In Honor of the Belaka of Ŋgang Ha
His Honor the Belaka (Sultan/Lamido) of Ŋgang Ha, has been decorated with the “L’Orde Nationale de la Valeur” for his achievements for the Mbum People and Mbum Culture.
Wild Initiative take the opportunity to thank His Excellency the Belaka for all his support and interest over many years. We rejoice with You for this honor, we are proud of you and of Ŋgang Ha, and we hope this will benefit
the future of the Mbum as a people.
the future of the Mbum as a people.
This was last minute as the Mbum as a people and their culture was rapidly going extinct due to the colonization of the Fulbes, the Germans and the French. Despite Islam, the Belaka has been able to stop the tide and attract national attention to the Mbum People and their Culture, through a museum, national expositions and much more. There is a long collaboration with Norwegian mission and universities in putting the Mbum language into writing, in securing the Mbum people their history and thus contributing in securing their traditions and identity as a people. I may revert to this soon.
This might well be the first time for Wild Initiative to congratulate someone of this caliber in his native tongue. I hope all friends who understand what I write (not many!) and all others, will join us in celebrating this event and forwarding our congratulations to Ŋgang Ha and the Belaka. I will offer an English translation at the end.
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Barka a Hvi, - Belaka Ŋgang Ha
Hau pina belake kã ru wa hã bi kau Norvege. Ru ka đina ring a Hvi, ru ka haŋa ndoƙ ka taƙa lau ŋger fe hũnake ma djang Hvi wa.
«Ba’» kau đi Hvi wa hã Hvi se bi Yaounde. Ke mang yar ka sakar lau a njukri wambap ŋger a Hvi ka mbarnjuk mbumri wambap. Sesei taƙa lau mu. Seini ru ka haŋa ndoƙ hĩ Hvi, ru ka hũna Hvi be đana fol a ru bi fe mbumri wambap.
Diga sei girgiri hã seini, ko adje ma ra yana mafil be diŋa ru njal, mbar a njuk mbumri, yar a ku ŋgbura mu - ku lana sora mu to sakar lau yenu. Njuk mbumri ŋba lau a hvi dje - sena lau ka sora wawa - sa djal a ru ba. Ru yenu ka tuku a ru. Ru mama mbar a ru.
Ru wambap ma ka lana djina mbar mbum ka fe a mbumri bi lau ru - ru mang bi takalau dje. Seini kam, a sũ yar dje belake, a ŋbur lau dje, hã a djang lana taƙa lau hũnake.
Ko adje ya ndere mbum a ke dje. Ke ma djang wa’, ke ring saũ a ke jau dje, be hã ke yo belake bi lau kàlà. Ŋgba lau a mu dje. Ndar lafal a mu dje. Bang sũa a mu se ŋger dje. Hang ndok dje. Taƙ lau dje.
Belaka, barka a Hvi.
Mi ka manga hau ka njuk dabake ma ka haŋa ndoƙ hĩ Hvi, be Hvi ka soma ru mang ka njuƙ aĩri ma ka mboia Hvi ka fal, nger maafil a mbar a mbumri ka fe a mbumri. Mi fil namni kam, sing yenu, ndana ndai yenu bi Ŋgang Ha!
«Ndjung ndan dje belake, hã ndai ri!» Ru yenu ka Hvi bi fila a ruri ka bi lau a ru.
Barka a Hvi.
Dr. Pierre
Wild Initiative
«Ba’» kau đi Hvi wa hã Hvi se bi Yaounde. Ke mang yar ka sakar lau a njukri wambap ŋger a Hvi ka mbarnjuk mbumri wambap. Sesei taƙa lau mu. Seini ru ka haŋa ndoƙ hĩ Hvi, ru ka hũna Hvi be đana fol a ru bi fe mbumri wambap.
Diga sei girgiri hã seini, ko adje ma ra yana mafil be diŋa ru njal, mbar a njuk mbumri, yar a ku ŋgbura mu - ku lana sora mu to sakar lau yenu. Njuk mbumri ŋba lau a hvi dje - sena lau ka sora wawa - sa djal a ru ba. Ru yenu ka tuku a ru. Ru mama mbar a ru.
Ru wambap ma ka lana djina mbar mbum ka fe a mbumri bi lau ru - ru mang bi takalau dje. Seini kam, a sũ yar dje belake, a ŋbur lau dje, hã a djang lana taƙa lau hũnake.
Ko adje ya ndere mbum a ke dje. Ke ma djang wa’, ke ring saũ a ke jau dje, be hã ke yo belake bi lau kàlà. Ŋgba lau a mu dje. Ndar lafal a mu dje. Bang sũa a mu se ŋger dje. Hang ndok dje. Taƙ lau dje.
Belaka, barka a Hvi.
Mi ka manga hau ka njuk dabake ma ka haŋa ndoƙ hĩ Hvi, be Hvi ka soma ru mang ka njuƙ aĩri ma ka mboia Hvi ka fal, nger maafil a mbar a mbumri ka fe a mbumri. Mi fil namni kam, sing yenu, ndana ndai yenu bi Ŋgang Ha!
«Ndjung ndan dje belake, hã ndai ri!» Ru yenu ka Hvi bi fila a ruri ka bi lau a ru.
Barka a Hvi.
Dr. Pierre
Wild Initiative
“Your Honor the Belaka of Ngang Ha,
The good news has reached us here in Norway. We are talking about you, and clapping our hands in joy for what has happened to You. “He who owns the country” (The president) called you to Yaounde. He drew the eyes and the attentions of all Cameroonians towards you and the Mbum People. It is a day of happiness – a day to rejoice. Now we are celebrating You as You have led the way for the Mbum cause.
From old times an up to this day, all those who sought to humiliate and destroy us as a people and our culture, has been put to shame – if they can see… All Mbum people “take a good hold of your hearts”, - the times of sorrow and shame is over!
We have our history and we know our kin. Our stature as a people is now recognized.
All of us who love our kin and hold our culture in our hearts – let us rejoice in celebration. Wash off your eyes and open your hearts so you can see and feel the happiness and share the pride we feel today.
I encourage everyone to look for his Mbum roots (=search for the place where his placenta was buried!). When you find it, plant your roots there so deep, that it will keep you steady and upright throughout your life. Have courage, straighten up your back
and lift your head, clap your hands and be happy!
Your Honor, I and many people are thanking You, because You consider us among those who work for the Mbum People, Mbum tradition and the Mbum culture. I think that these days there will be a lot of singing and dancing in Ŋgang Ha!
“Make sure that the skin of the drums are tight, so that the dance will be sweet!” (Mbum proverb).
We will be together with you in our thoughts and in our hearts, Your Honor”
Mbum is a very poetic and visual language based on keys to commonly known pictures, stories and tradition. It would take too long to translate directly – but it would have been beautiful!
The good news has reached us here in Norway. We are talking about you, and clapping our hands in joy for what has happened to You. “He who owns the country” (The president) called you to Yaounde. He drew the eyes and the attentions of all Cameroonians towards you and the Mbum People. It is a day of happiness – a day to rejoice. Now we are celebrating You as You have led the way for the Mbum cause.
From old times an up to this day, all those who sought to humiliate and destroy us as a people and our culture, has been put to shame – if they can see… All Mbum people “take a good hold of your hearts”, - the times of sorrow and shame is over!
We have our history and we know our kin. Our stature as a people is now recognized.
All of us who love our kin and hold our culture in our hearts – let us rejoice in celebration. Wash off your eyes and open your hearts so you can see and feel the happiness and share the pride we feel today.
I encourage everyone to look for his Mbum roots (=search for the place where his placenta was buried!). When you find it, plant your roots there so deep, that it will keep you steady and upright throughout your life. Have courage, straighten up your back
and lift your head, clap your hands and be happy!
Your Honor, I and many people are thanking You, because You consider us among those who work for the Mbum People, Mbum tradition and the Mbum culture. I think that these days there will be a lot of singing and dancing in Ŋgang Ha!
“Make sure that the skin of the drums are tight, so that the dance will be sweet!” (Mbum proverb).
We will be together with you in our thoughts and in our hearts, Your Honor”
Mbum is a very poetic and visual language based on keys to commonly known pictures, stories and tradition. It would take too long to translate directly – but it would have been beautiful!