Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
By
Boyd B., Marcella G., Truc-Linh H., Erica H
THE CAMEROONIANS
CULTURE
IS PRESENTED IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER
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Kummer 56
By
Boyd Brathwaite
on
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Cameroon is situated by the Gulf of Guinea
on the west coast of Africa. Its area is
179,527 square miles (465,000 square
kilometers). Nigeria lies to the west, Chad
and the Central African Republic to the
east, and the People's Republic of Congo,
Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon to the
south. The climate is hot and humid in the
forested south and west, cooler in the
highland Grassfields region of the West
and Northwest provinces, and hotter and
drier in the savanna and sahel of the north.
The capital, Yaoundé, is in the Center
province,
Kummer 62
The beginning of traditions and rituals:
(Informal)
but Cameroon has distinct
regional cultural, religious, and
political traditions as well as
ethnic variety. The division of the
country into British- and French-
ruled League of Nations
mandates after World War I
created Anglophone and
Francophone regions. The
English-speaking region is
divided into two cultural regions.
The Grass fields peoples of the
Northwest Province consist of
Kummer 66
nearly one hundred chiefdoms
each ruled by a divine king (fon)
.
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Kummer 125
and bush.
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Kummer 94
In the French-speaking area, the largely the northern region has
Muslim north is culturally distinct from the been culturally dominated
largely Christian and animist south. The by the Fulani. Urban
northern area includes three provinces: Fulani are renowned as
Adamoua, North, and Extreme North. clerics in the Sunni
Since the jihad led by an Islamic cleric in branch of Islam,
1804,
Kummer 99
http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Cameroon.htm
and most of the southern peoples are
Christian or engage in traditional, animist
religious practices; but ritual communication
extends beyond collective religious
expression. It is an intrinsic part of everyday
interactions, ceremonies, theatrical
performances, shamanic chants, political
demonstrations which involves music and
dance. Almost all occasions and events are
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accompanied by music. Generally
transmitted orally, the general For forest hunter groups like
accompaniments are claps or stomping Baka, Medzan and Kola, death is the
feet. In traditional performances, there is a most important ceremony and they
chorus baking up a soloist, accompanied by believe that forest spirits participate
traditional instruments like in death ceremonies by dancing
bells, drums, talking under a ruffia mask.
drums, flutes, horns, rattles, scrapers, whistl
es, xylophones and stringed instruments all
of which varies from one group to another.
In certain cases performers sing by
themselves only with a harp-like instrument.
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on
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Masked dancers, some on stilts, whirl
about at village festivals. Wooden flutes
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* As a sign of respect men often lower their head and avert their eyes when
greeting someone superior to them in age or position.
* Some Muslims will not shake hands across genders.
* Since this is a hierarchical society, elders are greeted first.
* Women tend not to look the other person in the eye even if it is another
woman.
* Greetings should never be rushed. It is important to take time to inquire about
the person’s family and other matters of general interest during the greeting
process.
Gift Giving Etiquette
* If you are invited to a Cameroonian’s home, bring fruit, whiskey, or wine to the
host.
* Do not bring alcohol if the host is Muslim.
* A small gift for the children is always a nice touch. School materials or sweets
are standard.
* Gifts are not always opened when received.
* Gifts are given with two hands or the right hand only; never the left hand.
Kummer 106
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Kummer 118
Kummer 58
Kummer 58
- That being said the gender roles described are a general impression of
the culture. Some parts of Cameroon may have more or less gender
inequalities. Communication will vary depending on the ethnic group.
MEN & WOMEN
Men Women
Responsible for money/assets Responsible for home/children
- land ownership (agricultural) -cooking
- main job holder -cleaning
-care-giving/child raising
Owner of all assets
May have part-time job along with
household duties
More dominant than women
Likely doesn’t own assets
Controlling
Less dominant than men
Strong ideas on women’s role in society
Controlled
INTERCULTURAL
COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE
What is intercultural communication competence?
- According to the book The Blue Book of Communication Studies it is “the
ability to adapt one’s behavior toward another person in ways that are
appropriate to the other person’s culture” ( Beebe, et al., 2011).
How can we adapt to Cameroon’s culture in relation to gender roles?
- An American may have trouble understanding the gender inequality and roles
of men and women in Cameroon.
- When immersed in Cameroonian culture an individual may have to change
the way they communicate and realize that women won’t be as highly
regarded as men. For example, according to the site Canadian site Centre for
Intercultural Learning (2009), in a work environment “men in managerial
positions are likely be respected more than women”( Gender section, para.
2).
INTERCULTURAL
COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE-
CONTINUED
Formal Clothing
In Cameroon
Have you ever judged a person on how they dress?
Let’s imagine when you enter a room for the first time, it takes a few seconds for people you have
never met to form perceptions about you and your abilities ratify your clothing.
* In Business:
Your formal clothing speaks volume about who you are as person and as a business communicator.
It is the same in Cameroon; however, according to Peace Corps webside, there are difference between a
At least two nice skirts with shirts (button down or other office-wear type shirt).
Appropriate outfits can later be made easily in-country, and many Volunteers choose to wear locally-made
Man: Nice pants and button down shirt. Have at least two outfits of business casual quality.
Cameroon’s varied climate and differing religious and social customs have created a diversity in traditional
clothing.
Pagnes: A long swath of fabric, the pagne is a wrapper-style garment worn by women in Cameroon. The
type of cloth used varies from simple cotton batik prints to heavily embroidered satin fabrics for formal
occasions. Pagnes are beautiful and functional, and may be used in several ways: as a protective head
covering, a skirt, a sling-style baby carrier, or to provide warmth and dryness during the rainy season.
Quartre Pouches: This two-piece men's outfit is found in southern and tribal Cameroon. It consists of a pair
of loose-fitting pants and a shirt, often with square pockets on the front. The pieces are made of cotton in
matching designs, resembling the geometric mud cloth patterns created in Mali, West Africa. The outfit
sometimes is worn with a round, close-fitting hat made from matching fabric.
Boubou: Popular in northern Cameroon and common in other areas during special occasions such
as : wedding, the name of a child, a coming of age ceremony, or visit a important person, the "un
boubou avec pantaloon" is a traditional four-piece outfit for men. The ensemble consists of an
undershirt, flowing outer shirt that falls to the hips or longer, loose-fitting pants and a matching hat.
Each piece is made of cotton. The outer shirt is made with multicolored patterns and usually is
embroidered at the neckline, hem or sleeves. The hat matches the pattern of the outer shirt, and the
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n
Do you know that our dress is one type of nonverbal communication signal? Actually, It
can make a communication with out any conversation. Clothing express people’s
personality, taste, standard of choice, and few more basic norms. Individually, a well formal dressed
person expresses his/her confidence, credibility, and competency. Cameroonians usually choose
clothes that fit with the situations that they attend to give a right message to other people.
WHAT TO WEAR OR WHAT
NOT TO WEAR. THAT IS THE
QUESTION?
When traveling to another county, we
need to think about that country’s
climate, culture, cloth washing, &
recreation activates.
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oon
Causal Dress by Cameroon’s
For the most part Cameroon temperature is hot & dry, unless you plan on traveling
up into the higher elevations of the region a light jacket will be fine.
It would be wise to bring clothing that is of earth tone clothes, such as: browns,
beige, whites, greens, yellows etc. This is because of how dry it is, dust & sediments
will get your clothes dirty very quickly & the water that you wash your clothes in
may discolor bright & delicate materials.
Shorts & tang tops are only acceptable for sports & vacation time.
Now after you are pack for Cameroon, and understand that Cameroon has
distinct regional cultural, religious, and political traditions as well as ethnic
variety., you can feel comfortable going into the English speaking regions of
the southwest and northwest province or into the remaining French
speaking regions.
The goal of this presentation was to reveal the boundaries that would
hinder others in communicating with the Cameroonians, and made it easy
for one to have effective communication in Cameroon.
Thank You for
viewing.
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QUESTIONS
1.If you were to travel to Cameroon, what type of clothing would you wear
and why? Have you ever judge a person on how they dress?
2.What two national holidays with dates that are celebrate in Cameroon
which deal with the people, and give the reason behind these holidays?
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Amela. P., Eldman. F., & Avelsberg. S., (2011). Countries & Their Cultures Cameroon. Retrieved from
http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Cameroon.html
Beebe, S., Beebe, S.J, Ivy, D., Lane, S., Redmond, M. (2011). The Blue Book of Communication Studies.
<http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=cameroon>.
http://www.cameroontoday.com/cameroonclothing.html#ixzz1df N6b9Wu
http://www.cameroon-today.com/cameroon-clothing.html
churches/regions/africa/cameroon.html>.
References
Centre for Intercultural Learning. (2009). Cultural Information. Religion, Class, Ethnicity, & Gender.
ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=cm#cn-7
Fitzpatrick. L., (2009). What Type of Clothing Do You Wear to Cameroon? Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/way_5591277_type-clothing-do-wear-cameroon_.html
Jacqui & Lars. (web design). (2001). Nake Campsite 1895. [photo] Retrieved from
http://www.soulfulpresence.org/programs-initiatives.php
Kummer Patricia K. (2004). Cameroon Enchantment of the World. Boston, MA: Herman Adler Design.
McManus, M (site designer). (2005). Meeting with Belo Staff Members in 2005. [photo]. Retrieved from
http://cvai.org/about/
References
Peace Corps. Retrieved March 18, 2011 from Peace Corps Wiki
http://www.peacecorpswiki.com/Packing_list_for_Cameroon
Pitcher, G., Andrew, D., Armstrong, K., Bainbridge, J., Bewer, T. Carillet, J.,…Wruble, V. (2007). Africa :
30th Anniversary Edition. Hong Kong, China: Lonely Planet . Publications Pty Ltd.
http://www.soulfulpresence.org/programs-initiatives.php