notes on educational disciplines
A STUDY OF FERTILITY RITES AND RITUALS AMONGST THE KOM PEOPLE OF CAMEROON
INTRODUCTION
Fertility is one of the demographic features which is used to understand the population trend of a society alongside mortality. Fertility is very important in the life of mankind and the community for it ensures the survival of the society. There are differences in the definition of fertility in studies reported to date. These differences are reflective of the Sociological, medical and demographic definitions which are not mutually exclusive or uniform in meaning. As such, in order to evolve a uniform and acceptable definition, account is taken of the social structure and the environment, especially in Africa where the prevalence of a variety of social norms and behavior pattern are important. A woman may consider herself "infertile" because she has just four children compared to her desired number.
According to Kwaku (1974) fertility is “the actual performances of persons (male or female) in terms of their reproduction. This is measured by counting live-births…”. The Oxford Advance Learner’s dictionary defines fertility as "the state of being fertile". Fertility according to the phoenix’s prostate cancer glossary "is the ability to produce children". Fertility thus refers to the ability to become pregnant or to produce offspring respectively. It is the ability of people to produce healthy offspring in abundance. In Africa, because social values rank procreation high in societies, infertility means a great tragedy. As such, it was observed in family planning and health clinics that a substantial number of women in these clinics actually consulted with regards to problem linked to "wanting to have children". The term was usually applied to females but increasingly, it is applied to males as well as is common understanding our reproductive mechanism. For men’s opinion always dominate in the domain of reproductive decisions. These rights are usually obtained through marriage. Social fatherhood is determined by marriage (Radcliff Brown,1975). Thus the dictum of the Roman law “pater est quem nuptael dermonstrant”. This is further highlighted in the Arab proverb which states that "children belong to the man to whom the bed belongs". Marriage thus acts as a way of legitimizing birth. The culture of a people determines their perception of pregnancy as well as child birth and it’s consequences. The defining principle is not so much the age at which it occurs but the cultural acceptability and this is often linked to marriage. This brings to focus the perception of cultural norms of reproduction with regards to the age of marriage, interval between birth, age of terminating child bearing and the ideal family size. The ability to procreate varies over "reproductive age" which is between fourteen and fifteen years and ends at thirty-five to forty years.
The population of Sub Saharan Africa is growing at a rate of 3.2 percent a year. It has already doubled in size since the 1960s and at its rate of growth will double again in twenty-two years (Kwaku, 1974). It was observed that a low fertility belt expands from Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Zaire, Sudan, Central African Republic, Uganda and Tanzania. In many traditional African societies, a man’s virility is measured by the number of children he has. The wife is equally considered as child bearer. In this respect a large family is an asset in the rural economy which constitutes the bulk of the population. In this light, before 1980, Cameroon was amidst the countries which encouraged fertility. In effect, at the dawn of independence, many African countries in order to maintain their sovereignty, considered a large population as a source of pride not only for national defense but also for economic development. The fecundity rate in 1978 according to demographic survey was 6.4 children per woman; 5.8 in 1991 and 5.2 in 1998. This shows a reduction compared to the preceding years. These changes are closely linked to economic development, urbanization, globalization and education of the African woman. Freedman (1963) found out that societal fertility levels are related to variation in cultural norms on reproduction. This further explains the differences in fertility rate at the national and regional levels. Also included are the traditional practices with regard to pregnancy and delivery which have been identified as plausible channel through which the phenomenon of fertility manifest itself. This is reflected in the rites and rituals of fertility.
Rites as defined in Oxford Advance learner’s dictionary is "a ceremony performed by a particular group of people, often for religious purposes". Rites were also defined as a ceremonial act or series of act. Rituals are also defined as "a series of actions that are always carried out in the same way, especially as part of a religious ceremony". The American heritage dictionaries describe ritual as the prescribe form of conducting a formal or religious ceremony.
This two definitions highlight the religious character both collective and repetitive nature of rites and rituals. This is also applicable to a group of gestures, words and actions canonized by their custom. Fertility rites are thus religious rituals that reenact either actually or symbolically sexual acts and or reproduction. The collective nature of rites and rituals are clearly seen in Durkheim’s view of the performance which he concludes that their function was to facilitate people coming together. Also, through rituals, society he says exists as a bond. As such, rites and rituals are not only organized as a source of entertainment and relaxation of relatives and friends. It highlights the social co-existence of the people with the family as the nucleus. Therefore, rites and rituals of fertility entertain and enhance the cultural values, norms and social conducts within the society. The serve as the patterned and learned ways of life and thoughts shared by a human society.
The project is essentially in parts. The main chapter deals with introduction, problem statement, research questions, hypotheses, objectives and justification of study. The second part includes the methodology which forms the basis of discussion and illustrates the type of data; data collection and analysis.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The term fertility is the ability to become pregnant or to produce offspring respectively. This is a very sensitive aspect in African relationships which is due the fact that it involves the process of bringing forth off springs. Man from the genesis of creation is sent into the world to give existence to many of his kind. The Bible elaborates on this in "Genesis" 9:1 where the Lord instructs Noah to "have many children so that your descendants will live over all the earth". This postulation gives reason for our repulsive attitude to infertility. In Kom like in most African societies, infertility is looked upon as a taboo and a childless mother is regarded as ill omen.
In this regard, occasions of birth were greeted with immeasurable joy for children are regarded as a blessing and gift from God, source of wealth and labour, as such, ascribing social identity to their parents. This explains why during marriage, there is usually a ritual that is a benediction to the young couple. The bride is rubbed with cam wood, which according to custom will enable her to be fertile. The rites of first pregnancy and that preceding the birth as well as the rites for princesses known as the "Foumban dance» were performed.
This trend has been distorted by imperialism, education, urbanization, religion and globalization to the point that they are almost extinct. This has an immense effect on the breakdown of our traditional practices. The mass movement of people from the village to town in search of greener pastures has put the people further apart from one another. This has greatly reduced the possibility of a common gathering of the indigenes for the performance of fertility rites. It is thus in the light of this that this study sets out to examine this phenomenon.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In the course of describing this phenomenon on rites and rituals of fertility, certain questions were asked by the researcher to which answers would be sought for.
CENTRAL RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the socio-cultural consequences of fertility rites/rituals on the fecond woman, the infertile and their spouses?
SUBSIDIARY QUESTIONS
1. What explains the emergences of rites/rituals of fertility?
2. What are the socio-cultural factors that explains the performance of rites /rituals?.
3. What are the factors which explains the phenomenon?.
4. Why is the practice fast dying out ?.
HYPOTHESIS
Taking cognizance of the aforementioned expositions, the following prepositions were advanced for verification.
CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS
1. There is a positive relationship between rites/rituals of fertility and birth rate.
SUBSIDIARY HYPOTHESIS
1. The matrilineal practice is the major source for the performance of fertility rites and rituals.
2. Low income earners do not perform the rites and rituals of fertility.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
1.To identify the people's beliefs, feelings and behaviour towards rites and rituals of fertility in order to evolve ways and means that will improve on the general health behaviour of the community.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. To identify the people's beliefs on fertility.
2. To explain the emergence of rites and rituals of fertility.
3. To describe the socio-cultural factors that explains the phenomenon.
4. To describe the other factors which explain the phenomenon.
5. To determine the socio-cultural consequences on the fertile, infertile women and their spouses.
6. To demonstrate how the rites\rituals of fertility are fast dying out.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA
In order to appreciate the cultural practices of a group, it should be seen within it's geographical, social and economic context. Aspects of all these are imbedded in rites and rituals and so an understanding of this background knowledge serves as the basis for proper appreciation of rituals and health seeking behaviours.
The name "Kom" is derived from the word "to scrub''. It is also geographically referred to as the land of nine hills. Kom is one of the major tribes in Boyo Division in the North West Province of Cameroon. If shares a common boundary with the following places:
- In the West with Bafut, in the South with Babanki (Kijom) and Ndop. and in the North with Wum and Bafmeng. Finally in the East, it is bounded by Nso and Oku.
The economic activity is essentially subsistence farming. The most vital source of their wealth lies in food and cash crop farming punctuated by cattle rearing, hunting and fishing.
Kom also is a seat of learning varying from nursery to secondary and higher education. One can find some provision of health care services with the presence of clinics and hospitals such as the Baptist and the Catholic hospital in Mbingo and Njinikom respectively.
SAMPLING
The stratified and simple random sampling techniques will be used to collect information from both sexes about the beliefs on the rites and rituals of fertility.
DATA COLLECTION
The type of data collected would be basically qualitative in nature with major instruments used in gathering information being observation, interview and questionnaires.
JUSTIFICATION \PURPOSE OF STUDY
This study is inspired by a conscious attempt to preserve Kom rites\rituals of fertility in it's written form. It attempts to investigate the performance context, classification and functions of rites\rituals of fertility in Kom. In this way, it highlights on the socio-cultural aspects which is a reflection of the environment and the way of life of the people.
Fertility rites and rituals are an important feature of tradition in Kom that is fast dying as a result of the influence of colonisation, rural exodus, the passage of time and others. These rites\rituals belong to the collective memory and date as far back as early times. It expresses the wisdom, beliefs, feelings and social concepts of the Kom people. This study will also add to the body of existing knowledge.
REFERENCES
1. B. Kwaku Adabevoh (1974) Sub-fertility and infertility in Africa.
The Caxton press limited:Ibadan.
2. Beat Songue et al (1999 ) Communication et maitrise de la
fecondite:un marriage de raison
3. Radcliffe Brown et al (1975) African system of kinship and marriage.
Oxford
University press: London.
MEMOIRES
1. Charles Martel Aoudou (2001) Les comportement demographiques au
Cameroun: implication pour la politique et les programmes de population.
2. Djomo Esther (1979) Les rites relatifs a la naissance chez les fe'e fe'e
de Babouantou (Puantu)
3. Relyndis Sewemi Mbuy, Family planning in Cameroon. The extent of
the influence of social and cultural determinants on family size in rural community. The case of Bui Division.
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