Crest
19th - 20th century. Wood. Cameroon (Western Grasslands)

Image courtesy of the Savannah African Art Museum.

The Cameroonian Grasslands are a diverse and creative cluster of kingdoms.

In present day Cameroon, diversity is just the tip of the iceberg. The country hosts over two hundred ethnicities, just as many languages and even more dialects. Of these distinct ethnicities, the Western Grasslands host a cluster of kingdoms known colloquially as the Bamiléké. Over time, these kingdoms would come to share a similar culture as a result of trade and conquest over the centuries, such as the title for their kings, the fon.

In the Western Grasslands, the Bamoun kingdom and their fon – the Sultan Ibrahim Njoya – are fine examples of diversity and creativity resulting from a thriving culture. With his reign beginning in 1885 during a time of political upheaval, he played a complicated game of political, intellectual and religious chess. Not only did he diplomatically negotiate with the many local groups, he also played different European powers against each other in order to maintain Bamoun political and cultural autonomy. Sultan Njoya understood that these European powers would write about Bamoun history and culture from their own perspective. He saw that the only way to ensure that history would be written from a Bamoun perspective was to create a written language, as he did. In order to further unify his kingdom, Sultan Njoya created a single religion made up of Islam, Christanity and traditional Bamoun beliefs.

Bamiléké artefacts vary greatly, ranging from beadwork, woodwork, metal casting and textiles. Artistry exists at all levels of society. However, the royal courts typically produce the finest examples. The beauty of these artefacts can make one blind to the fact that these were everyday objects, such as stools, pipes, containers and veranda posts. An African artist summarized the time and attention given to beautify everyday objects, stating simply.

“It’s impossible to live without these beautiful things.”

Bibliography:

  1. Bocola, Sandro, and Heini Schneebeli. African Seats. Prestel, 2002.

  2. Visonà, M. B., Poynor, R., Cole, H. M., & Harris, M. D. (2008). A history of art in Africa. London: Prentice Hall.

By Maxime Mballa-Tagny.