An Exploration of the Conception of God Among the Bali Nyonga and Its Impact Upon Their Contemporary Christian Practice With
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An Exploration of the Conception of God among the Bali Nyonga and its Impact upon their contemporary Christian practice with particular reference to Hymnody and Prayer. By Babila George Fochang A Dissertation Submitted to the School of Religion and Theology, University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, in partial fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Master of Theology [M. TH.] Degree in African Christianity, December 2004. Abstract Through the invitation of the then traditional ruler of Bali Nyonga, the missionaries of the Basel Mission arrived there in 1903. They embarked on evangelisation especially through the opening of schools. They studied the mungaka language, translated the Bible into it and made several other publications. However in the process of translation they concluded in strong terms that the Bali had no notion of a Supreme Being who created heaven and earth. Professors, Bolaji Idowu, Kwame Bediako and others argue contrary to such missionary assertion above, that continuity from the old religion is what gives meaning to the understanding of the new. It is in this light that in this work we seek to explore the Bali Nyonga conception of the Supreme Being. We will also investigate Christian understanding of the God of Israel; whether he is understood only in the light of previous understanding or they consider him to be somebody whom they had never known in their worldview. The researcher begins however with the basic assumption that the new can be understood only in the light of the past. This is because the people have a few sayings, which clearly indicate that their past is so much, cherished. They say for example that Bo ma ni ntun mandzi mfi kui tsed I nden beh [one cannot dig a new road without cutting across the existing road], man 'wo' ka gha bun nden ma mi be mbe I ti' la' be nto nkwedkwed [the hawk said it is not good for old people to all die, lest one day people would take them for meat]1. There is also the name Dayebga [one cannot forget his homeland or their compound]. 1 The hawk is not eaten. By this proverb it is considered that if there are no old people to pass on old values the next generation may do things that are digressions from esteemed values. This saying emphasizes continuity. Babila Fochang, Wisdom of the Ancients - Some African Proverbs, Witty Sayings and their interpretations drawn mostly from Bali Nyonga in the North West province of Cameroon, Dschang: Dschang University Press, 2001, p.43. l After introducing the work in chapter one, the next chapter presents a historical overview of the context of research. Chapter three explores the conception of God among the Bali Nyonga. The findings of Europeans are first presented followed by the understanding of indigenes. Chapter four considers the encounter between two conflicting worldviews and its consequences as the Gospel and missionaries [two different worldviews] came into contact with the Bali worldview. The next chapter investigates Christian practice and their understanding of God. We have done this by analysing some Church hymns and prayers. Chapter six is a summary of the findings and a theological reflection on the results of the findings. 11 Mother tongue abstract Ba Muson ka ye nu mbonked ndze bo ka yu' ntum yi ba Fonyonga yi I tse iba a ka turn mbo bo nga bo to mbi'ni nu Nyikob ma ngon Nyonga a. Ba Fonyonga ka bati be ni mbobnku ba I Ba Galega 1 kusui yi I ka bi'ni mbad ntum mbo Fombolingon nga I ye ba Muson to ma ngon Ba'ni a. Ale a ka be ni lum 1903 Ba Muson I ted tse ma Ba'ni mbi'ni fa Nyikob. Bo ka be ba Ba Yakob Keller, Leimbacher, mbe Ferdinand Ernst. Kenti ka bi sa' Adolf Vielhauer bati yab. Ba lin nga dzama mwa'ni bo ka bud ni tsu mungaka a ka be bo fa'i. Bo ka nyhaa nda mwa'ni. Ba Fonyonga ka tod yo nu nwa'ni le ti. I ka dzun tafeli mbo ghan mwa'ni. Ni kueli ba tabon nga bo nuen bon bab ma nda nwa'ni. Nu a tsa bo ni yo nu fa' le yi nta' ma kiti ma dzi yo mwa'ni le a be nga ni ndib yi Ba Muson ka bi ta' ma bud mwa'ni Nyikob ni tsu mungaka a, bo gha Ba'ni ma ndzi mo mun yi I ka nebti nindeng bo nsi yi bo fun I ni Nyikob a be. Bo ka gha Bani dzi mo' nyikob yi I be mo' koko ni ntsi ma kob bon bo' I bo' a. Ale bon ni keti koko le mbi bo' nga bo ti ma ndze bub be I nuen ndon boa dzan ndu bon. Bo ka ku nsun nga Ba'ni kue ndzi be nu ma ked tu fom bo a lob, ni ngomti ba kusi ndze yab Nyikob. Yo nu nya ntob'ni a titi. Ale nta' ma ta'ti nga yo nu bo ka sun a beh nuenuen e. Lo bub ma dzi gha' le ba to ta'ti ma dzi mbom mandzi yi Ba'ni ka lin Nyiokb a. Ba ni ndze yo ta'ti le mbi' mandzi yi ba Muson ka tsu nga Ba'ni ma ndin Nyikob be a nna'ti nga bo ka lo' nga nu Nyikob yi bo ka to mue a ka be nu mfi yi Ba'ni ma nted mbi lin a be. Bui ni ntani yo nu le ma dzi yo bu' mwa'ni mbi' nga a tsani mbo mun ma mbim mo' yum mfi ndzeh i ti ma mbe ni mo' mfi' nden ma lobti nu le mue a be. Ale bue ye ta'ti ma nku'mu bun-Kristo ma Ntanfoang, Ntaiton, Mantum mbe Gungong. Yo ta'ti le ta' ma lin mandzi yi bun-Kristo ma ngon Ba'ni lin Nyikob le yi mwa'ni ntumbon ni nsun a. Bui bi'ni yo ta'ti le mbe ni bim ntum nga a tsani ma tung mandzi mfi kue tsed i nden beh. Ba'ni bim beh nga fa nu nden ti la' mi me' beh. in Dedication. This thesis is dedicated to my ancestors, whose past assured my present, thus enabling me build for posterity, to ensure perpetuity and continuity. Who they were make us who we are; for ever may we remain. IV Acknowledgments The Bali says Ta' bo nyin ma ni nkud bu' be -one hand cannot tie a bundle. This proverb emphasises 'collective survival'. Togetherness is the secret of success because Ta' tui nyin ma ni ma' kob be a -one tree does not make a forest. It is in the spirit of the above wisdom and conviction that this work has been realised. A work such as this has a cumulative history to its realisation. My parents by whose agency God brought me to this world and who contributed largely to this work through my up bringing are part of the achievements. It pleased the Almighty that none of them should see the days of my pastoral ministry. May their souls rest in peace as they commune with the rest of my ancestors. Special thanks go to Rev. Professor Kwame Bediako, my supervisor, but perhaps most particularly for the vision of setting up an Institution like the Akrofi- Christaller Memorial Centre for Mission Research and Applied Theology [A- CMC], who in conjunction with the University of KwaZulu Natal offers this program. My gratitude is extended to all my lecturers for the illuminating and insightful wisdom they shared with me. These are Professor Andrew F. Walls of the University of Edinburgh, Professor Gerald 0. West, Professor Anthony Balcomb and Dr. Lucas Ngoetjana all of the University of KwaZulu Natal. I also remember Professor Mary Gillian Bediako and Dr. Allison Howell of A-CMC, Akropong; Professor Ralph Addo-Fening and Rev. Professor Elom Dovlo, both of the University of Legon, Ghana Professor Watson Omulokoli and Dr. Philomina Mwaura both of the University of Nairobi, Kenya. Ms. Korklu Laryea, the A-CMC librarian was very helpful in giving assistance at all times. 1 commend the entire staff of A-CMC for their consciousness to duty, which helped to provide a serene atmosphere for conducive learning. My colleagues were very helpful as they constantly came to my rescue with valuable suggestions when I found it difficult to proceed. The joyous and humorous discussions we had together were motivation for this research. They are Mrs. Sonene Nyao from the kingdom of Swaziland, Ms. Limakatso Mafata V from Lesotho, Mr. Theoneste Rutayisire from Rwanda and Revs. Opuni Frimpong and Solomon Nii Adjei Mensah from Ghana. I would not have met the above persons had it not been for the Uniting Protestant Churches of the Netherlands offering me a scholarship. I do not have words enough to thank them; especially Dr. Jaap Breetvelt who was in charge of the African Desk at the time. Special thanks also to Rev. Hinne Wagenaar - my lecturer in African Theology in under-graduate studies - for working tirelessly to ensure that his Church procured the scholarship for me. I am also indebted to Dr. Armin Zimmermann who continued the struggle from where Wagenaar left off, besides his own personal financial assistance. My brother-friend Ba Bangfon Babila Tita Eric has offered inestimable brotherly assistance to my family. The Christians of the parishes where I served as minister in the last few years gave me a lot of financial, moral and spiritual support. These are Nsimeyong, Dschang and Mbouda, CCAST Complex and Cameroon Protestant College congregations.