The Kan dancer wears a feathered hat. The Kan is taking place every two years it is danced only in few societies. Theoretically, every society dance the Kan with the youth of the country (the one who doesn't dance has to give a goat). At the origin, the dance marked the end of the initiation time (Kan would mean the blood alliance). Ngu-jan is the year when the young girls are locked in and got fatter. Ngu-kan is the next year when these dances happen. The young man who has to dance for the first time has to sleep the night in someone's house who will give him the kan. On the morning, he goes on the fence, under which there is taro. He has to eat it. Dance figures are for two people face to face. The chief who has been asked on the meaning of the dance, said that it was for the fecondity of the country (crop and children). From 1945 to 1959, Daniel Broussous was the head doctor of the protestant hospital of Bangwa, set up by the Société des missions évangéliques de Paris (Paris evangelical mission society) in the south of the region Bamileke in 1935. Broussous took many photographs documenting the art, the architecture, the traditions and the daily-life of Bamileke chieftainships. He also made several films.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
