Chapter Two: The Bali Nyonga People
2.4. Community Life
2.4.2. Traditional Political System
The period of history under consideration determines the type of political system. It is necessary that we look at the period prior to the missionary encounter and the first European contact with Bali. Kaberry and Chilver say that by the time Zintgraff arrived Bali in 1889, Galega had already consolidated his position. According to their source this occurred some twenty years earlier. Galega extended his sphere of influence south towards Bammessong and in the north towards the Bamileke chiefdoms and westward towards the Widikum villages.
In a purely military organization, power was centered on the Fon. He was the symbol of Bali Nyonga unity. Closely associated to him in terms of rank were the Fonte Ba 'ni and the Fonte BaNten. They represented the identity of their various groups. They were also symbols of chieftancy as an institution. However, the Fon was first and foremost a military ruler and not a divine king as would be found in some Gvass{\e\d fondoms of the time. They do not have any major political function apart from the fact that at the enthronement of a new Fon the Fonte BaNten come with their medicine bags and hit the Fon with them.23 The significance of this is that the Fon should be extraordinary and have all the powers of the fonte. The fonte Ba'ni played a special role in Lela. As an honor to these Fonte, the Fon
21 Babila Fochang, unpublished manuscript circulated among friends for corrections with the title: "A dictionary ofMubako and Mungaka names "
22 Babila Fochang, Wisdom of the Ancients, p.35. For a full treatment of customs and rites concerning birth, childhood, marriage and death see Johannes Stockle, Traditions, Tales and Proverbs of Bali Nyonga, pp.20-47.
2i P.M.Kaberry et al, "Traditional Political Systems of Bali-Nyonga" p.366. For a detailed analysis of the Bali political system past and present see Vincent TitaNji "Economic and social setting of the reign of Galega II [ 1940-1985]" in TitaNji et al., An introduction to the study of Bali-Nyonga, pp.77-110.
started public pronouncements by saying "1 and my Fonte"24 The Fon's supreme authority was exercised through the power to appoint political offices. He could make appointments as well as withdraw them as he pleased. Succession to the Fonte like many ranks in Bali is hereditary. There are nine fonte BaNten and five fonte Ba 'ni.
There are two traditional institutions concerned with the installation of a new Fon. They are Lela and Voma.25 It is doubtful whether they are religious cults that eventually assumed political functions or they are political institutions that assumed religious roles and now combine both. However the claim that these institutions came from the Chamba homeland presupposes that they are religious since they had to stop on the way to perform the purification rituals of Lela. However, when they first settled, the Voma was absent.26
Lela and Voma are described as the most ancient of institutions brought by the Bali from Koncha. The Fon was and is still the head of these institutions and is the one who appoints senior officers. Traditionally Voma members were only seven or nine in number. They are called Ba Nwana who are responsible "for the burial, installation and initiation of the Fon into the secrets of Bali society and educating him in the art of government."27 These are non-royals Ba 'ni and their titles are now hereditary. They have defined functions within the cult. They are in charge of performing annual sacrifices from September to October at the Voma festival. This is to promote the growth of guinea corn which was a traditional staple food crop but which today is planted only by the Ba Nwana in their compounds for sacral purposes. Another sacrifice is performed in January, this time, for the first fruits. They are in charge of the Fon's burial and together with the Ba Sama they enthrone a new Fon. Three
24 P.M.Kaberry et al, "Traditional Political Systems of Bali-Nyonga" p.366.
25 We shall examine the religious aspects of these cults under religion.
26 Interview by researcher on 21-12-2003. See also Vincent Tita Nji, "The Traditional Political Institution of Bali Nyonga" in Tita Nji et al., An Introduction to Bali Nyonga, pp.80-81, Tita Nji explains that the period of the absence of Voma was when Nanyonga was in power and since Voma is a male cult it had to be abandoned. See also Ndifontah, The Bali Chamba of Cameroon, p.64.
27 Vincent Tita Nji, "The Traditional Political Institution of Bali Nyonga" in Tita Nji et al., An Introduction to Bali Nyonga, p.80.
seniors among them are said to date back to the time of Nyongpasi. Some also happen to be members of Lela.
Lela like Voma has two festivals - the major one in late November or December. This one is simply called Lela festival. The minor festival in May/June marks the beginning of the planting season. This one is called kali Nyikob [offering sacrifice to God]. The major Lela is a national festival that promotes the unity of the Bali people. Even though it dates back to the time of their departure from Koncha, it has by the time of Kaberry's research come to symbolize the period in which the loyalty of all the Fon 's subjects - Ba'ni, Banten and Niwombe was renewed.28
Possibly because a woman founded Bali Nyonga there is Kahfonmungwi [lady Fon] who has her palace near that of the Fon. She is usually the sister of a reigning Fon. Her position however is only titular since she does not have any major governing role. Besides the Kahfonmungwi, there is also the Kahmamfon [Fon 's mother] who has a palace of her own.
As the Fon 's mother, she has an advisory role in relation to the Fon. Accordingly, she sometimes act as mediator between the people and the Fon.
The other political group worth mentioning is the Kom [plural] Nkom [singular].Kaberry and Chilver report that they are the creation of Nyongpasi.29 They fall into two categories.
Kom Ba 'ni and Kom ngong. Kom ngong are hereditary as they date back to Nyongpasi.
They are seven in number. The other group is Kom ngong. These are titleholders appointed by personal merit.30 By 1985 they were fifty-seven of them.31 While succession to Kom Ba 'ni is hereditary, that of the Kom ngong may or may not be inherited by their descendants
P.M.Kaberry et al, "An outline of the Traditional Political Systems of Bali-Nyonga", p.364.
29 P.M.Kaberry et al, "An outline of the Traditional Political Systems of Bali-Nyonga", p.361, n.l.
0 Vincent TitaNji "Economic and social setting of the reign of Galega II [1940-1985]" in TitaNji et al., An introduction to the study of Bali-Nyonga, p.92.
31 Since they are appointed always during the Lela festival and considering that Lela is staged almost every year the number must have increased considerably.
depending on the qualities of the successor. It must be observed that all succession in Bali is patrilineal and only when there is no patrilineal heir can the sister's son succeed.
There is the Ngumba that is said to have "its roots in the suppressed Kwifon societies of the Banten allies"32 According to Kaberry and Chilver: "the role of Nggumba [sic] was confined to apprehending evil-doers and administering the sasswood in cases of witchcraft."33 This was done at the orders of the Fon. Zintgraff reportedly saved a lot of deaths when he visited Bali in 1892. There was an epidemic outbreak, which led to witch hunting through the administration of sasswood poisoning. This increased the death toll until he asked the Fon to stop. He then introduced sanitation measures, which the Fon accepted and asked his subjects to follow. The deaths stopped.34
Besides, all the Fonte that have been named above, each of them has their own fonte. The insignia for all dignitaries are the copper bangle, caps with cowries sewn on , a bangle made out of elephant tusk and a red feather [from the Banaman Turaco bird] affixed to the cap.
There are the Gweis who now act as palace clowns, but played the role of scouts in time of war. The tsinted are the palace attendants who run errands for the palace, and there are other office holders who carry out special religious rite. These institutions and lesser ones are important for our study, as we shall see in a subsequent chapter.