Sean, Lea and I departed Belo the
next day and travelled together back to Bamenda where we checked into the great
mission house – about £7 a night for a room including very nice and comfy beds,
sheets, towels, hot water, electricity and wifi! It was an absolute luxury for
me – felt as good as the Hilton!! It’s amazing how quickly your expectations
shift! After an awesome breakfast of omelette and fresh bread (one plus of the
French colonisation!) we went to explore the Fondoms of the area!
NW Cameroon is known for its rich
history and traditions. It was made famous by tribal wars and colonial wars
with the Germans. The province has many Fondoms – kingdoms run by a ruler
called a Fon. The Fons were independent rulers, but then came under German rule
then French or English rule after world war one. Now the Fons are under the
jurisdiction of the Cameroon Government, but remain semi-autonomous and they
run their Fondoms. The Fon is the spiritual, judge and head of his people.
Polygamy and wife inheritance are
practiced by Fons, so they have very large families! When a Fon does (or ‘goes
missing’ as they say) one of the Fon’s sons will become the next leader – with
the exception of the first born son (it is seen as bad luck), any of the son’s
can be chosen to be the next Fon. The Palace is where the Fon and his families
live and they have their own courts and secret societies and practices.
Only other Fon’s or senior leaders
can touch a Fon. Fon’s rule is to look after his people and he will have
schools and often hospitals to look after those in his Fondom.
Bali Palace is an example of a more
modern palace, the Fon’s family live away from the palace and it is mainly used
for ceremonies, greeting guests and for court and meetings. The intricate
carvings and luxurious items show the Fon’s power.
The Bafut Fon is generally seen to
be the most powerful Fon in the area and the Palace is still habited by the
Fon’s wives. It is an old Palace and UNESCO have helped preserve it given its
history. The Atsum (spiritual house) was
particularly spectacular and made from wood and raffia – only the Fon, some of
his special wives and the secret society can enter it! Our tour was conducted
by one of the Fon’s sons which made it even more interesting to hear the
history and what it was like to live in a Fondom!
Bafut Palace:
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| The drum to communicate across the fondom |
Bali Palace
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| Anyone spot Side Show Bob??? |
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