About – Funam Bome

About Funam

GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES

Relief: Funam has a typical lowland terrain with some undulations found here and there. Clay soils occupy most of the land surface.

Hydrology: Funam is blessed with a good number of streams which run across the village like: Tegyen, Anyi and Kwen streams. A good number of ponds and swamps also exist.

Vegetations: The vegetation cover is mostly of the high savanna with short tough grasses and occasional clumps of trees often over-green in nature. In a few places, outcrops of hard rocks with little or no subsoil prevent the occurrence of tree vegetation. In order parts one can find hillsides covered with forest almost to the top. This maybe relict forest, that is remnants of woodland that was formerly more extensive, which have been cut down either for furniture, building, selling or for fuel wood.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC LIFE OF FUNAM

The major stay of the Funam people is agriculture, with the cultivation of crops like: maize, yams, cocoyams, plantains, Bananas, potatoes, beans and cassava both for local consumption and for sale. There are a few of its inhabitants who carryout other activities like Mechanic, electricity, bricklaying, carpentry and petty trading.

INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES

In order to better appreciate the income generating activities of the people, the PRA tools of seasonal pattern and money availability are used. Focus here is on the understanding and analyzing of seasonal production pattern, marketing and saving practices of the people. Based on this information, two distinct seasons are identified: the rainy season which starts from mid-march to mid-October witnessing the following activities; clearing , tilling, planting, weeding, mulching, harvesting, tapping, crushing of nuts, cracking of kernel and weaving, and the dry season which starts from late October to early march with the following activities; molding of bricks, building of houses, celebration, tapping, clearing , tilling planting, weaving, mulching, harvesting, and weaving by both men, women, youths and children.

TRIBE, LANGUAGE & CULTURE

The Funam people come from the Meta clan of the Bome Valley in the North West Region of Cameroon. Like every other village in the clan, the Funam people commonly speak the Meta language. Normally, like all the other villages of the region, the Funam people had their shrines which they worship and offered sacrifices to. These sacrifices are either to appease the ‘gods’ of the land, or to seek, peace and prosperity or ask for rains to flourish their crops. Some of these sacrifices were performed on a yearly basis. While others are performed whenever the need arises. The Fon who coordinates the affairs of the village works with the village Traditional Council in carrying out or taking major decisions.

MAJOR HISTORICAL EVENTS

18C: The Basel Mission came to Funam
1908: Basel mission constructed their first Church
1918: The Germans took the Funam people to fight with the Bali people
1920: Locust invaded the village and there as a great destruction of crops thus leading to serious famine and death in the land.
1943: Basel Mission built their first school in Funam
1936: The palace of Funam was transferred from Njinezi, current site.
1945: There was another locust invasion that led to a massive destruction of crops that caused famine, diseases and serious death and general poverty.
1947: Eclipse of the sun occurred causing a lot of fear in the community.
1951: The Catholic Mission came to Funam
1956: The first village road linking Funam to the other villages was built.
1972: A water project kicked off in Funam
1990: Multiparty politics was introduced in Funam
1992: Political upheavals occurred in the village

FUNAM VILLAGE

Funam is one of the most cosmopolitan villages in Meta. It is one of the 5 Bonjoh Fondoms of Meta. It is located in Bome valley in the Mbengwi Subdivision in Momo Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. Funam shares a common boundary with 5 of the villages that make up Bome valley in Meta. These are: Tuanyang, Njimetu, Njekwo, Ku and Kobenyang.

THE 8 QUARTERS IN FUNAM

Funam is made up of 8 major quarters. Each of these quarters is run by a quarter head. The quarters and their quarter heads are as follows

BAT

KWEN

NYEN

NYANG

NGAKWO

NJIMETENG

CHIGWIRI

TUEMBENG

THE 6 FAMILIES IN FUNAM

The Bonengob

These are the blacksmiths of Meta. Their family symbol is the smithing furnace. In Funam, they are predominantly found in two quarters. That is Bat and Nyen quarters. Their traditional dance is the Enyerese and their family masquerade is made with red feathers. Typically, there is no Fon in Meta who is from this family.

The Bonjoh

This is the family that makes up the royal house of Funam. Their family symbol is the rain. Their family dance is the Nere dance whose costume is the big traditional gown. The Bonjoh don’t get married to each other. They are predominantly found in Ngakwo quarter, but are also doted in bat and Nyang quarters.

The Mundam

This family is divided into 2. These are: a) Mundam Gwam whose symbol is the snake and b) Mundam Borgu whose symbol is the snail shell. The two subgroupings can get married from the other. Their family dance is the Mendere dance. They are descendants of the Tuanyang people.

The Muteng

These are the warlords of Meta. They master the secret of the fire as a war tactic especially with the use of the two-headed magic broom. Their dance is the Mbaghenum dance. They make up three main quarters in Funam. These are Bat, Njimiteng and Chigwiri quarters.

The Mendig

This is the family that makes up 2/3 of Meta. In Funam, they are found in the Kwen quarter and a few others dotted in the rest of the quarters.

The Muwum

These are part of the Muwum family in the Bossa fondom found under Bali subdivision. Their traditional dance is the Mbaghenum dance and Mukonge dance. They are mostly found in Bat quarter.

ADMINISTRATIVE SET-UP

Funam village is one of the most organized villages in Meta. According to the administrative ladder from top to bottom, it goes as follows:

i. The Fon. The Fon is the traditional ruler of the land. He is the custodian of the tradition of the land. He oversees the various aspects of the land which include administrative, cultural, developmental, education and social life of the people. The position of fon is achieved by hereditary. He is then enthroned by the king makers who take time to groom and initiate him into royalty. The present Fon of Funam is HRH Prof. Mbacham Wilfred Fon Tarkeh the II.

ii. The Ngumba. This is the body that serves as the Fon’s direct collaborators. They reflect with the Fon in all matters affecting the lives of the village. It is made up of quarter heads and king makers.

iii. The village Traditional Council. It is made up of representatives from the various quarter councils. This organ is in charge of the day to day administration of the village. It also oversees the activities of the various quarter councils. The council plays the following roles:

➢ Conflict resolution

➢ Cultural preservation

➢ Advisory role

➢ Resource management

➢ Education advocacy

➢ Community mobilization

➢ Community representation

iv. The Quarter Councils: Every quarter in Funam has a quarter council. It is made up of representatives from every household in that quarter. They play the same role as the village traditional council but are limited to their respective quarters. They then report to the village traditional council.

PUBLIC SERVICES IN FUNAM

Funam is blessed to have some of the most prominent public services of Meta land. Some of them include:

a) The Monastery which is the only in the North West Region of Cameroon. It harbours Reverend Brothers and Fathers of the Roman Catholic Church.

b) GBHS Mbengwi. This is the pioneer High that was opened in Momo division and that used to host at least five thousand (5000) students. Its beauty and infrastructure could be compared only to Lycée Classic of Yaounde.

c) The Philadelphia handicapped center. This handicapped center has been taking care of the physically challenged. It was an initiative of Late Mr Seta and sponsored by the American Philadelphia Church. It is the lone handicapped center in Momo division.

d) A Better World Orphanage: This is the one of the largest orphanages in Momo division. It is the initiative of Mr Seta Wiertz Withgodep. This orphanage has been taking care of orphans’ needs. Some of the children of this orphanage are now professionals in a number of domains in life while others are undergoing university and professional training in various fields of study.

e) The Bome integrated health Center: This health facility is the initiative of Bome Area Development Association (BADA). It is located in Bat quarter in Funam and serves the entire Meta community and beyond.

f) GHS Bome: This is another initiative of BADA. It is located in Kwen quarter in Funam. It offers general education training in both the Arts and Sciences. The school has been producing very good results.

g) The legendary GS Bome: This was the first ever Basel mission school in Meta. The name was later changed to Presbyterian School Bome then to Government School Bome. It has produced some of the great men that Cameroon can ever boast of.

h) The Tang market: This market used to serve as the largest Meta Market after Tad market. Traders used to come from Bamenda, Bali, Pinyin, Bafut,Ngie, Oshie and Batibo to buy and sell in the Tang market. It has undergone both upward and downward trends. Today it is gearing up to one of the largest food malls in Cameroon.