Howdy from Cameroon! Things here are going, overall, splendidly. I’m still enjoying my time here very much. My French is seemingly plateau-ing but yet still strong for only having studied it and been immersed in it for two months. I am proud of the French that I am able to conjure up and speak. I am a bit worried I am progressively losing the Italian that I am able to speak—my father cautioned me not to worry. It sounds like sage advice. Thanks, Dad.
Last night I chatted with my host-family during and well after we had finished dinner until about 11:30pm or so. I know, to you Western folks that does not sound late at all but I cannot remember the last time myself, or anybody else here, was awake that late. It’s tre’ tre’ rare. (That means it’s very very rare in French, FYI).
My conversation with them further solidified my belief that they are totally exceptional in many ways—and totally awesome none the less. Our conversation was flighty but focused. Considering the slight language barrier we managed to communication so efficiently. We came pretty damn close to solving world hunger, actually. We spoke to cultural differences amidst Cameroonian’s, disparities both here and in the States, money as an intoxicating entity, the idea of family and cultural regards concerning families. Brilliant. The more our conversations diverge from the ordinary, ‘How was you’re day?’ the more we’re all intrigued. We seem eager to hear and listen.We seem to come some much closer as a family. And as we delve into such matters it seems it we are both further confirming our foundational beliefs that we are all humans in this quasi crooked world. Nous sommes ensemble. It’s wholesome goodness.
Training is going well, considering all of the obstacles. When I say obstacles I truly just mean one obstacle in particular—but it seems grave enough that it deserves the ‘s’ to make it pluaral because it’s dragging on us enough to be considered (and dealt with) as more than one singular problem. Chiefly it appears to be that we are not at post yet. The post post-site atmosphere has been interesting, to say the least. It’s been about two weeks since our site visit and the momentum of our group has most certainly diminishing. Our tenacity during our training classes has barely been lingering if even present at all. It seems, overall, the question of the hour is; ‘Why aren’t we at site yet?’ We’re all quite eager to travel the long roads to our respective posts and get a move on with this whole Peace Corps thing. It’ll be quite lovely to have much more control over our meals, because now we are at the mercy of our host families and lunch ladies—per se. Also it’s simply something new and exciting—that doesn’t involve language lessons and trainings about TB and its common co-infector HIV. Though this is all true, we as a group seem almost hesitant, in a sense, to leave because we’ve created a nicely functioning family here.
AGAIN, LET’S CHANGE THESE PARADIGMS. (Post-Colonial Cultural Commentary)
Based on many books I’ve read and countless conversation I’ve been engaged in over the past six years I began to learn a tremendous amount about the realities of the ‘Western’ world’s colonization. At times I feel I’ve exhausted this dialogue. And at other times I subsequently feel exhausted from the dialogue itself. After all, the subjects of theft, exploitation, denigration and rape, on a mass scale, are tiring. Reading about the travesties of slavery and colonialism are one thing, but being able to bear witness first hand of its aftermath is another thing. It sometimes feels as daunting as my first ride into a post-Katrina New Orleans. Utter mess, mixed with confusion but with a sort of seeming knowledge/idea of what exactly went wrong and why. Frustrating, essentially. Ill-regard of my perceptions and the feelings of countless historians, or local Cameroonians for that matter, it is overtly evident that the French colonization period has managed to leave a lasting legacy. Wretched.
Colonial Language
It’s just like that old saying, ‘Those who win the war write the history books.’ Well, just know that they were sure to write it in their own language too.
French is one of two official languages here in Cameroon—English is the other. As I’ve mentioned before there are over 200+ ethnic groups in Cameroon, each with their own languages and a handful of creoles that serve as patch for any language gaps between communities. It is so amazing. There are a total of ten regions here in Cameroon. Eight Francophone regions and two Anglophone regions. While the Anglophones are the numerical minority their regions offer a tremendous amount of natural resources yet—they’re obliged to at least understand, if not be fluent, in French in order to do business and travel. Interestingly (I say this smugly) not many Francophones learn English. I’m digressing.
The French language, in effect, is a tool that further propagates the colonial legacy. Sure, it is wonderful that there is a common language which is able to connect a good majority of the country. However, the language itself manages to continue cultivate colonial ideas. French manages to do this do to is strict and, at times, meaningless (or one could maybe argue meaningful) vocabulary. The language is quite limiting in a Cameroonian context—I would argue purposefully so. Let’s get explicit: when one asks a Cameroonian how many languages they speak the answer is usually one or two (French, English). I’ve yet to have a Cameroonian count their native tongue as a language. However, if I press and ask if they can speak their parents ‘patwa’ the answer is usually yes. In French the indigenous Cameroonian languages are referred to as patwa’s—not languages. Do I need to open up this conversation or is it understood. For the sake of time I will imagine those reading this understand my fury.
More discussion on the French denigration of many things having to do with the first-peoples of Cameroon—let’s chat about religion. It is an interesting subject. Cameroonians, by and large, are quite religious. The country has many Christians and Muslims and a scattering of traditional (mainly animist/ancestor worship) belief systems/cosmologies. Overall, there are few religious tensions here if any at all. There seems to be a cultural paradigm that generally accepts others beliefs and views—contingent one has a religion of some sorts. It is quite interesting what is and is not considered a religion—much like our conversation about language. When I ask many Cameroonians about their ethnic religion I almost always get a puzzled look in return as a response. Their faces reflect a clear tone of confusion; something along the lines of, ‘What? My people’s traditional religion?’ After further questioning I am normally left with, ‘Oh, we did not have a religion before the missionaries or colonizers.’ Oh, really? That is my usual respond—at least in my head. It is difficult for me, seeing my positionality here in Cameroon, to say—‘Well, I think—and almost know—you are indeed incorrect.’ But as our conversation reluctantly moves ahead I can usually find what I am looking for. Cameroonians, at least thus far in the conversations I’ve had, will only refer to traditional cosmologies as their ‘traditions’ or ‘cultural practices’—not employing the word religion and hence neglecting the reality that the original people here did indeed have a religion.
Back to the language—and its intersection with religion. There are plethoras of first people religions here and all over the continent that are comprised of ancestor worship. While they are all materialized in many different fashions there are a good amount of commonalities; traditional medicine men/healers, ethnic elders/chiefs, sacrifices, gifts etc all seem to be part and parcel of these religions. Regardless of all of the difference belief systems that still remain in many rural villages here in Cameroon Francophones seem to use one sweeping word to classify them all, together. ‘Sorcery’—if I am not mistaken this is the same word in French as English. It is not a very encompassing word and one could argue that it is a slightly charged and pointed word. I’m not sure I need to unpack this discussion any more than I already have.
Let’s make some bullet points:
-There was, and still are, plenty of religions here on the continent other than Christianity and Islam.
-This religion was here before the arrival of West Asians and/or White folks.
-There are many languages here in Cameroon—not many ‘patwa’s’
So once again, let’s work together to begin to change this paradigm and world-view on what is ‘African.’
Thanks!!!
If you’ve any questions—please e-mail me them! I loveeee email. I’ve wretched internet so Facebook’ing me questions/comments may be better, actually.
Nothing but love and smiles from Bafia, Cameroon!
PS: Don’t forget about our other blog—http://cowboysofcameroon.blogspot.com !
