Cameroon

The Grasslands of Cameroon are organized into several communities, often referred to as kingdoms, because of their highly centralized nature and elements of divine kingship. The Kom Kingdom in Laikom, where this object originated, is the site of the palace where the central authority resides. Because the Kom Kingdom sits on rough, mountainous terrain at an elevation of 1,500 meters, the soil is very fertile, which allows the kingdom to grow a wide variety of crops, but also specific crops indigenous to the area. Due to the elevation, the kingdom holds an important position in the trading network of the northern part of the Grasslands. Palm oil, which grows at lower altitudes, is often traded with iron and kola nuts because these crops grow in abundance at higher altitudes. Trading was an important component in obtaining materials to construct pieces of art as well as providing an explanation for the historical development of the Kom Kingdom. The European presence of trade brought wealth and increased the importance of prestigious materials such as brass, beads, and fabrics to create luxurious objects for the royal kings. Slaves, ivory, and kola nuts were traded north in return for Jukun indigo blue-stenciled cloth, beads, and salt, which are the key materials that the Bowl Figure is made out of. The majority of art from…

capital and it’s the largest city. Mountains and hills lie alone Cameroon’s western border, from Lake Chad in the north to mount Cameroon in the south near the coast. Mount Cameroon is 13,353it is the it is the country’s highest point. A forested plateau in central Cameroon separates a savanna in the north from tropical low lands along the coast of The Gulf of Guiana which is in the south. Cameron northern savanna region is hot in mostly dry throughout the year. The average temperature for this…

Cameroon, also known as the Republic of Cameroon is an exquisite country located in western Africa. It was colonized by the Germans in 1884, they ruled until 1916. It is sometimes referred to as “Africa in miniature” because of the many different varieties of cultures and societies. Cameroon has over 250 languages, but the main two languages are French and English. Before the Cameroonians spoke French and English they were separate in distinct groups. Did you know that the French-speaking…

Watching this video remaindered me of seeing this group performed at a cultural event or festival in Minnesota, two years back. The sounds or music coming from animations, drums, instruments, parents and children performing this dance make me remember the goes boo I had when I watched them dance. I could not image the performance by these kids born in Minnesota, U.S dancing and following the rhythms of the traditional dance music from where their parents come from so well as if they were born…

I chose the Cameroon King Figure by the Babanki people in northwestern Cameroon, which symbolizes strength, nobility, wisdom, and leadership. This piece was made during the late early 19th century through the carving of wood. The Cameroon King Figure is displayed as a king sitting on a stool or a throne, with a pipe in his mouth, and headpiece on his head. The significance of this piece is to honor the head chief which is known as the “fon”.The fon is the leader of each village who ruled over…

What do you think of when I say Africa? That was the first question I remembered you asking. As I sat somewhere in the middle of the classroom, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a series of stereotypes that for as long as I have been American I have heard and seen. The Starving children crying and a feminine voice saying donate today, that is the image that pops into my head when I think of Africa but that is not what Africa means to me. Perhaps it is because I come from Haiti, the first black…

Imagine a family walking through a field in Central Africa when suddenly attacked by armed soldiers. The soldiers force the children to kill their parents during their abduction. This is a frequent occurrence in Africa where the Lord’s Resistance Army is lurking. Child abductions are a huge problem in Central Africa because after being abducted girls are often forced to marry commanders and there are few reception centers available for care after being saved. The Lord’s Resistance Army is still…

Cameroon is a country in Africa that has a variety of landscapes. It has resources that are valuable to other countries. Cameroon consist of national parks, cities, beaches, a reserve, and a river. There is over 250 racial groups in Cameroon. This means that there is many different religions practiced. Many of the religions practiced are Christianity, Muslim, Catholics, Protestants, and some worship their ancestors. The diversity of this country can be broken up into three groups the…

Cameroon is a country between Nigeria, Chad and the Central African Republic. The Cameroons colonial name comes from the cameros (prawns) that the 15th Century explores found in the Wouri River. South Cameroon supplied the Atlantic slave and commodity trades. North Cameroon people were Muslim and the economy of the Fulani and Hausa south of the Sahara. Between 1884 and 1916 Germany united the south and the north into a colony. The French ruled the east from the capital, Yaoundé. The British had…

In the article titled,“They fled Boko Haram and famine - and then they were forced back,” author Kevin Sieff highlights issues surrounding events of what the United Nations has termed “forced returns” of thousands of refugees, specifically in the case of Nigerians in Cameroon. Sieff informs readers of the thousands of Nigerians that have fled their villages and homes to seek refuge in Cameroon, escaping violent attacks of the Islamist extremists, Boko Haram. Upon escaping, Nigerian refugees are…