Bamileke

Category: Tribes

The Bamileke are an enormous culture, part of the so-called "Grasslands" group, who are spread widely over large parts of western Cameroon. Though there are many smaller groups, the Bamileke, Bamun, and Bamenda-Tikar are dominant. The art of the Bamileke is a royal art, dedicated to the veneration of the regional leader, or "Fon." Most of their carvings, beadwork, and metal items are produced as gifts for, or representations of, the Fon. Styles across various groups and regions are rather uniform, making out-of-context attributions a daunting task. While there is much standardization, the Bamileke do excel in certain areas, like large beaded prestige items of great intricacy and beauty. These come in many forms, from statues, to beaded animals and stools, produced by the tedious application of tiny beads, in a riot of colors. The pieces have a fabric base for the beads, sometimes over wood, and are highly-prized by collectors. There are also enormous wooden masks, with bulging cheeks, protruding eyes, and a crowned hairdo.