CULTURE
Cameroon's split Anglo-French personality
is further complicated by its bewildering array of African ethnic
groups and languages. Of over 130 ethnic groups, however, there
are 5 major ones: Bamiléké and Bamoun in the west,
Fulani and Kirdi in the north, and Ewondo around Yaoundé.
The Bamiléké are the most populous group in the
western highlands and one of the largest communities in Douala,
where they have taken control of much of Cameroon's economy. In
their rural homeland, there are some 80-odd political units ruled
by strongly independent chefferies (chiefs). Within each unit
there are numerous secret societies responsible for the preservation
of rituals. By contrast, the Bamoun are governed by a single leader
called the sultan.
Whereas the south has been in contact
with Europe for over 500 years, until the 20th century the north
was part of quasi-feudal Muslim Fulani kingdoms centered in Nigeria,
and tradition and resistance to outside influence remain strong.
This isolation has kept Western-style development to a minimum.
Most northerners, however, are neither Fulani nor Muslim but Kirdi,
the Fulani word for pagan. The Kirdi are comprised of tribes driven
by the Fulani into the inhospitable and isolated rocky areas near
the Nigerian border.
Both French and English are official
languages, though French is more widely spoken, especially in
large, modern cities such as Yaoundé and Douala. About
10% of the country relies primarily on a pidgin English, mainly
in the western provinces near Nigeria. Among the many African
languages spoken in Cameroon, the five major ones are Bamiléké,
Ewondo, Bamoun, Fulfulde and Arabic. Among the country's best-known
writers are the novelists Kenjo Jumbam and Mongo Beti, both of
whom have written about Cameroon's relationship with its European
colonisers.
The music of Cameroon is among the
most popular in Africa, especially makossa, a popular dance rhythm
you'll hear blaring out of clubs and discos. Makossa is adaptable
to a wide variety of instrumentation, from traditional thumb pianos
to guitars and synthesizers. Manu Dibango brought the style to
international prominence in the early 1970s; now Sam Fan Thomas
is the king of makossa. Another popular dance music is bikutsi,
typically sung in Ewonde.
Cameroon has some of the best food
in Central Africa. Manioc leaves are one of the main ingredients,
usually appearing on menus as feuille. Sauces are usually accompanied
by rice (riz) or a thick mashed potato-like substance that comes
in three main forms: couscous, pâe or fufu, any of which
can be made from rice, corn, manioc, plantains or bananas. Street
food is typically excellent, consisting mainly of grilled spiced
brochettes stuffed into a bread roll with salad and dressing.
Yaoundé has particularly good grilled chicken and fish.
