The Griot

Migration is an integral part of human history. The movements and splitting up of the Tikar clan, which constitutes a major fraction of the North West Region, account for the present-day settlements of most ethnic groups and villages. These groups migrated for diverse reasons. They moved either in the search of fertile areas to farm on or in the quest for safer terrain with a vantage position where an approaching enemy tribe could easily be spotted in case of an attack as tribal conflicts were common at the time. For the Kom people, at the top of these reasons was the spiritual factor. It is recounted that many years ago, the Kom people were welcomed by the people of Babessi and both fons came into an alliance. They lived in harmony for years till the fon (king) of Babessi became intimidated by the resilience of the fast-growing Kom fondom. Kom had a strong healthy and energetic male population and this was a sharp contrast to the dwindling male population of Babessi. The latter was di

In recent years, there has been a call for cultural artifacts smuggled, looted and stolen from Africa to be returned to their rightful place and owners. Just like the "Bring Back Ngonnso" campaign we have today, a similar campaign was launched for the Afo-a-Kom in 1973. Kom and Nso do not only share a common Tikar origin; both groups were deprived of their guiding spirits that ended up in American and German museums respectively. While Kom succeeded in bringing back their revered Mbang, as It is fondly called, home in a publicised and well supported and endorsed restitution effort, Nso is bracing herself up for what seems like another legal and diplomatic set of negotiations.

Our rich gastronomy is one of the things we can boast of as a distinguished nation. The great triangle (Cameroon) harbours numerous ethnic groups, all with diverse and unique cuisines. The Grassfield is one of the geographical classifications that make up the three main ethnic zones of Cameroon. It consists of the West and the North West Regions. The North West region on its part has a popular, yet unique, recipe for preparing chicken. Khati Khati has remained one of the outstanding dishes of the North West in terms of its appropriation, touristic potential and cultural inclinations. 

Luh, a village in Donga Mantung Division, is a place with two incredible stone stories you would probably want to hear. There is the stone with the footprint ( Ku Lunga ) and there is the talking stone. Our interest today is in the talking stone. For a stone to talk, it needs a mouth and this stone definitely has one. Or should I say it had one? Let me tell you the story of Lur Chu for you to decide on whether to say ‘have’ or ‘had’.

When we were growing up, parched corn was a popular snack not just because of the availability of corn (field corn), but because It was a powerful bonding tool at home and at school. Those who went to boarding school can attest to its hunger quenching properties and how rumbling stomachs were silenced. Those who went to day schools can tell you the number of stories that were told, friendships that were cemented, and distances that were covered on foot thanks to the power of this parched grain. How to make the best parched corn became a tiny obsession of mine in my teens because I noticed grandma’s corn popped best and was the crunchiest.  If you have tried parching corn using a regular pot and without basic tips, you would realise that the results wouldn't look like your grandmother's (for those whose big mamis master(ed) the art) or the roadside vendor's. Parched corn lovers who have tried to do this themselves at home have probably wondered why they don't get good

“The cloth I am wearing is called Kelanlang in our native language [Oku]. It is worn only by notables from the royal family. Any other person is not entitled to wear it. … If you are not a Nchinda, or a member of the highest traditional body that regulates the entire population [Kwifon], you are not allowed to have it on you. You will be fined if you violate this rule.” (Tantoh Ndula, Humans of Oku September 21, 2017)

If you have lived in the North West and West Regions of Cameroon, it is almost certain that you have seen the blue and white fabric generally known as Ndop. The intricacies involved in the production of this cloth are probably the main reason for its designation as a fabric for the blue bloods, nobles and the privileged. The geometric patterns or designs on the fabric are said to have metaphysical connotations and it is for this reason that the cloth is meant for initiates only.

Oral history has it that Ngon'nso and her elder brothers migrated from the Tikari (Tikar) plains in Adamaoua Region. They were the offsprings of Fon Kimi. Mbuundung (spellings may vary), the eldest son, as tradition warrants, was the legitimate prince to ascend the throne. Out of insubordination, Nchare and Foumbam left the village together with their followers. Ngon'nso is said to have equally set out with her own fleet of followers and later joined her two brothers in search of a new place and space that could better accommodate them. These three wandered together till separation became inevitable because of leadership friction. The trio could not last as Ngon'nso was not ready to succumb to the leadership of her brothers whom she felt were pressuring her to assume an auxiliary position. This infuriated Nchare and Foumbam who could not comprehend why she wanted to measure heights with them given that she was a woman. With these grievances, Nchare found a way of teachin

The legend of Lunga does not end with his fall from heaven. As we were told by our fathers who were told by their fathers, the fall marked the beginning of a new phase in his life. The series of events that followed shocked everyone. As we were told, when Lunga crashed on the stone, he metamorphosed into a gigantic ram and ran to the banks of River Mbim in Luh. The ram later transformed into a water hydra and made the river its home. It found respite at the bottom of the river and lived there for quite some time. It took the villagers a while to digest this strange phenomenon.

My Limbum is now terribly rusty but when I first listened to Tata's 'Lunga,' I felt an instant connection. After listening to the song a couple of times, I wondered why it was profoundly familiar; it was the kind of feeling you have when a new thing gives you that déjà vu wink. I asked a childhood friend of mine, a Wimbum man, to listen to the song and tell me if there was anything familiar about it apart from the obvious fact that it was in his mother tongue. After taking a listen, he replied with the words " Lunga am kohmbi bu ntee " (Lunga went to heaven alive); the exact line that had caught my attention. Voilà! The lines were from a folk song that I came in contact with about twenty years ago when l was in Nkambe. You had to have lived a cloistered life not to have heard the song.

“Legend: a story coming down from the past especially: one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable.” (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary) We have heard stories about men who could fly, ethnic group(s) that originated from water, men with extraordinary strength, women who lured men with their beauty, the dead who came back to earth for vengeance, men who transformed into animals and so on. One of such mindboggling stories is that of Lunga. This is a story of the legendary Lunga and a stone that records one of, if not, his most memorable escapades.

Matters surrounding death tend to be treated with solemnity in most cultures. This is partly because death is viewed as a prerequisite for the journey to the world beyond, to the dwelling place of our ancestors or to the land of the spirits. So, how we bid farewell to the dead is conditioned by what we think happens to the person after death. The rituals performed and rites of transition also involve food and some food items are even indispensable. Boiled maize and beans/groundnuts is used in the North West region of Cameroon in the process of paying the last respect to the dead. Basically, the maize is prepared for the same reason, that is, to assist in the transcendence of the dead. However, it should be noted that there are some slight differences in its execution from ethnic group to ethnic group. The emphasis on each point of the execution depends on the ethnic group in question. There are rules that have to be respected if the aimed results have to be achieved, thus, the aimed

I had convinced myself that I was not going to write any music reviews for a while and concentrate on other folklore related projects but when I watched Wan Shey’s Andirifaa, directed and produced by Geraldrico Guevara and Lanjo respectively, I started taking notes compulsively and could not stop myself from writing. This is not Wan Shey’s sole venture into the folkloric genre because we have seen illustrations of the assimilation of hip hop in his EPs but, it is definitely one of the pieces in which he invests artistically and taps from his culture and roots the most.

I am yet to visit a restaurant in Cameroon and the North West Region in particular where rats are served like is the case in some parts of Asia and South America but, I have visited homes where the men seldom let the women in charge of the kitchen when rats are on the menu. Mole rats (bush rats) have been on dinner tables for a very long time now and they constitute what is generally known as bush meat. This species of mole rat is different from the naked mole rat found in East Africa. It is a misconception that mole rat meat is eaten mainly by the poor or out of necessity. It is a delicacy and as such, popular in most rural communities and sold in some local markets. For better preservation, the rats are generally smoked before being brought to the market.

Hitting  the keys for legends like Salle John  Julio Abong is probably a new name to most makossa lovers but, he has been into music for over 20 years and has worked with great names in the music industry. He was mentored by Eko Roselvelt and the training he received permitted him to cross paths, at some points very briefly, with Salle John, Dipita Ebongue, late Same Batcho, and Alex Toto with whom he worked. At the moment, he is working with Ruben Binam of Kemit 7. His international exploits, which have been very productive as well, have mostly been with bands such as the African Development Bank music orchestra and Matango band. He has equally worked with the Kumbaya Gospel Choir in Germany as pianist.

Growing up in a semi-urban community comes with a blessing that permits you to experience rural life and urban life; at the end of the day, you have the best of both worlds. Some of the things I loved about the marriage of these two worlds are the stories we told and the games we played. With friends and peers, we told the famous “John and Mary” stories, tortoise stories, fox stories and those who had watched cartoons or read a few books came in with Cinderella and Snow White stories. The games we played ranged from dodging, stone, pitai, stinging, kaks, outh, one two, play-play, mbanga, hopscotch (tabala), scrabble, snakes and ladders,  monopoly, reresin (rope) and hide and seek. Story telling was my favourite activity.

Growing up in a rural setting is a fascinating experience. Learning (formal and informal) in such an environment has its peculiarities. In primary schools in those days, extracurricular activities played a vital part in the end of term overall score. These activities ranged from the making of chairs, brooms, bamboo mats and, most importantly, to the fencing of the school toilet and urinary. What's important here is the material with which the fencing was done. It was done with the elephant grass stalk. It sufficed for one to visit the banks of River Bui to possess a good bundle of the elephant grass stalk for the task at school the next day.

When we talk about communal life and hospitability, the village and its inhabitants is the first thing that comes to my mind. I don't know if people in the village are born different but there's something so different about them. I grew up in a semi urban area where it was permitted to mind each other's business to an extent, even though each family unit made it their primary business to care about their various households. I was privileged to visit my father's village only when I was about 12 years old. It was an awesome experience and I was greeted by totally new realities right from when I alighted from the vehicle in the popular village car park. Before I reached home, I was embraced with so much love, care and concern even by people who didn't know me and by those who were seeing me for the first time.

This unique work of art known as “Nkok” in the Oku language is the artistic work of the Oku woman and it is for women only. It is carried on the back and used principally for transporting farm produce and firewood. What stroke the attention of this writer is the cone-like shape of the basket. It narrows down from top to bottom. When loaded, as one craft woman explained, it balances on the carrier’s back firmly and the weight of the content is not felt as much as that carried in a flat-bottom basket.