Bafia people

Bafia (beukpak) people inhabit the Mbam region in the centre province of Cameroon. Their origins are said to share many similarities with those of the Bamun and Tikar people. A division during migratory movements caused the two sets of groups to settle in different areas. Later, the islamisation of most of the Bamun territory further separated them. A yearly festival held in Fumban (Bamun territory) is considered by many to symbolize the recognition of their common heritage.

Bafia names tend to have a feature worth mentioning. Unlike the naming schemes generally favoured by Europeans families, a bafia father will give his child a personal name to which is appended his own name. For instance, father A(Keman a Ndiomo) may call his son Bitegni a Keman. the "a" in the middle stands for "son of". so it is relatively easy to know which particular family a person belongs to.

Bafia Dance

The traditional dance of bafia is seen as one of the most elegant and enthralling in Cameroon. The charm, posture and facial expressions of the dancers convey a sense of heightened joy and excitement.

Bafia Villages

* Bapep
* Isèri
* Dang
* Roum
* Lablé
* Tchekani
* Yakan
* Biamo
* Goufan
* Nyamsong
*Mouko
*Gouife
*Bitang
*kiki
*Donenkeng

Bafia Mythology

Bafia people are said to be turtle-phobic. This stems from an age-old belief that turtle shells are sacred and could be used to resolve disputes within the community. All those involved will be required to lay their hands on the animal's shell as a way of eliciting the truth. The hands of the guilty party will then supposedly contract leprosis as punishment for evil deeds.The dominant religion is Christianity (Protestantism), although a small section of the population has converted to Islam.

Bafia Dishes

*Bitosso (Generally eaten with some sort of Maize pudding known locally as kipen (kipain))
*Kidjan (Kidjan ki Tchen)
*Gbarak (sticky saucy made with Okra and bush meat)