If you want to learn about another country, I think there is no better way than by attending one of their national holiday celebrations. You can immediately learn how they celebrate, what they prioritize, and what they eat and drink, and so much more. I have recently attended two big national Cameroonian holidays: National Youth Day (February 11th) and the 50th Anniversary of the Reunification of Cameroon (held on February 20th).
Youth Day
My Day (since technically "youth" can be anywhere from 12 to 30) started early in the morning, since the music-filled bar celebrations lasted all night and my counterpart Delphine began banging on my door before 8am. I had been invited to go to the administrative center of my town to join the biggest and best celebration by the Sous-Prefet, but I decided to stay at Bansoa Chefferie; everyone I knew was there, students and teachers and neighbors and friends. After prepping myself to face the day, I joined Delphine to help with fête preparations. We hung up paper flowers and garlands, set up chairs, and watched the men raise the flag pole in the middle of the soccer field, where the parade was supposed to commence at 10am sharp. Of course, we were running on Cameroonian time, so that didn't happen… Instead, the celebratory even started around noon with the raising of the flag by the Scouts -- supposedly a Cameroonian version of boy scouts, but for both boys and girls, and appears to be connected to the national police force… In a parody of precision, three adolescent boys marched up to the flag pole, positioned themselves on three points of the compass, and raised the flag with the jerky motions of arms locked straight. Then someone sang the national anthem with a microphone scratchy and half functioning, the way microphones can always be expected to work when they are most relied upon...
O Cameroon, Thou Cradle of our Fathers,
Holy Shrine where in our midst they now repose,
Their tears and blood and sweat thy soil did water,
On thy hills and valleys once their tillage rose.
Dear Fatherland, thy worth no tongue can tell!
How can we ever pay thy due?
Thy welfare we will win in toil and love and peace,
Will be to thy name ever true!
Chorus:
Land of Promise, land of Glory!
Thou, of life and joy, our only store!
Thine be honour, thine devotion,
And deep endearment, for evermore.
From Shari, from where the Mungo meanders
From along the banks of lowly Boumba Stream,
Muster thy sons in union close around thee,
Mighty as the Buea Mountain be their team;
Instil in them the love of gentle ways,
Regret for errors of the past;
Foster, for Mother Africa, a loyalty
That true shall remain to the last.
Chorus:
Land of Promise, land of Glory!
Thou, of life and joy, our only store!
Thine be honour, thine devotion,
And deep endearment, for evermore.
This was followed by the highly serious event of listening to President Paul Biya's National Youth Day Speech in both French and English, played at every Youth Day event around the country. I am sure I wasn't the only one who zoned out after about two minutes, despite the great importance of our benevolent leader. Finally, the special-est part of the day started: THE PARADE. [Cameroonians love a parade - défilé in French or March-Pass in Cameroonian English. Being able to participate in the parade is a great honor, and practice for this particular parade started at least a week early. What is more important for children to learn during school hours: math and history or how to march? Ask a Cameroon, and they will tell you both!] First, the école maternelle kids performed skits, songs, and dances for the watching crowds. Then the école primaire students marched past, 100 children per school in 2 blocks of 10 rows of 5 students each. While marching, these children sang patriotic songs about "la nation, l'avenire, la jeunesse" and "Paul Biya, notre camarade." Finally, the lycée students marched past, proudly holding signs to show off their Bilingualism Clubs and National Unity and Civic Education Clubs and Environment Clubs. Although it lasted over two hours, it was a rainbow of uniforms and a display of patriotic pride that I overall enjoyed.
Reunification Day:
This celebration passed in a very similar manner to Youth Day, but this time grander because 1) I did not turn down the invitation to go to the administration center and 2) it's like a special birthday! First a "band" processed in (2 trumpets, 2 trombones, and 2 drums played without much evident practice), then the anthem was sung, and another President's speech was blasted to crowd attentive to anything but the speech… Perhaps the only person who actively listened to the whole speech was the political party's official sitting to my left and nodding vigorously throughout. Then the parade (which miraculously started only 15 minutes late!) began with much pomp and circumstance - or at least really loud music blasting on loud speakers. The parade was led by military folks, then by Cameroonians aged 50 to 57 (who picked that cutoff date seemed to be a mystery to everyone involved) wearing President Biya's face on their shirts in the place of Superman symbols. Then all the children processed again, this time exactly 50 from each school. And, for the grand finale, motorcycle-taxi drivers drove around the parade ground wildly and performed stunts while wearing only t-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops. Afterwards, all us "grands" (ha! I don't know why anyone thinks I belong with the elites…) ate chicken and goat and pineapple and drank beer and Moët Chandon at the Sous-Prefet's house.
In spite of the entertainment of the parade spectacle, it's also a bit terrifying to watch children march in formation, arms held straight and swung too high, feet pressed into the ground heel-toe-heel-toe. The children are just Good Citizens marching and singing as they are taught: "The true purpose of education is to produce good citizens." Good citizens believe in the things their government wants them to believe in: a peaceful, unified, bilingual nation that protects the environment and fights against sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS. I personally think those are good things to believe in, but the fanfare of these big events is still a little too reminiscent of inculcation to make me completely comfortable with it.
The next two big holidays are International Women's Day (March 8th) and National Day (May 20) - we will see if they change my opinion of marching parades.
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