|
Tribe Snapshots Bamileke |
| Location: |
Grasslands of western Cameroon |
| Population: |
8 million |
| Language: |
Bamileke (Macro-Bantu) |
| Neighboring
Peoples: |
Bamum, Kom, Babanki |
| Types
of Art: |
Most Bamileke statues represent the chief (Fon).
Masks are also carved. Beautiful beadwork associated
with the Fon is common throughout this area. The
art styles of the peoples in the Grasslands are
very hard to differentiate due to the complex
and recent migration patterns that are typical
of the region. |
| History: |
The Bamileke are part of a larger cultural area
known collectively as the Cameroon Grasslands.
Within the Bamileke complex there are numerous
smaller peoples who are loosely affiliated and
share many similarities while retaining separate
identities. The Bamileke originally came from
an area to the north known as Mbam, which is today
occupied by the Tikar. Fulani traders moving steadily
southwards into Cameroon in the 17th century forced
the southern drift of most of the Bamileke, although
some elected to stay behind and live under the
control of the invaders. They traveled through
the area now occupied by the Bamum where many
Bamileke remained and intermarried. Eventually,
the majority settled in scattered villages to
the south of Bamum territory. |
| Economy: |
The Bamileke are primarily farmers, growing
maize, yams, and peanuts as staple crops. They
also raise some livestock, including chickens
and goats, which play an important role in daily
sustenance. Women, who are believed to make the
soil more fruitful, are responsible for the tasks
of planting and harvesting of the crops. Men usually
help with the clearing of the lan, and practice
some hunting. Throughout history, the peoples
of the Grasslands were part of extensive trade
routes connecting with the seaport of Douala and
through trans-Saharan traders including the Fulani
and Hausa to the north. European histories mention
trading at Douala between Cameroon Grasslanders
and Dutch and Portuguese traders in the early
17th century. |
| Political
Systems: |
Authority among the Bamileke, as is the case
in most of the western Grasslands, is invested
in a village chief, who is supported by a council
of elders, and is called Fon. The Fon is elected
to his position by his predecessor's council and
is often an elder member of the most powerful
extended family within the community. The chief
is recognized as the de facto owner of all the
land that belongs to a given village and is seen
as the dispenser of supreme justice. Social behavior
within the village is further controlled through
a series of extensive age-grade associations and
secret societies, both of which fall under the
auspices of the village chief. |
| Religion: |
The Bamilike recognize a supreme god (Si), but
they more commonly pay homage to their ancestors.
Ancestral spirits are embodied in the skulls of
the deceased ancestors. The skulls are in the
possession of the eldest living male in each lineage,
and all members of an extended family recognize
the skulls of their group. When a family decides
to relocate, a dwelling, which must be first purified
by a diviner, is built to house the skulls in
the new location. Although not all of the ancestral
skulls are in the possession of a family, the
spirits are not forgotten. These spirits have
nowhere to reside and may cause trouble for the
family. To compensate when a man's skull is not
preserved, a family member must undergo a ceremony
involving pouring libations into the ground. Dirt
gathered from the spot then comes to represent
the skull of the deceased. Respect is also paid
to female skulls, although details about such
practices are lacking. |
|
|
