People participate in the Nguon rituals in Foumban rituals of governance and associated expressions in the Bamoun community in Cameroon's West Region was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in 2023 2024 shows the new exhibition hall and the royal palace of the Bamoun community in Foumban A warrior of the royal court of Bamoun people participates in the Nguon rituals in Foumban Warriors of the royal court of Bamoun people participate in the Nguon rituals in Foumban own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment View all partners One of the most significant African museum openings of 2024 was the Musée des Rois Bamoun, or Museum of the Bamoun Kings Cameroonian archaeologist and heritage scholar Rachel Mariembe visited the museum and wrote a research paper on it The Bamoun (or Bamum) kingdom in western Cameroon was established in 1394 by the Tikar prince Nshare Yèn Settling in the region from neighbouring territory The monarchy has survived through 20 reigns Nshare Yèn’s daughter became notable as the first female ruler of the kingdom a reference to her light complexion at birth King Mônjù (1461–1498) introduced an eight-day week advancing the idea of chronological organisation Mo'Nguh (1568–1590) reconstructed the palace Kuotu (1672–1757) suppressed internal uprisings and ruled for an unprecedented 85 years expanded the kingdom through military campaigns but this was followed by a period of internal strife and massacres under Gbètnkom (1814–1817) Nguwuo (1818–1863) was a minister in the Bamum royal army who unexpectedly ascended to power He governed wisely for four decades until he was unseated in a coup by Nsangu who was noted for his military skill and cruelty He met his demise in battle against the Nso people One of Bamum’s most illustrious leaders was Njoya Ibrahima (1889–1933), an innovator and cultural icon. He invented the A Ka U Ku script around 1896 and the Shümom language in 1912 blending Islam and Christianity with animist beliefs His reign saw the construction of a magnificent palace in Foumban Resistance to French colonial authority led to his exile in 1931 His son, Njimoluh, restored stability to the Bamum kingdom. He reintroduced the Nguon festival and served in Cameroon’s parliament but faced challenges during Cameroon’s transition to pluralist democracy Mbombo Njoya Ibrahim (1992–2021) held various high-ranking positions and modernised the kingdom’s administration He built a royal museum housing over 3,000 artifacts Nji Mforifoum Mbombo Njoya Mohammad Nabil (2021–) is the reigning monarch His leadership represents the continuity of the heritage of the Bamum people into the modern era It’s this rich story that the museum tells A museum mediator accompanies visitors through almost a dozen key exhibition spaces starting with the portrait gallery showing images of the 20 kings including one that illustrates the establishment of the kingdom a statue and parts of an ancient pirogue (canoe) and tree This leads to exhibits from the 2nd to the 10th kings The first fabric was created from beaten tree bark and dyed with indigo King Mbuombuo’s space displays a large statue of the 11th king in traditional attire royal pipes and weapons are also exhibited Highlights of the 12th and 13th kings’ space include royal headdresses One then arrives at a room with audiovisual projections that offer insights into the secret societies of Bamoun culture There are then artefacts from these societies (the Nguri and Mbansié) including dance costumes and masks Next one encounters a showcase of Bamoun craftsmanship and artistry 16th and 17th kings includes a beaded royal stool the 18th king’s prayer room and private rooms The museum embodies both a tangible and symbolic place of memory. Its location and its treasures reflect the historical, cultural and artistic heritage of the Bamoun people. As French historian Pierre Nora suggested such spaces become “places of memory” by intertwining material objects with symbolic meanings A pivotal moment in Bamum history was King Njoya’s decision to open royal treasures to the wider community breaking with the tradition of exclusivity tied to specific cultural ceremonies the museum was relocated to a new building under King Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya This shift allowed for a more modern exhibition Each ruler has contributed to preserving and expanding this collective heritage Under the current monarch the museum has undergone further modernisation to align with contemporary practices The restitution of cultural objects taken from places like the Bamoun kingdom during colonial rule is a multifaceted issue restitution addresses the memory and stories of these items The removal of Bamoun artefacts from their designated environments disrupted their cultural significance and function This loss underscores the need for restitution and raises questions about the museum’s role both internally (in maintaining identity) and externally (in addressing colonial legacies) cultural objects gain legitimacy through their use in socio-cultural practices under the authority of the palace activated or deactivated depending on their context – be it rites initiation ceremonies or public exhibitions the intricate universe that gives them meaning is shattered Restoring these artefacts to their rightful contexts is essential so that they continue to serve as markers of identity and history Support non-profit journalism and perspectives from around the world The Lingua project at Global Voices works to bring down barriers to understanding through translation Salifou Lindou ‘L'exode et La Famille #5,’ 2022. Pastel on canvas 41 3/10 × 68 9/10 in | 105 × 175 cm, courtesy of AFIKARIS Gallery Salifou Lindou Fouanta, born in Foumban, Cameroon grew up deeply immersed in his culture under the guidance of his civil servant father his artistic journey began with clay and colors Lindou's curiosity led him to collect Western art magazines learning their history from the Foumban Art Museum curator used red soil from his hometown mixed with binders “Salifou Lindou’s spontaneity in bringing characters to life through lines sets him apart,” says Michaëla Hadji-Minaglou, gallery manager and lead curator at AFIKARIS in Paris Lindou’s figurative narrative captures the scene's energy rather than aiming for flawless realism.” Lindou’s sense of humor is evident in his political series where exaggerated poses and expressions create parodic depictions This blend of satire and reflection balances socio-political commentary with personal memory connect his art to the red earth of his homeland Lindou’s art reflects a rare sensitivity addressing contemporary complexities through a refined aesthetic lens His work reacts to current events and offers a sophisticated meditation on power Lindou’s multi-faceted narrative invites viewers to appreciate the aesthetic and the urgent social realities depicted Global Voices interviewed Salifou Lindou about his work and artistic influences Salifou Lindou ‘Politicians 55,’ 2023. Pastel on paper mounted on canvas, framed 39 2/5 × 51 1/5 in | 100 × 130 cm, courtesy of AFIKARIS Gallery. Omid Memarian (OM): You were born in the art-rich city of Foumban and have lived in Douala since 1992 How did these cities shape your interest in art Salifou Lindou (SL): Foumban has always been a vibrant cultural center. My royal heritage, with a grandmother who was a princess and a relative from the royal palace, gave me unique access to the art and culture of the Bamoun people. This early exposure included meeting the Sultan, King Njimolû Seidou which made the museum and its artifacts easily accessible to me I was motivated to paint portraits of my grandparents This early engagement with Bamoun ancestral artifacts profoundly influenced my artistic development allowed me to blend my traditional influences with global art practices — this openness to new ideas enriched my artistic vision Salifou Lindou ‘L'exode et La Famille,’ 2019. Pastel on paper 100 × 180 in | 254 × 457.2 cm, courtesy of AFIKARIS Gallery OM: In the absence of national art schools in Cameroon you benefited from French and German “cultural diplomacy” in the '90s How has art education in Cameroon evolved since then SL: The French and German cultural institutions, such as the Goethe Institute and the Institut Français, were crucial in promoting art through workshops and public exhibitions They facilitated cultural exchanges that introduced us to international art practices offering university-level education and opportunities for young artists Many of these artists are now part of the international art scene exhibiting abroad and working with galleries local galleries still lack the promotional mechanisms seen in the West Salifou Lindou ‘La Bergère #4,’ 2020. Pastel on paper 51 1/5 × 59 1/10 in | 130 × 150 cm, courtesy of AFIKARIS Gallery OM:  How have your interactions with global artists impacted your work and perspective SL: Traveling and meeting artists worldwide has been profoundly enriching Engaging with different cultures and artistic practices has broadened my perspective Participating in Biennial symposia and other international events allowed me to bring my local experiences into a global context This exposure to diverse artistic disciplines and academic approaches deepened my understanding of art I’ve learned to translate traditional techniques into contemporary contexts and integrate local and global influences into my work OM: Creating art that resonates across different cultures is essential to you What universal themes or stories do you explore in your work SL: I focus on political and social issues that are relevant globally. For instance, my work on the NOSO (North-Southwest) war addresses themes of displacement and conflict The exodus and uprooting caused by such conflicts are universal experiences I strive to depict these issues with a local flavor making them relatable to audiences everywhere critiques corruption and human rights abuses which helps my work resonate with a global audience Salifou Lindou ‘Politiciens #33,’ 2021. Pastel on paper 56 7/10 × 59 1/10 in | 144 × 150 cm, courtesy of AFIKARIS Gallery OM: How has the status of contemporary art in Cameroon changed over the past 35 years since you began your professional career SL: Contemporary art in Cameroon still struggles to gain proper recognition and support such as establishing art schools and increased international exposure for young artists No major galleries or museums are dedicated to promoting and nurturing artists long-term There is a need for more significant investment in the arts to foster creativity and support artistic projects OM: Your work often features a mix of chaos and harmony with lines and curves creating engaging imagery How did you develop this distinctive style SL: I view art as a reflection of life's contradictions Just as life blends positives and negatives where opposites intersect and create emotional resonance My “tangled lines” technique represents this conflict creating a visual shock that adds depth and intensity I start with layers of color and reveal textures to evoke emotional responses This approach allows me to explore human experience's complexity and convey strength and vulnerability OM: How do pieces like ‘Politicians,’ ‘Family,’ and ‘La Bergère’ reflect your views on societal and political environments SL: My work is deeply connected to my surroundings’ social and political realities ‘Politicians’ uses exaggerated poses and expressions to critique political figures and corruption ‘L’exode et la famille’ (family) and ‘La Bergère’ draw from both local traditions and Western artistic influences blending cultural elements to address universal themes Inspired by the purchase of a presidential plane and subsequent corruption my piece ‘The Albatross’ uses a hybrid sculpture to express my indignation This blend of local and global influences in my work helps me address pressing issues and engage with a broader audience Salifou Lindou ‘Tariq et Alamine à L'atelier,’ 2023. Pastel, acrylic, posca and collage on canvas 35 2/5 × 51 1/5 × 1 1/5 in | 90 × 130 × 3 cm, courtesy of AFIKARIS Gallery OM: Your work has been described as a “choreography of love” despite its complex imagery SL: The term “choreography of love” is interesting though I see my work as exploring the dual nature of human existence — strength and fragility capturing individuals’ resilience and vulnerability showcasing physical strength and underlying fragility This approach highlights the complexities of human experience and adds depth to my work By combining political and existential themes with emotional intensity I strive to create art that resonates deeply and reflects the realities of our world The Bridge features personal essays, commentary, and creative non-fiction that illuminate differences in perception between local and international coverage of news events, from the unique perspective of members of the Global Voices community. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the opinion of the community as a whole. All Posts ERROR: SECURITY TIMEOUT - Please copy your message to a backup location Global Voices stands out as one of the earliest and strongest examples of how media committed to building community and defending human rights can positively influence how people experience events happening beyond their own communities and national borders Please consider making a donation to help us continue this work Donate now Authors, please log in » Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Stay up to date about Global Voices and our mission. See our Privacy Policy for details. Newsletter powered by Mailchimp (Privacy Policy and Terms) Global Voices is supported by the efforts of our volunteer contributors, foundations, donors and mission-related services. For more information please read our Fundraising Ethics Policy Special thanks to our many sponsors and funders A tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, April 29, in the town of Foumban A massive baobab tree was uprooted by heavy overnight rainfall and crashed onto the main building of the Koukouet-Maloum District Medical Center resulting in the death of one person and injuries to several others The force of the impact caused significant structural damage to the health facility raising concerns about the safety of both patients and staff who were present at the time of the incident His Majesty Mouhammad-Nabil Mforifoum Mbombo Njoya promptly visited the site of the disaster upon hearing the news emergency response teams have launched search and rescue operations to determine the full scope of the damage and to ensure that no individuals remain trapped under the debris The situation remains under close monitoring and authorities are expected to provide updates as more information becomes available les actualités camerounaises et la revue de presse Lebledparle.com à ne pas manquer Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Actualité du Cameroun ce matinFoumban Lebledparle.com is a site dedicated to news in Cameroon news from Cameroon and all useful information analyzes and all the news in real time and continuously Metrics details Monitoring of the expanded program on immunization’s performance is not only limited to routine periodic reports but equally includes surveys Based on unpublished national EPI surveillance data from the past 5 years in Cameroon the Foumban health district has reported a high number of vaccine preventable disease suspected cases Contradictory information on the immunization coverage in this district exists from both administrative data and published literature the objective of this study was to estimate the immunization coverage and dropout rate in age group 12–23 months and timeliness in age group 0–59 months among children in Foumban Health District (Cameroon) This was a descriptive cross-sectional study targeting randomly selected children aged 0–59 months from Foumban health district Data were collected by trained and supervised surveyors using a pretested questionnaire to describe the immunization coverage timeliness and dropout rate in eighty clusters of about thirty buildings selected by stratified random sampling in July 2018 80 clusters covering 2121 buildings were selected and all were reached (100%) A total of 1549 (81.2%) households accepted to participate in the survey and 1430 children aged 0–59 months including 294 (20.6%) aged 12–23 months were enrolled into the study 427 [29.9 (27.4–32.2)%] aged 0–59 months were vaccinated with evidence the immunization coverage with evidence of BCG DPT-Hi + Hb 3 and measles/rubella were 28.6(23.4–33.9)% 22.8 (18.1–27.6)% and 14.3 (10.3–18.1)% respectively Within age group 0–59 months; the proportion of children who missed their vaccination appointments increased from 23.3 to 31.7% for the vaccine planned at birth (BCG) and last vaccine planned (Measles/Rubella) for the EPI program respectively In age group 12–23 months; the specific (DPT-Hi + Hb1–3) and general (BCG-Measles/Rubella) dropout rates of vaccination with evidence were 14.1 and 50.0% respectively dropout rate and timeliness in Foumban Health district are lower than that targeted by the Cameroon EPI Competent health authorities have to take necessary actions to ensure the implementation of national guidelines with regards to children access to immunization studies have to be conducted to identify determinants of low immunization coverage and delays in immunization schedules as well as high dropout rates This was a descriptive cross-sectional study targeting randomly selected children aged 0–59 months, from whom data were collected using a pretested questionnaire to describe the distribution of immunization coverage, timeliness and dropout rate in Foumban Health District. Data were collected with smart phones using ODK (Open Data Kit) designed forms by trained and supervised surveyors in eighty (80) clusters of about thirty buildings per cluster; selected by stratified random sampling. Is the Cameroon Map indicating the Foumban Health district where this study was implemented Is the map of Foumban Health district with details regarding neighboring health districts health areas and households from which participants were enrolled This map was produced by the research team using data from and approval of the National Health Information System unit of the Ministry of Public Health in Cameroon Recent health surveys conducted in the same region recorded non-response rate varying from 0 to 1%; notwithstanding we decided to increase our non-response rate in other to increase our sample size The 80 clusters were proportionately assigned to 14 health areas (HA) based on their population size rural and trans-human health areas proportionate to the district profile clusters were randomly assigned to quarters by systematic random sampling Each quarter was mapped using the “my position” function of Google earth smartphone application The screen print image of the map was divided in blocks (cluster) of about 30 buildings One of these blocks was randomly selected and included to be visited for data collection door and window was visited as well as all HHs (group of people living under the same roof for at least 1 week under the authority of a head person and usually sharing the same meal) in the building In each HH a questionnaire was administered to consenting parents or guardians that were informed on each child’s immunization status data on the child was collected from his immunization card (IC) Each HH with at least one child under the age of five was included and questions administered on the immunization status of all children aged 0–59 months who had been living in the HH for at least a week Closed HHs or those with no available respondent were revisited three times in five consecutive days and those that remained closed or where no respondent was present during the 3 visits were excluded Data collection tools were developed by the research team pretested in one of the district’s HA that was not selected for the study and validated before data collection Key variables collected per child included: age the number of doses administered for each EPI vaccine and date or period of administration of the vaccine on the card In the case where a child does not have the vaccination card the respondent was asked if the child had ever been vaccinated Two teams of surveyors were trained and supervised to collect the survey data by administering a face to face questionnaire and reviewing children immunization card (IC) data collected with smartphones and uploaded daily on a password-secured database quality and dropout rate of collected data were monitored on daily basis These data were downloaded on Microsoft Excel 2013 worksheet cleaned and imported in EpiInfo7.2.2.6 software for analysis 2 and 3 and Measles/Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination coverage were estimated among children aged 12–23 and 24–59 Vaccination timeliness was estimated for all these vaccines for children aged 0–59 months by estimating proportions of children vaccinated at weeks 1 and more than a year after the recommended time for vaccination General vaccination dropout rate (BCG-MR) was assessed by estimating the proportion of children vaccinated with MR among those that received BCG while specific vaccination dropout rate (DPT-Hi + Hb doses 1–3) was assessed by estimating the proportion of children vaccinated with DPT-Hi + Hb 3 among those that were vaccinated with DPT-Hi + Hb among 5–11 months (for DPT-Hi + Hb only) Binary logistic mixed model regression analysis was performed using the child’s guardians gender religion and relationship to the child as confounding variables to estimate the odds ratio for children to be vaccinated for BCG The estimated ratios were adjusted for random effect to control for variability in children immunization status across clusters All estimates were done at 95% confidence interval The mapping of targeted HHs was done using the software QGIS This study had the likelihood of exposing participants’ personal information that could be considered confidential we protected children and/or parents confidentiality by not collecting data that could be used to identify participants Parents or guardians of children were informed on study objectives and procedures before obtaining their documented approval prior to collecting data We submitted an application for ethical evaluation to the Cameroon national ethics review committee This application was approved by the ethical clearance number 2018/07/1058 / CE / CNERSH / SP All planned 80 (100%) clusters and identified 2121 (100%) buildings were reached with an average of 28.5 (CI95%: 17.9–35.1) buildings per cluster A total of 1907 HHs (0.9/building) were identified and reached in these buildings of which 322 (16.9%) HHs were not interviewed because they were closed even after 03 re-visits by a surveyor 36 (2.8%) respondents refused to participate 687 (44.3%) HHs had no child aged between 0 and 59 months and the total number of people living in these HHs was estimated at 7966 with an average of 5.1 (CI 95% = 1.9–8.3) persons per HH The survey revealed that in 2018 in the Foumban Health District (FHD) completeness and timeliness were below the EPI expected rate to allow herd immunity in the targeted population The immunization coverage of important vaccines like BCG DPT-Hi + Hb 3 and measles/rubella was 28.6(23.4–33.9)% 22.8 (18.1–27.6)% and 14.3 (10.3–18.1)% respectively in the age group 12–23 months An estimate of 48.5% vaccinated children aged 0–59 months received their DPT-Hi + Hb 3 vaccine beyond a month from the recommended period 50.0% of children who received BCG vaccine failed to complete their vaccination schedule with Measles/Rubella vaccine and the relationship the child has with the guardian were determinants of the immunization status of the child cost-effectiveness and acceptability of such strategies be assessed in Cameroon context The results of this study indicate that in children from 12 to 23 months the documented general (BCG-measles/Rubella vaccines) dropout rate was half of the children who received the first vaccine given at birth (BCG) The fact that the dropout rate observed in this study is different from that reported for the West region (23.6%) in the DHS conducted in 2018 suggest heterogeneity in the distribution of dropout rates and illustrates a weakness of the overall EPI program in the West region This might explain the outbreak of measles and yellow fever in the district during recent years (5 confirmed cases of measles and 16 cases of yellow fever reported in 2017) and may imply that administrative coverage is higher than the reality This study did not assess the factors that contribute to this high dropout rate Other studies conducted in other African regions have documented poor vaccination health service delivery geographical limitations ino access to health facilities mother’s level of education and poverty as factors that contribute to such immunization outcomes There is a concern regarding the great proportion of children missing to complete their vaccination at the recommended age of 11 months There is therefore the need of intervention strategies to target this proportion of children missing out to complete routine vaccination as most immunization campaign strategies proposed to catch-up with unvaccinated children do not cover all EPI vaccines a current project is testing the effect of tracking immunization status followed by the organization of monthly community immunization sessions with an objective to assess if such tracking strategy followed by community vaccination sessions can improve the coverage and timeliness of routine immunization while reducing vaccine drop-out rates Results of the present study has to be considered bearing in mind that timeliness and dropout rate were estimated based on the availability of immunization cards The delivery of vaccination cards is free in Cameroon but not systematic due to frequent stock-outs Some parents receive vaccination cards during vaccination and loss them for reasons that are yet to be investigated it is possible that some vaccinated children were considered not vaccinated we are planning to test the feasibility of tracking the immunization status of children with no vaccination cards and using the results of this tracking to refine the estimation of children immunization coverage The fact that other studies conducted in the same region reported some EPI weaknesses at different magnitudes imply that conclusions drawn from our study can be used to improve EPI performances the use of Global Positioning Systems for Probability Sampling in household surveys and stratified random sampling of buildings within each cluster reduced the chances of selection bias in our study Given the fact that the survey questionnaires were pretested in a similar area prior to the study and also surveyors being well trained on survey objectives and survey tools with close supervision reduced the possibilities of response and information bias in this study timeliness and dropout rate of the EPI program in Foumban health district are not adequate to meet-up with the objective of the national EPI program which is 90% coverage for most vaccines Out of 1 of 3 children who starts vaccination approximately 1 of 2 completes vaccination and 1 of 4 receives the last vaccine (measles/rubella vaccine) This situation can explain the high number of confirmed cases of vaccines preventable diseases being reported in recent years in the survey district training and supervision targeting health personnel involved in EPI activities at Foumban health district are needed to implement recommended national and WHO EPI strategies in order to improve children access to EPI vaccines Further research can be focused on identifying barriers to immunization and to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of new recommended strategies that have been proven effective in other contexts as well as testing of current strategies recommended by the national program The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request Tetanus and HepatitisB + HaemophilusInfluenzaetype b Factors associated with the exposure of vaccines to adverse temperature conditions: the case of north west region Vaccine storage and cold chain monitoring in the north west region of Cameroon: a cross sectional study The expanded program on immunization service delivery in the Dschang health district west region of Cameroon: a cross sectional survey 1 1/2 year following the 1986-1987 National Vaccination Days One year of campaigns in Cameroon: effects on routine health services Using global positioning systems in household surveys for better economics and better policy Use of handheld computers with global positioning systems for probability sampling and data entry in household surveys Reaching migrants in survey research: the use of the global positioning system to reduce coverage Bias in China Mobile phone-delivered reminders and incentives to improve childhood immunisation coverage and timeliness in Kenya (M-SIMU): a cluster randomised controlled trial Manakongtreecheep K. SMS-reminder for vaccination in Africa: research from published, unpublished and grey literature. Pan Afr Med J. 2017;27(Suppl 3) [cited 2019 Aug 20] Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5745941/ A randomized trial of the effectiveness of computer-generated telephone messages in increasing immunization visits among preschool children Evaluation of house-to-house versus fixed-site oral poliovirus vaccine delivery strategies in a mass immunization campaign in Egypt Vaccination timeliness in children under India’s universal immunization program Timeliness of childhood primary immunization and risk factors related with delays: evidence from the 2014 Zhejiang provincial vaccination coverage survey Vaccine Education During Pregnancy and Timeliness of Infant Immunization Completeness and timeliness of vaccination and determinants for low and late uptake among young children in eastern China Timeliness and completeness of vaccination and risk factors for low and late vaccine uptake in young children living in rural southern Tanzania Risk factors for delay in age-appropriate vaccinations among Gambian children Factors associated with incomplete or delayed vaccination across countries: A systematic review Impact positif sur le Programme élargi de vaccinations de l’envoi de SMS de rappel à partir d’un registre informatisé Download references -The District Medical Officer for Foumban health district and heads all health areas involved for facilitating field work The study was funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant number OPP1190786 The funding body did not play any part in the designing of the project and publication of the results and drafted the manuscript; MNY contributed to the conception and designing of the study and contributed to the writing of the manuscript; APG contributed to the conception and designing of the study contributed to data analysis and the writing of the manuscript; AMT contributed in data analysis and revising the manuscript; DKI contributed in revising the manuscript; BBL contributed in revising the manuscript; BK contributed to the writing of the manuscript; LA contributed to field data collection and the writing of the manuscript; IT contributed to the writing of the manuscript; ACZB contributed to the writing of the manuscript All authors read and approved the final manuscript This project was approved by the Cameroon National ethics committee ref writing and signed informed consent was obtained from their parents and guardians before proceeding with the survey The authors declare that they have no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8340-6 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Cameroon proceeded on 12 June 2019 at a ceremony to inaugurate the Ahmadiyya Mosque of Foumban The ceremony was presided over by the Missionary-in-Charge of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in Cameroon Nayyar Abdul Khalique Sahib National President Al-hajj Balla Baba and the 2nd Assistant of His Majesty the Sultan King of Bamoun in the presence of the Chief Imam of Noun division El Hadj Nji Mefire Njitari and members of the office of the Higher Islamic Council of Noun and its diaspora The ceremony ended after the Friday prayer where participants prayed for peace and stability in Cameroon and website in this browser for the next time I comment Al Hakam is a weekly English newspaper for members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat around the world Its aim is to provide Ahmadis with content regarding the beliefs of the true Islam reintroduced to the world by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian Contact us: info@alhakam.org Cartography doesn’t merely reflect the world; it shapes it where Europe came together to carve up Africa into spheres of influence nearly all of Africa had been turned into European colonies Most of those lines survive today as the borders of Africa’s independent states Cartography served the colonizers well in Africa. But maps work well in other hands too. This map is a fine, if rare, example of an indigenous African kingdom adopting cartography to affirm its own existence an ancient kingdom in what is now western Cameroon The map is the brainchild of its remarkable king now remembered as “Njoya the Great.” was the 17th Mfon in a dynasty that traced its origins back six centuries Yet he realized that tradition alone wasn’t going to save him or his kingdom Seeing German colonizers advance into this part of Africa he adopted a friendly attitude and adapted from them what he could use for the benefit of his own kingdom Njoya sent his exquisitely decorated throne as a gift to Berlin called him his “royal brother” — and acknowledged the autonomy of his kingdom Njoya set up schools where children were educated in German and Bamum culture They also learned to read and write using the Bamum alphabet who used it to write the “History and Customs of the Bamum People.” The seventh and final iteration of the script was commonly known as “a-ka-u-ku,” after its first four letters Like with the alphabet, so too with cartography. Njoya created a map — a useful idea from the colonizers — but reconfigured it to serve the purposes of his kingdom. The result is not a European-style map, but rather, it reflects how the Bamum themselves saw their own land. Or, as put by Incunabula where this map was first published online in March: “A precious example of an African map made by African cartographers.” King Njoya ordered that a survey be taken of his kingdom these were meant to adjudicate land disputes he also would have seen how useful maps were in the hands of the Germans as a tool for governance and a display of sovereignty the King himself led the surveying expedition The surveyors’ work was checked by about 20 topographers The surveyors and topographers worked out their own system to represent what they encountered developing Bamum standards to depict villages The map is oriented toward the west: two disks represent the sun rising (bottom) and setting (top) The surveyors did not have access to modern surveying equipment they used watches to time how long it took them to get from A to B a local guide would accompany a survey team to assess the extent of the locality One of the surviving notebooks from the first expedition shows that Njoya and his train of surveyors and managed to cover about two-thirds of the kingdom the start of the rainy season made roads impassable At the center of the map is the ancient walled city of Foumban To indicate the city’s importance as the seat of the dynasty and capital of the kingdom it is placed more central and shown larger than it actually is The rivers that surround the kingdom display a remarkable symmetry — again an exaggeration of the actual facts on the ground and likely an attempt to create a sense of geographic unity for Bamum The Bamum alphabet is used to list hundreds of placenames along the kingdom’s edge. This shows that the surveyors established the kingdom’s borders on the map by walking its perimeter, akin to the old English (and New England) tradition of “beating the bounds” When the French took over German Cameroon after World War I Njoya was distrusted as having been too friendly with the Germans He was eventually stripped of any political power and exiled to the Cameroonian capital Yaoundé the 28-year-old son of the previous king-and-sultan ascended to the throne as the 20th Mfon of the Bamum He holds court in the Royal Palace built just over a century ago by the 17th of his line in the style of a northern German brick mansion One of the sights greeting its visitors is a statue of Njoya the Great – inventor A nearly identical version of Njoya’s map was acquired by the Library of Congress in 2021 and can be seen here For more on the rich cultural climate in early-20th-century Bamum, check out this lavishly illustrated article about Ibrahim Njoya graphic artist and cousin of the eponymous sultan For a thorough analysis of King Njoya’s cartographic project, see Alexandra Loumpet-Galitzine: “La cartographie du roi Nagoya (royaume Bamoun, Ouest Cameroun)” via the Comité français de cartographie (in French) Got a strange map? Let me know at [email protected] Follow Strange Maps on Twitter and Facebook “I learned a ridiculous amount from the practical challenges of adapting to a new environment and starting a business Now that Yoko and Maren are back on campus we caught up with them to ask a few questions about their experience in Cameroon Maren: Our main project was to build a small store in rural Mandetkene The project idea came from a recent alumna who happens to be from that region of Cameroon went to the same area to do camps and water quality testing they noticed a problem: The local school stops at fifth grade Many students are ready to go on to middle school but to do this they have to go to the next town over Together with the Parents’ Council of the school Amirah and Jenna worked to find a potential source of income for the town they decided they wanted the school to have a store with proceeds used to send kids to middle school Yoko and I were brought in to help execute this idea which we were only able to do with the support of the Parents’ Council and the local government focused on engineering principles; the other used music and other activities to get to know the people of Mandetkene and build their trust How did you go about conducting the project when you got there Maren: While we held the engineering camp in Foumban we took note of what stores there were like We noted items sold in shops similar to the one we were building We eventually did a survey of residents of Mandetkene going door to door and talking about shopping habits We took the results and met with a local supplier to finalize the inventory list and place the initial order created financial notebooks and a store manual and held training for the Parents’ Council and shopkeeper All of this was done while regularly meeting with the Parents’ Council to get their input There was a big ceremony with the region’s mayor Yoko: It would definitely be the engineering summer camp which I planned very carefully with my advising professor I was amazed by the kids’ creativity Yoko: Getting used to not having running water Yoko: I really enjoy the nature and all the inconveniences I wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise Yoko: Amirah Ndam Njoya ’17 (our host) served as our mentor we wouldn’t have been able to do ANYTHING in Foumban From grocery shopping to commuting to our work locations How do you think this project has enriched your overall educational experience at W&L Maren: This project allowed me to combine both of my majors (global politics and business administration) and apply them to a real life situation I learned a ridiculous amount from the practical challenges of adapting to a new environment and starting a business What are the most important takeaways from the research to share with the university audience (and beyond) Maren: The two most important takeaways from the experience were that having a locally driven initiate is critical We will be talking to the Development Economics class talking to GenDev (the micro-finance group on campus) What have you learned at W&L that helped you in this endeavor and what will you bring back to your life on campus I learned the necessity of careful planning and having a day-by-day schedule I caught traveler’s diarrhea three days after my arrival in Cameroon and our whole schedule ended up delayed by a week because of that if it was not for the detailed planning I made with my professor it wouldn’t have been carried out successfully I have brought the diligence of my daily life in Cameroon back to Lexington All house chores were more difficult in Foumban since we didn’t have a stable supply of electricity and we usually didn’t have running water Life at W&L will definitely feel easier now that I have adapted to the “manual” way of life in Foumban Has this experience impacted your studies or future plans in any way It is such a luxury that we can drink from the sink on a daily basis and have clean water to cook People in Foumban are used to not having clean drinking water all the time and I wonder if we should just leave it as it is or is it our responsibility to show people that there is another world in which we have access to clean water every day the chairman of a leading water treatment company regarding a potential future project with the company Poly-Glu in Foumban I will be having a meeting with the Japanese ambassador in Yaounde discussing possible funding from the Japanese government I have never thought about water this seriously before in my life This summer taught me what the way of life is for the majority of the population on this globe I learned that I can work towards a solution (for water treatment) as an individual and that I am privileged for having access to information and learning that could lead towards such a solution I still do not know my exact future plans at this point Why is this kind of experience important to W&L students Yoko: It adequately reminds us that we are privileged and ignorant of many things happening in the other parts of the world W&L students would become more aware of our responsibility as global citizens and for what purposes our knowledge is meant to serve If you know any W&L students who would be great profile subjects, tell us about them! Nominate them for a web profile.