Mankon
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Mankon is a large part of Bamenda, Cameroon, made up of an amalgamation of about 5 different groups. It is also the language spoken by the people of this geo-historic community. The Mankon fondom represents one of the oldest monarchies of the grassfield people of the North West Province of Cameroon. The fondom is ruled by a fon (king) with rights to kinghood acquired by birth. The coronated fon is usually a designated son of the deceased king, a child who was born only during his reign.
Mankon plays host to several tourism conveniences amongst which is a modern museum located at the ‘ntoh’, the palace of the fon, and is opened to the public. This museum constitutes a major touristic destination for tourists visiting the North West province of Cameroon with a gallery of art and craft dating back several centuries. [1]
The most convenient time to visit the Mankon fondom is during the December and New Year periods when the kingdom has its annual dance, during which the people celebrate and also have the rare occasion of mixing with the fon. Festivities may last a week and it is a great time for cultural display. Such festivities give the mankon people the opportunity to savor the varied rhythms of African music and to meet expert drummers and musicians of the kingdom.
During the German colonial years, the Mankon people were noted for their bravery and resistance to Dr. Eugen Zintgraff, a German colonialist and explorer. Zintgraff waged several tactical wars against Mankon and lost many companions to the hands of the spear and matchet-toting warriors who bravely faced Zintgraf's soldiers and the people of Bali armed with guns and canons before capitulation. Of all the assailants, the Battle of Mankon was very fierce and saw the defeat of the Zintgraff and the Balis. Some of Zintgraff's men had to flee on foot to as far as Babungo.
Mankon people at home and in the diaspora have been brought together under the canopy of the Mankon Cultural and Development Association (MACUDA). [2] This non profit and pro-developmental association with values of dependability, camaraderie, and the necessity to enhance development in Mankon, while better preparing mankonians for the enormous challenges of the future, pilots developmental and cultural activities of Mankon people all over the world. It consequently has as objective to catalyze self-reliant rural development and revolutionize the living conditions of its people amidst engendering solidarity amongst Mankon people irrespective of sex, age, religious or political orientation and/or lineage. To attain these goals, MACUDA creates a forum that allows the sons and daughters of Mankon to debate and discuss ideas that promote the economic, social, technical, and cultural development of the village. Everyone who has any affiliation with Mankon can benefit from the resolute goodwill on which this association is premised. MACUDA is a group to feel right with. On August the 4th, 5th and 6th, the American branch of this association had a path-breaking maiden convention in Minnesota dubbed ‘The Mother of all Conventions’ during which a MACUDA Endowment Fund was created for the development of the Mankon community.
