Bamiléké ... So I attended last week for the first time at a funeral in Africa, and more specifically to a funeral Bamiléké, which as I said in my last post, have nothing in common with 'ours' in name only. In fact, although the organization of mourning varies by ethnic group of people approach vis-à-vis the death and funeral is quite different from our conceptions "Western".
I had already attended a mourning ceremony on Saturday I arrived (30 / 05), making us the village we had stopped with Raymond and Flora to attend the funeral of the father of one of their friends. Our brief appearance made anything but discreet with my presence, quickly made me understand the magnitude of events accompanying bereavement. There were hundreds and hundreds of people sat in tents scattered here and there and listen to stories and traditional songs. That said, this ceremony was quite different from what I experienced last week.
Cameroon is a country consisting of about 250 ethnic groups. These fall into two main groups: the Sudanese peoples (North; Toupouri, Mandoug and Massa) and the Bantu of the South which are related Bamileke, and the Tikar Banmous mainly from the west (Bandjoun is located in west) and north west. Raymond and Flora from the west, are Bamiléké.
I went with Flora, Guy (his brother), Sandy (a neighbor came to lend a hand) and Charly the second kiln (come as reinforcements because Flora is nearsighted and has trouble driving at night and give a helping hand to the preparations for the reception) Tuesday, June 23 in late afternoon Bandjoun direction, the village of Raymond. We arrived with difficulty, after a flat tire and a wheel change along the road to light notebooks around 20:30 at home (the big house with the tin roof for those who have seen the photos fcbk)
Wednesday with Flora and Charly we went towards Bafoussam do some shopping before going to Bamougoum.
After our errands done and changed the wheel, we borrowed the very uneven road (a meteorite shower that she would be shot on this location? Yet it is the 3 or 4 city) Baffousamm Bamougoum-linking to get the mother and the grandmother of Flora in her village. As I told you every Cameroonian village home even if not born in this place. And Flora, which is a pure city, who was born and grew up in Douala remains native Bamougoum village, the village of his mother, Madeleine, and her grandmother Rebecca (translated into "Malepe") and moreover, it spent all his holidays to take part in field work. Bamougoum is a fairly remote village, after 3 km of track from the tar, which has neither running water nor electricity, and little Flore into adolescence, his brothers and sisters were going to spend their holidays and eg for water must go and look at the river at 2.5 km.
Then we went to the home of the father of Raymond our condolences. There was already women and when we arrived they began to cry, his mother Flora and her grandmother have followed, in fact it is crying collective AC resemble wailing. It's really very curious to witness such a situation because we feel bound to a foreign rite we do not know and you do not understand: yes they cry but what it means for them to cry together before any talk of the most normal. It is a manifestation rather demonstrative, women cry, talk and sing loud.
Thursday, first day of the funeral. The morning is devoted to the preparation of mourning everyone is activated, the final preparations outside, reception tables, chairs, tents, delivery of breweries in Cameroon ... meanwhile I copy the 15 pages of the program of the Mass, the speech grandfather and readings that will make the Church. Departure at 13h
to the morgue to participate in the 14H in the coffin to the morgue of the Hospital District Bandjoun-Dja (which follows here as Bandjoun Dja or later Pete is the name of the neighborhood) . We arrived early, Flora and Raymond went to the morgue while Priscilla Clarissa Rebecca Guy and I waited outside. Gradually people came to power last respects to Elise. So here everyone will greet the deceased before the beer (I can not tell you what it was like I was left out). Like yesterday at the home of the father of Raymond, and it's happening throughout the period of mourning, women cry all together is a common way to express the pain caused by the loss of the deceased. A navy blue Mercedes seats lowered with a flashing blue light and the music that follows, arrived to take the coffin to the church. We all followed the convoy to attend the Mass at 15H Parish St. Therese of the Infant Jesus of Bandjoun-Pete. I must say that the African masses, even when they are dedicated to bereavement have this amazing they are really catchy. The choir has a lot to like songs that have nothing to do with those that resonate in our churches. You may be familiar with my reserve vis-à-vis the Church, but I reckon it was a really special atmosphere, not sad enough ... Of course gay people are sad to lose a loved one, but in fact by the Death is not necessarily synonymous with sadness. This reflects the very large weight, nay ubiquitous religion (I am often asked about my religion, the fact that I play or not ... what I think? what I think ...). In fact they have certainly lost a close but the religious people this person has been recalled by God the Father and is therefore a celebration as it will find it. After Mass we formed a procession behind the Mercedes to walk to the house Raymond's father, held the first evening.
When we arrived, the coffin was placed in a room in the house and then open so that people can gather from the now defunct (again I am not gone). Here the widow or widower must be dressed in white, and as far as possible members of the immediate family are similar to uniforms, for example Flora Rebecca Priscilla Clarissa Raymond and his siblings had been obliged to make with the same tissue.
So when we arrived there was a sound system, a tent and chairs and settled. The vigil started at 20H to the sounds of hymns and tears. Traditional dances followed. So it is in fact attend dances or we can go have a drink and a juice drink (coca fanta top) or a beer. We returned around midnight while people watched until dawn. In fact it wakes people who dance, sing, pray, worship in honor of the deceased really assimilate it at a party in honor of the deceased. But it's really impressive to see the number of people who come to hand, when a person dies, the whole village take part in the funeral
The next day, Friday, June 26, the coffin arrived at the house Raymond the village Bandjoun morning. In fact, Raymond's mother was from where Raymond had built the house with the tin roof, she had a traditional hut, it was natural that ca be his final resting place. Here in Cameroon there is no cemetery, people are buried in homesteads, it is not unusual to see the graves in the gardens, along roads or streets, including in Yaounde. I think he was not born one who will establish the cemetery in Cameroon, the fact that the person buried in his garden, or just beside his house is really rooted in people's minds. Besides, when people ask me how it was in France they are always surprised to hear of the cemetery. In short, once the coffin arrived a été installé dans la maison que Raymond à fait construire pour sa mère, puis ouvert pour les gens. Toute l’après midi et la soirée ont été consacrées à la préparation du buffet du lendemain. En fait ici on a tout a l’état naturel donc tout ce que nous avons préparé est arrivé à l’état de matière première, quand il s’agit de faire à manger pour 10 personnes ca va mais quand la préparation à pour but de rassasier plus de 400 personnes je vous laisse imaginer le temps que ca prends et effectivement une après midi et une nuit n’ont pas été de trop…des dizaines de femmes s’affairaient pour venir a bout des Dozens of packages spinach skinning, dozens of kilos of onions to peel and chop, hundreds of fish, scaling, drain and fry, has cut plantains and fry, 25 chickens to kill and pluck cut empty. You'll ask you and me in all this? Well for me I made the spinach and onions after Guy and Charlie wanted to go and kill the chickens but no way (yet I've seen it's firm Elo) so I waited until they have finished and I took it upon myself to cut these little creatures to pieces. In short, the advantage of this evening's preparation I avoided the mass and in fact it was really friendly and authentic atmosphere of this "Maite" between women. It's really like that I'm aware of how women live, how they are treated, their vital place in society, I do not go out free feminist discourse but it is clear that the woman is a key driver in the Cameroonian society and more generally in African society. In addition they were surprised to see a white going to the trouble, working in the smoke (and yes we cook for 400 people over a wood fire) and then cut chicken I'd never do that finally I was really surrounded with Juliet's sister Flora (pro chickens) who showed me how! Anyways it was really cool as evening ... After you finish I went to prepare some traditional dancing, in fact I must tell you that people in the hundreds is really very impressive, the music is really catchy nuns I met "Daddy" with a choir singing a Music really funny that I'm going back to France I'll see if I can find on the internet to get you the link (but I think not too much) this song is hear it everywhere and anytime is the seka-seka of Cameroon!
I went to bed around 3am but I did not sleep at night because the music arranged by a DJ was just too strong ... My mood was really devastating, luckily a lady, Nadine, I was offered a side table then around 4:30 the women began to stand ready to return so I could get a sofa, and sleep for an hour. Then I woke up I again assisted in the kitchen and I saw the text I read of the mass.
Well then the Mass I have to tell you it's really a crazy thing, nothing to do with that of the Parish of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Bandjoun-Pete. On the one hand because it was outdoors and I discovered it 30 seconds before the service, I was leaving stressed with the fear of arriving late (and yeah I qd even read a text I was not afraid to be in time) towards the Church of Hok and George told me when I say you go to church but he said no it off right there next to the house ( sleepy is that!). Funeral Masses are held outside, near the place where the deceased will be buried, like that at the end of the service people carry the coffin to the appropriate location. On the other hand, because there were three huge tents with hundreds of chairs and it was not enough, there were people standing out of sight, sitting around really is just amazing. Then the choir was beautiful songs I loved very super causing people sing, clap their hands, get carried away by music and dance is finally really amazing! The choir members were all dressed alike, they had traditional instruments, there was a little sweetie of 6 years may be too cute, who sang and danced with such a concentration that was really touching. They sang traditional songs that I did not understand but I liked their musicality. While the Mass was long, there were readings, testimonials, biography, prayers in French and Bamileke, songs, a fairly virulent tirade on non-believers made by an intolerant confirmed (not with this kind of speech that can bring hope to the lost sheep to the path of faith) but I must say it was really interesting and rather good fun thanks to the choir which provided a lively spectacle. The father of Raymond's farewell to his wife was heartbreaking, shocking, you know me I am a highly sensitive, easy but a tear there, the projection is almost mandatory and really we say that the world collapses.
Also at the end of the Mass throughout the world joined Elise place to bury those who wished were able to bless the body with the tree of peace and holy water. Meanwhile the children were preparing the cement, then once the coffin installed the cement slab was laid.
After that people were divided into two groups. On rated the villagers had to go back home to get a glass of water and a snack, the other the "outside, and authorities in any significant edges" that were received in the garden where tents had been erected, tables on which were arranged wine, juice and beer, chairs and buffet supplied by the food prepared the day before and that morning by little hands working.
During the afternoon, after having put everything away (dinner tables chairs tents ... with the help of employees of the company equipment rental) we were able to attend traditional dance to the sounds of tom-toms and other traditional instruments, Flora beautiful daughter of the deceased to wear a necklace and wear something on his head, women in that single file mimed agricultural work during that men made music. It was really good for me to attend a traditional ceremony, I'm curious to see, learn and understand the beliefs, habits and customs of the country where I go. In any case I thank people for letting me witness this moment.
That you now know as much as me on the funeral Bamiléké
