GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to The Study

The Bakweris take pride in celebrating their cultural heritage during festivities. They have a host of cultural festivities that celebrate their cultural heritage and promotion such as the Male dance and the canoe race which is mostly conducted in the coastal areas of the region. Pala-Pala is one of their traditional events which has over the years been recreational, a uniting and social change factor among the Bakweris. The Pala-Pala activity is an old practice and it signifies cultural heritage; it signifies agility, endurance, resistance and strength serving as traits the people inherited from their forefathers.

This Pala-Pala wrestling contest is common among the Bakweris who inhabit Fako Division of Cameroon’s South West region, Pala-Pala is not a sport but an integral part of the culture and festivities. It is usually practice during the dry season especially when the rains are about giving way for dry season. The wrestling contest is a joy to behold. The tournaments are usually in an open space with the village title holders and villagers round the arena.

The wrestling is practiced by young men and women who still have strength, resistance, endurance and agility. The traditional wrestlers’ cloth themselves with western garments tied around their waist, while some wear elbows and knees defenders to avoid having bruises. The young and tough men of each village drop their garment each weekend; knot in Esung’ around their lion or waist, each wrestler goes to the crowd and chooses who to wrestle with and they match on the wrestling ground cheered by crowd.

 

 

Western civilization and culture began to creep into Africa socio-cultural milieu, first with the contact with the European, with the coming of Christianity which later was followed by the scramble for Africa by the European powers to secure territories for their economic benefits. One of the most profound consequences of colonization has been how the African Economic, social and religious practice and activity of the African was influenced or oppressed by the Europeans or colonizers.

The era of colonial pillage and plunder led to the relative stagnation and often precipitous decline of traditional cultural pursuit in the colonies with Africa subjugation and domination, the western culture and European made civilization began to thrive and outgrow Africa cultural heritage, Traditional Africa cultural practices paved the way for foreign ways of doing things as Africans became fully westernized. African ways of doing things became primitive, archaic, regrettable and unacceptable in public domain as the westerners claimed.  Mimiko states that;

The social fabric was completed devastated and a new culture of

Violence was implemented, traditional African systems of

Conflict resolution, unity, rites and rituals were destroyed or

Replaced by western culture claimed to be civilized. (Mimiko, 2010)

Following this spread, scramble and colonization of Africa, Cameroon was never left out. Cameroon is a victim of colonization and is experiencing a great influence of western civilization in almost all aspect of the society, stepping from the political, Economic, social and religious perspectives. One of those sectors influenced by western civilization is the Bakweri Pala-Pala traditional wrestling competition. There has been a great change in the Pala-Pala wrestling activities as a result of the influenced of Western civilization.

The Bakweri people and their oral tradition originate from Wumboka that is south west of mount Cameroon. They migrated to east of the mountain in the 18c. From the foothills, they gradually spread to the coast and up to the Mungo River. In the process, they founded numerous villages, usually when individual group, village or family split off.

The Pala-Pala wrestling is an important way of determining leadership in the villages; it even resulted into a war between two villages in 1891, when the people from Ghango in revenge for the death of their best wrestlers. They call it ‘’Wesuwa’’ and is taken very serious by all the members of the community.

Presently, the Bakweris are concentrated in Cameroon’s south west of the region. They live in over one hundred villages east and southeast of Mount Cameroon with Buea at the Centre as their population Centre. They have a unique culture usually celebrated annually and in the course, some of their festivities include the Male dance, canoe race and combat or traditional wrestling.

The Pala-Pala wrestling is one of the most practiced cultural activity within the Bakweri tribes. Historically, Bakweri traditional wrestling popularly known as Pala-Pala started long ago as a result of an argument that erupted between two friends who wanted to know who is braver than the other. This argument led them to an open combat challenge to see who will be able to put another’s back on the ground. After the tournament, the activity became the pride of the people and a pleasure to behold as it was rooted in Bakweri tradition but today, the Pala-Pala activity is experiencing a gradual assimilation in its activities and practices as a result of influence from western civilization.

1.2. Statement of the Research Problem

The Bakweris are in need of environmental development and social change. The quest for these needs have led them to preaching unity, peace and security by bringing the youths and older people together through cultural activities like the Male Dance and Canoe race.

It has been observed that, Pala-Pala which is one of their cultural pride, cultural heritage and most annually enacted activity is a unity and socializing tool amongst the Bakweris and other ethnic groups present in the Bakweri land but the cultural activity has been influenced by western culture and civilization.

1.3. Research Questions

In attempt to understand this study, the research sets out to answer the following questions;

1. What is the significances of the Pala-Pala wrestling competitions amongst the Bakweris?
2. How is the Pala-Pala wrestling competition practice in Buea?
3. To what extent is the Pala-Pala traditional wrestling competition influenced by western civilization?

1.4. Hypothesis

This work is based on the hypothesis that, due to the influences of western cultures (civilization) the Pala-Pala is yet to be a vehicle of development and social change amongst the Bakweris.