Ronald Engard videos of dances and rituals of the Kingdom of Bafut and Babanki, Cameroon
odd: label: Local Numbers
content: HSFA 1988.8.1
name: label: Creator
content: Engard, Ronald K.
place: label: Place
content: Africa, West
label: Place
content: Cameroon
topic: label: Topic
content: Music
label: Topic
content: Dance
label: Topic
content: Rites and ceremonies
label: Topic
content: Death and mortuary customs
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was deposited by Dr. Ronald Engard in 1988.
creator: label: Creator
content: Engard, Ronald K.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 8 Videocassettes (VHS) (50 hours, color sound)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1981-1983
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Previously titled "Dances and Rituals of the Kingdom of Bafut and Babanki, Cameroon 1981-1983."
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: HSFA.1988.08
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Videocassettes (vhs)
label: Type
content: Video recordings
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Titles are supplied by the archivist for untitled films.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Video recordings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Full video record documents performances of a variety of dance societies from the Kingdom of Bafut and the neighboring kingdom of Babanki (Kedjum Keku) in the northwest province of Cameroon. A prominent feature of Bafut political life, ownership of specific dances by sub-chiefs and important nobles is a constituting element of their political authority. The dances documented in this collection include various parts of the Bafut annual ritual cycle, command performances, and mortuary celebrations. Also included is documentation over a three-year period (1981-1983) of the Abin Lela Dance of the Flutes, the climactic moment of the annual ritual cycle. This annual dance in Bafut marks the death and rebirth of the year and serves as an essential act of Bafut constitutional politics. Dance footage is accompanied by selective recording of oral testimony.

Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or Anthropology Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.