They traveled through the area now occupied by the Bamum where many Bamileke remained and intermarried. Eventually, the majority settled in scattered villages to the south of Bamum territory. The Bamileke are primarily farmers, growing maize, yams, and peanuts as staple crops. They also raise some livestock, including chickens and goats, which play an important role in daily sustenance. Women, who are believed to make the soil more fruitful, are responsible for the tasks of planting and harvesting of the crops.
Men usually help with the clearing of the lan, and practice some hunting.
Throughout history, the peoples of the Grasslands were part of extensive trade routes connecting with the seaport of Douala and through trans-Saharan traders including the Fulani and Hausa to the north. European histories mention trading at Douala between Cameroon Grasslanders and Dutch and Portuguese traders in the early 17th century. Authority among the Bamileke, as is the case in most of the western Grasslands, is invested in a village chief, who is supported by a council of elders, and is called Fon. The Fon is elected to his position by his predecessor's council and is often an elder member of the most powerful extended family within the community. The chief is recognized as the de facto owner of all the land that belongs to a given village and is seen as the dispenser of supreme justice.