CAMEROON: Cameroonians begin month-long cultural celebrations to remember one of the country's founding fathers, King Douala Manga Bel

Record ID: 187160

  • Title: CAMEROON: Cameroonians begin month-long cultural celebrations to remember one of the country's founding fathers, King Douala Manga Bel
  • Date: 24th August 2012
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF EBOUMBOU DOUALA MANGA, GREAT GRAND SON OF KING MANGA BELL SHOWING PHOTOGRAPH OF HIS GRANDMOTHER
  • Embargoed: 8th September 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cameroon
  • Country: Cameroon
  • Topics: History,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7HP9MZTHPBEV337RMV6LPF5A3
  • Story Text: Celebrations to commemorate the 98th anniversary of the death of one of Cameroon's anti colonial heroes, Rudolf Douala Manga Bell, recently kicked off in the West African nation's largest city, Douala.
    Hundreds gathered at the palace of the former King, to participate in cultural parades, dances and exhibitions, along with the re-enactment of King Manga Bell's final moments, at the site where he was hanged.
    Leading the cultural procession were Manga Bell's descendants, his 85-year-old son and current leader of the Douala people, prince Rene Douala Bell and great-grand son, Eboumbou Douala Manga, who is next in line to the throne.
    Born in 1873 in Douala, in the German colony of what was then known as Kamerun, Rudolf Manga Bell was educated both in Douala and Germany, and became King of the Douala Bell lineage in 1910, following his father's death in 1908.
    Although Cameroon was under German occupation before World War I, Manga Bell, who inherited from his father large tracts of land, property and exported cocoa and timber, had a good relationship with the Germans, who viewed him as model citizen and collaborator.
    But Manga Bell's relationship with the Germans changed after the colonial regime outlined a plan to relocate the Douala people from their land to allow European-only settlement of the area.
    Manga Bell led his people in protesting the land seizures, a move that made him unpopular amongst the Germans. Bell and his close ally, Adolf Ngoso Din, were later arrested and charged with high treason.
    On August 1914, Manga Bell and Din were hanged.
    Cameroonians continued to fight colonial powers -- first the Germans and the French after World War I and Manga Bell's became a martyr for the the people of Cameroon.
    For these young men who grew up hearing stories about the king, participating in his commemoration ceremonies is their way of paying homage to the leader.

    "For me, he was like a demi-God, who represented the Sawa people because at the young age of 42 he was able to stand up to the Germans, and fought against them. He accepted to die young, so that tomorrow and after tomorrow, Douala can be liberated," said Leon Mboke, a young Douala resident.

    "I can say that he was like a father to me. I did not get to see him (alive), but I heard stories about him. What he did really touched me," added another Douala agent, Achille Ebongue.
    Researcher Henry Manga says the king's influence is still felt today, as he was amongst the first leaders of anti-colonial uprisings in the country.

    "He comes from a line of leaders who fought against colonial rule, that happened for centuries, which reached its pinnacle in the 19th century. Douala Manga Bell is part of the leaders that wanted to change the wheel of history, fighting against colonialism and its consequences," he said.
    King Manga Bell's legacy is kept alive in part by his 85-year-old son, Prince Rene Douala Bell.
    Next in line is Prince Eboumbou Douala Manga, who says that part of the King Manga Bell's former palace will be turned into a museum, for future generations to learn more about the kingdom and the king's legacy.
    Douala Bell was too young to remember his father but he says it's important to keep his memory alive through the annual celebration.

    "I do not have a clear memory of him, I only have the memories of when we do this commemoration every year," he said.
    The events to mark Manga Bell's commemoration will include celebrations across Cameroon through out the month of August.
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