Mankon (historically spelled ''Mankong'') is a geo-historic community constituting a large part of

Bamenda Bamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the Northwest Region, Cameroon, Northwest Region. The city has a population of about 2 million people and is located north-west of the Cameroonian ca ...

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

, formed as an amalgamation of about five different ethnic groups. The (kingdom) represents one of the oldest monarchies of the grassfield people of the Northwest Province. The is ruled by a (king) with rights to kinghood acquired by birth. The crowned is usually a designated son of the deceased king, a child who was born only during his reign.

Colonial history

In the late 19th century, the Mankon people fought against

German colonial German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

forces, in a conflict that became known as the Battle of Mankon. German colonial forces, allied with the

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

people, were led by

Eugen Zintgraff Eugen Zintgraff (born 16 January 1858 in Düsseldorf; died 4 December 1897 on Tenerife) was a German explorer. Work In 1886, he was sent by the German Foreign Ministry to carry out the explorations in Kamerun. He ascended the Wouri River as ...

and severely outnumbered the Mankon. The first two conflicts saw the German and Bali force, armed with guns and cannons, defeated at the hands of the spear- and machete-toting Mankon warriors. Some of Zintgraff's men had to flee on foot to as far as Babungo. But the Mankon people were finally defeated in a third conflict in 1901.Mankon museum website
/ref> The Mankon community remained under German control until after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, when northwestern Cameroon became a British

mandate territory A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for adminis ...

. This situation remained until the British-administered Cameroons achieved independence in 1961. The Mankon Cultural and Development Association is a cultural group that brings people of this kingdom together wherever they might be in the world to promote their culture and assists in development projects in the kingdom. The group has branches in major cities and towns in Cameroon and all over the world especially in the United States of America. Annual celebrations are held in different cities in the US to celebrate and commune with each other. The first of such gathering known as a convention started in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2006. The Mankon Students Association, bring students from different institutions of learning together in Mankon during the summer holidays to enable interaction, development of relationships, promotion of cultural values and activities and to contribute to the development of Mankon.

Tourism

Mankon plays host to several tourism conveniences amongst which is a modern museum located at the , the palace of the fon, and is open to the public. This museum is a major tourist destination in Northwest Province, with a gallery of art and craft dating back several centuries. The most convenient time to visit the Mankon fondom is during the December and New Year periods when the kingdom has its annual dance, during which the people celebrate and also have the rare occasion of mixing with the fon. Festivities may last a week and it is a great time for cultural display. Such festivities give the Mankon people the opportunity to savor the varied rhythms of

African music Given the vastness of the African continent, its music is diverse, with regions and nations having many distinct musical traditions. African music includes the genres amapiano, Jùjú, Fuji, Afrobeat, Highlife, Makossa, Kizomba, and others. The ...

and to meet expert drummers and musicians of the kingdom.

Fon

Fon of Mankon include: * Fomukong (1799-1866)Cameroon Traditional states leaders
at worldstatesmen.org * Fon Angwafo II (1866-1919) * Ndefru III (1919-1959) *

Fon Angwafo III of Mankon Fon Angwafo III of Mankon (1 May 1925 – 21 May 2022) was a Cameroonian traditional ruler. Life Fon Angwafo III was born in French Cameroon, on 1 May 1925. He attended the Aggrey Memorial College Arochuku, in eastern Nigeria, from 1945 to 195 ...

(1959-2022). 20th fon of Mankon

Culture

File:Cultural festival Mankon 2.jpg, Traditional Calabash File:Cultural festival Mankon 11.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 9.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 15.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 6.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 3.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 20.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 13.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 12.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 14.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 16.jpg File:Cultural festival Mankon 19.jpg Mankon Palace Museum, headgear

References

External links

Mankon Cultural and Development Association
{{authority control Ethnic groups in Cameroon