GLOBAL MUSIC EXCHANGE REPORT
(Baka Research Trip January 1998)
Aims of trip
To discuss with the Baka group who had provided the music which
has earned the bulk of Global Music Exchange funds as to what
projects they wanted setting up. And to discuss these matters with
other people in Cameroon who had experience working with the Baka
and/or experience running development projects in Cameroon.
Background
We travelled to Cameroon on 28th December 1997, flying to Yaounde.
Here we made contact with Roger Ngoufo of Environment Watch and
discussed possible ideas for aid projects for the Baka. He made us
aware of the possibility of setting up a "Community Forest".
On Friday, 2nd January 1998 we travelled to Bertoua. Here we
contacted the Archbishop, who has worked with the Baka for many
years. He informed Nyamsi Emmanuel, the delegate of the Ministry of
Culture for the Eastern Province, of our work. As a result of this
we were delayed in Bertoua for several days while we justified our
trip to him and waited for forms to arrive from the
Société des Droits D'Auteurs to arrive before we could
continue south. (Due to the fact that we had been selling the Baka's
music without the proper authorisation from the authorities). These
didn't arrive and he told us to go on to Moloundu and contact him on
our return voyage. He made it clear that all money due to the Baka
through the Société des Droits D'Auteurs (the
Cameroonian equivalent of the PRS) would have to be administered by
him, being the Baka's representative in Cameroon.
We arrived in Moloundu on Wednesday, 7th January and stayed at the
Catholic mission, now run by nuns based in Congo. We found them to
be very helpful and sympathetic to the Baka's needs.
On Friday, 9th January we walked to the Baka encampment at
Loupé, several hours walk into the forest from Banana.
On Sunday, 11th January we walked on to Canya where most of the
Baka were. Here we discussed at length why we had come and what
projects the Baka wanted to see undertaken.
Projects Discussed with Baka
Cash
The Baka asked us to give them cash. This was to be given to
Dondolo [the Baka headman] in front of everyone else so that
he could distribute it and everyone could see that it was divided
fairly. This we avoided as it would be problematic for various
reasons:
- The Délégué du Ministre de Culture de l'Est had
made it plain that he would be requiring us to let him administer any
money that was due to the Baka through their performing rights. (We
hope that this money will reach the Baka, but it is out of our
control if it passes to the Ministry of Culture. We will be looking
into different ways to ensure that the money does get passed on
correctly). We were therefore limited as to what cash we could give
directly to the Baka as other money has been donated to the charity
for beneficial projects, not for direct cash aid.
- Due to the level of poverty and obvious need for basics of
life we did give Dondolo 60,000 CFA. This cash did cause problems.
The word got round other camps that we had given money. As the news
travelled further the amount of money we were alleged to have given
got larger. This especially caused problems with the Bangandu (the
local Bantu people) who do not have any money either and rely on the
Baka to work on their farms. Gifts of money drastically upset the
local micro-economy and should be avoided.
Community Forest.
The Baka were very interested in the idea of setting up a
Community Forest, however they expressly said that they would not
want to do this with the Bangandu who they claimed treated them
badly, did not pay them for their labour, treated them like animals
and generally showed them no respect at all (we noticed that these
were all justifiable comments). They would not be able to achieve
this based around the village of Banana as they share this village
with the Bangandu. To set up a Community Forest representatives of
all people who live adjacent to the forest must be involved. A
Community Forest run jointly by Baka and Bangandu would not work as
in effect the Bangandu would run it and the Baka would have no say in
what went on. Their situation would remain unchanged.
However the Baka also told us that they wanted their village to be
at Loupé and not at Banana. They already have their own
fields, houses and plantations there, but spend much of their time in
Banana where the school and road are. It is worth noting that the
police Commissar in Moloundou stated that he would not go to the
Bangandu villages any more as they were populated by "bad people".
The Baka too say this. They claim that if they ever have money and
are alone in the village, Bangandu will get it off them by force. A
village of their own at Loupé with legal status and their own
chief (Dondolo) would seem to us to be a positive step forward.
We suggested and they agreed the following 3 stages towards
establishing a Community Forest:
- Stage 1: Obtain an identity card for each adult Baka in village. Each
individual would then be recognised as a Cameroonian citizen with the
same rights as any other.
- Stage 2: Obtain legal status for a village at Loupé. This would
establish a recognised village only populated by Baka and a few
Bangandu who have been living in harmony with the Baka for some time.
Dondolo would be chief.
- Stage 3: Establish an area of forest that is not adjacent to any
existing Bangandu villages, but which is next to/surrounding the
village at Loupé, to administer as a community Forest.
Stage 1 has been completed for all adult Baka in the village of
Banana.
Stage 2 has been discussed with the Police Commisar of Moloundou
and the Delegue du Ministre de Culture de l'Est (M. Nyamsi) who could
see no reason why this shouldn't take place. M. Nyamsi was asked if
he could organise this as he knows the government official who would
have to OK it. He says he will be going to the area to administer
the funds that we shall have to send to him. We shall see.
For stage 3 to proceed a detailed map of the area needs to be
drawn up. A volunteer with skills in this department needs to be
found who can map the area and record all existing settlements in the
area.
Help with Agriculture
The Baka expressed willingness to accept help in developing their
fields. Although the Baka are traditionally hunter-gatherers the
community at Banana and Loupé are already growing bananas,
cacao, maize and other plants on their own plantations. Since there
is more pressure on land these days it is not possible for them to
use traditional "slash and burn" methods of farming indefinitely
without continually clearing more forest. Sound permaculture farming
techniques could improve their standard of living and increase the
productivity and biodiversity of areas of the forest where the large
trees have already gone. The Baka said that they would welcome
anyone who was willing to show them new farming techniques that would
ensure long term, low cost productivity of the soil.
We are researching who might be able to help in this idea.
The Baka spoke about wanting to trade their chocolate direct with
a European market, a "fair trade" outlet. We will persue
possibilities of this through Traidcraft contacts.
Health Project
The Baka wish to establish a basic health programme in the forest.
A Baka who has knowledge of forest medicine will be trained in basic
primary health care and will walk to the camps. This will overcome
two major problems:
- The Baka's dislike of being treated by sometimes insensitive
non-Baka medical staff.
- Western medicine only being available in Moloundou (10km from
Banana, which is itself a long walk from the camps).
The mission dispensary staff are willing to train a Baka as a
'barefoot doctor'. Pelembie, a Baka man from Banana is the obvious
choice, as he has worked at the mission dispensary and had six months
training in the hospital in Moloundou and knows forest medicine. He
has agreed to be trained.
A small amount of money will be collected for treatments and will
go towards the cost of drugs. The money will be accounted for by
Pelembie and looked after by the oldest woman of the group. We will
explore the possibilities of getting generic (much cheaper) drugs.
Possible future developments of the health programme would be to
set up a secure building as a health centre in Banana where a
microscope could be housed and childbirth could take place. Another
long term possibility envisaged is to provide a scholarship for an
able Baka student to go to medical college and then return to work in
the forest. Aid for schools where Baka attend may be a necessary
first step. Merely buying the school and course books could enable
more Baka to be educated to a higher level.
Anyone interested in helping the Baka with any of these projects,
or who has useful practical information to offer please contact us