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Colonial Background to the Economic Empowerment and Political Mobilization of Africans: The Case of the Bamileke of the Cameroon Grassfields, 1920-1950 (OTHER PAPERS)

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Title: Colonial Background to the Economic Empowerment and Political Mobilization of Africans: The Case of the Bamileke of the Cameroon Grassfields, 1920-1950 (OTHER PAPERS)
Author : Journal of Third World Studies
Release Date : January 22, 2008
Genre: Politics & Current Events,Books,
Pages : * pages
Size : 306 KB

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INTRODUCTION The area referred to as the Grassfields (1) in Cameroon lies astride the former Anglo-French border in colonial Cameroon. It is home to a multitude of ethnic groups, many of whom share common cultural and linguistic characteristics. The Bamileke, one of these ethnic entities, are a loose conglomeration of ethnic groups with similarities in social and cultural patterns, language intelligibility, as well as political organization. They are found essentially in the midwest of Cameroon in an area that was under French colonial administration. (2) Although some Bamileke-related groups are found in the area that was under British administration (3), the larger component, and on whom this study is based, is in the present-day West province of the Republic of Cameroon. It is true that, due to population density (4) and an acute shortage of land in their area of origin, a very daring spirit of enterprise and adventure has pushed the ethnic inhabitants of the region to migrate outwards to other areas of the country. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that the Bamileke are the most widely found ethnic group in all of Cameroon today. (5) Their presence in virtually every corner of the country has earned them praise and commendation but in some areas they have been victims of discrimination, envy and even hatred. To a large and verifiable extent, these appreciations arise from varied perceptions of their activities and dynamism. (6)