Bafut

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Bafut is a traditional kingdom in northwest Cameroon (West Africa), north of Bamenda .

history

Traditionally, Bafut was a fontum or kingdom ruled by the Fon of Bafut using traditional structures. After the Bafut wars at the beginning of the 20th century, however, the region came under the custody of the German Empire . The Germans forced the Fon von Bafut into exile, but later had to reinstate it because the administrator they appointed was not accepted.

With the fall of the German Empire at the end of the First World War , the region came under the care of the English crown as British Cameroon . At least one of the Fons of Bafut, Achirimbi II , was friendly to the English. When they left Cameroon in 1961, the region had the choice of belonging to the new state of Cameroon or Nigeria . Achirimby II is said to have noticed that this was a choice between “fire and the deep sea”. Eventually Bafut joined Cameroon.

Culture

historical residential area of ​​Bafut with the building for the Fon in the background

The life of the people in Bafut is strongly characterized by agriculture . However, there are more educational opportunities and wealthy families are trying to give their children a secondary education. This is possible up to A-Level in Bafut at various schools, for example in the field of technology, business or housekeeping. There are also various educational opportunities in nearby Bamenda .

In the Kingdom of Bafut is other than English and Pidgin -English also Bafut speaking - one of more than 280 local languages in Cameroon.

It is interesting to observe both the power relationship between traditional rulers - here the Fon of Bafut - and official government officials as well as the relationship between Fon and the residents of Bafut. Traditions still play a very special role here.

Central building with roof covering made of natural materials, an approach for ecological building in Africa discussed there today

Also worth seeing is the "palace" of the Fon of Bafut, which consists of many houses / mud huts that are covered with grass. There is also a building from the German colonial era, in which a museum can be visited.

Commons : traditional area around the Royal Palace of Bafut  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

literature

  • Robert E. and Pat Ritzenthaler: Cameroon Village: Ethnography of the Bafut . Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA 1964.
  • Ronald K. Engard: Myth and political economy in Bafut (Cameroon). The Structural History of an African Kingdom. In: Paideuma. Vol. 34, 1988, ISSN  0078-7809 , pp. 49-89.
  • Ronald K. Engard: Dance and power in Bafut (Cameroon). In: William Arens, Ivan Karp (eds.): Creativity of power. Cosmology and action in African societies. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC et al. 1989, ISBN 0-87474-617-5 , pp. 129-162.
  • Michael Tabuwé Aletum: Political conflicts within the traditional and the modern institutions. A case study of the Bafut-Cameroon (= Université catholique de Louvain. Faculté des sciences économiques, sociales et politiques. NS Bd. 115, ZDB -ID 1156345-x ). Vander, Louvain 1973 (Also: Louvain, University, Dissertation, 1973).