Tikar
The Tikar (also Tikari , Tikali , Tingkala , Ndop , Ndome ) are a West African ethnic group in Central and West Cameroon .
A total of around 25,000 people are counted among this ethnic group. The name Tikar means something like "Get away from this place" and is a collective name for several tribes organized in separate political structures.
They speak Tikar , one of the ticaroid languages , as their mother tongue .
Settlement area
The Tikar tribes settle in several subgroups in Cameroon, especially on the upper reaches of the Mbam River (western foothills of the Adamaua highlands ) and around the Mapé and Kim rivers . In addition, Tikar settlements are scattered in the part of the Cameroon grasslands northeast of the city of Foumban (area around the city of Bankim ) and in the area of Ngambe . Some dispersed populations have also settled in the areas around the city of Bamenda and in the areas of the traditional kingdoms of Bafut and Bali .
Origin and history
At the beginning of the 18th century, the Tikar people moved from the area further northeast around the city of Ngaoundéré to today's settlement areas. They were sometimes accompanied by groups of the Bamileke , Bamun and Ngambe . These ethnic groups are considered to be directly related to the Tikar.
society
The ways of life, world views, social and political structures of the individual subgroups of the Tikar are very similar to one another.
As a rule, they live - like most of the peoples of Central Cameroon - in hierarchically organized structures, at the head of which there is a Fon ("chief" / "highest dignitary"). He has advisers / ministers and palace institutions who support him in the exercise of his offices. Within the modern state structure of Cameroon and Nigeria , however, these traditional administrative structures only have a representative role and are often seen as an “interface” between the ethnic groups and the state.
The family or clan is of great importance to the Tikar. They and the traditional structures of rule contribute more to social cohesion than the modern, largely centralized state system. The Tikar traditionally practice agriculture and hunting. Fishing and trading in fish are also important. In recent times the Tikar often grow coffee for export .
Their traditional musical instruments, which are collectively called mbo , include a lamellophone with twelve, V-shaped lamellas and a rare notched zither called mbo loya, similar to the mvet of the neighboring Fang .
