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Technium Education and Humanities

An Annual festival is a cultural event which is celebrated by most if not all Western Grassfields... more An Annual festival is a cultural event which is celebrated by most if not all Western Grassfields Fondoms. In Bafut, this annual festival is referred to as ‘abine-mfor’ (fon’s dance) or ‘flutes’ dance’. This occasion was instituted by the very first fon of the Bafut Fondom to commemorate the ancestors and spirits through sacrifices and dancing. The majority of Bafut people admire and celebrate the Abine-mfor with passion but very few understand the raison d’être of the dance. The question is what is the cultural significance of the fon’s dance in the life of the Bafut fondom? This paper examines the symbolism of Abine-mfor and the functions of the ceremony in the life of the fondom. Collecting data for this paper, we used the qualitative method. This method was employed through techniques such as participant observation, in-depth interview, informal discussions, literature review and photography. The data was interpreted using theories of symbolic anthropology of Geertz, and functio...

International Journal of Education and Social Science Research

The people of the Bamenda Grassfields of Cameroon are incredible artists, producing invaluable ob... more The people of the Bamenda Grassfields of Cameroon are incredible artists, producing invaluable objects in all the domains of arts; basketry, sculpture, embroidery, pottery, paintings, etc. People in receptacles: the case of the basket in the Bamenda Grassfields of Cameroon examines the usefulness of this culturally valuable object in the daily lives of the people. It raises the problem that as days go by, some of the values of the baskets are being modified because of the introduction of alternative containers. Although the basket like most indigenous receptacles still play very important functions in rituals and healing, if this domain of art is not conserved, in the next two to three decades, the generations to come will know nothing about the baskets because they might completely disappear. Before the arrival of the ‘whiteman’ or before the Bamenda Grassfields people came in contact with the outside world, the basket could be seen in all the different parts of the peoples’ cultur...

East African Scholars Multidisciplinary Bulletin

The cowries have a very long history in the Grassfields of Cameroon. This emblematic object that ... more The cowries have a very long history in the Grassfields of Cameroon. This emblematic object that was once used as legal tender in this area is a very invaluable element of cultural identity and social stratification. When this object ceased to be used as money, it was and is reserved for the royalty where it was and is being used to demonstrate their authority. It was also used in ritual and divination. The cultural meaning of this object continuous to change, thereby making it to lose its original functions. Today, it is used to play more social functions and by just anyone who can have money to purchase. As the days go by, original cowries are fast disappearing, giving way to artificial ones. This change noticed in cowries is an indicator of socio-cultural changes currently on going with many cultural elements in the Grassfields and in Africa in general. The more time passes, the more their functions change. The question which arises therefore is ‘what are the changes that have ta...

EAS Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, 2021

Every society has the interest to preserve its cultural heritage for posterity. The xylophone whi... more Every society has the interest to preserve its cultural heritage for posterity. The xylophone which is one of the prominent instruments used to produce music in the Grassfields of Cameroon is an important heritage of this people. It is used in most traditional dances both sacred and profane. This instrument has undergone transformation and is still being transformed. Although the history of the xylophone is difficult to trace, it has evolved from simple bars made from special wood placed on bananas or plantain stems to complex, well carved bars and built in boxes and others on long wooden logs. The production and manipulation of this musical instrument was reserved for the nobility who had the prerogative to own masquerades "jujus." This knowledge was usually transmitted from father to son(s) after so many years of apprenticeship. Today, the ownership of the juju is open to all and due to this reason; the sacredness of this invaluable object is slowly dying out. The production of xylophones is done with any available wood with many of them built to match changing times. This paper explores how the xylophone has evolved over time in the Grassfields of Cameroon and the significance of the xylophone in the culture of the Grassfielders. With information got from participation in traditional dances in which the xylophones are used and interviews with notables and juju owners, I found out that the production of xylophones used to be a part of most royal settings because demonstrated the political, social and religious organisation of Grassfields kingdoms. These xylophones gradually became a major musical instrument in some Christian churches.

International Journal of Education and Social Science Research, 2020

A megalith is a large stone, sometimes forming part of a group or circle, thought to have been im... more A megalith is a large stone, sometimes forming part of a group or circle, thought to have been important to people in the Stone Age. A stone can mean different things and have varied functions to different people in the world in general and to Africans in particular. In the majority of Bamenda Grassfield societies, there are stones of different categories ranging from the very simple to the most sacred. The simple stones have varied uses. The sacred ones vary in nature (shape, size and colour); they are found in diverse places and perform different roles. These stones range from the long, round to very big hills. They are produced and consecrated by diverse sacred societies under the supervision of the kwifon. Different stones and megaliths are associated with different sacred institutions. Stones are a symbol of power and authority, representations rooted in the people's ancestor veneration. The objective of this paper is to uncover the symbolism and roles of stones among the Bamenda-Tikars with a special interest in sacred stones or megaliths. Data for this paper was collected using the qualitative and quantitative methods and the data was analysed as soon as the research was over.

Journal of Religious and Cultural Dynamics

Purpose: Arts is a source of livelihood in all societies and one of the major reasons artists pro... more Purpose: Arts is a source of livelihood in all societies and one of the major reasons artists produce objects is to sell and raise an income. This paper is on arts and livelihood: the case of sculpturing and weaving in Kedjom chiefdoms. Kedjom is one of the centres of wood carving in the Grassfields with the artists producing all sorts of carvings which include beds, thrones, stools, walking sticks and many more. This trade was regarded by the young people in the past as a job reserved for old people. But today, youths have found out that the trade is lucrative and many of them are currently engaged in it. This paper therefore explores the significance of these economic activities (sculpturing and weaving) in the livelihood of the people in particular and the chiefdom in general. Methodology: Data for this paper was collected using both the qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative method was employed through participant observation, in-depth interview, focus group discu...

International Journal of Innovative Research in Engineering & Multidisciplinary Physical Sciences

The bag like any other aspect of art is an important cultural heritage of every society. As Frank... more The bag like any other aspect of art is an important cultural heritage of every society. As Frank Boas puts it arts and man are inseparable, and that no society can exist without arts. In the Bamenda Grassfields, bag production is done by a few cultures and such activity performed absolutely by the men has been handed down from one generation to another with very little modification. In the pre-colonial days, traditional bags were produced with three major raw materials namely animal skin, fibre and a special fabric called ndop. But today, with the challenges of modernity, the traditional bags of the Bamenda Grassfieds is undergoing gradual modifications both in materials used in production and function. Despite these changes noticed in the manufacture as well as use of the traditional bag, this receptacle still fulfils its functions some of which are to store and carry objects. They are also used to provide healing to patients. Bags can also be used to portray the socio-political organisation of the Bamenda Grassfielders. They are elements of social stratification and cultural identity; they therefore have roles in politics, social, religion, economics and healing. Data for this research was carried using the qualitative as well as the quantitative methods and the information was analysed soon after the data collection was over.

IJIRMPS, Dec 9, 2020

Data for this research was carried using the qualitative as well as the quantitative methods and the information was analysed soon after the data collection was over.