JEFFREYS1950-001 - ethnographic attestation
Kom Nkvifon, the Fon's police roarer
Cameroon - Kom kingdom, Boyo Division, North-West Region (Bamenda Grassfields) - Central Africa
Restricted
Source term: bull-roarer
Nkvifon (Kwifon): the Fon's regulatory and police society, which used the bull-roarer.
In Kom the Fon's orders were carried out by Nkvifon, and Nkvifon used the bull-roarer. The society was the king's executive and his police: it enforced his decrees, once put criminals to death, and danced in masks at the funerals of the Fon and the great. It also makes the king. When a new Fon is to be enthroned the society assembles, the eldest men of two of the great families lead the chosen heir before it, one holding each arm, and only when Nkvifon has accepted him can the coronation go ahead.
The Nkvifon uses the bull-roarer and carries out decrees and orders of the chief.
M. D. W. Jeffreys, 'Some notes on the Bikom', The Eastern Anthropologist 4 (1950–51), pp. 96–97
- Object
- The bull-roarer of the Nkvifon society.
- Function
- Used by Nkvifon, the Fon's executive and police society, which carried out his decrees, once executed criminals, and danced masked at royal funerals.
- Source
- M. D. W. Jeffreys, 'Some notes on the Bikom', The Eastern Anthropologist 4 (2) (December 1950–February 1951): 88–97, at pp. 95–97
- Source location
Page references
pp. 95 (enthronement), 96–97 (bull-roarer)
- Source confidence
- medium to high
- Location note
- Laikom (Jeffreys: Laakom), the Kom palace village above Njinikom; GeoNames 2229675 populated place at minute precision.
Regions: Africa · Central Africa