RETRACTED: Understanding the Typology and Basis of Traditional Attire in Cameroon: A Case Study of Kedjom Keku Fondom, 1936–2022
Article Sidebar
Page Numbers:
778-797
Digital Object Identifier:
10.58578/ijhess.v3i2.6332
Viewed: 301 times
LYAS Publisher cordially invites qualified professionals to serve as Editors or Reviewers. Your expertise will make an important contribution to maintaining and strengthening the academic quality of our publications. Interested applicants are kindly requested to complete the application form at the following link: Editors & Reviewers
Please feel free to contact us if you need any further information about the submission process or if you have any additional questions.
Authors:
Louis Aghogah Wihbongale1*, Zongho Kom2 
Copyright :
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
Main Article Content
Abstract
The traditional regalia of the Bamenda Grassfields represents a vital component of cultural heritage, garnering both national and international recognition. Distinguished by its fashionable appeal, this attire is often favored over Western clothing for significant cultural events such as traditional weddings and annual festivals. The intricate designs embedded and embossed on the cloth serve as symbolic representations of the identity, heritage, and cultural values of the Bamenda Grassfields communities. In the Kedjom Keku Fondom, embroidery was traditionally dominated by men; however, a gender shift has occurred, with women increasingly participating in the craft due to its economic viability and market-driven potential. As the popularity of the regalia has grown alongside increased participation in cultural and social events, both the demand and stylistic patterns have evolved, an area that has received limited scholarly attention. This paper argues that the production and use of Kedjom traditional regalia are dynamic processes influenced by changing demands and modern fashion sensibilities. Utilizing both primary and secondary sources and applying a qualitative, descriptive analysis, the study is organized into two main sections: the first explores the typology of Kedjom traditional attire, while the second examines the socio-cultural and economic bases underpinning its use. Findings reveal that regalia production is mutable and responsive to various social, cultural, and economic factors. Beyond its aesthetic function, traditional attire in Kedjom reflects identity, status, authority, livelihood opportunities, and income generation, highlighting its multifaceted significance in contemporary society.
Downloads
Article Details
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
References
Adamo, G. E. (2011). Nigerian Dress as a Symbolic Language. Semiotica, 1(4), 1-19. doi.10.1515/semi.2011.019.
Akingale, A. N. (2015). Cameroon’s Fashion Designer Modernize Cultural Attire for Catwalk. Global Press Journal, No. 94102, https://Globalpressjournal.com
Amungwa, A. F. (2012) The People and Culture of Bambui: An Ethnographic Study. Yaoundé: Grassroots Publisher Ltd.
Bitoh, E. N. (2017). Documentation of Socio-Cultural and Economic Values of “Toghu” Traditional Clothing in the North Wet Region of Cameroon. MA Thesis, Ahmadu Bello University of Zaria, Nigeria.
Chaikof, R. (2016). The Art of Creating Traditional Northwest Wear. October 17, http://blog.rachelchaikof.com
Davis, M. L. (1980). Visual Design in Dress, Second Edition. New York: Princtice-Hall, Inc.
Dimple, O., Kudira, J., Olajide, A., & Lovelyn, O. (2023). Development of a Nigerian Cultural Attire Recognition System. Journal of Engineering Studies and Research, 29(2), 20-25. http://doi.org/10.29081/jesr. v29i2.002.
Dzramedo, B. E. (2009). Clothing and Fashion in Ghanaian Culture: A Case Study Among the Akan. PhD Dissertation, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Dzramedo, B., Ahiabor, R., & Gbadegbe, R. (2013). The Relevance and Symbolism of Clothes within Traditional Institutions and its Modern Impacts on the Ghanaian Culture. Arts and Design Studies, 13, 1-15.
Etinne-Nugue, J. (1981). Craft and the Arts of Living in the Cameroon. England: Mobile Oil Corporation.
Fakunle, O. A. (2023). The Yoruba Tradition Dress and Contemporary Issues, 1900-1900. West Bohemia Historical Review, 13(1), 41-60
Fanso, V. G. (1989). Cameroon History for Secondary Schools and Colleges: Vol. 1. London: Macmillan Publisher Ltd.
Fiore, A. M, & Kimle, M. P. A. (1997). Understanding Aesthetics for the Merchandising and Design Professional. New York: Fairchild Publication.
Gaimster, J. (2011). Visual Research Methods in Fashion. Oxford: Berg.
Gray, R & Birmingham, D. (1970). Pre-Colonial Africa Trade: Essays on Trade in Central and Eastern Africa before 1900. London: Oxford University Press.
Helen. (2023). Toghu”: A Unique Cameroonian Identity. September 28, http://mimimefoinfos.com
Kah, H. K. (2014). “Our Gowns for your Trouser”: Sexuality and Women Revolt in Colonial Laimbwe Land, Cameroon. Epasa Moto: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Arts, Letters and the humanities, 1(2), 103-116.
Knȍpfli, H. (2002). Living in Style: Handicrafts, Music and the Fabric of Social Life. Limbe: Presprint.
Language Editing: Grammarly AI Generating Tool Was Used.
Mundi, J. T. (1990). Serving God My Way. Yaoundé: SOPECAM.
Mutan, G. P. (2001). The History of Six Hundred and Fifteen Years of Kijom Dynasty. Bamenda: Metropolitan Computer Service.
Ndeh, M. S, & and Ngeh, A. T. (2015). The Artistic Functions and Symbolism in History: Reconfiguring History through Unconventional Sources of Artistic and Historical Works in Upper Ngemba, Bamenda Grasslands of Cameroon in the pre-Colonial Era. Global Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(11), 1-15.
Ndifor, B. E., Efeze, N. D., Maiwada, S., Bako, G. W., & Rafai, S. A. (2023). Identifying of Symbols used a Motif in Toghu Production, a Cultural Heritage of Grassland People. Art and Design Review, 11(2), 160-177. doi:10.4236/adr.2023.112013.
Ndifor, M. N. (2018). “Traditional” Clothes Production and Uses in Urban-Bamenda: 1969-2011: Mutations and Socio-economic Impact. MA dissertation. The University of Bamenda.
Ngome, E. N. (2016). Globalization and Cultural Identities: An Ethno-Historical Survey of the Decline and Resilience of the Country Cloth Culture in Cameroon, C. 1850-2015. TRANS Internet Journal for Cultural Studies, No. 20, 1-18. http://www.inst.at/trans/20/
Njome, E. M. (2013). The Evolution and Impact of Fashion in Victoria, 1922-1971. Post-Graduate Diploma (DIPES II) Dissertation, The University of Bamenda.
Northern, T. (2012). The Art of Cameroon. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution.
Notue, JP, Alphonsus, F., & Tricia, B. (2000). The Treasure of the Mankon Kingdom Cultural Objects of the Royal Palace. Mbalmayo: Institute de Formation Artisique Mbalmayo
Onuoha, L. N. (2018). The Narrative Power of Dress in Nigeria Museums Exhibitions Lace and Onyongo Traditional Attires in Perspective. https://costume.mini.icom.museum
Paine, S. (2008). Embroidered Textiles: A World Guide to Traditional Patterns. London: Thomas and Hudson Ltd.
Rehan, M. (2023). Cameroon National Dress: Toghu. June 17, https://nationalopedia
Schneider, C. (1991). The Art of Embroidery: In The 90’s. USA: C. Schneider.
Stone, E. In Fashion, Second Edition. Fairchild Books, Inc.
Takor, N. K. (2011). The Bamenda Grassfields in Long Distance Trade C.1850-1961: Evolutionary Dynamics, Socio-Economic and Political Transmutations. PhD Dissertation, University of Yaoundé I.
Tum, E. M., Moffor, E. T. & Wihbongale, L. A. (2023). Royalty and Ancestral Venerations: Commemorating /Teh Pfu Teh Vu’ntuh/ the Death of Palace Children of Kedjom Keku Fondom in the Cameroon Grassfields. Advances in Anthropology, 13(3), 253-277.https://doi: 10.4236/aa.2023.133017
Vubo, E. Y. (2001). Itinerant Craftsmen, Highland Farmers and Royal Herdsmen. An Interpretation of Kedjom Historical Traditions. Limbe: Design House.
Wihbongale, L. A. & Akumbom, G. C. (2023). Evaluation of Tourism Resources in the Kedjom Keku Fondom and Their Implications for Tourism Development in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Journal of Tourism and Heritage, 12(1), 146-168. https://doi.org/10.33281/JTHS20129.2023.1.11 146-168
Wihbongale, L. A. (2022). Crafts and Arts Among the Kedjom Chiefdoms (Babanki) of the Bamenda Grassfields, 1866-2017. PhD Thesis, Department of History and Archaeology, The University of Bamenda, Bambili.