Sorflaten's Travels: Cameroon Traditional Tribal Beads

Beads hold a very prestigious place in African tradition.

This sign of respect and value carries to today. Tribal chiefs wear their traditional beads as a symbol of the chief’s powerful place within their village. We took this picture in Wum of their chief wearing the beads that are their traditional beads. One always must ask permission to take a picture. When in the presence of the chief, one must not get too close to the chief. Hand shaking is not part of this culture. Distance and respect are in order!

Traditionally these beads are carved from ivory. Ivory beads are very expensive, rare and not allow to be brought into Canada. Oussematou was fascinated by the story of the Steven Lewis Foundation Grannies and the pottery beads from South Africa. She was determined to find someone who could make these traditional pottery beads from the North West Cameroon. She knew of a village about two hours from Bamenda.

So, we hired a car and set out. The road into the village was washed out so we walked in on what was the road and now is used by motorbikes, a common form of travel for those who can afford it.

Sure enough. We came to a house where a lady was bent over a work bench making the traditional beads. She was uncomfortable with me being there so I quickly moved back allowing Oussematou to talk with her. Here is a picture of her workbench and the pottery beads newly painted, drying.

Oussematou placed an order with her that we would pick up in one week’s time. The following week we returned. She had a bag of beads ready for us. When I gave her the equilivant of $30.00 Canadian dollars, she suddenly became a little more friendly! She agreed to this picture, taken with her mother who had been shelling dry beans.

There is a very skilled potter in this village called Moses. Moses makes large pots (beautiful) and wants to help ladies like the lady we placed the order with to make pottery beads. We visited Moses.

Below Oussematou is talking the Moses. Some are of his large pots traditionally used for carrying water.

The next picture shows the newly dug quality clay. One can sense the resourcefulness of Moses’ family (chickens, dried corn being husked, pigs and there were goats).

Since our visit, orders from this village have been delivered to IDF via motorcycle taxi for the ladies to make jewelry with the pottery beads. Ladies of the village are benefitting, the ladies making the beads are being paid for their labor and IDF has been able to open a sales outlet in the nearby book store.

Here are three different necklaces created by women who are living with HIVAIDS in Bamenda, Cameroon. These necklaces are for sale (lsorflaten@hotmail.com). All proceeds go to IDF. http://idfbamenda.wordpress.com