Celebrating the Indigenous Baka Culture
Gislain Ngatcha, EHS Manager at Sudcam attending the celebrations, and opening a Sudcam-funded borewell with a Baka Village Chief.
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A weekend of celebrations was recently held for the indigenous Baka communities surrounding the Cameroon plantations in order to promote and preserve their vibrant culture, traditions and practices. The celebrations were not only a showcase of songs, dances, and story-telling but also served to promote the sustainable management of natural resources. The weekend highlighted the importance of protecting the local biodiversity on which the communities are reliant for food, housing and pharmacopoeia.
In the face of multiple threats to their identity, the Baka people must ensure that their remarkable heritage can continue to thrive. As such, the event served as a platform to attract young volunteers eager to be initiated into a role that encourages local visibility and transmission of the Baka culture. Baka leaders had the opportunity to exchange their insights and experiences with young volunteers, particularly in the field of hunting, traditional pharmacopoeia and heritage games.
Corrie MacColl had the pleasure of supporting the event with funding, coordinated through the AKOK-BAC (Association of Kobo and Traditional Baka Chiefs of Cameroon). This forms part of Corrie MacColl’s broader 5-year Social Action Plan; an initiative to improve the socio-economic conditions of the neighbouring communities in partnership with local NGO, APIFED. This includes support across the following areas: funding, agriculture, education, health, access to drinking water, and the preservation and promotion of the indigenous Baka culture.