The Coolidge examiner., 1935-07-12

Fr~ra-~st - ~aft-asl csorrspsf saetsiy.
WsshlrHFar a f. =h NI Service
TOcMnAN. mandate % Came
L roun. Africa. is astonishing
Il The city stands upon a bill
and g. surrounded by an elaborate
system ~ ancient trench fortiaca.
tions dating from the years % the
Fuial raiders The trees. which
have BEEN planted along cvesy
street. give g a wooded effect whoi.
~ ahsent among the ncishboring
grass meadows one has an lm.
mediate impression of order. pros
p.riiy. civilization.
Many of the houses of Foum.
ban are o, snn.dried brick and are
roofed Wiih native tiles or grass
thatch. The compound fences are
neatly Constructed The market.
made of brick and tie. Is modern
in type and perfectly clean A. the
~rufer 81 the town is an Imposing
three story structure set 10 the
midst of elaborate gardens.
It ls the palace % NJoya. sultan
-of the Bamoum and overload %
Foumhan. Everythlng-order. bricks
aud rarden--ls Indigenous Foum.
han existed when tho white man
vas no more than a myth. Even now
outside influences have touched u
only slightly.
The sultan and the majority %
his r-eople are MohammedRnG In
accordance with the curious rule
that people OF the African deserts
and pralries readily adopted Mc-
hammedanlsm. and that the people
- the African forests almost In.
variably did DOT. the Bamoum
scarcely recall time when their
ne was not strongly Influenced by
the Arabic belief.
In the center of the town. facing
the sultan's palace. Is the mosque.
"a frame building of strongly Moor.
ish type. even TO the vertical stripes
- red and white paint Here. every
Friday. the elite Of the Bamoum
gather.
subehiefs Are a Proud Lot
The many n'gi. or snbchiefs. OF
the tribe. some OF whom exert far
more real power than the sultan
himself. come in from their dis
tricis. bringing with them a string
%, dependents. They make a s,rik-
lus picture. Nearly all arisiocrais
% the Cameroun plateau ride horse
back and dress In immense flowing
robes covered with bright emhroid.
cry. Some swaihe their heads In
white or blue turbans: others wear
the characteristic noppy straw hat
81 the Fuiah cattle herders. All
have an air OF family contempiu.
Gus majesty.
They. the rulers. they fondly
think. are the pure blood conquer.
ors from the North. and therefore
the superlors Of the indigenous peo-
pies with whom they have merged.
As n matter of fact. little trace
% the Arab strain remains. GER
talnly so far south as Foumban.
The Bamoum. except FOR unusual
stature and the occasional appear.
ance of an Isolated stralght-fea.
tured type. are distinctly negrold
The n'Si. when they come 20 town.
are followed. according 20 their
rank. by greater or less encourages.
Several male members OF his faml.
Is usually accompany the n'gl. also
mounted. The horses are richly
caparisoned In red and green leath.
er. The men carry elaborate spears.
with shafts OF hardwood and tips
OF silver or native bronze. Behind
comes an inconspicuous rabble OF
wives. usually well-laden with pro-
duce for sale at the weekend mar
ket, and several depressed-lookIng
burrOs. not quite as heavily laden
as the women.
While the ceremony at the
mosque Is In session the women
and burrOs sit respectfully about
outside. When the men come out.
Foumban stIrs with unaccustomed
activity. an activity which continues
until the country people stray away
home late the following day.
Markets Are Picturesque.
All sorts OF produce are spread
out IN the market. There are leath-
or boots. scabbards, and decorated
harness; superb pieces OF Bamoum
embroidery rolls OF homespun cot
ton cloth; carved wooden household
articles OF every description.
Hardly less picturesque is the
food market. First OF all, there are
thousands OF ears OF fine Indian
corn. II grows everywhere on the
plateau. More special delicacies
range all the way from roasted ter
mites eggs to crocodile steaks,
things OF considerably less interest
10 a white traveller.
Hore than a thousand people at
tend the market The sounds, sights,