New Spaces for Negotiating Art and History in African Cities: Art in theDouala Port City. Conference paper

Paper Abstract

The port city of Douala in Cameroon is one of the most ethnically inclusive cities in Africa. Its ethnic inclusivity is the basis of its cosmopolitan setting. It is the outcome of a long history of pull factors which brought migrants of many different ethnic entities into this port. The Duala (indigenes of Douala) created fishing villages around the port not very long before the Atlantic commercial revolution which changed the fortunes of the port started. It became one of the major ports in the Atlantic trade as early as the 16^th century and remained in it till the close of the 19^th century. The enslaved persons who were the main item of the trade came principally from the many ethnic entities in the hinterlands of Douala. Thus Douala became a great pull center for hinterland slavers and other persons who were attracted by the growing economic opportunities of the port. Many of them settled permanently in Douala, often according to their ethnic affinity thus creating ethnic neighborhoods and civilization units which characterized the city artistic outlook even today. The paper shows how Douala city art is better appraised from multiethnic spaces. Because ethnic immigrants were wont to maintaining their ethnic identity so they upheld their cultures including artistic civilization in architecture, popular culture and many other artistic expressions. One finds art here and there in the city in public and private collections, graveyards, carvings, traditional wood and bamboo furniture, wooden and clay bowls which are vivid demonstrations of the ethnic diversity of Douala city. Indeed Douala is artistically Cameroon in miniature. The ethnic inclusivity of Douala artistic wealth is eloquently acknowledged and demonstrated in the municipal symbol of the ‘Douala man’ at the ‘Rond Point’ at Deido. A close observation of the huge art structure shows diversity in Douala city art in terms of the material used. Douala city art is essentially multiethnic and Douala has in its inclusive growth also absorbed immigrant art from outside Cameroon.