Chapter One: Introduction
U. Literature Review
1.9. Nature of Data Collection
Our primary sources have been documentations and archival materials. In this rgard we have researched in the South West Provincial Archive [SWPA], Buea, Republic of Cameroon. We also researched in the archives of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon Archive and Library [PCCAL], Buea that was organized by an expert from the Basel Mission archives in Basel. We encountered some handicaps in these places. The Government archive did not have file names for some documents that were just recently sent in. This makes it difficult for us to cite either shelf or file number. Although the PCCAL is quite modern and well equipped, it lacks the materials that the missionaries documented and which are in Basel. Archival materials from some Archives in Europe were made available to me by some academia who had gathered such materials during their Doctoral theses research. They shall be named in the acknowledgement.
Considering that the Centenary of the gospel in Bali and the Grassfields was celebrated only in 2003, the researcher was able to collect documents and correspondences from indigenes, who either lived during the missionary period or the documents had been preserved by their progenies. Contact was also made with researchers who have researched on the Bali. These were able to furnish me with material of some of their primary sources. This was of inestimable help since some of them collected these materials from the Basel Mission Archives. The literature that the missionaries published in the mother-tongue - mungaka - have been of inestimable help in this research.
However, it remains a major handicap that I would have done a better job if I had access to the Basel Mission archives.
Since the object of our research is to understand the pre-Christian religion of the Bali, I found it necessary to be a participant observer during the research period. This is a process, which according to H. Russell Bernard
Involves establishing rapport... learning to act so that people go about their business as usual when you show up; and removing yourself everyday from cultural immersion so you can intellectualize what you have learned, put it into perspective, and write about it convincingly.50
Although our discipline is theology we cannot dismiss the ethnographers since even the missionaries on whose documents we rely were not all theologians nor anthropologists.
The Lela festival is the state religion of the Bali people. I attended the 2003 edition that took place in December. I was present during the four days of manifestations. Besides, the whole festivity was videotaped and audio recorded. Photographs and notes were also taken on the events. I also attended the veneration of ancestors in some family compounds where I participated and observed; making notes on all that was witnessed. A case of suicide occurred during this period and its cleansing entailed a lot of religious rituals. I was fortunate to be related to the deceased so I was present and recorded all religious rites that were involved.
Conversation was a major factor in the collection of data, especially when rites were performed. After having witnessed religious events interviews were scheduled with the priests concerned. Sometimes I had to go to the homes of these priests several times. I always tried to find out the religious interpretation behind every religious action that was witnessed.
I also had the added advantage of being an indigene who is already interested in the collection and publication of cultural issues. This past naive research material enabled me to have points that could be raised up during interviews and conversations.
To find out the persistence of traditional religion in contemporary Christianity, songs were recorded during worship services. I also attended group meetings in the various congregations where the research was based. Besides these, three types of questionnaires were prepared. The first category was for ordinary Christians; the second one was for Christians who are title-holders since their offices require them to perform traditional religious rites. The two categories of questionnaires above may be considered as haphazard sampling since they were randomly distributed.51 The last category was for the clergy who had served in Bali and those who are indigenes still in active service or on retirement. Persistent appeals were made to Christians, relatives and friends who were kind enough to furnish me with information, or directed me to informed informers.
A total of one hundred and forty questionnaires were given out and one hundred was collected. There were twelve titleholders who responded to the questionnaires.52 There was a follow-up interview with eight of them. Six titleholders who are not professing Christians were also interviewed. I used two methods of interviewing: informal interviewing and unstructured interviewing.
51 According to Bernard haphazard sampling "is useful for exploratory research, to feel what's going on out there" and for pretesting to make sure that the items are unambiguous..." He adds further that it can also be dangerous since "it involves nothing more than grabbing whoever will stand still long enough to answer your questions" Bernard, Research Methods, p.97.
52 The mungaka language can be read by only a selected few. This can be considered a handicap since those who took questionnaires but who cannot write depended on what was translated to them. However, the case studies that we have used in chapter five are based on those who are literate.
53 Bernard states that the informal interview "is the method of choice during the first phase of participation observation, when you are just settling in and getting to lcnow the lay of the land."; while "unstructured
His Royal Highness Dr. Dohsang Ganyonga III traditional ruler of Bali Nyonga was kind enough to give me authority to witness certain cultic practices that are otherwise out of bounds to non-members. In spite of this, there are still institutions, which His Highness would not allow any researcher to dare. This is important since it reveals to us that the missionaries were bound to interpret what they had not been allowed to observe.
Rich sources of oral materials are myths, legends and songs - both traditional and Christian. Many myths, and legends have been documented. The folksongs were gathered mostly during funerals since this is the occasion when songs are sung.especially dirges for they reveal the peoples' notion of God and His role in human life.
Christian songs were collected during worship services, prayer meetings, Christian funerals and from the various versions of the mungaka hymnbooks.
Interviews were conducted with four retired pastors [non-indigenes] who have served in Bali from the four parishes respectively, the pastors who are currently working in the four parishes, and retired senior pastors who are indigenes.
Available literature published by the missionaries were critically studied and analyzed.
The families of Ba Gwandingbe and Rev. Elisa Ndifon made available to the researcher the personal documents and correspondences of the above mentioned. These two were on the panel of those who assisted in the work of translation of the Bible into mungaka.
These documents were of inestimable help to the researcher.
For other secondary sources the Herman Herzog Library of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary Library, Kumba, the Teachers' Resource Centre, Bamenda and the British Council Library in Bamenda were consulted.
General reading focused on literature concerning Bali and her neighbors, Cameroon and the history of missions in Cameroon and Africa with specific reference to the area of this study. Relevant documents of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon were perused, and
interview s are based on a clear plan that you keep constantly in mind... characterized by a maximum of control over the informant's responses." Bernard, Research Methods, p. 204.
also literature on the issues of Gospel and Culture. Focus was also made on the period of enlightenment to see how it influenced the Christianity and theology of the Basel missionaries in Cameroon.