Inventaire, caractérisations et significations culturelles des sites sacrés des Basaa Bati-Mpoo du Cameroun : le cas des Ndog bea du Nyong et Kelle

Abstract

The present work entitled « Inventory, characterizations, and cultural significance of sacred sites of the Basaa Bati-Mpoo of Cameroon: The Case of Ndog bea in Nyong-et-Kelle » is a Master’s thesis that aims to address the issue of the importance of sacred sites. From this issue of importance, several research questions arise: How does the Bassa’a of Ndog-bea conceive the sacredness of their sites? What are the sacred sites among the Bassa’a Ndog-bea of Nyong-et-Kelle ? What are the characteristics of the sacred sites among the Ndog-bea of Nyong-et-Kelle ? What is the cultural significance of the sacred sites among the Ndog-bea of Nyong-et-Kelle ? These research questions correspond to the following hypotheses: The Bassa’a of Ndog-bea conceive the sacredness of their site by attributing symbolic and spiritual meaning to specific natural or cultural elements present on the site. There are several sacred sites among the Bassa’a Ndog bea, such as Ngog Lituba, Mbog Kaana, Laalo, Lilèhem, Ngog mbog, etc. These spaces have multiple characteristics, including myths, rituals, ancestral connections, and connections with nature. The sacred sites among the Ndog bea are a multidimensional reality with various symbolic facets. Therefore, they serve for rituals, therapies, spiritual awakenings, and they preserve the memory and cultural identity, including the names associated with them. The methodology used for data collection involved both documentary research and field research (observation, interviews). After our data collection, we arrived at the following results : firstly, there are several sacred sites among the Ndog-bea, which are both communal and individual. They are characterized by names, myths, rituals, and certain actors. They have multiple functions (identity, heritage). These sites have various cultural significances, ranging from the relationship to nature and the sacred, mutual protection, the reality of names, and the sense of identity.