Today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms will be presented in Bafut, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai.

Welcome gracious viewers to A Journey through Aesthetic Realms. Today, we have the pleasure of introducing the beautiful handicrafts and artwork of the Cameroon Grassfields.

Shaped like an elongated triangle, the enchanting land of Cameroon is comfortably nestled in the equatorial belt of tropical Central Africa, on the Bight of Biafra. It covers a total surface area of 475,440 square kilometers, with Chad to the north; Central Africa Republic, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to the south; Nigeria to the west; and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Seaboard) to the south-west.

Cameroon is renowned for its cordial hospitality to all visitors, who find themselves returning time and again. With a wide range of cultural, ethnic, social, and linguistic diversity, the nation is sometimes called “Africa in miniature.”

The natural landscape encompasses a spectrum of mountains, coastal plains, savanna stretches, beaches, lakes, rivers, hills, plateaus, evergreen equatorial forests, thorn bushes, swamps and marshes, as well as vast fields of various types of agricultural plantations. Cameroon has a population of approximately 19 million people and the land is divided into ten different regions.

One of the most remarkable features of Cameroon is how its marvelous ethnic and cultural diversity is wonderfully represented in the realm of arts and crafts. The Cameroonian people’s imagination, creativity and artistic ingenuity is very much evident in their locally produced heritage items. Each and every ethnic group in Cameroon creates ingenious and splendid works of art that reflect the vibrancy of their ancient traditions.

Be it from the North, Central or other region of Cameroon, one is greatly inspired when given the opportunity to admire the outstanding artwork meticulously created by the people of the area. While there is a wealth of beautiful handicrafts made in every region in Cameroon; the pieces by artisans from the Grassfields of Cameroon are truly special and some consider them the ultimate expression of the marvellous nature of traditional Cameroonian arts and crafts. In the Grassfields, one can view an extensive and magnificent array of vivid and colorful art designed to reflect various features of the values, traditions and beliefs of the people.

The Grassfields, also known as the Grasslands, is located in the North-West Region of Cameroon. The North-West Region boasts the second highest mountain in West Central Africa, Mount Oku, and the magnificent Kilum-Ijim Forest, an area of land with an abundance of biodiversity. The city of Bamenda is the capital of the North-West Region.

Art is an inseparable part of life in the Cameroon Grasslands and plays an essential role in the local culture. For example, some symbols on masks, clothing and other objects are not only aesthetically pleasing but also serve to indicate the purpose of an object, such as the ceremony it is used with or the person who is allowed to use it. For instance, an indigo-dyed cloth or certain beaded objects should only be worn by the royal family or other nobility. Also, a carved stool in a council chamber may only be used by a designated individual.

Wonderful artistic traditions in the Grasslands include woodworking, ceramics making, grass weaving, and brass work making. Artisans skilled in these crafts create musical instruments, masks, bags, mats, baskets, dishes and traditional chairs, just to mention a few of the splendid items they produce. An overwhelming majority of these works are handmade by the individual artists who obtain the raw materials directly from nature in a manner that is environmental sustainable and thus ensures continuous availability of the material.

For instance, the craft workers understand that if care and patience is used when harvesting straw grass to make weaved baskets, mats and bags, the plants will quickly replenish themselves. Environmentally sustainable methods are also used to obtain raw materials for musical instruments and ceramics, thus the artisans live in perfect harmony with nature.

The wilds offer natural resources to them so that they may express their vibrant culture and also earn a living; and the artisans in turn respect and help in the preservation of the environment. One organization helping to promote the Grasslands art culture and ensure that it thrives is Prescraft (Presbyterian Handicraft Centre Cameroon). They are a member of the World Fair Trade Organization.

Fair trade items are consumer products such as tea, flowers, cotton goods and handicrafts produced in an environmentally friendly manner by growers and producers in developing nations who enjoy decent working conditions and receive fair market value for the fruits of their work. Prescraft believes in encouraging those artisans it partners with to practice sustainable management of natural resources.

Among the many services Prescraft offers include expert advice and seminars in craft production, helping producers to promote and market their products, and exposing local art nationally and internationally through its Internet website. Prescraft Handicraft Centers allow craftspeople to work together using shared resources to create their art and give the opportunity for experienced workers to provide apprenticeships to young people wishing to learn the trade.

At the Handicraft Center, Bali-Nyonga a staff of over 50 artisans produce carved stools, relief carvings, woven chairs and benches, bamboo items, calabash items and baskets. Prescraft is important as it is helping to preserve indigenous culture. The craftspeople of the North-West Region have greater pride in their traditional livelihoods as well thanks to Prescraft.

Prescraft operates four shops to display the splendid items produced in the North-West Region. After the artisans make their items, Prescraft buys them at a fair price and sells them to the public in Bamenda and other locations. We will return shortly and continue our fascinating look at the spectacular array of beautiful art and craft items from the Grassfields of Cameroon. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

Welcome back to A Journey through Aesthetic Realms for more on the intriguing art and craft items from the Grassfields area of Cameroon. Almost all of the handicrafts produced in the North-West Region are exhibited in cultural museums and also in the palaces of the local Fons or kings.

Fons are the traditional rulers of the different ethnic groups in the North-West Region. The Fon’s palace is considered the cultural hub of the values and traditions of his particular ethnic group. The Grassfields people of the North-West Region have nearly 100 chiefdoms, each ruled by a divine Fon.

There are various ceremonies organized in the Fondoms where a vast range of traditional dances and spectacular displays of many other cultural activities may be seen.

As we have seen earlier in the program, arts and crafts play a central role in every facet of daily life for the people of the Grassfields. A craftwork which is widely used in everyday life is the wooden stool, which is carved from one piece of wood and follows intricate traditions in both their making and use. Certain stools are only to be used by certain people only, such as the Fon, a chief, a Ma Fo (a powerful female leader), or particular nobles.

The royal throne or stool of a Fon is very important and even when he is not seated on the stool, the object still represents his power and thus is deeply venerated. Some of the common symbols that might be carved on a Fon’s stool include the elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion, and python. On common stools that may be bought in a market, one may find a carving of a spider or the cowry shell which represents wealth, respect and dignity.

One very important and highly symbolic cultural item in the North-West Region is the mask. There are various masks that express different aspects of the local heritage. For instance, a mask may represent an animal or the mask may emulate a notable person. What is very special indeed about the tradition is that by putting on a particular mask, it’s possible for on-lookers to tell the tale or story associated with such a mask.

There are also certain dances, such as the Juju or spirit dances, whereby the performers put on various masks that correspond with the songs composed for the dance. For instance, if a song about horses is performed, it is likely a mask that relates to this topic would be donned, making the appearance of the dancer in harmony with the theme of the dance.

Within the Grasslands region, there are several renowned and important museums to preserve and share the local heritage. Some of these are the Baham Museum, the Babungo Museum, the Musa Heritage Gallery, the Mankon Museum and the Museum of Bandjoun.

The Babungo kingdom was once known as the hub of iron-related crafts in Cameroon. Today, the Babungo Museum houses very well preserved objects from the rich culture of the Babungo peoples such as statues, furniture, musical instruments, masks and costumes. The Musa Heritage Gallery was named in memory of Cameroonian artists Daniel Musa and his son, John. There are over 400 works in its collection, ranging from pieces by the father and son to other renowned Grasslands artisans.

The Mankon Museum displays the cultural and artistic achievements of the Kingdom of Mankon. The artifacts speak volumes about the culture of the kingdom and how it has contributed to the overall national heritage. The Museum of Bandjoun exhibits over a hundred important objects depicting the cultural heritage of the Bandjoun people. On display in the museum are some rare and wonderful pieces of African art that visitors can see and appreciate.

To close today’s program, the people of the Grasslands are actively integrating the arts and crafts produced in their homeland into their lives and take great pride in preserving their cultural heritage as well as supporting local artisans. May the wonderful traditions of the Grasslands continue to flourish for the years to come and beyond.

Cherished viewers, it was a great pleasure to have you with us for this edition of A Journey through Aesthetic Realms, showcasing the spectacular art and craft items of the Grasslands in the North-West Region of Cameroon.

Up next on Supreme Master Television is Vegetarianism: The Noble Way of Living, after Noteworthy News. May our planet be graced with peace and joy.