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Religion of the Bali Tribe

History of the Bali

  • The Bali are part of a larger cultural area known collectively as the Western Cameroon Grasslands and live in the northern part of Northwest Province.
  • They originally came from an area to the north and migrated in various complex patterns throughout the last several centuries. Fulani traders moving steadily southwards into Cameroon in the 17th century forced the Bali's southern drift.
  • Many smaller ethnic groups combined, while other factions split away as a result of pressure from the invading Fulani.
  • The Bali reserve the highest allegiance for their lineage ancestors. Ancestral spirits are embodied in the skulls of the deceased ancestors. All members of an extended family recognize the skulls as common heritage.
  • When a family decides to relocate, a dwelling, which must be first purified by a diviner, is built to house the skulls in the new location. Although not all of the ancestral skulls are in the possession of a family, the memories of all ancestors are honored. The spirits of ancestors whose skulls are not preserved have nowhere to reside and may as a result cause trouble for the family.
  • Earth gathered from the site of that offering then represents the skull of the deceased. Respect is also paid to female skulls, although details about such practices are largely unrecorded.

Bali Tribe in Central Cameroon

Brittany Wilbert

Political Systems of Bali Tribe

Economy of the Bali Tribe

  • The Bali, like all of the peoples who make up the Cameroon Grasslands culture area, pay allegiance to the head chief (Fon). Each village is governed by a leader who is selected by his predecessor and who is usually the head of the dominant lineage within that community.
  • Complex age-grade societies also help to structure the community. The Fon also oversees these secret societies.
  • The region is astride important regional trade routes connecting with the seaport of Douala in the south and with Fulani and Hausa traders in the north.
  • The Bali are historically farmers who grow maize, yams, and peanuts as staple crops. They also raise some livestock, including chickens and goats, which play an important role in daily sustenance. Women, who are believed to make the soil more fruitful, are responsible for the tasks of planting and harvesting the crops.

African Bali Music

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