person’s spirit, as well as through that, his take heed as well as body. Alternatively, it is benevolent, but requires the harnessing of such powerful as well as potentially ungovernable forces that its exercise is shunned past times many people. In the Western world, people who practise witchcraft tin can live referred to either as Wicca (male witches) as well as Wicce (female witches), or wizards as well as witches, also respectively manful mortal as well as woman mortal practitioners of witchcraft. For our purposes nosotros shall utilization the latter terminology. Witchcraft shall live considered hither to live skillful 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 exercise of witchcraft seems to live intimately linked to the utilization of plants, which are used inwards combination with rituals to seek to accomplish the desired effect.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 mortal who practises malevolent witchcraft amid the Bakweri is called a mot’a liemba: a witch or a wizard. Witchcraft is practised past times persons of both sexes as well as all ages. It is non clear whether whatever i sexual activity 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 can live passed on to offspring past times either parent or to other persons, live they blood relations or not, past times initiation. Initiation may live voluntary or involuntary.
Contrary to Western witches, who often worship goddesses similar Hecate, Diana, Isis, Artemis, etc. as well as have got declared their leanings inwards myriad publications, it is non known whether the Bakweri witches as well as wizards genuinely worship a deity, or whether they draw their powerfulness from whatever determined preternatural source. However, pop wisdom has it that witches as well as wizards are the servants of unknown spirits.
Because witchcraft is shrouded inwards secrecy, its classification according to forms is problematic. However, at that spot is believed to live i cast of witchcraft called nyongo. Nyongo consists inwards causing people to die, as well as later taking them to some other world where they function as slaves to amass wealth for the nyongo homo or woman. The rapid as well as unexplained amassment of wealth past times whatever mortal is usually taken as a sign that this mortal has joined the nyongo. The nyongo is believed to live a cloak-and-dagger society where people of similar take heed come upward together to organise the enslavement of others for personal gain.
Nyongo people are believed to live completely ruthless inwards their selection of victims, often choosing spouses, siblings, parents as well as offspring. When a victim of the nyongo is to live enslaved, he is foremost caused to die. There is some fighting virtually whether victims genuinely expire or are drugged to simulate death, as well as their senseless bodies secretly recovered past times the nyongo people for their ain ends. Whatever the case, it would seem that the enslaved spirit or torso is as well as then transported to a identify inwards a world similar to the i nosotros know, though inwards some other dimension, as well as set 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 as well as returning to the terra firma where they lived, but it is said of these escapees that they are unable to relate inwards whatever particular what they have got experienced, as well as some of them are either struck with dumbness or madness past times their onetime captors to foreclose 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 as well as southeast of Mount Republic of Cameroon with Buea as their main population centre. Bakweri settlements largely prevarication inwards the mountain's foothills as well as proceed upward its slopes as high as 12,000 metres. They have got farther villages along the Mungo River as well as the creeks that feed into it. The town of Limbe is a mixture of Bakweri, Duala, as well as other ethnic groups.
The Bakweri who are aboriginal Bantu people originated from Mboko, the surface area southwest of Mount Republic of Cameroon as well as migrated to their nowadays domicile E of the mount inwards the mid-18th century. They also line 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 serenity as well as reserved as well as are non widely known exterior the Southern Cameroons despite the fact that both the Premier of the Southern Cameroons, Dr. E. M. L. Endeley, as well as 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 as well as tearing fighters who have got ever defended their rights, terra firma as well as civilization against the successive colonising powers of Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany as well as Britain.
It must live noted that the Bakweri people were i of the African people to resist the spoliation of their lands past times High German imperialists.
Dr. Emmanuel Mbella Lifafe (EML) Endeley, Bakweri homo as well as the foremost Premier of the British Southern Cameroons
They are known to have got mounted a tearing anti-German displace led past times their fearless leader, Chief Kuva Likenye of Buea, especially around the slopes of Mount Fako, as well as successfully inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Germans at Buea inwards 1891; the foremost ever High German armed services loss on the African continent, which led to a consummate reappraisal of High German colonial/military policy on the continent, and, unfortunately, set the ground for the fell displace to annihilate the Bakweri. The Bakweri were i of the few groups inwards all of High German Africa that were thoroughly as well as systematically suppressed past times the Germans. That they fifty-fifty survived to tell the story is a testimony to their resilience as well as 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, tearing fighting techniques, as well as a neat sense of competition. Wesuwa is taken really seriously past times all the members of the community as well as the most interesting thing is that women takes component inwards this wrestling competition long before . In the past times 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 downwards the hamlet of Molonde inwards revenge for the decease of their best wrestlers.
Bakweri women engaged inwards tearing wrestling combat
Before the showtime of colonial conquest inwards the early on 1880s, the Bakweri constituted a really fragmentary society dominated past times an egalitarian ideology-- it is non fifty-fifty for sure that at that spot was ever a existent chieftaincy seat at the hamlet level. Ardener nevertheless emphasizes that at that spot was a strong vogue amid the Bakweri to accumulate wealth, particularly, goats, pigs as well as brusk 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 as well as have got retained their ancient tribal organisation. Each Bakweri hamlet is headed past times a principal as well as his tribal council who are cardinal to all cultural events. The Bakweri take pride inwards celebrating their cultural heritage during events such as the Race of Hope, when they perform cloak-and-dagger 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 as well as the Bomboko, people can, as well as do acquire elephants, as well as elephants tin can as well as do acquire people. The attributes of the elephant or Njoku are component as well as 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, as well as graceful deportment are, to the Bakweri, the movie of physical as well as psychic behavioral perfection. It is hence no surprise that the Bakweri, have got a cloak-and-dagger society that venerates, imitates as well as personifies the attributes of the elephant. Indeed, those who belong to the Maalé, the cloak-and-dagger elephant society, swear past times zip 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 as well as 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 directly they acquire inwards Buea. It stands majestically along the background of Buea Town. The Mountain spreads from Bomboko to Bakweri of Buea as well as downwards to the Limbe Beach. It is 4100 metres inwards height. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 see to Mount Republic of Cameroon is ever an exciting experience both inwards the rainy as well as 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 as well as southeast of Mount Republic of Cameroon with Buea their main population centre. Bakweri settlements largely prevarication inwards the mountain's foothills as well as proceed upward its slopes as high as 12,000 metres. They have got farther villages along the Mungo River as well as the creeks that feed into it. The town of Limbe is a mixture of Bakweri, Duala, as well as 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 High German conquest of 1894, they were living inwards scattered settlements around the southern slopes of Mount Cameroon. There are really few mountains inwards West Africa, as well as 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, as well as swathe the slopes inwards mist as well as 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 as well as he volcanic soil have got made the the mount surface area i of the most fertile inwards Africa, as well as the woods covers the mount upward to 6,000 feet. The Bakweri lived ( as well as live ) inwards the thickest concentration inwards a belt of villages betwixt 1,500 as well as 3,000 feet to a higher identify 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 weather condition forecasters, as well as 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 screen with mist as well as drizzle, as well as 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 to a higher identify 25%c which is really heavy with really high atmospheric humidity throughout the year. It is made upward of elements of the iii 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 as well as wet as well as finally monsoon with neat contrast betwixt the seasons. The climate of this part is strongly affected past times its altitude. The temperature is moderated past times breeze from the Atlantic Ocean.
Soil as well as Vegetation: The topography of this part is flat. It is composed of rudiments brought from the interior as well as 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 as well as those beside the mangrove, the soil is lateritic. Further away from the N eastern parts of mount Fako, the soil is loamy as well as sandy.
The vegetation of this part is the woods types which have got almost disappeared due to the exploitation past times people for the tillage of nutrient crops as well as construction of houses for settlement, living only the swampy as well as less accessible areas.
Due to the equatorial maritime climate, as well as the high fertility of the soil, the Bakweri people are skillful agriculturalists, as well as their main source of income is from agriculture. They grow crops similar cocoyams, as well as maize. Since the climate tin can sometimes live really harsh, the Bakweri people have on long sleeve shirts, as well as thick pullovers as well as sweaters during almost the entire catamenia of the year. Since they grow crops similar cocoyams, their main diet is based on cocoyam.
Their main dish is the kwakoko, as well as 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), as well as shirts for the men, as well as also a loin or “rapa” for the women. For the men, this dressing tin can sometimes live accompanied past times special hat,and a tie.
Buea
Language
The Bakweri speak Mokpwe, a natural language that is closely related to Bakole as well as Wumboko. Mokpwe is component of the menage 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 past times early on missionaries. This is especially truthful amid 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. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 growing number of the Bakweri today grow upward 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, as well as 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 iii unusual characters, which volition live brought to y'all later. There are 21 consonants as well as 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 upward 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 as well as writers of the Mokpe language.
They are f, s, v as well as 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 y'all utilization the lips as well as teeth to make this sound, In Mokpe it is a bilabial fricative where y'all utilization both lips at that spot past times producing a audio as if y'all 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 as well as allow out the tardily 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 as well as 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 upward O) as inwards war, law, lawn
Bakweri divisional principal holding spiritual broom, which is his staff of office
History as well as 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, as well as 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 as well as 1000m upward mount Cameroon.
The rootage of the Bakweri settlement could live attributed to 2 separate traditions. Firstly, the tradition of the Buea grouping stated that a for sure Eye Njie used to come upward from Bomboko to hunt on the Eastward side of the mount with a friend Nakande. Nakande used to hunt close the site of nowadays twenty-four hours Wonakanda piece Eye moved on to a river close the nowadays twenty-four hours Buea. When they brought inwards their wives, other friends as well as relatives from Womboko joined them as well as they opened gardens. Another tradition affirmed that ManyangMasonje left Isongo as well as Bakingili where he settled around Bimbia where he had many catches inwards “ISU” pregnant the terminate of my journey. Nakande from Bomboko settled inwards Bonakanda which was called Ligbea which meant a identify for skillful farming. He was a farmer.
Bakwer cloak-and-dagger 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 every bit a occupation solid factor. While the men were engaged inwards hunting, the women farmed the terra firma as well as subsequently, other migrants from Bomboko established Bakweri villages which were named after their founders. Although at that spot is some see that the truthful Bakweri are the people of Buea as well as its surrounding villages, other groups classified nether Bakweri included Bomboko, the surface area which the Bakweri are said to have got originated as well as Wovea. The Bakweri are found on the eastern as well as southward eastern slopes of the mountain, coastal Bomboko on the south-east coast, the inland Bomboko on the North-west of the Bakweri as well as Isuwu as well as 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 principal of the surface area inwards the in conclusion quarter of the 19th century. According to some other source, their ancestors came from Bankingili as well as womana. The wovea claimed to have got originated from Fernando Po who settled inwards the islands of Ambas Bay. All the to a higher identify was due to the potential of the surface area similar fertile soil as well as 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, as well as practiced the same culture, they were independent from each other. The High German successful attacks on the Bakweri could live attributed to this division. If the Bakweri were united, as well as then their in conclusion defeat past times the Germans during the Bakweri resistance nether the leadership of KuvaLikenya could have got failed as well as fifty-fifty if non the alienation policy mightiness have got adopted a dissimilar shape, thus the loose political as well as 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 cardinal as well as southern Africa. To live for sure virtually the engagement the Bakweri reached their nowadays site, it was around 1750 as confirmed past times genealogical evidence that it was the fourth dimension they arrived i of their earliest settlement, Buea. Other sources asserted that the population pressure level 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, brute husbandry, hunting , line-fishing as well as nutrient gathering. The dissimilar methods applied to agriculture included the slash as well as burn. Most people practiced subsistence farming which included careful terra firma direction techniques similar intensive farming because the terra firma of the mount slopes were really fertile. Generally, tools utilization include earthworks sticks, hoes, as well as matches. Fire was also used to clear the bush. Sometimes, fences were constructed to guard against brute incursion as well as destruction. Before formal agriculture, the early on people practiced fishing, hunting as well as nutrient gatherings. They used spears, clubs as well as other implements to hunt game inwards the mountain, woods as well as slopes.
The presence of plantations brought inwards a alter inwards economic scheme as well as commerce as the traditional commerce which was characterized past times merchandise past times batter came to an end. The marketplace economic scheme was introduced inwards which every transaction was inwards damage of High German mark. Before the introduction of plantation agriculture, the natives were involved inwards subsistence agriculture inwards which nutrient crops such as cocoyam, plantains, beans, maize as well as yams were grown. The introduction of plantations led the natives to undertake cash crop production inwards crops similar cocoa, palm products as well as java for export. With the introduction of cash crops it led to the creation of Botanical garden inwards Victoria past times Governor Von Soden who was charged with the interrogation plants suitable for the plantations. Dr Preuss was the principal officeholder inwards accuse of the Garden. This interrogation centre controlled other stations inwards the interior. Over a K dissimilar plants were tested soil studies carried out as well as 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 interrogation centre at Ekona as well as many other authorities interrogation stations inwards Cameroon.
In spite of the to a higher identify mentioned advantaged that the plantations brought into the Bakweri land, it was for sure that it every bit brought some setbacks which could live examined inwards dissimilar perspective.
Dr Emil Mandoa, Bakweri tribe`s man
Source of income: They exercise mixed farming as well as 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 as well as bush cows, but they do non raise nor eat sheep. Between 1850 as well as 1890, the Bakweri became rich inwards other ways. By trading nutrient stuffs to the coast, as well as 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 spot is no particular cast of of leveling mechanism. Everybody owns his/her farm, as well as everybody minds his or her business. The only situatin where sharing is needed is during the catamenia of rituals, where every private must give a portion of his squealer to every i who comes across his/her.
Buea Market, Cameroon
Sexual Division of Labour as well as The Mokpe (Bakweri) Woman as well as her Role inwards the Mokpe Traditional Society
There is a sexual partitioning of labour (SDL) inwards bakweri inwards which at that spot is the delegation of dissimilar tasks betwixt men as well as women. Among nutrient foragers, men as well as women target dissimilar types of nutrient as well as portion them with each other for a mutual or familial benefit. In some villages, men as well as women eat slightly dissimilar foods, as well as in some other, men as well as 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, as well as 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 as well as Ewong’a Mokossa (“medicine bench”) which was shared alone past times the sons as well as daughters of the same mothers, as well as 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 homo of the Ewong’a Yowo, whose duty was to ensure the well-being as well as continuity of the mother-clan. So, people who shared the Jongo or “pot” were bound together past times an unalterable as well as undivided kinship, as well as they stood past times each other through thick as well as thin. Matrilineal kinship was for ever!
The Mokpe Woman as well as the Health of the Family: The Mokpe adult woman was, direct or indirectly, the custodian of the menage unit of measurement health. This was manifested from the 2d she became pregnant. She had to nurture the yet unborn kid past times taking component 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 as well as something went incorrect with the baby, the blame would live wholly hers as well as her mother-clan. No i else took responsibility.
The Mokpe Woman as well as her Spouse: In traditional Bakweri society, women were chosen as time to come spouses when they were still children, as well as inwards some cases, fifty-fifty before they were born. However, i time the spousal human relationship had taken identify as well as the hubby did non live upward to expectations, the adult woman was complimentary to divorce him. This was done irrespective of the sentiment of the woman’s manful mortal relatives, including that of her ain father.
All that was required of adult woman was that she did non involve her manful mortal parent inwards the “dowry-refund” predicament, as well as that she was chop-chop picked upward past times 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 manus – she could fifty-fifty take her hubby past times next the historic catamenia old custom of boldly going to the caprine animal house (Lièfe) of the homo of her selection as well as slaughtering the biggest nanny caprine animal past times wounding or cutting its cervix or head. The would-be hubby deemed this a sign of honour as well as accepted the manus of the adult woman with joy. Of course, a adult woman taking such a measurement knew her ain assets – elements such as her beauty or reputation for difficult function set her inwards skillful stead.
The Mokpe adult woman as a nursing woman parent was expected to curb her sexual appetite so as to safeguard the life as well as wellness of her baby. Hence, during this period, she was constantly warned; “don’t appear that way”, pregnant she had to allow for a few marital escapades past times her husband.
Nonetheless, the traditional Bakweri adult woman was past times no agency a yes-sir woman. She took her rightful identify inwards deciding which other adult woman her hubby wished to take, as well as sometimes fifty-fifty take such a “mbanyi” herself.
Influenza A virus subtype 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 i could trespass or overstep them, etc.
Mokpe women were as well as still are the animators of the social life of their people. They characteristic prominently inwards engagements, weddings, as well as 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 as well as the Maninga, which are especially for the youths; as well as the Lingombi, the Mundame, the Wokeka as well as the Veleke that are preformed past times both men as well as women.
The Masua Cult It was a cult that brought together women of high repute inwards the community, especially those who had successfully gone through the kpave or sasswood ordeal. These women formed a society of desirables as well as men vied for their hand.
On the whole, Bakweri women led as well as influenced all areas of community life, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly. They still do.
Political organization
The bakweri s are an instance of a segmentary society. They are grouped inwards societies of villages where each menage unit of measurement maintains its independence. They bakweri live inwards a modest clusters of 10 to 20 house as well as settlement designing was imposed on them past times the Germans. The Germans herded the Bakweri people into the peripheries when they expropriated the terra firma for plantation. The hamlet caput has only limited authority. They hamlet has a council of elders which helps the principal inwards regulating the affairs of they village. The most prominent families inwards Bakweri tribal history are Wonya Likenye Endeley of buea as well as the menage 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 homo as well as his married adult woman (wives) his children as well as relatives with blood ties. The menage unit of measurement unit served as the base of operations of political establishment inwards the Bakweri society. The manful mortal parent was the caput as well as has as obligations to preside over menage unit of measurement affairs. At the storey of the extended menage unit of measurement the caput was the oldest homo 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 as well as chair menage unit of measurement gatherings. These decisions were non autocratic especially due to the fact that he had to consult some elderly people inwards the menage unit of measurement lineage before taking decisions on matters of paramount importance. Consequently, the eldest people inwards the Bakweri community earned much admiration as well as honour from the younger generations due to the fact that they performed the mediatory role betwixt the ancestors as well as the world of the living. In the same line of thought, historic catamenia was considered as the only criteria which enabled people inwards the Bakweri society to commune with the ancestors as well as decode ancestral messages. In monastic tell words, historic catamenia 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 i some other consisting of menage unit of measurement compounds separated from i some other past times a fence called “NgaoMboa”. The hamlet political leaders had a similar source of powers as those at the menage unit of measurement level. The variation hither was amid the menage unit of measurement of the hamlet founder that a leader was chosen. Consequently, the menage 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 menage 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 principal did non execute this heavy project alone. He was assisted past times 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 populace past times the hamlet councils spoke homo “Sango Mboa” as well as 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 menage unit of measurement at the base, with the hamlet council as well as the principal at the top. Thus the Bakweri whose territorial limits were governed past times fixed as well as permanents institutions were a state- similar society. These organs, oriented political as well as social life as well as 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 line their pridigree from1884 downwards to the nowadays twenty-four hours as inwards the nautical chart below:
Law as well as Social Control
It is handled past times the principal or the quarter head, y'all are foremost taken to the quarter caput when y'all don’t honour the law, if non satisfied with that judgment y'all are taken to the principal where y'all are guess past times notables. Land dispute, fighting taking belongings that doesn’t belong to you, y'all are taken to the quarter head. Concerning sanctions the principal or elders create upward one's take heed or how y'all are to live punished. If y'all are guilty of serious crimes similar incest, as well as trahison, y'all are exiled to Limbe.
Bakweri leaders
Social Organization
The Bakweri society just similar most tribal scheme inwards the woods zone was organized inwards peculiar style which was inwards accordance with their ain perception of life. The social construction shall live examined from the dot grade 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 iii distinct groups notably strangers, natives as well as 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 grade of people were privilege to participate inwards restraint cloak-and-dagger societies as well as other affairs concerning the Bakweri homo as well as his territory. Next to this grouping with honour to hierarchy was the strangers called “wajili”. This was attributed to unusual settlers inwards the terra firma 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 in conclusion grouping as well as 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 as well as menage unit of measurement life
Dating rituals: It is the manful mortal parent who looks for the wife. The Bakweri people are non usually allow to date. It is the manful mortal parent of the man child or immature adult woman who appear for a partner for their son/daughter.
The bakweri are non unremarkably supposed to have got sexual activity before marriage. It is only when all the bride cost has existence paid, that the bride is taken to the grooms room, they have got sex. On this night, a white bed sail is spread on the bed, for the brace to have got sexual activity on it. Since the bride has to live a virgin, she must bleed on the bed sheet, as well as that volition testify to the groom’s menage unit of measurement that the bride was a skillful one.
Marriage patterns: The Bakweri have got traditionally practised polygamy, although with Christianisation, this custom has acquire extremely rare. In the traditional Bakweri society, women are chosen as time to come spouses when they are still children, as well as inwards some cases, fifty-fifty before they were born. The manful 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 as well as his family. Upon the husband’s death, the eldest surviving blood brother inherits the wife. Influenza A virus subtype 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 i could trespass or overstep them, etc. The Bakweri are really exogamous when it comes to marriage. They honour their blood lineage, hence they do non espouse with people from the same village. They do non exercise incest. Incest is fifty-fifty considered as a taboo, as well as serious exercise needs to live exercise to purify the menage unit of measurement name. They espouse from really far area, or distances, but nowadays, some people espouse inwards unopen area, as well as endogamy is at nowadays becoming mutual amid the Bakweri.In the bakweri, spousal human relationship is a spousal human relationship betwixt a clan, as well as menage unit of measurement as well as non betwixt individuals. The thought is that the bride cost is genuinely never fully paid, because if it is completely paid, it volition live similar the immature adult woman has been sold, as well as no i inwards the menage unit of measurement or clan volition live able to acquire espouse with someone inwards that tribe again, it is to a greater extent than similar an agreement, as well as the bride cost is to intensify the spousal human relationship relationship.
Marriage rituals as well as practices: It is the manful mortal parent who pays the dawry, because the immature homo is non working as well as the manful mortal parent is supposed to ain goods hence he is the i who pays. After fulfilling the requirement it is the homo who decides on when to take the wife. The twenty-four hours of that occasion y'all convey the large as well as the girls menage unit of measurement will access y'all on what to pay. The manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman volition start the biting on the cost of the dowry from 1 million, until the 2 families arrive at at 500000FCFA, which is usually the lowest amount they tin can accept. Sometimes, the 2 families may come upward come to a compromise as well as inquire the groom to give what he has. If y'all don’t kill the squealer y'all are non fully married, the Bakweri don’t usually issued spousal human relationship certificate. After paying component of the dowry, that is when y'all are officially married. On the spousal human relationship day, the girls menage unit of measurement brings the bride to the mans family. The ceremony is celebrated, on after the ceremony, the bride as well as the grooms menage unit of measurement prepares a overnice bed with a white bed sail on which the bride is expected to bleed, as a sign of her virginity. If the adult woman bleeds on the sheet, as well as then she is a skillful bride, if not, she mightiness live disregarded past times her groom as well as 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 past times Bakweri elders to a greater extent than than 200 years agone involves iii phases:
1. The approbation of the parents, especially the mothers of the spouses-elect.
2. Sealing of the spousal human relationship contract (efeyo).
3. The wedding.
Phase One: The Engagement (Ewanda)
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 woman mortal babe was engaged fifty-fifty when she was still inwards her mother's womb. It was an oral contract betwixt skillful friends. The contract was regularized inwards due class at the appropriate time. The physical care for of deciding that an engagement (Ewanda) tin can 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 sure 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 manful 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 immature adult woman consider a asking as irresistible their reply would unremarkably take a cast similar this:
"Thank you. We besides volition give the thing due consideration".
You have got flattered us (e-jeni isofe vato).
Give us fourth dimension to consider your request".
After i or 2 months the emissary would render to the parents of the immature adult woman to notice out their reaction. If the menage unit of measurement of the immature adult woman accepts the proposal their reply would take a cast similar this:
"yaa ! inyo ndi joo-ngo".
Literally:
"We are hither waiting as well as looking forrad to your farther reaction to the situation".
As recent as 60-70 years agone an engagement (ewanda) was a purely private ceremony involving virtually 10 persons, 4 to 5 representatives of the man child intending to espouse as well as virtually 5 representatives of the immature adult woman to live married. Representatives were unremarkably unopen members of the families concerned: the parents of the man child as well as 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 immature adult woman concerned. The menage unit of measurement of the man child unremarkably presents an ewanda gift to the girl. If the immature adult woman is besides shy to run into 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 immature adult woman 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 immature adult woman receives is a immature woman mortal smoothen looking caprine animal that has non started to deliver. Acceptance of the caprine animal past times a woman parent is a farther postage stamp of approbation of the spousal human relationship past times the mother.
Phase Two: Sealing of the spousal human relationship contract (efeyo)
Efeyo is a populace ceremony. There are 2 types of efeyo, namely "efeyo yi itote", as well as efeyo ya mwese.
(i). Efeyo yi Itote –An all nighttime ceremony inwards which formal assessment as well as reconciliation of dowry that the manful mortal parent of the bride to live has so far received. More dowry installments may still live paid during the efeyo ceremony. The terminate of an efeyo is the formal sealing of a spousal human relationship contract. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 spousal human relationship contract is sealed with the formal sharing of a ngowa ye efeyo to all manful mortal witnesses to an efeyo ceremony. The ngowa is expected to run into 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 spot is a written contract the signatories to the contract would unremarkably live the parents of the spouses-elect. Marriage contracts are traditionally as well as culturally affairs reserved for handling past times the parents of the spouses-elect.
Note: Dowry received past times the woman parent is a private affair. It is non a populace ceremony. The dowry used to live virtually i quarter of the dowry that the manful mortal parent to the immature adult woman 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 manful mortal parent of the bridegroom to be. Before commencement of occupation concern the guests, that is, the manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married as well as his entourage have got to live entertained with a middle size ngowa as well as other rich nutrient as well as a reasonable quantity of palm wine. The ngowa must foremost of all live shown to an accredited representative of the manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married before cooking starts. The representative has potency to either take the ngowa or reject it if the ngowa falls brusk of conventional requirements. The manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married may similarly reject the ngowa ye efeyo if the ngowa does non run into normal standards.
e-ngowa ye efeyo is shared into iii lots.
1. Lot i goes to the manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married as well as his family. Tradition requires that the thorax of the ngowa should live given to the maternal uncle of the immature adult woman to live married.
2. Lot 2 goes to the manful mortal parent of the bridegroom-elect as well as members of his entourage
3. Lot iii is reserved for all manful mortal witnesses to the ceremony.
Business commences before long after nightfall. It is a slow all nighttime affair, punctuated intermittently with rich bombastic cultural pronouncements relevant to efeyo. The pronouncements are unremarkably made past times representatives of the manful mortal parent of the bridegroom-elect as well as the manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married. No i is inwards a hurry. It is an occasion to boast with exaggerations as well as to demonstrate how the immediate manful mortal menage unit of measurement members of the spouses-elect are good versed with cultural splendours inwards efeyo as well as spousal human relationship affairs inwards general.
Dowry is inwards the cast of goats. The manful mortal parent of the immature adult woman to live married may asking as many as i K (ikoli) goats or more. Tradition does non allow that consummate dowry live paid on the twenty-four hours of the efeyo. The residual of dowry may live paid inwards installments inwards due course. Taking wages of this province of affairs the manful 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 as well as the sharing of e-ngowa ye efeyo. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 spousal human relationship contract, oral or written, is sealed with the slaughter as well as 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 manful 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 manful 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 manful mortal parent of the bride elect as well as his entourage.
Phase Three - The wedding
Before the wedding ceremony takes place, the parents of the bridegroom-elect volition foremost of all nowadays some other smoothen 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 utilization or lie/sleep on the sofa (ewongo) on which the bride-elect used to sleep.
The Wedding: Abduction or formal.
(a) Abduction. The manful mortal parent of the bride-elect is expected to give her immature adult woman substantial wedding ceremony gifts. When the manful mortal parent is unable to, or is reluctant to create the gifts or when he fails on successive occasions to honour dates fixed for the wedding ceremony it is a diplomatic signal to the menage unit of measurement of the bridegroom-elect that they may abduct the bride-elect. Since past times tradition a bride-elect is virtually a married adult woman after an efeyo abduction is permissible.
(b) Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 formal wedding. The Bride is escorted to her matrimonial domicile past times an entourage of virtually 5 to 7 duly accredited, respected as well as successfully married women, accompanied past times 2 or iii strong men to carry the Bride on their shoulders when the Bride as well as her entourage are virtually to come inwards the hamlet of the Bridegroom. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bride is expected to move inwards the night. Trekking to her matrimonial domicile hence commences before long after nightfall.
One of the wedding ceremony gifts that a manful mortal parent is expected to give to her immature adult woman is a skillful looking mwaaka bit 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 of the boiled nutrient that the bride takes with her to her matrimonial home.
As before long 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 i time to a greater extent than whenever the Bride as well as her entourage are passing through a village. Then comes the pomp as well as circumstance of the formal entry of the Bride as well as her entourage into the hamlet of the Bridegroom. The Bride at nowadays firmly carried high on the shoulders of i of the men inwards the entourage is decorated as well as redecorated with fanciful caput ties wrapped on her arms as well as her head. She would unremarkably have on a full-length kaava. The entourage as well as then intensifies singing of the classical wedding ceremony song:
"Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee (hurrah, behold the Bride is coming).
Moombi wee, wee ! Moombi wee.
o-maasa Moombi bit Ngondo, mo-ma ja (Bridegroom ! The teenage Bride y'all 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”, as well as and then gracefully escorts the Bride as well as her entourage inwards pomp as well as circumstance into the chemical compound of the manful 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 as well as and then hands to the Bride a walking stick as well as a woman mortal chicken that has non yet started to deliver. The feathers of the chicken must live void of precipitous contrasting colours such as dark spots on white background (matono ma wuva).
The Bride’s entourage is lavishly entertained with a rich multifariousness of food. The Bride sits unopen to the Bridegroom. She may non eat out of shyness. The side past times side stage of the ceremony is a litany of advice inwards the cast 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 bit 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 menage unit of measurement of your husband. Moombi wee, wee.
Moombi wee", as well as so on.
Members of the Bride’s entourage render to their respective homes side past times side morn after breakfast. The manful 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 past times circumstances. During that catamenia the newly married immature adult woman 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 menage unit of measurement carry out the cooking as well as other domestic services.
The terminate of the honeymoon is marked past times the preparation of a formal repast past times the newly married girl. She would unremarkably live assisted inwards cooking past times members of her menage unit of measurement (mother, aunt, sister, niece) as well as the woman parent as well as aunts as well as sisters of her spouse. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 constituent component of the repast is nguma ngowa, that is, the meat of a immature squealer provided past times the menage unit of measurement of the newly married immature man. The squealer 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 honour 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 toe at wedding
Inheritance or kinship patterns
Bakweri inheritance is patrilineal; upon the father’s death, his belongings is inherited past times his eldest son. Inheritance also depends on the behavior of the children. If a kid is a principal or is really stubborn or is noted for a really bad graphic symbol similar arrogance to the elders, or disregard to the tradition, the manful mortal parent tin can create upward one's take heed to give his inheritance to the brother.
Bakweri homo dancing
Also, if the manful mortal parent dies when the children are still really young, the inheritance tin can live transfered to a menage unit of measurement fellow member who is trust worthy. Also een the side past times side of manful mortal monarch doesn’t necessarily agency that all the belongings belongs to you, y'all are the i to command the property. If y'all are non from the royal menage unit of measurement y'all cannot live made a king. King makers are people who come upward from the principal family. Notables as well as are the people who decides on the side past times side manful mortal monarch after the initial manful mortal monarch has made his will. Furthermore, nosotros telephone phone “Manawondja”, when a adult woman is non married as well as have got attained an historic catamenia when she tin can no to a greater extent than acquire married as well as then she tin can have got a vocalism inwards the family.
Bakweri people
Household patterns
In the Bakweri soceity, many families are monogamous, as well as hence at that spot is no conjugal household from within the family. Furthermore, the Bakwerians pass a lot of fourth dimension at domicile with their children, as well as the menage unit of measurement is the main unit of measurement of production, therefore, at that spot 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 utilization inwards describing Him. They ascribe to God the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, as well as invisibility. They telephone phone Him the Protector, Maeke ; the Creator of all things, Iwonde ; the Guardian as well as 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 as well as packet of every-day language, as for instance, inwards the mutual telephone substitution of greetings. Among Bakweris, when i 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 y'all to the Protector. So deep is their belief inwards the omniscience as well as omnipotence of the Supreme Being that i has to empathise the thought patterns of the Bakweris to appreciate the component that religious mysticism plays inwards their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours affairs.
Bakweri Cosmology: Bakweri cosmology splits the world into 2 orders of being, Vaenya as well as Vawoo. Literally, these words hateful respectively, the living as well as 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 can live perceived past times 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 as well as 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 spot 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 phone "Prana".
The Vawoo monastic tell embraces all the invisible forces of nature. This includes the spirits of the dead as well as a large array of forces that have got ever puzzled human intelligence. While the Bakweris do non create watertight definitions as well as descriptions of the characteristics of elements inwards the Vawoo order, they do believe that the monastic tell exists as well as have got thus devised methods past times which contacts tin can live made as well as past times which the forces of that monastic tell tin can live directed to, as well as manipulated for, man's benefit.
Mention has been made to a higher identify of the belief that air forms a span betwixt the 2 orders. It has also been stated that a for sure indefinable chemical element inwards air pervades the entire universe. This life-giving as well as life-sustaining element, Bakweris telephone phone Muulu. Muulu is needed past times things inwards both orders as well as inwards homo it is life itself ; it is the godliness inwards him as well as it gives him his individuality. Man is believed to demand Muulu throughout his earthly existence as well as because of its imperishable as well as indestructible nature, when Muulu departs from man, as well as he attains the terra firma that is called Kpeli or death, Muulu continues.
The Human Spirit After Death: Bakweris believe that Muulu, the life-giving forcefulness of Elinge or soul affects homo throughout his earthly existence inwards a number of ways. But this influence upon homo cannot live described as control. It falls brusk of that. Nor tin can it live equated with what some western philosophers draw 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 decease Muulu or Elinge is believed to linger around for iii days during which it bids bye to all with whom the deceased had been acquainted inwards his earthly existence. This is why on the 3rd twenty-four hours after decease it is the custom to organize a modest feast known as Sassa. The feast serves to bid bye to the deceased. In feasting, partakers are expected to throw pieces of nutrient around. These are eaten upward past times domestic animals as well as birds that may live nowadays as well as through them the deceased participates inwards the feasting.
This cast of participation is easily understandable as well as should occasion no surprise. In the transition that is called Kpeli or death, the spiritual essence departs from the torso as well as becomes i with the life-giving force, Muulu, that permeates the entire universe - which includes men, animals, as well as birds. Consequently, the deceased is believed to participate inwards the feasting through men, animals, as well as birds present. But his bye feast does non imply that no farther contact tin can 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 lilliputian diversion into its etymology, Ovase is a substantive coined out of the Bakweri verb l'ova, pregnant to speak, to say.
The Power of the Word: It is important that this Bakweri concept of God as the give-and-take through which as well as past times which all things are made as well as 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 showtime was the Word ; as well as the Word was with God, as well as 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 as well as cosmological concepts are often at a loss at understanding fifty-fifty the simplest of the numerous practices that create upward Bakweri religious mysticism. Most of these practices have got received violent denunciations of Westerners as well as to a greater extent than particularly, Western Missionaries who portion with their colonialist brethren the built inwards conviction that they stand upward for a "superior culture." The natural corollary of this baseless conviction has been disrespect for all things Cameroonian and, past times extension, all things African.
Bakweris know that homo is unique because of his powerfulness over the Word. By this power, homo is able to telephone phone forth as well as guide the life force. This is the pregnant of life, this is existence : to have the give-and-take ; to invoke it ; to portion it with other beings, living as well as dead, human or divine.
Diverse are the uses to which the powerfulness of the Word tin can live put. The homo of affairs discovers that he is unsuccessful as well as he decides to utilization the powerfulness of the Word to alter his fortune. He obtains a bottle of vino as well as goes to the grave of an ancestor, pours the vino as well as asks for God's approbation through his ancestor inwards monastic tell that his fortune may change. Parents create upward one's take heed to give their immature adult woman inwards spousal human relationship as well as they pour some vino or water, as the instance may be, at the door of their house as well as inwards doing so, they conjure upward the blessings of their ancestors inwards monastic tell that the spousal human relationship may live successful.
The Nganga or healer, whom all foreigners telephone phone "witch doctor" spits upon his herbs as well as past times the powerfulness of the Word conjures upward the blessings of the Supreme Being through the invocation of his ancestors inwards monastic tell that the herbs may number a cure - as well as 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 homo born blind past times spitting on the ground, making clay with the spittle, as well as spreading the clay over the man's eyes before commanding him to go as well as launder inwards the puddle of Siloe, John IX : 1-7. Yet this is just what Christians are doing to-day.
Young men honour elders ; they give alms to the poor as well as 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 as well as 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 as well as the way that the Bakweris utilization as well as appreciate it inwards their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours affairs. Of course, many other examples tin can live given but have got been omitted because of infinite considerations.
The Word as well as Sorcery: But the powerfulness of the Word is similar a two-edged sword. It tin can live used for skillful as well as for evil, for boon as well as for bane. This is where cursing as well as other witchological practices
come upward in. Sorcery, the powerfulness to plough life's vital forces to evil ends, is known to utilization amid other things, the powerfulness of the Word. One of the commonest uses of this powerfulness is past times cursing. Cursing is done inwards 2 ways : first, the sorcerer may utilization actual words or, secondly, he may utilization a concatenation of ceremonies, including awesome incantations convert this paradigm 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 amid 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 push clit of gravity did non be before Newton discovered it.
rBakweri elders Slaughtering a squealer 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 empathise the natives must face. Understanding cannot come upward 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 as well as utilization derogatory epithets to draw such practices as libation ought to realise that cultural relativism stipulates, amid other things, that all cultures must live viewed as adequate as well as meaningful adjustments which people have got made to the imperatives of living.
There are definitely some Cameroonians, as well as Africans for that matter, who are so plagued past times the alien mentality they have got acquired inwards the class of their sojourn inwards distant lands that they would prefer non to hash out these practices at all. But inwards this our historic catamenia when it rests upon our shoulders to dovetail what is skillful inwards our society with the skillful 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, especially 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 hitting past times a Nigerian music star.
Presby Church Buea
Arts
The Bakweri still exercise arts as well as crafts handed downwards for generations. The Bakweri are known to live skilled weavers of hats as well as shirts, for example. They also build armoires, chairs, as well as 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 as well as the ashiko, which arose inwards the 1930s, as well as the makossa as well as ambasse bey dances that accompany those musical styles.
The greatest venue for Bakweri music as well as trip the low-cal fantastic toe 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 as well as asking them for guidance as well as protection for the future. The festivities also include armed combat, beauty pageants, pirogue races, as well as traditional wrestling.
The Mpo'o brings together the Bakoko, Bakweri, as well as Limba at Edéa. The festival commemorates the ancestors as well as allows the participants to consider the problems facing the groups as well as humanity as a whole. Lively music, dancing, theatre, as well as 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 as well as the Kabba for women. While the exact rootage of this attire is unknown, nosotros tin can 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 substitution for cocoa beans, kernels as well as palm oil, the loin cloth, or lapalap, a slice of colored punt or sateen virtually 2 yards long, is coming to a greater extent than as well as 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 homo inwards the hamlet dresses inwards a long waist stuff called Sanja tied circular the waist with 2 overlapping edges past times the sides called masu'u topped past times a long sleeve shirt, preferably white, with a caput necktie or scarf around the neck. Usually a chapeau may live worn if the homo so desires. The Sanja is stitched according to the size of the private but usually iii fathoms is a skillful 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 past times the Bakweri women is a voluminous, clocked clothe popularly known as “Kabba”. This attire goes with a caput necktie to gibe with the dress. The women are highly respected for their high criterion of clothe making. Exposure of the feminine legs past times wearing bikinis or a pair of shorts is highly discouraged."
According to Bender: "The original native clothe is a really elementary affair… It consists of a modest apron made of fibre or grass as well as is girded virtually the loins. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 still to a greater extent than elementary clothe is worn past times women as well as girls only - a braided fibre belt virtually iii inches wide."
Bakweri men inwards their modern dress
Cuisine/Food/Traditional Spices
The official dish of the Bakweri is Kwakoko as well as Mosaka (Palm nut) soup. Apart from that the Bakweri have got a number of other traditional dishes that they have got made their ain past times cooking or spicing them upward with the leaves, seeds as well as 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 modest flora of the same menage unit of measurement as "Mbongo" as well as "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 as well as washed, as well as 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 sure how to draw the tree)fresh, as well as and then dried before consumption. The quantitiy to utilization is a thing of private taste. It is used mostly inwards pepper soup, kwalala, mosaka, as well as Ngonya wembe.
Jowe(Black Pepper): Also obtained from a woods tree.(little light-green as well as reddish seeds) that plough dark after the drying process. Used inwards pepper soup, kwalala, ngonya wembe as well as for spicing of roasted meats as well as fish.
Njangasanga: Also obtained from a really huge woods tree. the tree bears pods that comprise the njangasanga seeds. The pods are harvested whe mature, as well as cracked opened upward to extract the seeds which are than sun-dreid. Does good inwards warm climates. Most of it comes from Muyuka, as well as Manyu division, but it is also said that at that spot is i huge tree somewhere inwards Bonankanda. Used inwards pepper soup, Kwalala, Ngonya wembe, spicing of meats as well as fish for roasting.(also inwards left over mosaka to live eaten with wolanga.) It is also used together with jowe as well as ngaikai inwards a dish called "Liphele".(Fish spiced as well as wrapped inwards plantain leaves as well as cooked over hot coals)
Ngai-kai: Also harvested from a woods tree. It almost looks similar what nosotros called "cashew" dorsum home. It is cracked opened upward as well as the seed within is the Ngaikai, which is either Sun dried or smoke-dried before consumption. The next are non used as spices past times the Bakweri , they are used past times the Bakweri for dissimilar ailments.
Masephu: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 elementary flora found inwards most peoples yards. the leaves are washed as well as the juice squeezed out of them using water. It is used for elementary tummy aches. Also included inwards the concoction of other leaves, plants as well as barks of trees that are steamed as well as used for "li-tumba"(a mortal suffering from malaria is sat infront of this steaming pot underneath a screen ) as well as allowed to sweat off the fever . when the H2O cools downwards inwards it as well as then used as an enema as well. It is also said that having this flora inwards the chemical compound drives away evil spirits.
Mbongo: Seeds obtained from a flora of the same species as alligator pepper.The bakweri volition ground or fifty-fifty chew it, as well as mix it inwards "manyanga"(palm core oil). it is the applied all over the torso of a kid with a high fever to foreclose 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 past times the fireside. This game emphasizes the importance of naming one's relatives as well as it emphasizes the importance of retentiveness as well as quick thinking; The winner has to live really smart inwards verbal expression, physical dexterity as well as also to have got a precipitous memory.
Bakweri wrestling
Usually, children play this game using wood ash (liwu) as well as a stone (liyE) or charcoal (findi). While sitting past times the kitchen board (ewongo) or chair (konda), someone would say, (joke kweti) lets play kweti. Then members of the menage unit of measurement would play past times selecting the foremost mortal who would acquire a modest pebble as well as hide it behind his or her dorsum as well as exhibit both hands to some other play as well as say “ (Mame ne) what is this, the responder would take as well as say I take this manus as well as I throw away this manus as well as and then call a relative. (mamene kweti, mame ne joli, na wowene, nafakene mola Esombi). If the musician does non call a relative really fast, the other musician would hitting the spice handbasket that hangs to a higher identify the give notice play (mokove) as well as say (et]]ng] ). And the musician would have got to forfeit their plough to the other musician who hitting the spice handbasket as well as said et]]ng]. If the musician called the call of a relative inwards time, he/she would dip their fore finger inwards wood ash as well as set a dot on the their leg to betoken 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, tearing fighting techniques, as well as a neat sense of competition.
Wrestling is known as wesuwa as well as it’s taken really seriously past times all the members of the community. In the past times 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 downwards the hamlet of Molonde inwards revenge for the decease 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 as well as March every hamlet gathers their best wrestlers inwards a major competition to consider who has the best fighters with athletes showing off their fighting prowess. Each hamlet is the host of the wrestling for i day.
Although Bakweri wrestling is a traditional cast of fighting, it has similarities with WWF wrestling. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gibe 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 past times making gestures of threat as well as and then challenge each others into a nail-biting fight. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 contestant wins a bout past times throwing his opponent on his dorsum or past times taking him downwards as well as and then either rolling him on his dorsum or forcing him apartment on this stomach. To set the atmosphere, drummers on an elevated stage beat out intricate rhythms on large log drums throughout the gibe piece the crowds roar as well as yell encouragement to the wrestlers. The setting is magnificent; the villages are surrounded past times dense as well as lush vegetation with Mount Republic of Cameroon towering inwards the background over the wrestling patch as well as glimpses of the sea tin can live seen on the horizon.
The competition culminates with the statement of the year’s champion wrestler who is as well as then carried amid the spectators to loud acclaim accompanied past times tradition songs as well as dances performed past times the cheerleaders – the elderberry tribeswomen.
Funeral Rites (Life After Death)
As before long as a spouse dies the survivor is stripped of all article of apparel as well as and then clad inwards barkcloth (enjinja) piece circular the caput are tied some leaves of the lisafo flora from which are suspended some seeds of the malaguetta pepper (Aframomum melegueta). The mourner must at nowadays also carry a modest knife. These protect the mourner from the spirit of the deceased which for the side past times side iii days is believed to haunt the house where he died. The mortal whose duty it is to consider that the mourner is as well as then properly protected against the deceased is i who has already been a widower or widow, according to the sexual activity of the mourner.
The corpse if that of a man, is washed past times manful mortal relatives; if that of a woman, past times females, as well as 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 as well as kneel on i knee. With the left manus the left ear is closed piece the correct manus holds the knife, as well as some lisafo fronds.
If the mourner is a widower, a substitute wife, if he had only i wife, is as well as then brought to him with whom to have got sexual intercourse piece he calls out words of powerfulness to avoid existence haunted past times 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 manful 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 menage 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 in conclusion purification.
If a widow is suspected of having been unfaithful to her hubby during his life-time, his relatives volition telephone phone inwards a medicine homo who has reached the rank of a Mbwaya. This homo volition at nowadays set the adult woman to the njembu test. He volition gather the next herbs, ngeny, motimbilimbi which is the long fruit of the Kigelia tree, as well as an crude oil palm branch. These items are placed on the ground as well as 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 iii times as a adult woman who knew no other homo than my hubby as well as if I tell a prevarication may njembu destroy me. It is believed that whatever widow who told a lie, that is, did non divulge the call of whatever paramour, would thereafter shortly sicken as well as die. Any homo as well as then named past times the widow as a paramour as well as who would thus have got been inwards enemity with the deceased as well as mightiness live regarded as responsible for his decease was made to pay the deceased's menage unit of measurement a heavy fine inwards goats.
The corpse is usually buried inwards a shaft as well as alcove grave. The torso existence placed inwards the alcove as well as the alcove walled off from the shaft so that when the grave is filled inwards world 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. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 skillful give notice is kept burning inwards the hut and, where the mourner is a widow, she ceases to set upward as well as some other adult woman cooks for her. Only modest quantities of nutrient are eaten for the foremost iii days; some mourners fifty-fifty fast for the entire iii days. During this catamenia the in conclusion repast of the twenty-four hours must live eaten before dark as well as when lying downwards for the nighttime the mourner must chew a few grains of malaguetta pepper and, spitting them out, must say: We component 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 as well as thus spirit away that partner.
As illustrating this belief, Mr. Wolatae mentioned that some fourth dimension agone a for sure Bakweri died as well as was buried. His widow grieved deeply as well as sorely over his death. Some months later, piece she was working inwards the farm given to her past times her dead husband, he all of a precipitous appeared before her. She became speechless as well as unable to move. He said to her: I have got seen as well as heard how bitterly y'all are weeping as well as lamenting for me twenty-four hours as well as night. Your neat grief gives me no chance to forget y'all as well as rest. I also have got been seeking an chance to run into y'all as well as at nowadays nosotros are hither together.
He as well as then lay with the adult woman who returned domicile stricken dumb. As is ever the instance with persons who consider or run into a spirit, this widow fell ill. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 medicine homo was called in. He treated her so that at in conclusion she recovered her spoken language as well as was able to tell all that befell her on the farm. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few days later she died. [In amplification of the handling given to persons afflicted past times the supernatural Mr.
Wolatae supplied the next information: If anyone meets a spirit as well as returns domicile dumb or inwards a fainting status as well as then i should directly necktie circular that person's brow a fern frond...This handling volition enable the mortal to beak as well as 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 as well as then a band of white stuff must live tied circular the forehead. If no such white stuff is available as well as then the stalk of the njesenge plant, a type of fern, must live used instead. The sick mortal afflicted past times dark magic or witchcraft volition rave similar a mad mortal as well as divulge everything inwards his talking. To care for this sick person, an brute is taken as well as sacrificed. Pigs as well as cows, for this role are non regarded as suitable sacrificial animals. The brute is as well as then killed as well as its blood is smeared on the patient's torso piece the next words are chanted past times the medicine man: "Oh, animal, expire so that the boy of homo may live." After this chant past times the medicine homo the patient, to ensure a consummate cure, is told what nutrient is forbidden to him for the repose of his life as well as on the 9th twenty-four hours after the sacrifice of the animal, which is the twenty-four hours for the in conclusion cure of the patient's illness, he must as well as then vow to abstain from this forbidden food, whatever it is, for the repose of his life. If he does non he volition autumn i 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 homo all his woman mortal relatives as well as the other women of his hamlet are expected to pass the whole morn in
lamentations. This lamenting mightiness in conclusion for a calendar month or more.
The morn after the burial sees a lilliputian food, palm wine, and, if the deceased were a snuff taker, a lilliputian snuff placed on the grave. Fresh nutrient as well as vino as well as snuff are thereafter placed on the grave each morn for a week, livua, which amid the Bakweri consists of nine days. During this livua all members of the deceased's menage unit of measurement gather at this fourth dimension at the grave to sing, dance, eat as well as chant the praises of the deceased.
On the 2d twenty-four hours after the burial the relatives go to the farms of the deceased to collect nutrient for the side past times side day's feast. After gathering the necessary food, component of the deceased's farm is destroyed as existence his share. The component so destroyed is called vesasale. In the even of this 2d twenty-four hours the villagers gather to honour the retentiveness of the deceased past times dancing as well as singing his praises, past times reciting ancient tales as well as stories with proverbial meanings as well as past times playing musical instruments.
The 3rd twenty-four hours is the i on which the Bakweri believe that the spirit of the deceased leaves the hut where the torso is buried as well as proceeds to the spirit world as a molimo. This twenty-four hours is called sasa twenty-four hours inwards Bakweri. On this day, the mourner is led off into the bush where a give notice is kindled with the reject from crude oil palm nuts as well as inwards it the dry out plantain leaves of the bedding as well as 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 as well as 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 proceed to chew as well as spit out the seeds of the malaguetta piece still uttering words of powerfulness as well as must have on mourning costume until the in conclusion purification ceremony mark the terminate of the mourning takes place.
The mourner must also proceed to have on the lisafo frontlet as well as the utilization of the crude oil palm nut pericarp fibre inwards kindling a give notice 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 notice bangles, necklaces as well as anklets as well as rub their bodies over with dark sooty oil. This mourning accoutrement is worn until the in conclusion purification. The children as well as grandchildren of the deceased's menage unit of measurement are taken inwards manus past times 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 as well as some nutrient as well as knots them upward inwards a strip of dark mourning stuff called itinge. This knotted stuff is as well as then worn as a necklace past times each kid or grandchild during the protracted mourning period.
If the deceased was a fellow member of the Mbwaya society, his wives as well as relatives remained inwards a terra firma of mourning for 7 months. If the deceased was a rich man, good advanced inwards years, a fellow member of the Mbwaya as well as possessor of many wives as well as children, as well as then the mourning catamenia was extended to nine months. If the deceased was a homo of noble nascence or kondange as well as also a fellow member of Mbwaya, the mourning catamenia was extended to twelve or xiii months. If, on the other hand, the deceased was just an ordinary man, as well as then the mourning catamenia would live but 5 months. Mourners do non cut, comb or clothe their pilus until the in conclusion purification.
If however, piece thus habited inwards the mourning wearing apparel the mourner happens to kill a serpent called fe, phe or pe the mourning catamenia ends directly as well as the mourning costume as well as all that went with it may live discarded. Some people, inwards retentiveness of the dead man, would reject for the repose of their lives to partake of for sure foods. For example, if the deceased was a neat hunter who used to convey dorsum much meat, as well as then on his decease his woman parent or some fellow member of the menage unit of measurement mightiness thereafter abstain from the flesh of a for sure antelope or animal; or if the deceased were a skillful palm vino tapper, his woman parent or sis mightiness as well as then for the repose of their lives refrain from drinking palm wine.
To expire piece inwards a terra firma of mourning is considered to live a grave misfortune. The Bakweri believe that, if a mortal dies piece mourning, that mortal volition proceed for ever after inwards that piteous terra firma inwards the spirit world.
The nursing woman parent is exempt from mourning. If a woman's immature adult woman dies inwards childbirth as well as the babe survives, as well as then the daughter's woman parent is given for sure medicines to potable to get the stream of milk inwards her breasts so that she tin can 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 as well as is celebrated as
follows. First comes the moanda nyo or paying for the skillful deeds of the deceased. If the deceased live a married adult woman as well as then all the children, slaves as well as the other members of the menage unit of measurement who were nether her command as well as care, including all her in-laws, have got to create offerings inwards recognition of all the skillful function as well as loving kindness she bestowed on them piece she was alive. In the old days it was customary to offering fowls, shells, ika as well as other gifts. To-day people give money varying inwards amount from i penny to i shilling .
[On this Bakweri word, ika Mr. Wolatae wrote that its pregnant 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 as well as then illustrated the nowadays twenty-four hours utilization of this give-and-take ika inwards Bakweri language: should a creditor run into his debtor who say owes him 10 shillings as well as 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 as well as give one-half an ika" before the novel hope tin can live considered. Hence the debtor volition have got to pay at i 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 as well as then shared past times the co-wives as well as relatives of the deceased to the exclusion of class of those who made the offerings. These offerings are regarded as a legacy left past times the deceased. If the deceased live a married man, as well as then all the wives as well as women of his brothers pay the moanda nyo. Then the people of the hamlet as well as 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 brute as it is killed is divided into iii parts. One component goes to the possessor of the animal; i component is cooked for the feast as well as the 3rd component is given to the spectators.
Each bereaved spouse has, past times custom, to supply a special brute for the funeral feast. This brute is called ngo a itoto or ngo a veese which agency 'a squealer of bones' or 'a squealer of burnt sacrifice'. This aspect refers to all the meat brought domicile past times the hubby as well as eaten past times the wives. Each widow is at nowadays called upon to supply an brute inwards recognition of all the skillful 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 as well as 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 as well as out inwards the bush inwards a specially prepared palace at that spot to run into with the molimo or spirits of the dead. When the feast is ready the men pick upward the diverse bowls of food, palm vino as well as snuff, as well as follow the leader. He carries a matchet inwards i manus as well as a blazing give notice create inwards the other. This create must live kept burning at the site of kindling a give notice with it. In the prepared clearing the funeral feasters sit down downwards together as well as start to eat the foods prepared, eating i 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. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lilliputian nutrient is left inwards each bowl for the spirit of the deceased who is as well as then requested to portion it with the other spirits that he meets inwards the terra firma of the dead. This nutrient left inwards the bush clearing is for dogs as well as pigs to eat.
Should this nutrient non live touched past times these animals it is as well as then believed that the spirit of the deceased is angry as well as has non attended his funeral feast, nor partaken of the nutrient prepared as well as offered to him. If after this nutrient has remained untouched for a twenty-four hours or 2 some greedy brute willfully consumes these rejected offerings i tin can hear the brute squealing as well as yelping as though existence beaten. But if i approaches, i tin can consider zip that is beating the squealing brute as well as so i believes it is the offended spirit of the deceased doing so.
Food acceptable to the spirits volition live freely as well as gently eaten past times 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 past times the beat out of a wooden gong. Thereupon each mortal plucks a foliage from a bush as well as puts the foliage into his mouth. The leader as well as then with his matchet inwards his hand, leads the procession silently back. No i is supposed to beak or to appear dorsum till the house of the
deceased is reached. As they acquire inwards a gun is fired to denote their prophylactic return. The feasters as well as then take the leaves from their mouths as well as throw them on to the roof of the deceased's house.
Final Purification: The bereaved spouse has so far non partaken of the feast as well as at nowadays i who is
already a bereaved spouse proceeds to bless the portion allotted to the bereaved spouse. This officiant begins past times uttering skillful words of comfort both to the living spouse as well as to the spirit of the dead one. But before this exhortation is uttered the living spouse has to wages the officiator. If the living spouse is a woman, she hands over a fowl, chillies, common 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 past times existence washed past times the officiator inwards the juice of a plantain stem; at the same fourth dimension a purification prayer is said. Not until this component of the funeral ceremony is consummate may the bereaved spouse as well as 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 catamenia is over all the mourners gather inwards a house piece exterior a give notice is kindled with crude oil programme nut fibre. This give notice volition eat all the mourning wearing apparel worn past times the mourners. Their pilus is shaved off as well as they are washed inwards the juice of plantain stems as well as may as well as then have on ordinary clothes as well as 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 terra firma to the N E coast, as well as towards Meme Division.
According to Bakweri oral tradition, Efasa-Moto is the manful 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 as well as 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 stream towards the Atlantic Ocean was specifically chosen past times Efasa-Moto as an deed of bonding as well as solidarity with his wife, Liengu la Mwanja, the sea mermaid.
It is believed that Efasa-Moto as well as Liengu la Mwanja are the greatest spiritual figures that the world 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 as well as one-half stone, as well as yet shaped inwards the cast of a homo giving a consummate movie of a caprine animal standing on its hind legs.
Liengu la Mwanja on the other manus 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 as well as good curved hips.
Efasa-Moto lives inwards the mount alone. He maintains a rich salubrious saccharide cane plantation. His visitors tin can eat the saccharide cane on the spot but cannot carry whatever away. It is said that the saccharide 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 proceed 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 as well as later died when he returned domicile 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 spot has been a growing belief that because Efasa-Moto is an impartial as well as humble creature, he foreclose past times winners of the Guinness Mount Republic of Cameroon race from winning i 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 past times citing the instance of the humble Reverend Father Walter Stifter who won the race iii successive times. At times, he fifty-fifty preferred to give his prize to the runner-up.
The greed, pride as well as 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 as well as 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 amid the Bakweri. It considered to live the fine art of influencing the lives of other people past times occult means. Such influence is usually malevolent as well as affects a person’s spirit, as well as through that, his take heed as well as body. Alternatively, it is benevolent, but requires the harnessing of such powerful as well as potentially ungovernable forces that its exercise is shunned past times many people. In the Western world, people who practise witchcraft tin can live referred to either as Wicca (male witches) as well as Wicce (female witches), or wizards as well as witches, also respectively manful mortal as well as woman mortal practitioners of witchcraft. For our purposes nosotros shall utilization the latter terminology. Witchcraft shall live considered hither to live skillful 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 exercise of witchcraft seems to live intimately linked to the utilization of plants, which are used inwards combination with rituals to seek to accomplish the desired effect.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 mortal who practises malevolent witchcraft amid the Bakweri is called a mot’a liemba: a witch or a wizard. Witchcraft is practised past times persons of both sexes as well as all ages. It is non clear whether whatever i sexual activity 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 can live passed on to offspring past times either parent or to other persons, live they blood relations or not, past times initiation. Initiation may live voluntary or involuntary.
Contrary to Western witches, who often worship goddesses similar Hecate, Diana, Isis, Artemis, etc. as well as have got declared their leanings inwards myriad publications, it is non known whether the Bakweri witches as well as wizards genuinely worship a deity, or whether they draw their powerfulness from whatever determined preternatural source. However, pop wisdom has it that witches as well as wizards are the servants of unknown spirits.
Because witchcraft is shrouded inwards secrecy, its classification according to forms is problematic. However, at that spot is believed to live i cast of witchcraft called nyongo. Nyongo consists inwards causing people to die, as well as later taking them to some other world where they function as slaves to amass wealth for the nyongo homo or woman. The rapid as well as unexplained amassment of wealth past times whatever mortal is usually taken as a sign that this mortal has joined the nyongo. The nyongo is believed to live a cloak-and-dagger society where people of similar take heed come upward together to organise the enslavement of others for personal gain.
Nyongo people are believed to live completely ruthless inwards their selection of victims, often choosing spouses, siblings, parents as well as offspring. When a victim of the nyongo is to live enslaved, he is foremost caused to die. There is some fighting virtually whether victims genuinely expire or are drugged to simulate death, as well as their senseless bodies secretly recovered past times the nyongo people for their ain ends. Whatever the case, it would seem that the enslaved spirit or torso is as well as then transported to a identify inwards a world similar to the i nosotros know, though inwards some other dimension, as well as set 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 as well as returning to the terra firma where they lived, but it is said of these escapees that they are unable to relate inwards whatever particular what they have got experienced, as well as some of them are either struck with dumbness or madness past times their onetime captors to foreclose 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 effort whatsoever to resist the spoliation of their lands past times the Germans, they did inwards fact mount a tearing anti-German campaign, especially around the slopes of Mount Fako, as well as successfully inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Germans at Buea inwards 1891; the foremost ever High German armed services loss on the African continent, which led to a consummate reappraisal of High German colonial/military policy on the continent, and, unfortunately, set the ground for the fell displace to annihilate the Bakweri. The Bakweri were i of the few groups inwards all of High German Africa that were thoroughly as well as systematically suppressed past times the Germans. That they fifty-fifty survived to tell the story is a testimony to their resilience as well as tenacity inwards the human face of adversity.
The story of Bakweri armed services resistance against the Germans is also the story of Chief KUV’A LIKENYE of Buea, whose epic clashes with High German troops rest i 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, as well as especially after they came inwards contact with the Bakweri of the interior, the Germans had zip but grudging honour for the Bakweri, especially the tearing as well as fearless warriors of the villages around Buea, whom the time to come High German Governor of Kamerun, Von Puttkamer, praised inwards 1886 for their “powerful well-built bodies, their courage as well as their science inwards hunting…” Another German, Dr. Preuss, who would later acquire infamous for his appalling brutality towards the Bakweri, described them inwards yet some other study as existence “rough (rauhen) as well as bold (dreisten Benehmen)” inwards their dealings with the White man. These were tearing mount warriors who were non afraid against invaders, as the Germans would larn 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 High German 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 High German colony/protectorate. It was also an seek to crunch Kuva Likenye, the mount manful mortal monarch who, according to the 1891 Report of Acting High German Governor Von Schuckman “frequently disturbed the peace of the mountain, as well as had instigated an uprising amid the mount tribes… the Buea people fifty-fifty threatened to set on Victoria” inwards a bid to reclaim their lands.
In Nov 5, 1891 a High German expeditionary forcefulness led past times Karl Freiher Gravenreuth (who had brutally crushed a revolt of the Abo people (Douala) inwards Feb of that same year) as well as Lieutenant Von Stetten, was dispatched to tame the mount people past times what the acting High German Governor described as “… a demonstration of our existing power.” The contingent also included Dahomean, Togolese as well as 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 set on past times the High German force, he was unimpressed past times it all. Instead, he prepared his forces to post a clear message i time as well as for all that the mount people rejected all cast of High German command inwards their area. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 seasoned contingent of local fighters, amid them 400 marks men, was set on alert. The High German as well as Bakweri forces would have got a memorable clash at the Minonge ravine, now spanned past times the span betwixt the Buea station roundabout as well as 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 menage unit of measurement was the foremost principal of Likombe. This was the foremost principal who received the flag from the High German 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 spot was no elderly mortal inwards the Woteke menage unit of measurement so the Chieftaincy stool moved hands to the Wosingo menage unit of measurement after Chief Kanga became old as well as weak.
Therefore, Chief Mokoli-Mo-Singe took over as well as was later succeeded past times his ain son, Luma Francis Mokoli. According to records, Chief Luma Francis Mokoli was gazetted inwards 1939 as principal of Likombe Chiefdom. At his death, his boy Chief Ndumbe Samson Luma took over the baton of command as well as 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 past times Mount Cameroon, South past times Tole Tea Plantations as well as Saxenhoff Camps, West past times Mafvanja (Mapanja), as well as East past times Bwassa villages. The founder of this hamlet is Ngoni Maliva from Small Soppo Woteke.
In spite of superior High German forces, the forces of Kuva Likenye held their ground, as well as foiled the High German advance into Buea. The High German Commander, Granvenreuth, was killed as well as Lieutenant Stetten wounded as they desperately tried to dislodge the Bakweri forces from the ravine. With their Commander dead, as well as the Bakweri guns continuously pounding enemy position, the High German expeditionary forcefulness panicked. Routed as well as inwards total disarray, the forcefulness fled across the Mountain to the Mboko coast as well as dorsum to Victoria, with the Bakweri inwards hot pursuit.
Although Western historians insist that the only High German lost inwards the confrontation was Gravenreuth, Bakweri legend has it that vi Germans genuinely lost their lives inwards the expedition, as well as that their skulls at nowadays reside inwards a cloak-and-dagger shrine inwards the hamlet of Wondongo, Buea.
For the side past times side iii 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 matter 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, Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany signed an understanding with French Republic that fixed the eastern boundary of Kamerun far to a greater extent than narrowly than i time had been hoped for. The official memorandum on the treaty contained a withering catalogue of the ineffectiveness of High German colonial expeditions compared to those of the French. The domicile negotiators had, as a result, no serious territorial claims inwards N as well as E to offer. The Zingraff as well as Granvenreuth expeditions were singled out as failures inwards this respect. Thanks to their defeat of the German-led forces, the Bakweri had slowed downwards 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 side past times side brace of years, they would implement policies aimed at isolating Kuva Likenye, as well as cutting off his sources of arms. By 1994, they had largely succeeded inwards their policy of attrition, as well as inwards Dec 1994, a newly constituted, better-prepared as well as heavily armed High German force, the Schutztruppe, led past times Von Stetten launched an set on on Buea. In spite of a heroic resistance, the Bakweri were no gibe to this superior High German force. As i historian puts it: “The High German Pygmy had acquire a Giant.” Outmanned as well as outgunned, Chief Kuva retreated to the hamlet of Ewonda, as well as sent agents to Momongo to purchase arms.
The arms never came.
In the end, Kuva realized that farther resistance to the High German regal ground forces was futile, as well as that the Bakweri were simply existence annihilated past times forces they could no longer comprise 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, as well as with the words of a leader bade them to exit Buea for a while… this land, he told them, had been ‘their ancestors’ for generations, as well as it would live theirs forever, as well as so no fearfulness should live entertained as to their coming dorsum again.
To foreclose farther bloodshed, Kuva went on exile to the hamlet of WonyaMokumba where he caught sick as well as died shortly thereafter. He was secretly buried on the border of Buea as well as Wokpae, were his grave remains hidden as well as 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 vocalism 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, as well as signed on their behalf past times Chief Endeley, blood brother of the Late Kuva. They were dispossessed of their former territory around present-day Buea station, as well as forcefully herded into what the Germans described as “formerly ownerless land” inwards lower Buea. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 huge fine was imposed upon them, as well as Bakweri slave labor was later used to build the High German Government station, established on their original site that became Buea, the working capital missive of the alphabet of High German kamerun inwards 1902.
This 2d High German expedition marked the showtime of the systematic High German displace to dehumanize as well as wipe out the Bakweri, seize their lands for plantation agriculture, as well as lock them upward 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, past times the terminate of the 1890s, been completely subjugated as well as their i time vibrant civilization inwards consummate disarray. The roots of the social as well as cultural ills that would plague them for most of the 20th century tin can 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 armed services power. As Ardener has stressed, the Bakweri anti-German campaign
“was a small-scale political movement, but i which was aided past times the strategic possibilities of the Mountain, was for a brief catamenia genuinely equal inwards scale to the amount of High German powerfulness that could live deployed from Victoria.”
In his analysis of the neat warrior Kuva Likenye, Ardener writes:
Kuva’s instance is of to a greater extent than than local interest. This remote as well as ideologically only intuitive tribesman held upward the march of events, past times 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 High German Colonial administrative as well as armed services practice… the resistance of the mount people provided i of the of import shocks of the early on colonial scheme inwards Kamerun. As a resistance movement, it was before its time…
After the 2d Bakweri-German war, which ended with the defeat of the former, the Bakweri would plough to some other cast of resistance; they engaged inwards an early on cast of passive resistance, past times refusing to do manual labor on their captured lands fifty-fifty when forced. Many died of diseases as well as cruelties inwards the concentration camps into which they had been driven. The Germans had a elementary solution for this Bakweri strike. They imported other Africans to do the work, hence the historic catamenia old contempt past times 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, acquire embedded inwards the national psyche.
To conclude, i 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 past times their fearless leader Kuva Likenye, stood upward to the High German army, some other generation of Bakweri have got taken upward the drapery to i time once to a greater extent than fighting for the protection of their ancestral lands. Led past times the Bakweri Land Claims Committee (BLCC), the people of Fako partitioning are taking their instance for terra firma compensation as well as restitution to the Cameroonian people as well as 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 High German expropriated lands), the hundred-year old claims of the Bakweri, which began to live expressed inwards an organized as well as coherent style after the Second World War, live taken into account.
Will the Republic of Cameroon authorities take heed to the cries from the slopes of Mount Fako, as well as volition Cameroonian people rally around the Bakweri to rectify this blot on the Cameroonian national landscape?
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