Journey of Song: Public Life and Morality in Cameroon

Index

INDEX Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations. Ahidjo, Amadou (President), 13, 20, 27, 30, 55, 80, 179, 192, 204n13 alcohol, 50, 54, 82–84, 107, 136 allegory, 25, 29 biculturalism, 91 Biya, Paul (President), 11, 20, 90, 179–180, 192, 195, 200, 203n8, 212n4 body, 51, 77–80, 84 body fattening, 3, 44, 51, 58, 81, 206n7; and Tupuri identity, 79 brideprice/bridewealth, 29, 31, 33–35, 59, 81, 102, 204n19; and respectability, 38 Cameroon, 3, 11–12, 16, 20, 33, 88, 117, 128, 143, 178–179, 183, 187–188, 192, 195, 197, 204n12; and corruption, 203n7, 207n2 Chad, 13, 19, 37, 49, 187 children, 26, 49. See also gurna-fiiri (children’s gurna) Christianity, 9, 13, 48, 57–58, 63, 78, 88–89, 92, 210n8:1 clans, 13, 45, 144–145, 203n11, 204n16, 211n9: 6 Club Kwoı̈ssa, 41, 63, 134 communitas, 8, 52, 78, 109, 178 composers: campaign for acceptance, 187; competition, 43; lineages, 143–145; and magical herbs, 147–151; and national politics , 186, 194; role of, 123, 147, 151–152, 157; status of, 143, 199 composition, 209n5. See also under gurna song; magical herbs costume, 1, 3, 24, 49, 51, 54–56, 131, 132, 135 courtship, 20, 32–34; in dance, 51–52; language of, 32–33 cultural association. See under Club Kwoı̈ssa; cultural politics cultural politics, 177, 191–192, 197–198 dance, 53–54, 208n2; as discursive space, 75– 77, 209n5:3; and moral order, 7; and social commentary, 82. See also gurna dance Dang Biina, 126–127, 144, 149 Dangmoworé (composer), 17, 88, 113, 115, 128, 137, 145, 147, 151, 187 Dawa, 143–145 death (huuli), 52–53 death celebration (yii-huuli), 1, 3, 20–21, 46, 49, 52–54, 74, 95, 104, 113–114, 119, 164, 178, 182–183, 209n2; and intervillage rivalry , 189 democracy and democratization, 42, 49, 178 didilna (harp and praise-song genre), 16–17, 66, 97 discourse, 25, 39, 93–95, 177–178 divination, 140, 148 Djingue (composer), 146–147 Doukoula, 14–16, 30, 45, 60–61, 98–99, 103, 144–145, 161, 175, 182, 188–189, 193 drumming, 41, 50, 54–55, 104, 131, 204n11 Dynamique Culturelle Kirdi, 197 earth priest (waŋ-siri), 19–20, 119, 211n9 economic crisis, 15–16, 33, 77, 203n1; and brideprice , 102 education, 16, 87–90, 105–106, 138, 200 egalitarianism, 20, 50 elites. See évolué ethnicity, 2, 13, 60, 79–80, 208n23 évolué, 20, 47–48, 91, 105, 172 famine, 13–14, 58, 82, 85–86, 125, 153, 164, 204n14 farming, 13, 87; valorization of, 85 Festival of the Cock (few kage), 19–20, 34, 45, 107, 181, 206n4 folklorization, 21, 60–63, 196 Fulbe, 13, 55, 85–86, 197, 204n17 funeral (huuli), 44 gender, 34–37; and male solidarity, 41, 47, 59; and modernity, 25, 29–32, 102–103; and praise in song, 115; and women’s voice, 28, 35–37, 58–59 German annexation, 19, 204n12 gossip, 97, 103, 108, 122, 159, 211n6; and insult , 167 gurna, 3–4, 41–46; and Christianity, 9, 57–58; competition, 180–184; as cultural association , 41–43, 62–63; and death celebrations 52–54, 56–57, 87; as expression of Tupuri identity, 3–4, 63–64, 78, 92, 108; and farming , 51, 86; and modernization, 8–9, 60–63, 92; origins of, 43–44, 143–144; as political process, 177–179, 184–188; in rural context, 42; season, 45, 117; socialization within, 49– 51; solidarity associated with, 45–48, 182– 183, 198; in urban society, 62–63, 97, 107, 200; women in, 46–47. See also gurna camp; 222 Index gurna (cont.) gurna dance; gurna society; gurna song; gurna-fiiri (children’s gurna) gurna camp (jak-kaw), 14, 41, 46–47, 50–51, 72, 74, 154, 156–157, 178, 180, 187; and death celebration, 43; and intervillage rivalry, 190; and selection of composer, 182–184, 191 gurna dance (jõo), 65, 74, 133–135, 137; and composers, 96; description of, 1, 41, 44, 54– 56, 75, 77–79, 118; as discursive space, 82– 83; at educational institutions, 61–62; gesture (ɔ’ge fɔgε), 76–79, 135; roles in society, 19– 20; in urban context, 14, 41–42 gurna society, 3, 33, 43, 46–50, 113, 177; and courtship, 51–52; individualism, 184; and inversion , 90; leadership within 50–51; male friendship in, 45, 82, 92, 113; membership in, 46–48; place of cattle in, 81; and sobriquet , 47; as social organization, 20 gurna song (siŋ gurna), 22, 26, 93...