Wild West
My Native Land: The Ultimate Adventure Into The Wild West
Cameroon in the west of Africa is truly blessed indeed, Africa miniature, a land flowing with milk and honey in its own way. She has been subject to many names, Rio dos Cameroes, Kamerun…all this with meanings from most of its amazing natural eons. But most of this beauty is in the tropics, in various localities with challenging distances to travel but with nature to marvel at which take us back to our very points of origin-our native lands. I adventured," far beyond what I see," just like in the movie-the lion king ½ though for a purpose but I seek to share my experiences and enlighten a few about the mystery surrounding our origin, our culture, not its deep meanings but the feelings and experiences I had much to my amazement all in this purposeful voyage which I narrate like a raconteur in a suitable order. I pray follow wisely and thoughtfully on this journey, imagining everything you know and reacting to every feeling like in the scary movies marveling at the creation of GOD.
This amazing journey started up in suspense in the Aghem village found in the Menchum division in the North West province. I don't need to mention the great Menchum falls of course, able to supply electrical power to the whole of West Africa if harnessed, as they say. We moved from the Aghem village into the Zhoa municipality beginning with Weh. It was a 45min journey from Weh we went on to the far North West into the Esu village where ‘I came, saw and conquered'. Upon arrival I would say, ‘we were dust not covered with dust'. This was in the dry season in mid-February. Analyzing the dust level, it's about 3inches thick and the nature of the weather-dust: added value to my voyage. The Corps was taken into the hut for the," country fashion" where a lot of rather secret village traditions were carried out like…did I mention it was a burial ceremony? Nevertheless a purposeful and most intriguing adventure. On this occasion, guns were being shot with musical instruments such as broken pipes, customized North West strings now chest guitars etc, but the dance groups were amazing and I got footage and pictures. There was an "Obama dance group". Did you hear that Mr. President? Amazing how news can travel: president Obama. These guys a far into the mist of the territory but do come to light about such events when they barely have light. HOW? Some don't even know what a TV is and some children have never entered a car for all their life! True. I guess some were lucky to see a car when we arrived in rather "rearranged parts with tires". Well I imagine a local telling his friend, "awesome I saw a super auto mobile", nevertheless it was their own "kit"-the knight rider. Hope they do see an electrical car fast: it'll be progress.
We could as well say we were back in the day. Why, because I estimated a man to 4wives. "Add another, ‘s' in wives". Yes. At least don't judge me, it is what the huts say. Hope you can see them in the pictures. A compound characterized by huts with the ‘mans' having this great gravitational pull horizontally to the other huts. The ‘man' would stand for ‘cranky' old men who always think they need another wife. I even wonder whether wives‘s' is their own sign of respect!? These guys need to change their mindset or they would DIE. That explains why I saw primary 7 female pupils of about 13yrs of age carrying babies with the ‘man' as their babes-amazing love or rather cupid's work. Is it really normal? I guess its teen marriages or they just want babies. Well in this kind of an environment it is, ‘survival of the fittest', which will explain also why women keep money in their breast wears-I know keep eyes where they belong. ‘But I saw nothing much'. Some of these children hardly know school and I saw some of them acting the ‘juju'-masquerade and passing pans around but the financial support atmosphere, ‘wicked'. Well if they keep up they would form a great cultural band with no education! However your education is your life says the LORD in proverbs.
Their native dish, ‘corn fufu and njama-njama' spiced with bush meat delicacies. Yes, bush meat could be anything found in the bush; antelopes usually, ‘chuku chuku beef''- porcupine, rat moles, buffaloes…For the rich village folks it'll be the roasted and carefully spiced murdered fowls, ‘Kati-Kati'. Fascinating what we are missing in the suburbs. Imagine my excitement. I even saw ‘moving baskets'.
I saw other adventurers this time with companions: monkeys who discipline people. I think there are people themselves. The government has been so fast enough to build schools to educate scholars. There is no use for phones since there is no network and I guess their only way of communication is letters which there cannot write. Biscuits and candies are extreme luxuries for them and a Whiteman's way of life. Crimes here are mostly unseen, that of witchcraft…and they barely know about JESUS and therefore the rules and regulations is the FON-igwe, king as it is known to others. Death penalty and exile were almost the entire punishment but not sure today. I also noticed that locals called a thief, ‘wise man', but with a stress on man. The granny's are basis of the entire community holding up their locality with human wisdom while the ‘man' focuses on ‘palm wine'. I heard the native tongue mostly in tunes and rhythms and it's was mind blowing. I got a hold a few words too and I can now make sentences e.g. zha, wu moh brogh zeen, meaning how, when did u come!? Sorry about the spelling. Not concerned with fashion and it seems it's a shirt for e.g.1-2weeks before consideration for change. I also wondered whether all domestic animals are pet's e.g. even nasty pigs.
My return journey passing through meandering roads in the hills and valleys far in the bushes was complemented with speed and general danger signs for cattle and loose animals. My uncle a.k.a Tycoon-the pilot drove this journey with an ‘amazing gear 4'. Though risky we reaped high profits of time saved (30mins). Beautiful hills and mountain tops I saw, lined up in series to lowlands and grasslands to valleys full of dirty water which the children find pleasure in swimming in. This reminded me of why mount Cameroon in Buea was termed, ‘the chariot of the gods' and river Wouri in Douala the, ‘sea of prawns'. It's just this kind of beauty or more.
Life is hard for these locals who barely have dreams and this will explain the mindset of expectancy of possession towards those who voyage out of the country into the west. But it's our ORIGIN, CULTURE, CHILDHOOD, even our EXODUS from past times. Coming back only reminds us where we come from and where we are heeded and shows to us and the world we are progressing and our star is shinning. I noticed bringing back our seedlings to our native land tell of our origin, culture, story, longsuffering, and our thankful and grateful hearts as well. Finally I notice I accept where I come from, because it was meant to be, and I am proud of whom I am and I am born for a purpose in Jesus' name. This is my story to; self-discovery, origin and gratitude, of my experience and my adventure into the Wild West.
About the Author
Ngu Ish'mael Asaba,
CAT (certified accounting technician) Affiliate, student member of ACCA (association of chartered certified accountants)
(237) 75 45 85 33.
i am presently a student member of the ACCA(association of chartered certified accountants).i am 19yrs of age
Wild West
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What do you know about the Wild West?
Do you think the Wild West was violent?
If so, Why?
When the first white men arrived in the new world [America] from the Old world [Europe], they came across high cheek boned, deeply suntanned natives, who they later nicknamed 'Red Indians'. These were the first ever to live in America and lived there alone for centuries. Did you know that they weren't called red Indians because of their skin colour, but because of the red war paint they wore when going out?
It is however important to tell you that from very early on there were 2 main types of Indians-Forest and Prairie- and they both lived in very different ways..
The White Man discovered the Native Americans (Red Indians)in the 16th Century. They were by no means foolish, they knew how to use stone, wood, skin and bone for their weapons and household objects, but knew absolutely nothing about Metal. The men knew how to get their women [squaws] to carry all the heavy loads, all about fire to cook and keep them warm.