Foumban
Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying North East of Bafoussam. It has a population of 83,522 (at the 2005 Census). It is a major town for the Bamoun people where the museum of traditional arts and culture is situated. Foumban is known for its political significance in the formation of Cameroon's history and its cultural and tourist economic potentials. There is also a market and a craft centre in this town. The Foumban Royal Palace contains a museum with information on Ibrahim Njoya who invented a new religion and the Shumom alphabet.
Foumban is the headquarters of the Noun Division of the Western province. It was the seat of the Bamoun Dynasty. The Bamoun Dynasty was founded in the 1394 by Mfon Nshare Yen. Mfon Nshare became the first Mfon also Sultan. He is regarded as the founding father of Foumban, which became the capital city of the Bamoun Dynasty. This was as a result of the many wars against neighbouring kingdoms from 1394 to 1418. Since then, Founban has politically, culturally and economic grown into a tourist city of great importance in Cameroon. Its rich history and development has been seen to surpass other cities and towns in the region, as it continues to attract hundreds of visitors.
Though tourist-wise, Foumban is one of Cameroon's major attractions and an important centre of traditional African art. Its jewel is the Palais Royal, seat of power for the Bamoun people. The ruler of the Bamoun, the sultan can trace the lineage of their sultan back to 1394.
The palace, completed in 1917, resemble a medieval chateau. It houses the Sultan's Museum, which contains a multitude of royal gowns, arms, musical instruments, statues, jewellery, masks and colourful bead-covered thrones carved in the shapes of the men who sat on them.
About hundred metres south of the palace is the Musée des Arts et des Traditions Bamoun. This extensive collection has exhibits on Bamoun history and art, including cooking implements, musical instruments, pipes, statues, masks, gongs and an ornately carved xylophone. The road that connects the two museums is the Rue des Artisans, home to sculptors, basket makers, weavers and embroiderers. It is one of the best places in Central Africa to buy wood carvings.
The reign of these Kings or Mfons from Foumban, the headquarter and their acts of leadership have had a great influence on their subject and on Foumban itself, making it to be of critical reference in the history of the Bamoun people.
The economy here was largely agricultural with slave ownership practiced on a small scale. The Bamum kingdom also traded with neighboring populations. They also imported salt, iron, beads, cotton goods and copper objects. The main economic activity in Foumban as of today is tourism and agriculture which is largely subsistence. Foumban is the tourist loop of Cameroon and the Western Province in particular. Thousands of tourists visit this ancient city to take a look at the remains of arts and cultural display of the kings of this historic town. The streets are decorated with artistic designs. This is used even more in the palace in a form which protrudes and imposes at the center of the city. Its centrality symbolizes an era where the kings represented the nerve center of the entire community and a system where everything hinges on palace. Art works are the major source of income and many rely on it for a living. There is an art market, a tourist center and a museum called ‘Musée des Arts et des Traditions’ Bamoun.
Agriculture is carried out in small-scale subsistence farming in this town. However, due to its very rich and fertile soil, the government of Cameroon has established a research centre to develop local hybrid of seeds to expand on the agricultural sector. The Institute for Agronomic Research (IRAD) has engaged the community in partnership with the government in developing large-scale fishing in this landlocked community. Other economic activities include cattle rearing and palm oil production. Coffee is the main cash crop that is produced and exported out of the country.
The Bamoun people claim their origin from Tikar in Cameroon thus it is no surprise that the language of the Bamum kingdom could be traced to the Tikars in the western highlands of Cameroon. This apparently did not last long, and the language of the conquered, Mben, was adopted. The Bamun developed an extensive artistic culture at their capital of Foumban at the beginning of the 20th century. During Njoya’s reign, 6 six dye pits containing various colors were maintained. The Mbum also imported indigo-dyed raffia-sewn cloth from the Hausa as royal cloth. This royal cloth was called Ntieya, and Hausa craftsmen were kept at palace workshops to supply nobles and teach the art of dyeing.
 |
 |
| Sultan’s Palace | Location Map |