Archaeological/Historical Treasures and Features at Mbajeng: The Need for a Rescue Historical/Archaeology operations

Abstract

This is the result of a reconnaissance survey of the site of Mbajeng in the Nkambe Plateau, North West Region of Cameroon, with the sole aim of identifying, with the intention of recovering and preserving, the material
cultural remains and features of importance to the history of the Mbum ethnic group, which occupies the area. Oral traditions and oral interviews with some Mbum people with knowledge of the site, helped in undertaking a random ethnoarchaeological reconnaissance surface survey of the site. Oral traditions maintain that, Mbajeng was settled for over a hundred years (from mid-18th to late 19th Centuries) and abandoned by the Tang, one of the three clans or Fondoms that make up the present day Mbum ethnic group. The site is still of historical importance to this clan because its leaders occasionally visit it to perform sacrifices on the royal burial chamber, shrines and graves of some personalities. The random survey we conducted, identified two sections of the site which were settled and later abandoned. These included one of the surrounding hills and the rugged plane where a good number of archaeological/historical finds and features of especially stones, iron slag, potsherds, cowry shells, shrines and ruins of buildings, were found. Unfortunately, this site and its material cultural remains and features associated with the original occupants are under the threat of extinction by natural and human factors such as erosion, cattle grazing, farming, and construction of houses. This has therefore rendered an urgent need for a rescue archaeological/historical operation for the sake of understanding the undocumented past and posterity of the Mbum people who settled at Mbajeng, very imperative.