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The Bali people of Cameroon
Geography Bali is a Village/town located in the Mezam division of the Northwest province of Cameroon. Bali geographically lies to the east of longitude 10 degrees east and at latitude 60 north. Bali sits on 192 km2 of land. Bali is 50 miles Northwest of Bamenda, one of Cameroons main cities, 128 miles southeast from Douala Cameroon’s commercial center and 60 miles northeast from the closest airport known as Bamenda Airport. Bali rises 4380 feet above sea level and has two active volcanoes. The Oku Volcanic field and the Manengouba mountain in

History Bali historically belonged to the Sudanese Chamba Leko-speaking people of Sudan. They migrated from Sudan between 1825 and 1835. The invading Fulani’s pushed them out of Sudan. German explorer Eugen Zintgraff greatly explored Bali in 1899. His presence led to The Bafut Wars that occurred between Bali and Bafut in 1889 after two of Zintgraff’s messengers sent to Abumbi I the fon of Bafut to demand Ivory were murdered. After the murder of Zintgraff messengers, Zintgraff a close friend of the Bali Fon burrowed warriors from the Bali Fon and attacked Bafut. This battle inflicted heavy losses on both sides. The first recorded king of Bali was Ga-Wolbe I, who was succeeded by two sons who reigned consecutively. Their names were Ga-Tumjang and Ga-Banjang. After both their deaths, Ga-Banjang’s son Ga-Nyama reigned and begot Ga-Gansin who Begot Ga-Wolbe II. Ga-Wolbe II was killed at the battle of Bafundong near Dschang, which is today’s western province in Cameroon. Following Ga-Wolbe II’s death was a power struggle that led to the splitting of the tribe into seven different Fondoms each under a different Fon. Nyongpasi ended up with the greatest number of followers. His mother princess Nyonga daughter of Ga-Wolbe II was a powerful woman who asked her son to found a new kingdom, where he ruled as Fonyonga I and she became first queen mother (Kah) in Bali. Fonyonga I moved his Fondom to Foumban where he was welcomed by his mothers people the Batis. The migration and interaction with other neighboring Fondoms gave rise to the present day Bali language known as Mungaka. Fonyonga I’s migration to Foumban did not last. He was constantly under attack by a neighboring fondom’s fon Mbuo-Mbuo Njoya. This led to multiple moves across the Num River, where other Fondoms such as the Won, the Set, the Ngiam, the Sang, the Ngod, the Sangam, the Fuleng and the Munyam became part of Bali. After his death, in 1856 Fonyonga I was succeeded by his son Ga-Lega I who died in 1901 and was succeeded by his son Fonyonga II who was king until 1940. Fonyonga II died in 1985 and was succeeded by his son Ga-Nyonga III who is still Fon till this present day.

German explorer Eugen Zintgraff and Galega I, fon of Bali, Cameroon.

Politics and Government The political system in Bali is highly centralized. The highest position in Bali society is the Fon (chief). Each Fon is selected by his predecessors and is always the from the lineage. Each Fon has a group of community leaders called Mfonteh that aid in advising him on important issues. Also high within the political hierarchy are the Ngumba who are scouts that spy on neighboring fondom’s during wars. Fons serve till death, abdicating the stool only during terminal illness and death. Culture Bali people live in houses of varying sizes. Marriage is polygamous, but the introduction of Christianity through colonization has triggered the gradual disappearance of Polygamy. Bali people have a barter economy based on the staple foods grown such as yams, beans, a variety of vegetables. Introduction of money currency by the Europeans is slowly being incorporated into their economy. Most villagers are farmers, who also rear chickens, goats and sheep’s, and use dogs for hunting. Bali men make their own clothing from locally grown cotton, leather and bamboo. They made axes, cutlasses, blades etc. with scrap iron. An essential plant is the raffia palm bamboo, which is used to make all sorts of furniture. Women made their own cooking tools with clay, and decorated them with strung beads. In Bali society men are considered superior to men, so women never walk upright when near their husbands. They squat or stoop low before eating or drinking amongst men to show respect. They never referred to their husbands by their first names, and never ate chicken eggs or gizzards because it’s a taboo. ART The Bali people consider the skull sacred. Representations of the skull are found in almost all items made. Masks and stools are also made. The masks are used for initiations into sacred societies and the more elaborate a stool is, the higher an individual is within the community.