Philosophical Basis for Bakweri Mysticism

By Magnus P. Mukoko-Mokeba

Culled from ABBIA, Vol. 3 (September 1963): 39-44.

Bakweris inhabit the south-western portion of the Federal Republic of Cameroon. They are part of what sociologist E. W. Ardener has described as "Coastal Bantus". In this article, we shall endeavour to examine and describe some of their philosophical concepts in order to understand the basis of their spiritual life.

Usage has rendered a number of words ambiguous and vague: This is particularly true of words such as "democracy", "communism" and "justice". Definitions of such words are apt to be arbitrary and my definition of philosophy claims no exception to arbitrariness. For the purpose of this article we shall define philosophy as the critical reflection on the justification of basic human beliefs and analysis of basic concepts in terms of which such beliefs are expressed.

This definition shares the above-mentioned ambiguity in a number of ways. But being descriptive, it neither demarcates philosophy from science nor from philosophical literature nor from what some refer to as tradition. Its adequacy lies, however, in its conformity to the problems that the following paragraphs will elucidate.

The learned and laity of our times are generally aware of the attempts that thoughtful men have made throughout all recorded history on such questions as: Are there many gods or only one or none? Who made the world and why? What is man and to what end does he exist? Whence came the earliest knowledge of the arts? Does the human being have a soul, and if a man dies does he live again? In short, what is the purpose and meaning of life? Whence came and whither go man and the universe?

What the ancient Hebrews thought about these things is widely known through the teachings of missionaries; and the determined attempts made by ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Babylonians, Persians as well as the ancient peoples of India and China at finding answers to these questions are known by the learned in our society.

But how few are those who are conscious of the fact that in the Federal Republic of Cameroon indigenous peoples have also given much thought to all these questions for untold ages and have answered them in a manner that it would do honour to the wisest seers and sages of all times.

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Comments

[martin]

thought u might like this

[Dear Magnus]

I'm doing some research into the ancient gods of the SW Cameroun. I am not religious. I've made an odd discovery about the ancient Zoroaster(?)& early Jainist cults & i think they had some influence in West Africa in the 6th C. BC.
I know this does sound delusional, but pls be patient as i have some evidence.
As you know the West African religions always had the 'duality' of good-evil deities.
Are there legends in Cameroon of which you are aware of name. traditions relating to
TWIN GODS--(as in Yoruba tradition?)
TWIN MOUNTAINS
The meaning of the word FAKO in the local languages, : is it linked to the "heaven" concept of VAHO, you mentioned in your BAKWERI article.
As rgds BUBI theology: CHIBA sounds much like SHIVA, & i always wondered about he "fire chapels"& the snake god (Mappa).

Rgds
Gerry