THE MYTH BEHIND THE KOM SETTLEMENT
Nonfiction by Njong Patrick Yuh
Myths throughout history have been passed down from generation to generation in all societies. But sometimes myths, believed in strongly enough, become more than ancient stories and legends told around the campfire (and, in extension, become more of note to genre writers creating new worlds). Such myths can inform the identity of the people alive today and still affect their whole society.
Such is the myth behind the Kom settlement, a local myth from Cameroon. – editor’s note.
The Myth Behind the Kom Settlement
During the nineteenth century migration in Cameroon, tribes moved south in search of higher financial opportunities. The Kom people, who originated from higher Mbam in Tikari, came looking for fertile soils. They first settled in Babessi. The Koms were accorded a befitting welcome by the Babessi traditional leader who granted them a section of land. After a few years, the Babessi leader noticed with dismay how the Kom people were becoming stronger, greater, famous and more prosperous than his subjects. He jealously devised a way to remove the Kom’s strongest men whom he saw as a hazard to his throne.
He met the Kom leader Njinabo (I) and suggested to him that both the Kom and Babessi strongmen be removed to avoid an eventual coup d’etat. He suggested that two large halls be set up and the strongest men from each Kom and Babessi family be chosen, sent into the halls and there be burnt. Njinabo naively accepted this treacherous suggestion. The two separate halls were built and all the strong men from the two households were selected, leaving behind only the women and children.
The Babessi leader had constructed the hall meant for the Babessi strong men with a secret outlet leading into the bushes. His people then entered through the front door and passed out of the hall through the back door.
The Kom leader remained unaware of the trick played on him to eliminate his men. The two halls were set on fire as planned. All the Kom men were roasted like yams while all the Babessi notables, supposed to have been burnt too, were saved.
After the tragic massacre of the Kom strong men and intellectuals, their leader Njinabo paid a visit to his Babessi counterpart. He met the leader of Babessi playing his harp, and was alarmed to see the supposedly burnt Babessi notables moving around freely. Realising the treachery, Njinabo stamped the harp on the chief of the Babessi’s head and left immediately for his home.
On arrival at his house, he related the story to his sister and told her that he was going to commit suicide. His sister, on hearing this, began to weep, but he told her that if he didn’t commit suicide it would be impossible for him to avenge the Babessi for their treacherous act over his subjects. He cautioned his sister and the few remaining family members that when he commits suicide, he should be left hanging. When his body decays, the water and flesh from his body would form a small lake on the spot and the maggots growing inside the decomposed corpse would turn into fish in this lake. He charged them to keep his secret plan confidential. He further advised them never to join any Babessi group for an eventual catch when the lake and the fish were discovered. Finally, he advised his sister to constantly be on the watch around the area of his suicide, and that the day she sees a track of the python, she should gather the Kom family and follow, and that they should settle whenever and wherever the track disappears. On the reappearance of the python’s track, they should continue the journey. This migration should continue until the track reaches its final resting place. He told them that they should be very conscious of the fact that he is the one leading them. He informed his people that with the catch of the fish from the lake, the Babessi would ever remain a minority as compared to the Kom population.
After committing suicide, Njinabo’s predictions to his people actually came true. The lake was discovered by a Babessi hunter at the heart of the dry season. News of this wonderful discovery went around like wildfire in the harmattan. The Babessi people went out in their numbers for the fish. According to tradition, the royal catch had to be carried out first and thereafter all the Babessi went fishing for their own families. As soon as they were all in the lake, the waters covered over them. They drowned like the Egyptians in the Red Sea after all the Israelites had crossed over (Exodus 14:23-28).
And so the Babessi people had their revenge thanks to the Kom leader Njinabo. The python finally arrived at a place called Laikom, where the Kom palace is built. The python disappeared there which was interpreted to mean the area was suitable for settlement. The python's trail is still visible today somewhere in Laikom.
The Impact of the myth today
The myth behind the Kom settlement in Cameroon has made the Kom people of today "involuntarily" practice forest conservation which is a giant step as far as climate change is concerned. Because of this single myth, the Kom people have allowed an entire forest to remain untouched because they believe it is where their late Fon (Fon Njinabo) resides. This evergreen forest attracts tourists to the area. It is also a home to some endangered species such as the red feathered bird and monkeys.