Sorry for the delay...
I was rocked pretty hard with malaria.
It really wipes you out.
Mentally&Physically.
From pregnant mamas to old paps, babies, toddlers teens and everyone in between: everyone dances here. No matter how old or how young, where you are, what you are doing, what music is playing... nothing matters - just dance. I think that's why everyone dances so good, because they have been feeling rhythm and dance moves since they were in the womb. I remember watching a voodoo ceremony in Benin in 2011, there was this mama dancing ferociously around a fire with her baby strapped onto her back with a loin cloth...I remember thinking, "Wow, that baby is going to be a great dancer when it is older." Coming from a culture that is much more reserved in its dancing practices, it's a really beautiful thing here to see such a variety of people dancing so freely.. not embarrassed that they might be dancing "pooly", not worried that they are literally the only person dancing in a room - they are simply loving life and moving to the groove.
Another thing that is quite different when it comes to the dancing culture here is Cameroonians love watching themselves dance. In nearly all of the night clubs/bars/cabarets there are huge mirrors where people will stand and dance by themselves in front of the mirror, just watching themselves. At first I found it a bit odd, but to each their own, right? My friend told me that the main reason there are mirrors in the clubs is not for people to watch themselves dance, but to ward off spirits. If a spirit comes to the club, once he/she sees the mirrors, they will leave. A spirit cannot see his/her own reflection and the mirror and that means they cannot stay in the club.
Spirits and ancestors are very much alive here -
they are part of everyday life.
Bride Price
My whole life I've read about the negatives of bride price, how it objectifies the woman, makes them out to be some sort of possession or object to buy/sell/own and I've openly opposed it. Until now. Tradition is such a beautiful thing and a wedding wouldn't be what it is without hearing the pig squealing in agony as it is on its way to get slaughtered the morning after the wedding. I don't see it so much as a 'purchasing a woman' anymore - its much more about tradition. At least here anyways.
I was told that my future husband should give to my father: 4 full grown pigs, 3 goats, 50 liters of palm oil, 50 liters of palm wine and 1 million cfc ($2,000USD). Not bad ey, Dad?
I first came across this practice when I went to a Bakossi wedding in Douala with my co-worker and friend Delegate (aka Max). There was some sort of figure in the middle of the room. People were dancing, giving speeches and pouring palm wine on top of it. I was a bit confused but just snapped photos and went with it.
Last week in Mamfe, I watched a friend pour his beer into a glass. I watched him over-pour as the beer 'head' spilled over the top and all over the table. I wish I could say that was the first time I saw that but I see it all the time. I consistently see Cameroonians over-pour their drinks and spill them all over. I always think "What a mess! Watch what you're doing. What poor judgement of how much to pour" among other things. As I watched him, I just started to laugh out loud. He says "why yu di laugh so?" (why are you laughing like that). I said to him "Why don't you stop sooner so you don't make a mess?" He explained to me that when you purposely over-pour a drink to spill, its libation for your ancestors.
I've been renamed. Twice:
Bayangi name = Nsunsu (pronounced: nn sue sue)
Bakossi name = Ebude Mbulle (ay boo day mm boolay)
New addition to the bucket list
-Open
bottle with teeth. Only true Cameroonians do this... aka ALL
Cameroonians do this...I just hope I don't break my tooth - not too sure
how good the dentists are here.
Welcome to Bakwelle Village
In all honesty, I did't watch more than 5min of the football game... I was much too distracted by the adorable children running around me playing and begging for my attention!
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| This boy has got his poses down! |
After the match we strolled back to the house and just passed time with the family and many others in the village. There is only one "store" (if you could call it that) in the village and it is owned by the family and located right at the front of their yard. Because of this, the compound made for a very lively location where people frequently passed by to get a beer, buy some sweets, or just to visit. There were many people around after dark and I was practicing my pidgin with a few of the local mamas. They were quite impressed (...or maybe it was more amused), especially after I told them that I was a Bakossi woman with the name Ebude.
The following morning, Saturday, there was a 'marathon' for the men and women of the village. There was about a total of 20 participants and half of them were barefoot! After the running event we had a lot of time to waste until the 'cultural festivities' started in the afternoon...so we strolled...
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| "Take my snap!!" "Show me! Show me!" |
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| He is making his own chair! |
We met in the community hall around 4pm and the activities commenced.
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| The audience... |
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| Coca cola+wine = drink for the guests |
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| Women's cultural dance |
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| "TAKE A SNAP!" (during the award giving) |
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| This little gal would not leave my arms, I left go and she just clung to me like a koala bear in a tree. |
The next morning we were on our way to Bamenda and then on the bus back to Buea.
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| View driving from Mamfe to Bamenda |
Little did I know, I had contracted malaria during this wonderful visit.
Jungle Road: 2011 vs. 2013
Ikom, Nigeria to Mamfe, Cameroon
When I was in Cameroon in 2011 we crossed from Nigeria into Cameroon via the epic and infamous 'jungle road'. There were pot holes the size of our truck. We would literally drive in and out of the pot holes - if it was wet season, there is no way we would have passed through that way. There was rumor that the Chinese were going to pave the road. They have interest in doing that because they export a lot of Cameroon's timber.
When we were in Bakwelle, I was able to see the transformation first hand... I didnt even recognize the road until I friend pointed and said "if you keep going that way, you will hit the Nigerian boarder".
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| Left is Nigeria - Right is to Mamfe |
Bakossi Police Man
We left Mamfe towards Bamenda in a shared taxi. As usual - 3 in the front (including driver) and 4 in the back. We were stopped at a road block for at least 30 min because our driver didnt have 'proper documents'. Just around the time I was about to jump on the next passing bus, the police let him go. At the next stop, all of us, the passengers, were asked for ID. Without hesitation I handed him my certified photocopy of my passport and visa. He looked at the front. Tuned it around. Looked at the back and said, "This has expired, step out of the car" - All I could think was ...great, now I'm the hold up. We walked over to the shack of a police office on the side of the road to discuss further with his other police colleagues. He was confused... I was issued a 6-month visa in January so he thought it expired in June. I explained to him that I didnt enter the country until March 10th meaning it doesn't expire until September 10th. After he realized his mistake, his colleague noticed something else. "This document is expired! Certified documents are only good for 3 months in Cameroon. You must get them re-certified after 3 months! This is not valid!" This is true, this is something I had been told before but never really listened to because I didn't see it affecting me. "We will have to take you down to the main office." He says in a stern voice... I was not about to get brought in by the police, so I started to talk my way out of it "Abeg sir, a no no me. dey no tell me at police station" - They look shocked from my Pidgin, "What nationality are you!?" I reply, "a bi Bakossi woman, ma name na Ebude" (Bakossi is a tribe here) "No, what county are you from?" "a komot fo Amerika" He looks pleased, "And you are already speaking our language here!? You say you are Bakossi, that means you are my sister!" I look at his name tag, it's a Bakossi name. I say in his dialect "Chang makem" He looked even more surprised and give me a traditional handshake and replied "Makem makem boyum" He told me that I could go because I spoke his dialect.
Thankfull I got out of that mess! But, no worries. I went straight to the Buea Police Station and applied for my residence permit - now I am half Cameroonian for real! And, with this permit, I can go and come as I please for 2 years!!
Work, School, NGO, etc
Work with YAN starts in 1 week. I've been in contact with the previous fellows who worked last year and have been getting some good insight! I am so excited to begin working! Please see my fundraising page and donate what you can.
I am still doing things here and there for Green Cameroon. They just launched their September fundraiser on GlobalGiving. Check it out HERE.
The curriculum I was doing through Ompraksh EdGE has been finished for some time now, but my capstone thesis is creeping up on me. That will need to be finished by the end of the month.
I have this crazy idea of teaching a "CV/resume and cover letter/letter of motivation" class for students here. I've been speaking with several students (Buea is mostly comprised of students) and all of them complain about their lack of knowledge pertaining to CVs, resumes and letters involved in applying for a job. I don't know where I would teach, where I would advertise, how much I would charge (everyone says that if I dont charge no one will take it seriously), or when it would be... but its just an idea I have.
Rainy Season
The season is still wet, but its has been changing... it doesnt rain 24/7 now - we will have torrential down pour followed by overcast or even sun. It's not too bad! But, I am really looking forward to the sun and dry season!!
Cameroonian Football
Tomorrow, I am hopefully crossing off another thing on my bucket list - Cameroon plays Libya in a World Cup qualifier. Went to the market today to get my jersey, leaving at 6am tomorrow morning for Yaounde...wish me luck!! Hope the crowd isn't too crazy, I hope they win, and most of all - I hope it doesn't rain!! Look for me on TV!!
