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Diane Chebab spent twelve years living with her husband Epee Ellong, a native Cameroonian in Duoala where they helped create an architectural firm and a wood-working company. She has since moved to New York where her and her husband now reside. She regularly writes a blog called “Away from Africa” detailing some of her experiences in Cameroon with the specific aim of educating people about the ‘real’ life and culture in Cameroon and how it differs from some of its foreign perceptions. |
Q: First start by describing yourself and your connection to Cameroon. What do you do for work and where are you from? What is your experience with Cameroon? How much time have you spent there? What are some of your interests?
A: I am American-born, raised in Europe and the Middle East. Fate had me complete my architectural studies in Paris, at the Beaux Arts, where I met my Cameroonian husband, from Douala. He was and still is an idealist and an Africanist. After architecture school, he returned to Douala, and I joined him there in 1981. Douala used to be 3 villages, and my husband, an ethnic Duala, is from the formerly “rebellious” area, where European colonial power was not welcome. The result was that I lived in a neighborhood that was less urbanized than other parts of Douala and where there were few “white” people. I lived and worked there for 12 years. My husband and I created an architectural firm in the family compound, and later a wood-working company, also. We tried to help people by creating jobs. We also wanted to help keep alive Cameroonian traditions and consume locally.
Q: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Cameroon?
A: When I think of Cameroon, as Douala is a tropical area, I think of heat and humidity! However, I also think of the wonderful friends, especially female friends, and the lush greenness, the dancing. Food is also important (as in many other parts of the world) in important events.
Q: How is it different from the rest of Africa/it’s surrounding countries?
A: Cameroon is called “Africa in miniature” because it is a microcosm of the continent. The southern region is mainly tropical rainforest; the northern area is steppe and dry. Cameroon is not homogeneous at all. In 1886 the Europeans chopped up the African continent with a ruler, without taking ethic groups into consideration. There was an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan that I thought was about West Cameroon, but when I came closer to look at the captions, I saw it was Nigeria. That is just one example. Cameroon boasts about 200 different languages (about 10 main languages).
Q: What is the typical day like for an average family in Cameroon?
A: .A typical day would be different in a village than in a city. Household chores take up much of a woman’s time: this may include chopping wood for cooking fire, fetching water if you have no running water. Food preparation is time-consuming, because many ingredients are finely ground, and even if the family owns an electric blender, some spices/ingredients are still hand crushed
Q: What is the culture like? How is music, art, food, dance, writing, etc incorporated in Cameroon life?
A: Music is very present in everyday life. Videos of African musicians are on television very often, people enjoy dancing. Dancing is often a part of traditional ceremonies. Every ethnic group/region has its own rhythms and dances.
Q: What is the weather/climate like in Cameroon year round and how does this affect life there? What are the major crops and exports?
A: The climate influences life in many ways. Whether north or south, there are few regions where you’ll ever need a sweater. Construction is hence easy, as people don’t worry much about insulation (although it would be needed against the heat). In the tropical areas, the humidity is extremely high, and in the rainy season, leaky roofs abound, and leather goods can become green from mold. It is easy to become infected with one bug or another, as it is never cold, so bacteria never dies, or even rests. You have to iron all your clothes after washing them (and sun-drying), even your underwear, towels, sheets… because you never know if a worm egg may not have nested in the fabric. Few people own a washing machine and dryer.
Q: What are some favorite foods? What are some of the main indigenous languages still used in Cameroon?
A: The most famous Duala dish is “N’dole” made of treated (against bitterness) and chopped N’dole leaves, ground nuts, dried shrimp, and either dried fish or meat. By extension, it is one of the more famous Cameroonian dishes. It is eaten either with Kassava “sticks” or plantains.
Snacks can be peanuts, grilled corn, and “plums,” which only look like plums, as they are savory and a little oily.
Q: How does its colonial history affect the politics and culture within Cameroon?
A: Colonial history still has an enormous effect on politics/economy, if not so much on culture. The economy is still very much tied to France (look up Cameroonian history for the colonial history, between France, Great Britain and Germany in Wikipedia). The currency is the CFA Franc which was linked to the French Franc, and now to the Euro, and some reserves are held in the French treasury. Some of the legal system is inspired by the French Code Napoléon.
Q: How does religion play a role in Cameroon’s identity?
A: The main “imported” religions in Cameroon are Islam (Sunni), Catholic Christian and Protestant Christian. People follow their religion but also their own local traditions (such as polygamy!).
Q: What do young people typically do for fun in Cameroon?
A: Young people often have little money. Nowadays they may hang out at Internet cafes, go to nightclubs, amusement parks; boys play soccer or basketball, too. For unknown reasons, there are no more movie theaters since about a year.
Q: Describe as best you can what your perception of the media environment is in Cameroon?
A: The media environment. TV started broadcasting in 1984 with just one channel (CRTV). Now there is Satellite TV: France 2, TF1, and CNN… Newspapers: there is the Government-inspired Cameroon Tribune and a slew of opposition papers. Home Internet is not widespread as it costs about $100/month, which few people have available. I don’t think there are many young Cameroonians on social media networks.
Q: How does media (TV, film, newspapers, internet, computers, broadband, and cell phones) affect the country and its people? What are some of the biggest positive and negative impacts?
A: Newspapers with opposition views are popular, but don’t change much in practical life.
Cell phones are an important development because so few people have land lines. It is difficult to obtain a land line, and even if you have one, there is little control over the amount of the invoice which can become enormous. Cell phones are good because in Cameroon, you do not pay for inbound calls, so relatives overseas can reach you much more easily than before, and they pay for the call!
Q: What is the most dominant media technology? What is used the most and considered the most popular? What are the most popular newspapers, TV shows and films?
A: This we will ask Joel (nephew)
Q: Who controls the media? Is it both public and private? What is the level of censorship? Is there an underlying political/religious/economic bias within the media? Is there freedom of the press?
A: The "mainstream" media is mainly controlled by the government: Cameroon Tribune, the main newspaper, and Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV). Then there are several "opposition" newspapers, like "Messager" and "Popoli", and more. Censorship is ambiguous. It's hard to explain.
Q: I read in my research that the vernacular press in Cameroon was short-lived because the colonial powers demanded a French language press. Is there any refinance of indigenous language media in Cameroon? Do you believe there has been some level of westernization within the media?
A: For this question, it would be necessary to see it from the eyes of a Sub-Saharan African. Before the Europeans, there was little written media. The tradition is oral. Announcements (for example about a death), was by "Elimbi," (this is the Duala word) --a hollowed tree trunk. There was something similar to a Morse code for all kinds of vocabulary. The colonial powers forbid the Africans to use it, because they didn't understand what was being broadcast. press in thus by definition Western, as it did not exist before in this shape
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