Info For You Lot Tikar People: Cameroon`S Artistic Bamenda Grassfield Tribe
The Tikar are a grouping of related ethnic proto-Bantoid Tikar-speaking groups inwards Cameroon. They alive primarily inwards the northwestern piece of employment of the country, inwards the Northwest Province close the Nigerian border. In the Bamenda Grassfields, those who claim Tikar root include Nso, Kom, Bum,Bafut, Oku, Mbiame, Wiya, Tang, War, Mbot, Mbem, Fungom, Weh, Mmen, Bamunka, Babungo, Bamessi, Bamessing, Bambalang, Bamali, Bafanji, Baba (Papiakum), Bangola, Big Babanki, Babanki Tungo, Nkwen, Bambili together with Bambui.
Their population is about 47,000. They part their linguistic communication with the Bedzan pygmies.
In recent times, the Tikar people receive got acquire pop to African-Americans.
Tikar people of Nso tribe, Cameroon
On the 2006 PBS idiot box program African American Lives, the noted African American musician Quincy Jones had his deoxyribonucleic acid tested; the assay showed him to live on of Tikar descent. In the PBS idiot box program Finding Your Roots, African American former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice learned she shared maternal heritage with the Tikar. Actress Alfre Woodard's also traced her recent deoxyribonucleic acid ancestry to the Tikar people of Cameroon
Language
The Tikar people beak Bantoid language, also called Tikar. Tikar is a Bantoid linguistic communication of uncertain classification spoken inwards Republic of Cameroon past times the Bankim, Ngambe, together with related Tikar peoples, equally good equally past times the Bedzan Pygmies. Blench (2011) states that the picayune testify available suggests that it is most closely related to the Mambiloid together with Dakoid languages.Variants of the hollo are Tikali, Tikar-East, Tikari, Tingkala. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Bandobo diversity (Ndobo, Ndob, Ndome) may live on a separate language. Less divergent dialects are Twumwu (Tumu) inwards Bankim, Tige inwards Ngambe, Nditam, Kong, Mankim, Gambai, together with Bedzan.
Tikar people
Tikar is a embrace term for 3 relatively similar dialects spoken inwards the Cameroun Grassfields, Tikari, Tige
together with Tumu (Stanley 1991). Tikar is spoken on the Tikar plain, S together with south-east of Mambiloid proper,
together with it shares a mutual edge with some Mambila together with Kwanja lects inwards Cameroun. The Tikar Plain, a
highly multi-lingual region, is referenced inwards many early on administrative documents. Koelle (1954) includes a
Tikar wordlist, but the outset analysis of the Tikar linguistic communication may live on inwards Westermann & Bryan (1952) who
considered it an isolated language. Richardson (1957) groups it with Bantoid together with Williamson (1971) treats
it equally an isolated subgroup of her Bantu node. Clearly, the Tikar linguistic communication has ever been somewhat
problematic inwards price of its classification. Dieu & Renaud (1983) placed it together with Ndemli, another
linguistic communication that is hard to classify, although this may live on precisely an admission of ignorance. Piron (1996,
III:628) recognises it equally piece of employment of her non-Bantu grouping together with assigns it a co-ordinate branch with Dakoid,
Tivoid, Grassfields together with the other branches of Bantoid (her ‘South Bantoid’) inwards opposition to Mambiloid.
Stanley (1991) notes that Tikar has many lexical similarities with the neighbouring Bafia (A53) but that the
morphosyntax is quite different.
Legendary Musician Quincy Jones traces his ancestry to Tikar people of Cameroon
The main sources for this linguistic communication are Hagège (1969), Jackson & Stanley (1977), Jackson (1980, 1984,
1987, 1988), Stanley (1982a,b,c; 1991) together with Stanley-Thorne (1995). Following the establishment of a
literacy programme, Tikar has been studied intensively together with at that spot are diverse academic papers on the syntax
equally good equally a doctoral thesis (Stanley 1991). Separately a serial of lexical studies published inwards German linguistic communication exist
(Mamadou 1981, 1984). There is also an unpublished dictionary (Jackson 1988). The Bankim dialect,
Twumwu, is the principal i chosen for standardisation together with development. Nonetheless, primary
comparisons practice propose that Tikar plays a piece of employment inwards the North Bantoid grouping together with it is tentatively assigned a
co-ordinate seat with the Dakoid-Mambiloid grouping.
History/Origin
According to historians, anthropologists, archeologists together with oral tradition, the Tikar originated from north-eastern Cameroon, about the Adamawa together with Lake Republic of Chad regions(present-day Adamawa, North together with Far-North Provinces). Tikar migration southwards together with westwards in all likelihood intensified with the raid for slaves past times invading Fulani from Northern Nigeria inwards the 18th together with 19th centuries. However, at that spot is argue to believe that such migration was ongoing for centuries long before the invasion. The pressure level of invasion past times the Fulani raiders sure enough occasioned the movements that led the Tikar to their electrical current locations inwards the Western Grassfields (Bamenda Plateau) together with Eastern Grassfields (Fumban) together with the Tikar plainly of Bankim (Upper Mbam) (Mbuagbaw, Brain & Palmer, 1987:26; Mbaku 2005:10-12). Upon arrival inwards the Grassfields, the Tikar found other populations inwards place, populations which had either migrated from elsewhere or had
inhabited the part for centuries. Their arrival occasioned population movements, precisely equally did the arrival of others after them. Pre-colonial Cameroon, similar the residual of Africa, was richly characterized past times population movements non ever induced past times conflict or invasion.
Tikar elders
In the Bamenda Grassfields, those who claim Tikar root include Nso, Kom, Bum,Bafut, Oku, Mbiame, Wiya, Tang, War, Mbot, Mbem, Fungom, Weh, Mmen, Bamunka, Babungo, Bamessi, Bamessing, Bambalang, Bamali, Bafanji, Baba (Papiakum), Bangola, Big Babanki, Babanki Tungo, Nkwen, Bambili together with Bambui. Their alleged migration from the Upper Mbam River part was inwards waves, together with to a greater extent than oft than non led past times princes of Rifum fons, desirous of setting upwardly their ain dynasties (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:16; Nkwi1987:15-28). The authors of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 History of Republic of Cameroon capture the Tikar migration asfollows:
“It was almost 3 hundred years agone that increasing pressure level from the due north and
internal troubles addition the wishing for novel lands led to the splitting upwardly of Tikar
groups into modest bands, which, having left Kimi, drifted farther due west together with southwest.
Some of these moved nether the leadership of the sons of a Tikar ruler who
afterward called themselves Fons, the most mutual Bamenda term for paramount
chiefs. These groups, at diverse times reached what is similar a shot Mezam. Among the
before were those who came from Ndobo to the Ndop plainly inwards the S of
Bamenda, where they formed small, politically independent villages a few
kilometers apart. No semblance of political unity was achieved. In the north-east
nosotros receive got Mbaw, Mbem, together with Nsungli, also settlements of Tikar, together with below the
escarpment of a afterward appointment settlements of Wiya, Tang, together with War. The main trunk of
this grouping however, laid off nether the leadership of their Fon together with founded the
kingdom of Bum. The Bafut, Kom, together with Nsaw were with the final to arrive.”
(Mbuagbaw et al. 1987:30).
Tikar Structures together with Institutions
The political structures together with institutions of the Tikar chiefdoms are real similar, together with receive got influenced together with been influenced past times those of neighbouring non-Tikar groups. Some useful studies of Tikar political structures together with institutions exist. Like other communities inwards the region, a Bamenda Grassfields Tikar community is led past times a main who is popularly known equally fon, together with whose chiefdomhenceforth nosotros are going to telephone telephone fondom. The Tikar inwards the Bamenda Grassfields mostlycame equally modest princely emigrant groups, to occupy areas that were already settled past times other groups, with the resultant that inwards almost every Tikar fondom, are smaller fondoms that were either conquered or given protection past times the Tikar, but that receive got largely retained their hereditary dynasties (Nkwi 1987:23-30; Mbuagbaw et al. 1987:30; Warnier 1985).
African-American lady Anita Woodley who traced her root to Tikar beingness welcomed with an emotional hug past times a Tikar women. She was renamed Bekang.
It is inwards this way that during the 19th century fondoms such equally Nso, Kom, Bafut, Bum together with Ndu expanded their boundaries past times incorporating or making tributaries of neighbouring fondoms, patch at the same fourth dimension entertaining relations of conflict together with tension or conviviality with their boyfriend Tikar fondoms. Bum, for instance, though small, gained importance from its piece of employment equally an “entrepot for the kola merchandise with Jukun together with Hausa inwards the
north-west during the afterward piece of employment of the century”, together with had “intermittent hostility” with Kom, its southern neighbours, patch maintaining friendship with Nso together with Ndu. Nso was to a greater extent than oft than non at conflict with Ndu together with enjoyed an alliance with Kom, which was inwards contest with Bafut on its south-western boundary for the allegiance of much smaller fondoms (Mbuagbaw et al. 1987:31; Nkwi 1987:23-30; Yenshu 2001).
Blair Underwood inwards Tikar dress. Despite his deoxyribonucleic acid ancestry beingness of Igbo root some piece of employment of it also has Tikar traces. He is captured his visiting Tikar Village of Babunga (Vengo) inwards Cameroon
“The Tikar Problem” inwards the Bamenda Grassfields
Today, the diverse groups of Tikar similar a shot settled inwards the Bamenda Grassfields reportedly delineate their root to Tibati, Banyo, Kimi together with Ndobo of north-east Cameroon. Indeed, many royal lineages of diverse Grassfields fondoms claim to receive got originated from the“Ndobo-Tikar” country, a part that covers the surface area betwixt the Upper Mbam together with the Upper Noun. In sure cases inwards the Bamenda Grassfields – Bafut, Nkwen, Bambili together with Bambui, their claims to beingness Tikar are non backed upwardly past times traceable direct contact, rituals, telephone commutation or fon linking them with Rifum or Bankim, the most prestigious centres of the Upper Mbam valley. Culturally, the only establishment of Tikar root inwards the fondoms inwards enquiry is the princes’ fraternity known equally Ngirri, which the fondoms of Nso together with Bamum for example, claim they acquired along with the paraphernalia from Rifum.
Other institutions such equally Kwifon (ngwerong inwards Nso together with its tributaries) are widespread inwards the Grassfields together with jibe to those inwards the Tikar groups of the Upper Mbam region. In price of languages spoken, it would seem that the Tikar of the Grassfields receive got through encounters together with conviviality with other languages over the years, lost much of their linguistic similarities with the linguistic communication of the Tikar who shortly occupy the Tikar Plain. Some would scrap that this makes of the Tikar of the Tikar plainly the “true” Tikar.
The lack of whatever direct connections with Rifum notwithstanding, the fondoms inwards enquiry could good live on of Tikar origin, precisely asthey could good non be. Nkwi together with Warnier receive got observed, for some fondoms to have
maintained oral tradition to root fifty-fifty with picayune to authenticate those origin, thosefondoms must receive got an involvement inwards doing so, together with those traditions must live on important inwards their life (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:26; Nkwi 1987:23-28). This number has been termed past times scholars “The Tikar Problem”, together with remains the dependent patch of much ongoing debate (Chilver & Kaberry 1971; Fowler & Zietlyn 1996: 6-15; Yenshu 2001).
To Jean-Pierre Warnier, an anthropologist together with archaeologist who has worked extensivelyon pre-colonial Bamenda Grassfields, inwards many regards, the “Tikar Complex” is essentially an affair of the relations betwixt fons on the i hand, together with betwixt a fon together with his people on the other. First, for fons sharing mutual claims of origin, the Tikar Complex was a sufficient ground inwards regulation to found mutual obligations together with taboos in
an assumed alliance without the demand for recourse to advertizement hoc rituals. And for fons who did non part the same myths of origin, the mere reference to Ndobo-Tikar was argue plenty to found divergence equally legitimate ground for hostility or to homecoming necessary a ritual of alliance, or inwards other instances to fuel sentiments of aristocratic superiority on the piece of employment of a “Tikar” fon. The prestige that came with declaring oneself equally Tikar fifty-fifty when i was genuinely non was the fact of beingness seen equally blood brother of renowned fondoms such equally Nso
together with Fumban. With the claim to beingness Tikar came a sure feel of entitlement or legitimacy to ability over non-Tikar populations fifty-fifty when these were inwards the majority.
Hence it must live on stressed that Tikar traditions are outset together with foremost associated with royalty together with royal lineages than with the wider group, together with that acquiring either through payment or otherwise ‘authentic Tikar’ signs of legitimacy (e.g. regalia, Ngirri) straight from fons of Tikar descent was capable of bestowing some of that Tikarness on non-Tikar (Warnier 1985:264-266). Claims of Tikar root hateful less for most of the population than they practice to their fons who seek political working capital alphabetic lineament through such claims (Fowler & Zeitlyn 1996:6-15). This agency that Tikar identity, similar identities everywhere, is non only dependent patch to renegotiation with novel encounters, but that it cannot live on understood divorced from the ability dynamics that accord or deny value to identities.
The same declaration is developed inwards Elements for a History of the Western Grassfields, which Jean-Pierre Warnier co-authored with some other anthropologist, Paul Nkwi, a Tikar from the fondom of Kom. “Claiming a Tikar root was tantamount to claiming high condition together with legitimate political power”, together with the closer to Bankim inwards rituals i was, the greater one’s legitimacy together with power. Thus the Bamoun, Nso together with others, past times recognizing
the ritual ascendence of the fon of Bankim together with past times maintaining a tradition where newparamount fons must live on blessed at Rifum, a sacred lake close Bankim, earn themselves plenty symbolic working capital alphabetic lineament to draw their political together with economical weight vis-à-vis their ain subjects who may or may non claim Tikar origin, together with peculiarly inwards relation to otherfondoms together with the agents of the province who are constantly shopping for local authorities as
vote banks together with auxiliaries of the government. Similarly, the farther together with farther away from Kimi i got, the to a greater extent than remote together with hard to substantiate their claims to live on Tikar became (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:26-27)
Given that the Bamenda Grassfields were occupied long before alleged Tikar migration, the fact that the royal lineage claims Tikar descent does non imply that the fondom equally a whole is Tikar, equally the province of affairs of Bum together with Bafut would attest (Nyamnjoh 1985; Yenshu 2001). Among groups where Tikar root is claimed past times both royal together with commoner lineages are Kom, Nso, Mbem together with Weh (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:14-16).
However, given how mutual it was for people to displace betwixt groups inwards the 19th century for reasons of
trade, witchcraft, conflict, diplomacy together with matrimony inter alia, it is hardly surprising that few Tikar groups were pure together with that fewer soundless are, fifty-fifty where commoners together with royal lineages maintain to claim Tikar origin. It was together with soundless is commonplace for potential successors to compete for the throne on the decease of a fon, together with for the unsuccessful candidates to accept refuge inwards other fondoms, taking along with them large numbers of supporters (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:24-28; Nkwi 1987:23-28). Here equally elsewhere, the vogue to delineate descent solely through the manlike somebody business has oft had the resultant of oversimplifying the complexity of identities. Personally, I grew upwardly inwards ii palaces together with belong with at to the lowest degree 3 fondoms, ii Tikar (Bum together with Mmen), a tertiary Widikum (Mankon), together with my biological together with social root tin live on traced to a lot more, such that
answering unproblematic together with oft simplistic questions such equally ‘where practice you lot come upwardly from originally?’ is no unproblematic feat (Nyamnjoh 2002). There is hence no such thing equally the essential, pure or homogenous Tikar community fifty-fifty with the so-called “true” Tikar of the Upper Mbam Tikar Plain, precisely equally at that spot is no essential African or American, equally long equally physical, cultural together with ideological mobility are piece of employment together with parcel of our reality together with history. Being Tikar, beingness American or beingness anything for that matter, is ever a negotiated reality dependent patch to constant renegotiation inwards melody with novel encounters, the aspirations of the minute together with the relationships that engender such aspirations together with brand possible or impossible their realization (Nyamnjoh 2002, 2005, 2007a&b).
Tikar people
Trading together with Relations with Others
Prior to the 19th century the Grassfields were a largely isolated region. Given the high altitude, mountainous together with hard landscape of the Grassfields, the lack of navigable waterways, together with the fact that shipping prior to the opening of motorable roads was largely done past times human porterage, the part did non practice goodness from the vast trading networks that crossed Africa inwards diverse directions, together with which coastal chiefdoms took
bully wages of. The mount arrive at that extends from the Grassfields to Lake Chadand the Jos Plateau of Nigeria remained largely undisturbed until the 19th century (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:78). Trade was mainly inwards slaves (see Chem-Langhëë 1995, for to a greater extent than on 19th together with 20th century slavery inwards the Grassfields), ivory, kola nuts, salt, oil, iron, stuff pearls together with cowries, which inwards sure regions were adopted equally forms of payment. During the 19th century the Bamenda Grassfields was soundless real largely exterior the trading networks of the Benue together with Adamawa. But these ii networks would spread themselves into the Bamenda Plateau at the destination of the 19th Century, thereby offering the communities of the part the possibility for differentiation (Rowlands 1978; Warnier 1985:141-148).
Two Tikar fondoms, Bum together with Fumban, occupied strategic positions equally merchandise routes, Bum for merchandise with Wukari together with Fumban for merchandise with Banyo. At first, merchandise betwixt the Benue together with the Grassfields was soundless mainly inwards the hands of the local population, which was non the instance with merchandise with the Adamawa region, which was totally nether the command of the Hausas, whose touching on inwards the Grassfields has been such that at that spot is hardlya local marketplace seat today where i does non unwrap a Hausa trader on a mat with items such equally herbs, salt, pulverization together with picayune packets of mixtures of cooking ingredients of all sorts. The mountainous nature of the part added to many rivers to brand it hard to travel, peculiarly at the rainy season, pregnant that only sure routes were possible for traders. Kola nut to a greater extent than oft than non produced inwards Nsungli together with Nso was sold inwards Nigeria through Banyo, Yolaand Takum, together with the importance of the Banyo route was only diminished when the French together with British laid customs posts. The donkeys seen today inwards Nso (where they are called “the kola animals”) together with elsewhere inwards the Grassfields were in all likelihood introduced during the kola merchandise (Warnier 1985:141-148). In the 2nd one-half of the 19th century, the fon of Bafut was allegedly so powerful that he used to send traders equally far away equally Takum (Warnier 1985:267). The Western together with Eastern Grassfields along with their Tikar fondoms receive got yielded some of the most enterprising entrepreneurs inwards nowadays twenty-four hours Cameroon
(Warnier 1993).
Procession of Tikar elders
Culture
The Tikar receive got elements of matrilineal together with patrilineal descent. Their folk belief states that during pregnancy the blood that the adult woman would usually liberate during period of time forms parts of the fetus. This blood is said to shape the skin, blood, flesh together with most of the organs. The bones, brain, pump together with teeth are believed to live on formed from the father's sperm. In the instance of a boy the masculinity also comes from this. The Tikar are also noted equally mask-makers.
The primary religion of the Tikar people is Islam
The History of the Masks of the Tikar
The Tikar people receive got focused on teaching for generations. Teachers taught boys vocational skills which included craft-making, woodcarving, mask carving together with making bronze sculptures. They developed a procedure of using hot wax together with bronze to create masks together with statues to live on used during agricultural ceremonies together with festivals.
The Tikar or Twumwu people currently number betwixt 44,000 together with 250,000 (depending on the source) inwards Cameroon, inwards the grasslands areas of fundamental Africa. More than 25 peoples of this surface area currently claim Tikar root including the Nso, Kom, Bum together with more. While they beak a diversity of languages (even though French together with English linguistic communication are their official languages), they all claim to receive got similar ancestors linking their history together with culture. Approximately 65 per centum of the population is Islam with some other 20 per centum claiming Christianity. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 largely agricultural people, their main crops are cocoa, coffee, bananas, plantains, carbohydrate cane together with cassava, with many others.
Tikar Buffalo mask
Ceremonies
Many believe the Tikar masks are originally used to celebrate agricultural ceremonies or festivals with a plentiful harvest resulting inwards fifty-fifty larger, to a greater extent than elaborate celebrations. Hosting an honored invitee was also crusade for celebration equally these extremely political people were wise to process unusual dignitaries with respect. During these festival,s plam wine, billet beer together with carbonated drinks are served along with a chicken, goat, steer or sheep.
Source:http://www.nyamnjoh.com/files/africanamerican_ancestry_search_tikar_origins.pdf
Their population is about 47,000. They part their linguistic communication with the Bedzan pygmies.
In recent times, the Tikar people receive got acquire pop to African-Americans.
Tikar people of Nso tribe, Cameroon
On the 2006 PBS idiot box program African American Lives, the noted African American musician Quincy Jones had his deoxyribonucleic acid tested; the assay showed him to live on of Tikar descent. In the PBS idiot box program Finding Your Roots, African American former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice learned she shared maternal heritage with the Tikar. Actress Alfre Woodard's also traced her recent deoxyribonucleic acid ancestry to the Tikar people of Cameroon
Condolezza Rice traces her ancestry to Tikat people of Cameroon
Language
The Tikar people beak Bantoid language, also called Tikar. Tikar is a Bantoid linguistic communication of uncertain classification spoken inwards Republic of Cameroon past times the Bankim, Ngambe, together with related Tikar peoples, equally good equally past times the Bedzan Pygmies. Blench (2011) states that the picayune testify available suggests that it is most closely related to the Mambiloid together with Dakoid languages.Variants of the hollo are Tikali, Tikar-East, Tikari, Tingkala. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Bandobo diversity (Ndobo, Ndob, Ndome) may live on a separate language. Less divergent dialects are Twumwu (Tumu) inwards Bankim, Tige inwards Ngambe, Nditam, Kong, Mankim, Gambai, together with Bedzan.
Tikar people
Tikar is a embrace term for 3 relatively similar dialects spoken inwards the Cameroun Grassfields, Tikari, Tige
together with Tumu (Stanley 1991). Tikar is spoken on the Tikar plain, S together with south-east of Mambiloid proper,
together with it shares a mutual edge with some Mambila together with Kwanja lects inwards Cameroun. The Tikar Plain, a
highly multi-lingual region, is referenced inwards many early on administrative documents. Koelle (1954) includes a
Tikar wordlist, but the outset analysis of the Tikar linguistic communication may live on inwards Westermann & Bryan (1952) who
considered it an isolated language. Richardson (1957) groups it with Bantoid together with Williamson (1971) treats
it equally an isolated subgroup of her Bantu node. Clearly, the Tikar linguistic communication has ever been somewhat
problematic inwards price of its classification. Dieu & Renaud (1983) placed it together with Ndemli, another
linguistic communication that is hard to classify, although this may live on precisely an admission of ignorance. Piron (1996,
III:628) recognises it equally piece of employment of her non-Bantu grouping together with assigns it a co-ordinate branch with Dakoid,
Tivoid, Grassfields together with the other branches of Bantoid (her ‘South Bantoid’) inwards opposition to Mambiloid.
Stanley (1991) notes that Tikar has many lexical similarities with the neighbouring Bafia (A53) but that the
morphosyntax is quite different.
Legendary Musician Quincy Jones traces his ancestry to Tikar people of Cameroon
The main sources for this linguistic communication are Hagège (1969), Jackson & Stanley (1977), Jackson (1980, 1984,
1987, 1988), Stanley (1982a,b,c; 1991) together with Stanley-Thorne (1995). Following the establishment of a
literacy programme, Tikar has been studied intensively together with at that spot are diverse academic papers on the syntax
equally good equally a doctoral thesis (Stanley 1991). Separately a serial of lexical studies published inwards German linguistic communication exist
(Mamadou 1981, 1984). There is also an unpublished dictionary (Jackson 1988). The Bankim dialect,
Twumwu, is the principal i chosen for standardisation together with development. Nonetheless, primary
comparisons practice propose that Tikar plays a piece of employment inwards the North Bantoid grouping together with it is tentatively assigned a
co-ordinate seat with the Dakoid-Mambiloid grouping.
African-American actress Alfre Woodard's traces her ancestry to Tikar people of Cameroon
History/Origin
According to historians, anthropologists, archeologists together with oral tradition, the Tikar originated from north-eastern Cameroon, about the Adamawa together with Lake Republic of Chad regions(present-day Adamawa, North together with Far-North Provinces). Tikar migration southwards together with westwards in all likelihood intensified with the raid for slaves past times invading Fulani from Northern Nigeria inwards the 18th together with 19th centuries. However, at that spot is argue to believe that such migration was ongoing for centuries long before the invasion. The pressure level of invasion past times the Fulani raiders sure enough occasioned the movements that led the Tikar to their electrical current locations inwards the Western Grassfields (Bamenda Plateau) together with Eastern Grassfields (Fumban) together with the Tikar plainly of Bankim (Upper Mbam) (Mbuagbaw, Brain & Palmer, 1987:26; Mbaku 2005:10-12). Upon arrival inwards the Grassfields, the Tikar found other populations inwards place, populations which had either migrated from elsewhere or had
inhabited the part for centuries. Their arrival occasioned population movements, precisely equally did the arrival of others after them. Pre-colonial Cameroon, similar the residual of Africa, was richly characterized past times population movements non ever induced past times conflict or invasion.
Tikar elders
In the Bamenda Grassfields, those who claim Tikar root include Nso, Kom, Bum,Bafut, Oku, Mbiame, Wiya, Tang, War, Mbot, Mbem, Fungom, Weh, Mmen, Bamunka, Babungo, Bamessi, Bamessing, Bambalang, Bamali, Bafanji, Baba (Papiakum), Bangola, Big Babanki, Babanki Tungo, Nkwen, Bambili together with Bambui. Their alleged migration from the Upper Mbam River part was inwards waves, together with to a greater extent than oft than non led past times princes of Rifum fons, desirous of setting upwardly their ain dynasties (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:16; Nkwi1987:15-28). The authors of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 History of Republic of Cameroon capture the Tikar migration asfollows:
“It was almost 3 hundred years agone that increasing pressure level from the due north and
internal troubles addition the wishing for novel lands led to the splitting upwardly of Tikar
groups into modest bands, which, having left Kimi, drifted farther due west together with southwest.
Some of these moved nether the leadership of the sons of a Tikar ruler who
afterward called themselves Fons, the most mutual Bamenda term for paramount
chiefs. These groups, at diverse times reached what is similar a shot Mezam. Among the
before were those who came from Ndobo to the Ndop plainly inwards the S of
Bamenda, where they formed small, politically independent villages a few
kilometers apart. No semblance of political unity was achieved. In the north-east
nosotros receive got Mbaw, Mbem, together with Nsungli, also settlements of Tikar, together with below the
escarpment of a afterward appointment settlements of Wiya, Tang, together with War. The main trunk of
this grouping however, laid off nether the leadership of their Fon together with founded the
kingdom of Bum. The Bafut, Kom, together with Nsaw were with the final to arrive.”
(Mbuagbaw et al. 1987:30).
Tikar Structures together with Institutions
The political structures together with institutions of the Tikar chiefdoms are real similar, together with receive got influenced together with been influenced past times those of neighbouring non-Tikar groups. Some useful studies of Tikar political structures together with institutions exist. Like other communities inwards the region, a Bamenda Grassfields Tikar community is led past times a main who is popularly known equally fon, together with whose chiefdomhenceforth nosotros are going to telephone telephone fondom. The Tikar inwards the Bamenda Grassfields mostlycame equally modest princely emigrant groups, to occupy areas that were already settled past times other groups, with the resultant that inwards almost every Tikar fondom, are smaller fondoms that were either conquered or given protection past times the Tikar, but that receive got largely retained their hereditary dynasties (Nkwi 1987:23-30; Mbuagbaw et al. 1987:30; Warnier 1985).
African-American lady Anita Woodley who traced her root to Tikar beingness welcomed with an emotional hug past times a Tikar women. She was renamed Bekang.
It is inwards this way that during the 19th century fondoms such equally Nso, Kom, Bafut, Bum together with Ndu expanded their boundaries past times incorporating or making tributaries of neighbouring fondoms, patch at the same fourth dimension entertaining relations of conflict together with tension or conviviality with their boyfriend Tikar fondoms. Bum, for instance, though small, gained importance from its piece of employment equally an “entrepot for the kola merchandise with Jukun together with Hausa inwards the
north-west during the afterward piece of employment of the century”, together with had “intermittent hostility” with Kom, its southern neighbours, patch maintaining friendship with Nso together with Ndu. Nso was to a greater extent than oft than non at conflict with Ndu together with enjoyed an alliance with Kom, which was inwards contest with Bafut on its south-western boundary for the allegiance of much smaller fondoms (Mbuagbaw et al. 1987:31; Nkwi 1987:23-30; Yenshu 2001).
Blair Underwood inwards Tikar dress. Despite his deoxyribonucleic acid ancestry beingness of Igbo root some piece of employment of it also has Tikar traces. He is captured his visiting Tikar Village of Babunga (Vengo) inwards Cameroon
“The Tikar Problem” inwards the Bamenda Grassfields
Today, the diverse groups of Tikar similar a shot settled inwards the Bamenda Grassfields reportedly delineate their root to Tibati, Banyo, Kimi together with Ndobo of north-east Cameroon. Indeed, many royal lineages of diverse Grassfields fondoms claim to receive got originated from the“Ndobo-Tikar” country, a part that covers the surface area betwixt the Upper Mbam together with the Upper Noun. In sure cases inwards the Bamenda Grassfields – Bafut, Nkwen, Bambili together with Bambui, their claims to beingness Tikar are non backed upwardly past times traceable direct contact, rituals, telephone commutation or fon linking them with Rifum or Bankim, the most prestigious centres of the Upper Mbam valley. Culturally, the only establishment of Tikar root inwards the fondoms inwards enquiry is the princes’ fraternity known equally Ngirri, which the fondoms of Nso together with Bamum for example, claim they acquired along with the paraphernalia from Rifum.
Other institutions such equally Kwifon (ngwerong inwards Nso together with its tributaries) are widespread inwards the Grassfields together with jibe to those inwards the Tikar groups of the Upper Mbam region. In price of languages spoken, it would seem that the Tikar of the Grassfields receive got through encounters together with conviviality with other languages over the years, lost much of their linguistic similarities with the linguistic communication of the Tikar who shortly occupy the Tikar Plain. Some would scrap that this makes of the Tikar of the Tikar plainly the “true” Tikar.
The lack of whatever direct connections with Rifum notwithstanding, the fondoms inwards enquiry could good live on of Tikar origin, precisely asthey could good non be. Nkwi together with Warnier receive got observed, for some fondoms to have
maintained oral tradition to root fifty-fifty with picayune to authenticate those origin, thosefondoms must receive got an involvement inwards doing so, together with those traditions must live on important inwards their life (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:26; Nkwi 1987:23-28). This number has been termed past times scholars “The Tikar Problem”, together with remains the dependent patch of much ongoing debate (Chilver & Kaberry 1971; Fowler & Zietlyn 1996: 6-15; Yenshu 2001).
To Jean-Pierre Warnier, an anthropologist together with archaeologist who has worked extensivelyon pre-colonial Bamenda Grassfields, inwards many regards, the “Tikar Complex” is essentially an affair of the relations betwixt fons on the i hand, together with betwixt a fon together with his people on the other. First, for fons sharing mutual claims of origin, the Tikar Complex was a sufficient ground inwards regulation to found mutual obligations together with taboos in
an assumed alliance without the demand for recourse to advertizement hoc rituals. And for fons who did non part the same myths of origin, the mere reference to Ndobo-Tikar was argue plenty to found divergence equally legitimate ground for hostility or to homecoming necessary a ritual of alliance, or inwards other instances to fuel sentiments of aristocratic superiority on the piece of employment of a “Tikar” fon. The prestige that came with declaring oneself equally Tikar fifty-fifty when i was genuinely non was the fact of beingness seen equally blood brother of renowned fondoms such equally Nso
together with Fumban. With the claim to beingness Tikar came a sure feel of entitlement or legitimacy to ability over non-Tikar populations fifty-fifty when these were inwards the majority.
Beautiful Tikar tribe woman
Hence it must live on stressed that Tikar traditions are outset together with foremost associated with royalty together with royal lineages than with the wider group, together with that acquiring either through payment or otherwise ‘authentic Tikar’ signs of legitimacy (e.g. regalia, Ngirri) straight from fons of Tikar descent was capable of bestowing some of that Tikarness on non-Tikar (Warnier 1985:264-266). Claims of Tikar root hateful less for most of the population than they practice to their fons who seek political working capital alphabetic lineament through such claims (Fowler & Zeitlyn 1996:6-15). This agency that Tikar identity, similar identities everywhere, is non only dependent patch to renegotiation with novel encounters, but that it cannot live on understood divorced from the ability dynamics that accord or deny value to identities.
African-American genealogist William Holland, dressed inwards traditional garb, shows off the ceremonial masks he bought on eBay. He plans to homecoming the masks to the tribes from whence they came during a trip to Cameroon. He is from Oku clan of Tikar people
The same declaration is developed inwards Elements for a History of the Western Grassfields, which Jean-Pierre Warnier co-authored with some other anthropologist, Paul Nkwi, a Tikar from the fondom of Kom. “Claiming a Tikar root was tantamount to claiming high condition together with legitimate political power”, together with the closer to Bankim inwards rituals i was, the greater one’s legitimacy together with power. Thus the Bamoun, Nso together with others, past times recognizing
the ritual ascendence of the fon of Bankim together with past times maintaining a tradition where newparamount fons must live on blessed at Rifum, a sacred lake close Bankim, earn themselves plenty symbolic working capital alphabetic lineament to draw their political together with economical weight vis-à-vis their ain subjects who may or may non claim Tikar origin, together with peculiarly inwards relation to otherfondoms together with the agents of the province who are constantly shopping for local authorities as
vote banks together with auxiliaries of the government. Similarly, the farther together with farther away from Kimi i got, the to a greater extent than remote together with hard to substantiate their claims to live on Tikar became (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:26-27)
Given that the Bamenda Grassfields were occupied long before alleged Tikar migration, the fact that the royal lineage claims Tikar descent does non imply that the fondom equally a whole is Tikar, equally the province of affairs of Bum together with Bafut would attest (Nyamnjoh 1985; Yenshu 2001). Among groups where Tikar root is claimed past times both royal together with commoner lineages are Kom, Nso, Mbem together with Weh (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:14-16).
However, given how mutual it was for people to displace betwixt groups inwards the 19th century for reasons of
trade, witchcraft, conflict, diplomacy together with matrimony inter alia, it is hardly surprising that few Tikar groups were pure together with that fewer soundless are, fifty-fifty where commoners together with royal lineages maintain to claim Tikar origin. It was together with soundless is commonplace for potential successors to compete for the throne on the decease of a fon, together with for the unsuccessful candidates to accept refuge inwards other fondoms, taking along with them large numbers of supporters (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:24-28; Nkwi 1987:23-28). Here equally elsewhere, the vogue to delineate descent solely through the manlike somebody business has oft had the resultant of oversimplifying the complexity of identities. Personally, I grew upwardly inwards ii palaces together with belong with at to the lowest degree 3 fondoms, ii Tikar (Bum together with Mmen), a tertiary Widikum (Mankon), together with my biological together with social root tin live on traced to a lot more, such that
answering unproblematic together with oft simplistic questions such equally ‘where practice you lot come upwardly from originally?’ is no unproblematic feat (Nyamnjoh 2002). There is hence no such thing equally the essential, pure or homogenous Tikar community fifty-fifty with the so-called “true” Tikar of the Upper Mbam Tikar Plain, precisely equally at that spot is no essential African or American, equally long equally physical, cultural together with ideological mobility are piece of employment together with parcel of our reality together with history. Being Tikar, beingness American or beingness anything for that matter, is ever a negotiated reality dependent patch to constant renegotiation inwards melody with novel encounters, the aspirations of the minute together with the relationships that engender such aspirations together with brand possible or impossible their realization (Nyamnjoh 2002, 2005, 2007a&b).
Tikar people
Trading together with Relations with Others
Prior to the 19th century the Grassfields were a largely isolated region. Given the high altitude, mountainous together with hard landscape of the Grassfields, the lack of navigable waterways, together with the fact that shipping prior to the opening of motorable roads was largely done past times human porterage, the part did non practice goodness from the vast trading networks that crossed Africa inwards diverse directions, together with which coastal chiefdoms took
bully wages of. The mount arrive at that extends from the Grassfields to Lake Chadand the Jos Plateau of Nigeria remained largely undisturbed until the 19th century (Nkwi & Warnier 1982:78). Trade was mainly inwards slaves (see Chem-Langhëë 1995, for to a greater extent than on 19th together with 20th century slavery inwards the Grassfields), ivory, kola nuts, salt, oil, iron, stuff pearls together with cowries, which inwards sure regions were adopted equally forms of payment. During the 19th century the Bamenda Grassfields was soundless real largely exterior the trading networks of the Benue together with Adamawa. But these ii networks would spread themselves into the Bamenda Plateau at the destination of the 19th Century, thereby offering the communities of the part the possibility for differentiation (Rowlands 1978; Warnier 1985:141-148).
Tikar wedded couples inwards their traditional marriage ceremony clothe inwards Washington DC
Two Tikar fondoms, Bum together with Fumban, occupied strategic positions equally merchandise routes, Bum for merchandise with Wukari together with Fumban for merchandise with Banyo. At first, merchandise betwixt the Benue together with the Grassfields was soundless mainly inwards the hands of the local population, which was non the instance with merchandise with the Adamawa region, which was totally nether the command of the Hausas, whose touching on inwards the Grassfields has been such that at that spot is hardlya local marketplace seat today where i does non unwrap a Hausa trader on a mat with items such equally herbs, salt, pulverization together with picayune packets of mixtures of cooking ingredients of all sorts. The mountainous nature of the part added to many rivers to brand it hard to travel, peculiarly at the rainy season, pregnant that only sure routes were possible for traders. Kola nut to a greater extent than oft than non produced inwards Nsungli together with Nso was sold inwards Nigeria through Banyo, Yolaand Takum, together with the importance of the Banyo route was only diminished when the French together with British laid customs posts. The donkeys seen today inwards Nso (where they are called “the kola animals”) together with elsewhere inwards the Grassfields were in all likelihood introduced during the kola merchandise (Warnier 1985:141-148). In the 2nd one-half of the 19th century, the fon of Bafut was allegedly so powerful that he used to send traders equally far away equally Takum (Warnier 1985:267). The Western together with Eastern Grassfields along with their Tikar fondoms receive got yielded some of the most enterprising entrepreneurs inwards nowadays twenty-four hours Cameroon
(Warnier 1993).
Procession of Tikar elders
Culture
The Tikar receive got elements of matrilineal together with patrilineal descent. Their folk belief states that during pregnancy the blood that the adult woman would usually liberate during period of time forms parts of the fetus. This blood is said to shape the skin, blood, flesh together with most of the organs. The bones, brain, pump together with teeth are believed to live on formed from the father's sperm. In the instance of a boy the masculinity also comes from this. The Tikar are also noted equally mask-makers.
The primary religion of the Tikar people is Islam
Dance mask, Tikar, Cameroon
wood, rattan, merchandise cloth, pigment - 49cm
gift of Peter Natan
wood, rattan, merchandise cloth, pigment - 49cm
gift of Peter Natan
The History of the Masks of the Tikar
The Tikar people receive got focused on teaching for generations. Teachers taught boys vocational skills which included craft-making, woodcarving, mask carving together with making bronze sculptures. They developed a procedure of using hot wax together with bronze to create masks together with statues to live on used during agricultural ceremonies together with festivals.
Tikar facial mask
The Tikar or Twumwu people currently number betwixt 44,000 together with 250,000 (depending on the source) inwards Cameroon, inwards the grasslands areas of fundamental Africa. More than 25 peoples of this surface area currently claim Tikar root including the Nso, Kom, Bum together with more. While they beak a diversity of languages (even though French together with English linguistic communication are their official languages), they all claim to receive got similar ancestors linking their history together with culture. Approximately 65 per centum of the population is Islam with some other 20 per centum claiming Christianity. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 largely agricultural people, their main crops are cocoa, coffee, bananas, plantains, carbohydrate cane together with cassava, with many others.
Tikar Buffalo mask
Ceremonies
Many believe the Tikar masks are originally used to celebrate agricultural ceremonies or festivals with a plentiful harvest resulting inwards fifty-fifty larger, to a greater extent than elaborate celebrations. Hosting an honored invitee was also crusade for celebration equally these extremely political people were wise to process unusual dignitaries with respect. During these festival,s plam wine, billet beer together with carbonated drinks are served along with a chicken, goat, steer or sheep.
Alfie Woodard has Tikar tribe DNA
Tikar Batibo fondom
Condolezza Rice has Tikar tribe DNA
Tikar Bambui fondom
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