The Art of the Bambui Kingdom (Western Grassfields, Cameroon)

Book excerpt: Written as part of the Bambui Museum and Ecotourism Project (BMEP), this stunningly illustrated book introduces readers to the history of the Bambui fondom in the western Grassfields of Cameroon, and presents an exhaustive interpretation of the artistic and cultural heritage of the fondom. Initially conceived as part of an initiative launched in 2001 by Centro Orientamento Educativo, an Italian NGO, aimed at creating museums in some palaces of the Cameroon Grassfields, the book serves as a pilot endeavour towards addressing problems associated with antiques and other cultural assets such as theft and the illegal traffic of objects, the exploitation of poor fondoms by African art dealers and researchers from the West, and the lack of education about the different ways and means the fondoms could employ to transform these resources to the benefit of all. For anyone aspiring to learn about the rich and diverse art of Bambui, in particular, and the western Grassfields as a whole, this book will prove useful, especially since it is written by someone who has lived, and is still living, the Bambui experience.