Cultural And Intangible Heritage Of The World: The Nguon Knocks On The Door.
Formerly, a celebration of the traditional values of the Bamoun people, one of the most dynamic and representative of Cameroon, the Nguon has stood the test of time: more than six centuries already. Despite the vicissitudes of history.Festival of harvest, collection and sharing in its early days, this event through Bamoun kings who are the main artisans, surrounded by their notables, has opened up to other cultures without losing any of its brilliance and its ritual and cultural aspects.
The Nguon will soon be celebrating its 548th edition in its Foumban foundations, the cradle of a culture which is the pride not only of the Bamoun people but of Cameroon as a whole.Here was also born under the creative genius of Sultan King Njoya an atypical writing which, in its time, laid the foundations for a communication which quickly exceeded the scope of the traditional drum, well known in Africa.
On the social level, the Nguon intends to promote a mixing of cultures and facilitate better integration of festival-goers into the social world, promote academic excellence, contribute through education and awareness campaigns for improved public health.By knocking on Unesco’s door to be on the Representative List of the Cultural and Intangible Heritage of humanity, the Nguon has sufficient assets and arguments to its advantage. Still, between Unesco and the Bamoun kingdom, collaboration already has a commendable precedent, namely the restoration of the royal palace of Foumban by the United Nations.
The Nguon is undoubtedly the foundation that unites all the Bamoun people and beyond all the other chapels. Every Bamoun recognize themselves in the Nguon. This attachment can be explained by the fact that in the past, generally in July, the fourth month of the rainy season, the King and the notables collected from their citizens the “NYAM NGUON” (Nguon Provisions) which they donated to the palace in exchange for other products that were lacking in their villages. The Nguon thus symbolized the values of solidarity and sharing.Today, however, the King and the notables remain, the original attractions that enhance the sparkle of the festivities. Where and how often do we see a sovereign submit to the sanction of his people ? Another brilliant symbol that should propel the Nguon to the pantheon of Cultural and Intangible World Heritage.Give to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar. We wrote about it above in other words.
After more than six hundred years, a lot of water has flowed into the Noun, the river which gave its name to the entire department which constitutes the Bamoun kingdom. In its current posture, the Nguon is an initiative of His Majesty IBRAHIM MBOMBO NJOYA, Sultan King of Bamoun. It was he who brought back and dusted off this festival from its ashes.On the throne of Nchare Yen on August 10th , 1992, he organized the new ceremony of the Nguon from July 27th to August 10th , 1993.
The following year, in 1994, the reappearance of the Nguon was confirmed and placed under the sign of 600 years of history of the Bamoun people. The torch thus lit, grows year after year, shining in all its splendor.As a wise leader, blood prince, seasoned civil administrator who acquired sufficient experience, IBRAHIM MBOMBO NJOYA, educated in traditional and western schools, several times minister, ambassador, who traveled the world, today senator, he understood that his predecessors, including his grandfather, then his father left a relic to shine.
The Nguon thus becomes a biennial festival that attracts people from all four corners of the planet to the city of arts, who draw from the roots of a tradition and a culture that has been around for centuries. Also IBRAHIM MBOMBO NJOYA is keen to carry these values where the United Nations has decided to keep the cream of the Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. You had to think about it. So future generations will say of the current Sultan King of the Bamoun, happy like IBRAHIM MBOMBO NJOYA
JACQUES DOO BELL
