EARLY SETTLEMENTS AT THE MUNGO RIVER BANKS IN PRE-COLONIAL BAKUNDULAND (CAMEROON)

Jenkins Diomo Betombo

Jenkinsdiomo@Gmail.Com

+237671466329

Introduction

Historical evidence from archeological icons of arts, totems, remnants, fairy-tales and physical properties have been the main source of facts used to justify the existence of  early settlers and their interactions with the environment along the banks of the Mungo river. The Mungo River had been the main water body and a natural feature which held a lot of relevance not only to settlers and foes alike but also animals and birds in the entire Bakunduland. Of this significant was the testimony of been the main source of livelihoods and witness to the past and current events which were and are unfolded within its vicinities. Few ethnic groups established early settlements around the confines of the Mungo River banks in the Bakunduland.

Prominent of these ethnic groups  including the Bakundus were the Barombi(s) known for been the aborigines, Banga Bakundu(s) which meant down (oseh) in the Bakundu native Language, Ediki, and Kake Bokoko and Bongwana, etc. These ethnic groups lived miles away from each other with the Mungo, Ikuka and Meme Rivers been the only link of shared interest. The Barombi(s) like the other mentioned above ethnic groups occupied vast areas of mother earth lands linking their country town to other settlements along the Lake Barombi. The vast settlements meant the establishment of a powerful state of Barombi(s) and many others at the River Mungo East in the Bakunduland. The building of such state was gingered by several motives which possessed physical and human justifications.

Description of the Mungo River Banks in the Bakunduland

As Nile is to Egypt so as Mungo is to the Bakundus in the Bakunduland. The Mungo River had been of up thrust importance to the indigenes and non-indigenes of the Bakunduland, the colonial administration and the national independent administration. The river takes its rise at the Rumpi Mountains and made use of several runoff streams and other river such as Ikula and Meme to increase its visibility and potentials of inculcation. The Mungo River was and is a large body of water surrounded by land and the corners of the river were referred to as the Banks which welcomed and hoisted many ethnic powerful communities.

The Mungo River Banks in the Bakuduland in the pre-colonial era had diverse features which characterised the environments. Many oral sources and recorded European missionary accounts showed a river Banks filled with tall umbrella trees, natural and banana food trees. The accounts varied in time and space as others set forth descriptive properties such as the presence of ucalepto trees (trees which shade their leaves). However, the Mungo River Banks remained the main pi point which hoisted many different communities.

General Factors Responsible for the Establishment of early Settlements at the Mungo River Banks in the Bakunduland

From historical evaluations of data, geographical forces especially gingered the hex displacement and re-settlement of Bakundu Family lineages in Bakunduland.  This ancient migratory trend was also accelerated by the unpredicted but concocted nature of social and economic events which unraveled. Social, economic and political crescents were attributes to the hellishly reflection of mirrored activities.

The Mungo River

This was the main water body which described and provided vivid spots of the Bakundus in the Bakunduland. This water body alongside the Meme and Ikuka water bodies were used for various purposes which stringently facilitated the notions and ambitions of the Bakundus. These water ways were used as transporting means, agricultural gargets, fishing ground, shield and defense. The various family lineages of the Bakundus relocated to the different sites with full hereditary justification that, their ancestor occupied and owned the lands beneath and above the water bodies. Many Bakundu lineages used the water ways to ease their economic and social activities with their neighbours of diverse ethnic groups especially the Bakossis, Bafaws, Ekombe, Edikis, and Mbonges. Such insentives increased the tranquility of mindsets and catapulted the implementation of pertinent decisions of relocation and re-settlement. Even the forest gingered early settlements.

The Forest

The natural provisions were amazingly graced by the early inhabitants of the Mungo River Banks in the Bakunduland. Such provisions were the abundance of different varieties of animals and birds. This launched the activity of hunting in which hunters ventured into the forest to hunt for animals. Oral tradition recalls hunters like Manfred Mokwelle. The local markets boasted and testified of the availability of frequent supply of meet which increased the diet and placed the environment in a stable state of attraction. The massive productions of beef influence the transitions in mindsets and will. Many neighbouring villages concluded their immense appreciation of the natural endowments by setting forth the argument that the forest which dramatised and coincided the cultures of the local influenced the degree of relocation and settlements in bunches. The natural influences of the textures also fixed the ambition of new environments.

The Soils

This was also a factor of concern which the early settlements drew the worth of the environment in which they settled. The early settlers practised the irrigation farming system since all the early communities at the Mungo River Banks in the Bakunduland were agriculturally oriented for subsistence purposes. The early settlement exercised expertise in the production of mainly food crops which made essential use of water such as vegetables and bush pepper. The abundant capacity of agricultural production enhanced by the alluvial and sandy soil textures necessitated the eruption of mass interest in domination and control of the rich soil textures became an icon which influenced the settlements at the Munro River sites. The settlements at the Mungo River Banks witnessed settlements of diverse but similar family lineages.

Some Early Settlement at the Mungo River East

Several settlements had emerged at the Mungo River East to condemn the Eurocentric perspectives that there were no well established communities which uphold the history of the African continent. Such views were enforced by Professor Huge Trevor Ruper who elaborated, “Perhaps there will be an African history to be studied in the future but of now there is no history in Africa but the activities of the European activities and the rest is darkness and darkness does not constitute history”. There exist powerful states in Cameroon and east of the Mungo was also an example of pertinent interest. Of this essence were the Barombis.

The Barombi(S) At the Mungo East

The eastern ward of the River Mungo witnessed the emergence and eruption of powerful states. These states came into existence within the range of ancient state, kingdoms and civilisations which exploded in the early centuries of the Cameroon history. Archival and oral tradition historic evidences justified the essence of the Barombis been the aborigines of the early settlements in the Bakunduland.  The Barombis were mostly fishermen and women. The Barombis effectively occupied a very large portion of the Mungo River Banks land. This explained why their structures were very powerful to resist external domination. They lived alongside the Bafaws of Kumba. The extensive and large populations of the Barombis also denote the current structure of the different Barombi localities like Barombi Mbo, Barombi cotoh, Barombi Kang, etc. In a confine environment, they lived a communal system and battled invaders in warfare with the Mungo River been their shield of expertise under strong political administration and commandments.

The Political Administration

The mighty political administration existed with full potentials of a well structured system. The administrative system was headed by a chief with divine powers.  The chief was seen as a demi-god in which related spiritual predicaments to the ancestors for intervention and guidance. The ancestors dealt directly with the chiefs as the period was characterised by mystical and spiritual forms. The intensity of spiritual manifestations also vested some powers to the commanders of the first order. These sets of crew were more concern with the external affairs and safety of their settlements and activities.  These two political offices shouldered great responsibilities of diplomacy and protection of their lands and water. Since their livelihoods centered on the provisions of the Mungo River, and its Banks. This made the Mungo River to be held in high esteem by the generations that lived at the Banks. The Banks witnessed intensive work for sustainability, economic development and growth.

The Economic System

The rate with which economic activities were performed by the Barombis determined the magnitude with which sustainable development was obtained.  The main economic activity that was practiced was agriculture. In which, the Barombis actively dominated the fishery and irrigation farming departments. They were more involved in the fishery sector than the farming domains. The fisher men and women fabricated nets, canus (boats) and paddles which were used to float on the river in the hunt for fishes. Fishes were caught when the fish hunters threw their nets into the river and waited for approximately thirty minutes before pulling the nets out of the river. The Mungo River often had nets set beneath the water which remained over night pending the moment of been checked while in few instances, hooks and pins tired on strong bush ropes were utilised. The fishes caught were consumed in its fresh and dry state. Dried fishes were roasted under intensive heat provided by woods as fuel. Woods came from the dense forest which characterised and surrounded the settlements.

The Barombis invested time and energy farming along the Mungo River banks with the popular mode been irrigation. This system made essential use of water from the Mungo River to nurse and produce food crops like vegetables and plantains in diverse quantities with equipments such as fabricated wooden hoes, axes , bush ropes, and sticks   Food products were the only concern of the Barombis who, spent most of their time devising and instituting strategies and parameters for fish production. The core of duties for sustenance remained within the vicious circle of the Mungo River and its provisions.

The community was deeply involved in fish production. Several varieties of fishes were caught in the hunt and were mostly known through their native tongue. Some of the fishes were known as musobo (Mud Fish), ngunu, and die hand (which were noticed of possessing and providing electric shocks when touched). The massive production of fish extended and increased social network amongst the communities at the Mungo river banks. Exchange was more tedious than easily expected with justifications of the barter system been exhaustive. The Barombis mostly traded with the communities of the Mungo east than the west. Some of these communities were Ediki, umbra (an environment characterised by umbrella trees, which was found in present day kumba). These communities traded with items like, fish, pepper, cocoyams (makabo), vegetables, plantains, mayanga and dried meat from animals. The flourishing trade painted the picture of a favourable economic and social development.

The Socio-Cultural Ward

The Barombis had a sense of focus in the way they handled pertaining issues of life styles, belief, etc. Folklore tales of generational events were predominantly the centered training and doctrine of the old values cherished by the Barombis. In a communal world, the Barombis socialised with each other internally within the confines of their settlements than externally in trade and other scenes. An oral tradition cited enmity   and fear of invasion from other tribes since physical and human elements shaped the trends of events and what is and ever to be.  The Barombis lived alongside the Edikis of similar Bakundu clan.

The Ediki(S) at the Mungo East

Among the wide spread early settlements at the Mungo River Banks in Bakunduland was the Ediki community. This community existed as a decentralised community. The community existed with communal interest placed at the center before external issues. The settlements at the Bakunduland were more organised and focus in activities and elations with foreign agents and parties. The Ediki community was known of possessing attributes and properties of the Bakundu clan. Some oral traditional sources inculcated the Edikis as bloodlines of the Bakundu. While other oral sources argued of been early inhabitants before the lineages of the Bakundu storm and dominated the environment while establishing a strong community of attraction.

The early community of the Ediki was known of existing in furnished, shaped organised territory. In a well designed formation, political entities related with neighbouring communities and exposed their rich economic and social potentials of life right next to the water. Even though much speculations have been done as who were the aborigines of the Ediki community who inhabited the Mungo river east in the early decades? The oral sources revealed a harmonious way of life with kitchen houses and a well established political atmosphere.

Political Administration

 There were the traditional rulers with spiritual kins of the highest ranks. The traditional ruler was the final decision maker in issues of community interest and sovereignty diplomacy.  The political set up ranked within the age value and limit which led to the establishment of a council of elders. These different political entities also had women representatives.  The strength of power and decision making of the political units was covered with formidable powers of the unknown forces. The traditional units were set to be empowered through hereditary and democratic election. The powers of the traditional ruler of the community was enforced and granted by the council of elders and some cultural entities which also performed political administrative responsibilities.  The political atmosphere was made conducive to the inhabitants and visitors as the diverse ethnic groups which entered the community were made to understand the different ancient laws lay down and remunerated by the old order. The community also had well fashioned economic activities which circled their existence and livelihoods.

Economic Ward

The development and growth of any community was and is due to the volume of economic activities and the performance of the diverse duties. The community was more traditional than modern in its activities, ways of dealing with one another, and other communities. The Ediki community was gathering community with characteristics of a communal system existence. The communal system had the provision of rotational labour force, production to meet wants and demands, and conforming to the jurisdiction of the administrative authorities. The administrative authorities provided the much needed atmosphere for the development and growth. They provided land to every kin and family lineage heads and ensure the smooth supervision of foreign intrusion in to the world of economic and social domination. The is notion was conceived as the community realised and kept in mind that the extensive power acquisition in economic values and substance in land and capital meant intensive domination and strength.

The inhabitants of the Ediki community were mostly farmers and relied on the provisions of the Mungo River to enhance livelihoods. The farm work was set to be the most valuable remnant activity which hex and epitomised the class of the inhabitants even though the society was a classless entity.  The farmers used old fashioned rudimentary tools like hoes, spears, chunkles, nets, canoes, paddles, and  reformed cutlasses to farm, hunt and fish. In farming, irrigation was the most dominant leading to the production of mostly perishable products like vegetables.  The hunters used fabricated techniques to catch animals. Such strategies were the making of sounds, fenced and iron traps. When the hunters recorded sources, some beef was preserved through smoking on tried woods while portions were used to prepare household food and sold for cowries as the medium of exchange. This development also covered the fishermen and women in the community as they used canoes and paddles to hunt for fishes of different types and kinds.

In doing this action, the experts in the discipline threw their made nets and hooks into the Mungo River and unlucky fishes saw the end of their existence. The fishes were also smoked and soled with small portions left for household consumption to balance diet.  These economic activities also witnessed the production of craft work. The community had craft men and women who used local materials like woods to fabricate beautiful art works which were used in the community. Some of these works were molders, pistols, mats, brooms, stoles, and firesides. Some arts either told the story of the community or linked the Mungo River to the Community. The economic scenario of the community showed the brandishing of wonderful professional specialisation in diverse duties and a strong sense of belonging in their social relations and interactions within and out of the community.

Social-Cultural Ward

The Ediki had been a typical example of well organised social integration and unity society.  The society erupted in the early oral account as one of the communities with immense potentials in socialisation.  The social cohesion manifested at the activities in commercialisation. Commercial activities had its powers in convincing and persuading. This explained why, the local market days at the community had an overwhelming population of dealers, traders, fashion stylist, story tellers, food vendors and councilors. The combinations of these different domains strengthen social ties with people of different ethnic groups. However, the Ediki people believed in their ways of traditional and cultural happenings as the will and desire of their ancestors and gods. With the ideology that the good harvest and plagues were the happenings of the gods and instances of prolong recession, the traditional cults stood at the edge of the shrine and communicate in incantations with the ancestors and gods to commune with the supreme force to arrest issues not of their making.

The cultural values of the people was cherished, and taught to the younger generation to uphold. The cultural cults performed both traditional and administrative duties. This explained why, the different mystical cults secured the traditional rulers and performed the biddings of the traditional authorities and oppressed against defaulters and invaders. The Ediki community remained a powerful force in political and economic development and socialisation. The developments in the political, economic, social and cultural domains were also the priority of other early settlements such as the Banga Bakundu(s) at the Mungo River East.

The Banga Bakundu(s) at the Mungo East

The community of Banga existed long before the emergence of neighbouring villages in the same geographical site and situation. Banga in the Bakundu native tongue (mother tongue) meant “down”. The community boasted with its low plains and favourable climatic conditions which gingered the influx of people from other communities. The environment was blessed with the presence of the Mungo River which provided the much needed water for irrigation farming for farmers, drinking water, and household washing and cleaning less. The community welcomed visitors especially those of the early times such as the explorers, traders, missionaries, administrators, and tourists. This development gave a wide recognition to the community in the Bakunduland before the mighty Bombe Bakundu.

Political structure

The political scenario at Banga was not different from the ancient mindset inculcated and formulated by nature and the people. The administrative had set up that had been maintained over a long period of time. There was the chief at the helm accompanied by the council of notables and a women and men representative known as the Iya Muelle Boka and Tata Muelle Boka respectively.  There was also the quarter representatives and traditional council with kin interest to represent. These political offices had diverse responsibilities and action plans.

The Chief; the traditional ruler had full powers and authorities to determined and implement decisions of the interest of the community. The office served as the highest authority with formidable powers geared towards the maintenance of the traditional and cultural values of the tribe. The powers of the traditional ruler was physically and spiritually exercised as cultural institutions of the locality were been on protection and ensure the sooth implementation of the orders of the highest authority. The highest office controlled and made final decisions in everything that involved the community.

The Council of Elder; this was an order which constituted the different cultural and traditional l institutions in the community. This office was usually known as the kinsmen (kingmakers). Their powers were centered on the dethronement and enthronement of traditional rulers. They also took active part in decision making and determined the positions of the foreigners and their extreme values in the community.

Traditional Prime Minster (Tata Muelle Boka); this was the spiritual eye of the community. The issues relating to spiritual and traditional values were grained and placed at the foot steps of the traditional prime minister’s office for resolutions and solutions. It was believed that the Tata Muelle Boka possessed the highest level of spiritual powers. This was because; the entity performed all the communions, spiritual cleanses, and communications with the ancestors and the gods for upward transmission to the Supreme Being.

Women Representation (Iya Muelle Boka); this office was merely responsible for issues concerning the women in the community. The Iya Muelle Boka was involved at the political decision circuit and determined the strength and patterns of women’s involvement in issues of their interest and series. Issue concerning the affair of the women was solved and directed at the women assembly headed by the highest authority of the women’s representative.

Quarter Representatives; these representatives express the interest of their quarters which they govern. The quarter representatives were been chosen and appointed the traditional ruler of the community. They had the ambition and obliged the maintain peace and security and other social and political recessions plaguing the segmented settlements. The political structure of the community segmented the development and establishment of a well fashioned economic structure of the community.

Economic structure

The activities of the Banga Bakundus was not different fro the other economic works of other remote communities. The community was more traditional and communal than capitalised with remarkable attributes in socialisation properties. Agriculture, fishing and hunting characterised the rural community with little accessories in commercialisation. These economic activities served as the main form and source of livelihood to the inhabitants of the community drawn from different ethnic groups. The men and women farmers as fathers and mothers utilised their specialised economic discipline to educate their children vocationally and morally.

This was to ensure future independent and prevent over reliability and dependence to the other sex. Such mindset bore products as the younger generation even though informed in modern agricultural practices still believed that traditional farming modes could still feed the over growing population of the community. The developments recorded within the early periods in the economic sector provided the base through which the values of the indigenous population was preserved and restored. The inhabitants of Banga Bakundu used the River Mungo to farm and fish and rendered social necessities.

 Farming products were mostly perishables like vegetables produced with tools such as man made iron works (hoes and cutlasses). The forest which surrounded the community provided the much needed beef for muscle building and diet with excesses traded for other commodities and cowries. The inhabitants lived in total harmony with strong faith held in their beliefs. Their economic activities were meant to ensure that their families had enough to feed and sustain through out the unforeseen tomorrow. 

Socio-Cultural Structure

Social life existence in Banga Bakundu was revisited in the manner in which local dinning and idle parks made news and brandished stories. Socialisation had credence as the inhabitants freely related issues with little or no restrictions of oppression and fear. Hierarchy was respected and morality reigned at its peak. Such development was enforced by the elders and fathers who trained their offspring in the ways of the ancestors and gods. Such brought up coined with the doctrines of the traditional institutions and cultures of the aborigines.

 The younger generation had knowledge of old and new ways of their inner cultures and traditions as it had been handed down from one generation to another over the decades. The rural community of Banga Bakundu held its beliefs circled within the confines of the ancestors and gods. Their beliefs were visible in the ways they paid tributes to the Bakundu shrine of the ancestors. The ancestor were venerated and believed of been intermediaries between the mortals and the unmoved mover.

Kake Bokoko(S) At the Mungo East

Many communities of the Mungo East had justified and made their presence felt in the diverse trends in which they practised and performed the much needed activities of sustainable livelihood. The Kake Bokoko community possessed idiosyncrasies in the political, economic and social perspectives like the different ethnic groups of the Bakunduland. The kake(s) had existed as a single chiefdom before the geographical and administrative influences spotted for the establishment of two separate chiefdoms like that of Banga Bakundu. The single chiefdom splited up into kake Bongwana and Bokoko, each headed by different traditional ruler.

 The different communities were divided by geographical features of which the main was the Ikuka River where the name Kake was depicted. This river was of great significance to the Kake(s) and it shaped and influenced the policies adopted and implemented by the political organisations of the formed communities. These communities developed and grew at the eastward section of the Mungo River and made essential relation and contributions to the development of new chiefdoms in at the Mungo East especially the state of Wombe which was later transformed to Bombe Bakundu by the West.

Political set up

The political system of Kake Bokoko like much other chiefdom in the Bakunduland of the Mungo East was more traditional than modern.  The traditional set up had the chief at the peak with kinsmen and the iya mueleboka (women’s representative). There was the traditional prime minister and the quarters had the representative who channeled the uprising demands of the commons to the traditional authority. Policies were implemented by the chief and issues concerning the village security and projects were handled by the kinsmen with final approval from the traditional head. The prime minister dealt with spiritual issues in the village while the quarter heads solved quarter issues and imposed fine in defaulting matters. The village operated a complete traditional organised system of administration which was guided and cajoled by the cultural and traditional laws and customs of the bakunduland. The activities of the Bokoko(s) were extrinsic in the manner they operated their economic responsibilities.

Economic and Social Domains

The economic activities of the Kake Bokoko peoples were not different from other ethnic groups at this period of early settlements before western intrusion and underdeveloped destabilisation of the African ethnic organisations. The well known agriculture and apiculture characterised the economic wellbeing of the population in this community. Many inhabitants swamped at the Ikuka River and hunted water body provisions (fishes). While, a chunk of the population dealt with the worth of the soil. The community was communal in structure and agricultural products were mainly aimed to enrich the body tissues and enhanced balance diet (food crops). This activity was dominated by the women inhabitants. The natural community was more natural than the word ‘natural’.

The population grew with high demands and needs of essential amenities which economist termed consumer goods. The intensive production of consumer goods was natural favoured by the fertility of the soil as agricultural production for example did not make use of manufactured agricultural products ( fertlisers). In periods of plague and low output, the indigenes incarnated with the ancestors. This was based on the belief that the gods were responsible for the unforeseen. However, agriculture for communal demands and household welfare described the intensity, trends, innovations and evolution of economic activities which were mainly agriculture, hunting and fishing. This also determined the segments and developments in social responsibilities and actions. The magnitude of social developments revealed the consciousness of the inhabitants in the maintenance of a well and strong socialised lassie-faire economy. Everything which unfolded in the public social sector graced the presence of the unseen presence of the gods and ancestors.

Conclusion

The early settlements of the Bakundu set the root base within which a mind blowing state of Bombe Bakundu emerged. These states testified the echos and wave of the Bakundu presence and competitions in the economic and social activities which commemorated their very existence. Many Bakundu historians are of the opinion that Bombe Bakundu in the Pre-Colonial Era was the greatest had the greatest policies in state formation. However, the growth of the state also meant the existence of early states and their contributions to societal developments.

REFERENCES

Betoto, J E. “Missionary Activity in Bakunduland, Cameroon, 1873-1960: An Historical Appraisal”. Global Advanced Journal, 2(5), P.6.2012.

Ebune, J B. “Colonial Rule and Bakundu Traditional Authority”. International Journal of History and Cultural Studies (IJHCS), 1(2) P. 10-16. 2015.

Okia, T M. “Social Developments in Bakundu during German Colonial Rule in Cameroon: 1884-1914”.Przeglad Zachodni, 1, 2014,P.179-188.

Okia, T M. “Social Developments in Bakundu during German Colonial Rule in Cameroon: 1884-1914”.Przeglad Zachodni, 1, 2014,P.179-188.

Ebune, J. B. “Contributions of Self-Help Associations to the Growth and Development of British Southern Cameroons, 1922-1962: A Historical Perspective”. Epasa Moto: A Balingual Journal of Art, Letters and Humanities, 2(1), March 2004, p59-77

Diomo B, J. Rural Women in Agricultural Food Crop Production in Bombe Bakundu, 1982-2012. Unpublished Long Essay,University Of Buea

Ngoh, V. J. History of Cameroon since 1800, (Limbe, Cameroon: Presbyterian Printing Press, 2002)

Koge, E. Tradition and Change in Peasant Activities: A Study of the Indigenous People Search for Cash in the South West Province of Cameroon (Virgina: Arc Alexandria, 1975)

Walters, G. Geography of Equatorial Africa (London: Macmillan, 2002)