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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Folk-songs and history among the Kom of northwest Cameroon |
Author: | Nkwi, Walter Gam |
Year: | 2006 |
Periodical: | Humanities Review Journal |
Volume: | 6 |
Pages: | 62-76 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Cameroon |
Subjects: | songs Kom |
Abstract: | Orality is a powerful route into the history and memory of societies whose history has been marginalized in the written world. The focus in this article is on folk songs in the Kom fondom (chiefdom) of northwest Cameroon. Amongst the Kom, songs reflect every aspect of people's lives. They also give expression to basic principles that underlie social, political and cultural life. Each important occasion in the life of the Kom is an opportunity to compose a song. Several Kom songs are discussed in terms of the themes they express, which range from culture in transition and issues of succession to the Lake Nyos disaster of 21 August 1986, election rigging, paying dowry and prostitution. Bibliogr. [ASC Leiden abstract] |