Vol. 4 No. 1 (2025): Les femmes et l'eau : Le flux des systèmes matriculturels
Articles de recherche

Ehzele Laimbwe et les rituels de l'eau dans la région du Nord-Ouest du Cameroun

Henry Kam Kah
Université de Buea
Cette image présente la jungle des hautes terres camerounaises : une vue nord du Bu Krehke Acheh (forêt de Keziah), Cameroun (Source : collections de l'auteur 2012)

Publié 2025-03-30

Mots-clés

  • Cameroun,
  • Laimbwe,
  • la performance,
  • le rituel,
  • la culture

Comment citer

Ehzele Laimbwe et les rituels de l’eau dans la région du Nord-Ouest du Cameroun. (2025). Matrix: Une Revue d’études Matriculturelles, 4(1), 122-146. https://doi.org/10.60676/zamkm551

Résumé

Les rituels de l’eau font partie de la vie quotidienne dans les prairies occidentales du Cameroun en général et dans les terres de Laimbwe en particulier. Les femmes sont liées à ces rituels qui jouent un rôle important dans la fécondité et la procréation, la pacification des morts-vivants, la dissipation des esprits malveillants, des sorcières et sorciers et le traitement des maladies. Içi, nous affirmons que les rituels de l'eau des Ehzele Laimbwe (les femmes) dans le nord-ouest du Cameroun ont servi des objectifs socioculturels et cosmologiques vitaux en préservant leur culture, en prévenant les catastrophes éventuelles et en nettoyant la communauté des mauvais esprits. Malheureusement, l’avènement du christianisme et de l’éducation occidentale, entre autres influences extérieures, ont rendu ces rituels superflus, seule une partie de la population adhérant à cette pratique culturelle ancienne. En employant la méthodologie de l'observation critique, de la discussion, des entretiens oraux et de l'analyse des documents disponibles, nous supposons que les rituels Ehzele Laimbwe à Baisoo, Bu et Mbengkas (villages Laimbwe) ont bien servi ces objectifs socioculturels et cosmologiques. Les défis socioculturels auxquels les gens sont confrontés aujourd'hui sont dus en partie au fait qu'ils ne respectent plus ces rituels et n'y participent plus.

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