Textes de littérature orale bafia (Cameroun)

Présentation

This bilingual volume makes available to everyone—and in particular to current speakers of Bafia, a Bantoid language of Cameroon—oral material that has never before been published. Following an introduction to the culture and then the structure of the language, an overview of all Bafia oral genres introduces the tales and myths collected in this volume. A rich bestiary presents animal characters who live like humans while retaining their unique characteristics.

Here, we encounter small animals (lizards, toads, geckos, snails, crabs, tarantulas), monkeys such as chimpanzees and colobus monkeys, whose leader is called Gougoul-à-Mampyé, birds, snakes, and of course, crocodiles, the red river lizard, the tortoise, the Gambian rat, Bates's antelope, and the panther. The latter two form a recurring antagonistic duo. Humans are identified by their social status or disability, and some even have proper names. More specific to this world, there are ogres, a serpent that makes the rain, and extraordinary objects. The myths speak of origins and also explain the emergence of certain practices such as witchcraft, oracles, and ordeals.

These tales offer us a delightful entry into the Bafia world of folklore.

Autrice

Gladys Guarisma, born in Venezuela, joined the CNRS in 1965. A recognized specialist in the Bantoid languages ​​of Cameroon, she first studied Bafia (thesis in 1973 and state thesis in 1992) then Vute.

896 pages
16 x 24 cm
Publication : 05/02/2026
ISBN : 978-2-85831-432-4