The Committee
- Takes note that Cameroon has nominated Ngondo, worship of water oracles and associated cultural traditions among the Sawa (No. 02140) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
The Ngondo traditions are based on the worship of water oracles. Practised by the Sawa community of Cameroon, they take place annually from September to the first Sunday of December. The popular and festive part of the practice is marked by a caravan touring the traditional Sawa districts with artistic performances, traditional wrestling competitions, a crafts and commercial fair, and a beauty pageant. For the sacred part of the practice, people gather on the banks of the Wouri River on the first Sunday of December to watch the departure of a sacred canoe. A priest dives from the sacred canoe into the water with a vase containing the community’s wishes and grievances. He emerges after some time with a message from the oracles. The message is deciphered in a sacred hut, relayed to the district chiefs, and then shared with the public. The message governs the life of the community until the next celebration. Popular Ngondo practices are transmitted within communities and families, whereas the sacred components are transmitted through initiations. Ngondo links Sawas of all origins and backgrounds to the water, their nurturing mother and the abode of their divinities. It thus perpetuates values of fraternity, solidarity, social cohesion and tolerance.
- Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
R.1: The element Ngondo, is an annual event which is based on the worship of water oracles. It is practised by the Sawa community of Cameroon. The bearers and practitioners involve the entire Sawa community but some specific categories include the Paramount Chiefs of the concerned communities, priests and priestesses in charge of the sacred vase immersion ritual, guides and mentors, entertainers and spokespersons, all of whom perform distinct roles. The transmission of knowledge and skills is primarily informal through family units. The sacred components of the element are transmitted through initiation rites conducted in several stages. Ngondo perpetuates a sense of identity and promotes the values of fraternity, solidarity, social cohesion and tolerance among the diverse components of the Sawa community.
R.2: The element contributes to promoting traditional health care by including traditional therapeutic recipes made from medicinal plants. Ngondo also reinforces the pivotal role of women in the primarily matriarchal Sawa society. It is the Mangon priestess who is honoured with the task of preparing the sacred vase and ritual dishes during the ceremony. The Ngondo fair creates temporary employment opportunities for the community. It also promotes peace, social cohesion between different ethno-cultural groups and harmony between humans and nature. The Sawa community is engaged in a comprehensive project to regenerate the mangroves, thereby enhancing environmental sustainability. The file mentions that an Ngondo academic excellence programme has been established in different districts to reward top students in the community. However, the contribution of the element to quality education could have been explained further.
R.3: The nomination file includes several safeguarding measures devised by the Sawa community with support from the Ministry of Arts and Culture. Transmission of the practice and its values will be ensured through education and art, including by incorporating it in primary and secondary school curricula, conducting research about the element in collaboration with universities and research centres, and creating an Ngondo database. Other measures include awareness raising through broadcasts and contests, and preserving the environment associated with the element by regenerating mangroves and increasing efforts to combat sand encroachment and the proliferation of water hyacinths.
R.4: The nomination was an initiative of the Sawa community that was adopted following the engagement of Paramount Chiefs and the Ministry of Arts and Culture. Communities participated in awareness-raising consultations and capacity-building workshops to develop the nomination strategy. Various meetings and workshops were held between 2020 and 2022 to prepare for the nomination of Ngondo. In 2022, a drafting group composed of representatives from the communities, groups and individuals concerned and from the Ministry of Arts and Culture filled out the nomination form and produced audiovisual elements related to the file. Similarly, renowned artists and writers participated in various workshops, demonstrating their commitment to the nomination of the element.
R.5: The element was listed on the General Inventory of Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage in Cameroon in November 2019. The inventory is managed by directorates under the Ministry of Arts and Culture and elements are updated every five years from the year it is first added to the inventory. Inventorying and updates are carried out with the involvement and participation of the communities concerned, especially the bearers and practitioners of the elements.
- Decides to inscribe Ngondo, worship of water oracles and associated cultural traditions among the Sawa on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.