Music of the Cameroons

From the grassy highlands of western Cameroon, Music of the Cameroons narrates the lives of the Bafut tribe of the Tikar ethnic lineage, along with select moments from other nearby Tikar and Fulani tribes. Evocative of the cyclical nature of their lives, the Bafut create layers of repetition and polyrhythm as their workers sift through coffee beans, villagers celebrate their fon (or king), and a mother sings her child to sleep. Both women and men share leading roles in call-and-response tracks featuring instruments such as the shekere (shaker gourd) and pit harp. Liner notes include further descriptions of the Tikar music-making process, the musicians, and photographs dating from 1959 when this album was created.

Track Listing

101	Njung (1)	Njung orchestra	03:52
102	Hail Muma / Social Song	Wives and children of the brother of Fon	04:23
103	Three Bafut Songs	Wives and children of the brother of Fon	03:43
104	Ngwa (1) / Ngwa (2)	A 16 year-old blind boy	02:17
105	Drinking Song	Young boys and girls	01:59
106	Mansa (1)	n/a	02:04
107	Song for the Grass Ceremony	n/a	01:00
108	Four Lullabies	n/a	05:13
109	Sanitree ("Sanitary")	n/a	01:53
110	Four Lullabies	Mother to child	01:47
111	Sanitree ("Sanitary")	n/a	04:04
201	Lambule Munkunka (Shaming Song)	Male and female singers	01:38
202	Njung (Social Song and War Cry)	Drum, rattle and wooden rasp	00:56
203	Mansa (2)	Solo and chorus	02:49
204	Christian Hymn	n/a	05:26
205	Njung (2)	Njung orchestra	00:59
206	Coffee Workers Song / Work Song with Leader / Jamma-Jamma	Coffee-sifters working at the United Africa Corporation warehouse in Bamenda	02:19
207	Pit Violin	Young boy	00:44
208	Fon's Wives (Two Songs)	Fon's Wives	01:41
209	Social Njung	Njung orchestra	00:53
210	Song of Welcome	n/a	02:17
211	Nufum (Memorial to the Dead)	Fon's wives and daughters	02:28